I was never particularly activist about feminism, though I have always considered myself a feminist. My attitude was, “I just want to make stuff.” The only times I felt it was worth distracting myself from design and other creative work was when sexism got in the way of me doing it.
I think principles-led branding—and design—is the future within my industry, which gives me hope for everyone else.
Imaginary Letter from My Government Representative
“I have not been at the forefront of this issue, I have not led any legislation or debate that relates to it, nor have I really done sufficient research when I voted on issues like this in the past. In fact, there were a few times I vigorously opposed it.”
Design: the power of novelty, the pitfalls of fashion
Discerning between the positive potential of novelty and the dangerous traps of fashion is tricky. There’s no formula for maintaining the necessary vigilance.
Evolution of the Big Fat List
Years ago, I posted a simple and practical article about gearing up for a big project, called The Big Fat List (I think it was this blog’s second post!). A lot of people loved it, and most of the feedback was about the surprising power […]
Brand Champion
My background is in graphic design, and I’m passionate about communication in all its forms, from surrealistic poetry to the social media tsunami. This passion expresses itself as a fierce drilling into the essence of a company’s culture, message and vision. As a result, I’m able to understand and express a brand in broader terms—where […]
Everyone seems to be reminding us to Dream Big.
I want to make sure these things are clear:
You don’t need to dream of Big Things, like Huge Projects, a Big Business, a Big House, or sales of a Kajillion Widgets. You can. I’m just clarifying that this is not what’s meant.
You need […]
Cooperative Projects: Wake a Sleeping Dragon
Bringing ideas to life is now my #2 high.
Helping others feel that feeling has become #1.
With my most recent volunteer creative project, I’d say a close third is learning that the project giftee has reaped profound meaning and sustenance from the gift (which happened, and it was heart-melting). However, keeping in mind […]
im·ag·i·na·tion
[ih-maj-uh-ney-shuhn]
–noun
1. the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses.
2. the action or process of forming such images or concepts.
Dictionary.com. […]
My Take on Wikileaks
Community Collaboration: School Mural Project
This summer, I designed and directed a mural project for Saturn Elementary, a Los Angeles city school.
Working with Committees: Un-bottlenecking
The plus side of committees is that everyone brings a different perspective, and different strengths, to the table. One of their infamous minuses—the bottleneck (sometimes known as pea soup or the black hole)—becomes exponentially aggravating for each person you add to the group (not to mention those that show up near the end of the […]
Maintaining Project Objectives Six Months Later
It’s easy to stay focused on the objectives of a 6-to-8 week project. For example, a current site redesign includes objectives for building revenue from specific sources and strengthening the current community. It’s those 6+ month projects that can drag the team’s attention away… to things like checking off the task list, interruptions for smaller […]
Honda Video “Failure: The Secret to Success”: Well Done
The best part is the silent moments as interviewees search for words—vulnerable, human faces. I showed this to my son, and would like you to see it, too.
After I posted this note, I happened to rediscover Only Human (site now defunct), “a community where people share stories publicly or anonymously about mistakes they’ve […]
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