A PROFESSIONAL BUMMER

I have never felt vulnerable or unappreciated because I am a woman. That is, until recently.

I went to a local spot where I frequently work on projects and by happenstance met a man who was seeking design work for his small business, sending me an email with information on the spot. I continued to work and briefly visited with a male friend, after which the business owner stopped talking to me and later never replied to my emails. Only days following, I asked a male if I could take his photo and ask a few questions for a local zine feature-- approaching him as professionally as possible. He proceeded to sit by me and ask for my phone number.
               Maybe this is in part because I am still a student and only freelance?
               And I don't have printed business cards?
              Or maybe because everyone says I look five years younger than I actually am?
Despite the many other possibilities I came up with, I felt I wasn't taken seriously because I am a woman... and it was discouraging.

It is hard to imagine that even in a market saturated with creative, open-minded, and modern individuals, some bias may still exist. I guess that is assuming quite a lot, but it's an interesting thought.

After some time, I broke down the average incoming designer and realized this:
1. Designers tend to dress casually compared to those working in office situations
2. Designers often meet outside of the office in smaller, social-friendly settings
3. Designers may speak on a more personal level than in many work situations
4. Designers make great listeners and are creative, and those are attractive characteristics despite gender

Having a professional demenor is key for women in any field, but I feel women in design can be additionally vulnerable due to the above factors. That, and they tend to associate primarily with men. I like to believe that as I ease into the professional world I will be taken more seriously.

I aspire to engage clients with my strong design work and nothing more.

SO YOU'RE DATING A DESIGNER?

The Australian creative studio Yoke recently released this entertaining series of images to inform individuls exactly what it is they are signing up for by dating a designer. Highlighting both the good and bad, Yoke is undeniably spot-on with this dater's guide and the quirky descriptions only add to the hilarity.

Grab your significant other and get ready for some good laughs. Here are a few favorites...

They are always right. You may think it will be fun to re-decorate your living room with the help of your designer partner, but you’re wrong. It’s not fun. Not unless you are familiar with pantones, rules of aesthetics and tungsten lighting. Forget mixing your Mexicali rug with a French provincial coffee table, it’s just not going to happen. It goes against the theme, babe.

They don’t keep office hours. Some days it may seem like they spend hours sourcing GoT memes and sending you links to puppies falling asleep, while other nights you go to bed alone and are woken at 12 am by cold computer hands. It all comes down to good versus evil clients and deadlines. But you can’t say they aren’t proud of their work, you’d be hard pressed to find a designer willing to hand in something sub-par just to make it home in time for Survivor.

They speak another language. It’s called ‘Adobe’, and you will never understand it.

They freaking love fonts. If your designer is unusually happy today it’s probably because they just stumbled across a bunch of boutique fonts. And they are freaking out. At one stage they may even try to make you watch a documentary on Helvetica. This is normally the point in the relationship where you re-evaluate your life choices.

Want to see more? Check out Yoke's complete list. 

INTERPRETING LIGHT

Light not only povides illumination within art, but colors also depend on it. It is extremely diverse because its intensity, spectrum, frequency, speed, and wavelength are all properties which can be controlled by the artist. A particular employment of one or all of these properties can drastically change the symbolism within a piece or even become the art itself.

Merz's quote [from Art & Electronic Media] illustrates that the choice between either natural or electric light can also alter the purpose and/or affect of an art piece. Using the luxurious, flashy electronic light is quite enticing and draws viewers in whereas natural light is softer and humbling.
I like this idea of psychological control over one's own art.

Yes, most interpretations are quite subjective.
But consider this: How much of your reaction to an art piece is truly original and how much may be transcribed to you?

OLYMPIC FEVER

This winter I am avoiding the typial fever and instead succumbing to the Winter Olymic fever.

I am a fan of the text-based logo this year and dream of the day when I may be able to make design my profession. In the meantime, I am an active dreamer.
So, in celebration of the opening ceremonies, here is my rough little "if only" logo design for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Feel free to comment with some feedback!

Design by: Alissa Petersen

THE BUSINESS OF ART

[ The topic today is a great kick-off post and resource for future discussion! ]

A recent New York Times article, titled Lost in the Gallery-Industrial Complex, brings up the power of money in the art industry and the small pocket of artists that benefit from the current art circulation system. Author Holland Cotter brings up many points in his analysis, but I will focus on the three that stuck most with me:

1. Art Education: The "struggling artist" is a character we all know, or maybe we are one. The range of art education has erupted in the past fifty years, along with tuition rates. Limited funding and highly competitive scholarships leave many students indebted to their institutions. Then, upon matriculation, students are faced with a money-minded industry and very few (if any) job opportunities. 

So, is the business behind art preventing many new talents from being recognized? I think there is some truth in such an assumption. Luckily, more students also learning the value in branding and utilizing available technologies in today's world.

2. Community: This past summer I took design classes in Manhattan and got a taste of New York's "artsy" neighborhoods. Brooklyn's Dumbo, Bushwick, Williamsburg, and many others were once littered with abandoned warehouses with inexpensive rent in which artists took refuge. Over time, the influx of artists increased the development and attraction of the areas and therefore created an economic shift. The resulting spike in the cost of living is too high for most artists- for the people who helped in stimulating the neighborhood- who are now being driven out. I find this both interesting and disconcerting because it happened in a very short time period (most artist influx during the 1990s.) Examples like this are great for the local economy, but I feel that both support and assets should cycle back to the artists.

3. Voice: With advancements in technology and connectivity, it is easier for artists to find, create, and share art communities. I think this is a good point to close on, because this is my sort of call-for-action to artists and viewers everywhere. Please: Research lesser-known artists. Support your local art community however that may be. And, lastly, take the time to create pieces for the purpose of enjoyment and not for profit.

What are your thoughts on these topics or others mentioned in the article?

Nick Kuszyk's Williamsburg mural; Photo by: Alissa Petersen

CHANNELING: GROWTH

Here it is guys, a new blog for a new year!


For those who don't yet know, I'm Alissa: I am a twenty-something design student whose life is filled passion, art, and wanderlust.
I hope that my experiences may inspire all of my readers and spark some creativity.

I forsee great change in 2014 and can't wait to share my design inspirations and projects with you all.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin