HOW this designer does it in...Chicago

The view from my 35th floor room

I just came back from Chicago (Chi-town) with renewed inspiration for design. Do you ever feel like there is an energy sucker in your office? After being in an office filled with muted gray tones and stuck in alt + delete mode I needed a huge design boost. I guess an update is in order. I was in Chi-town for the HOW Design Conference (pretty much the biggest conference in the nation solely for creatives). I am considered new to the design world. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the conference; no matter how tiring this conference was every waking minute was worth it. I was with people who understood me, “my people” lol. Even though I was among “my people” I was a little nervous. Being that this was my first HOW Design Conference I didn’t know any of the other attendees and I also was the only one from my company in attendance. It was scary once you thought about it. After arriving early Friday morning I was ready to pass out after I settled in my hotel room. I then realized maybe I should have come a day earlier to get all the Chicago festivities in my system.  Oh well, the first session being a networking event was probably the best thing for first timers and loners (LOL, like me).

During the keynote speech a resounding “I FAIL” from about 3000+ conference attendees filled the Grand Ballroom. Although we all felt silly, laughed and joked about it, this makes perfect sense. We all fail and the best thing about failing is getting up and trying again. With social media being so present in our lives we forget about the need for face-to-face interaction. To have someone’s full attention is almost nearly impossible now a days (coming from the ultimate multi-tasker [me]).  So here is some food for thought: “Thinking about being in the moment and actually being in the moment are not the same thing.” As I heard this, I instantly tweeted this quote therefore making me to be not in the moment. After the BIG sigh, I pretty much gave up on the keynote speaker. It sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher “whaa-whaa-whaa”.  So I left to stand in a line full of designers eager for free alcohol, food, t-shirts, posters, and pretty much anything else we can get our hands on.  

I felt like I was standing in line to get tickets for a concert or something. It was insane how all these designers crowded around like this was the last place on earth. We marched our way down to the Resource Center (where all this amazingness was happening) and the first thing I did was go to the booths and talk to a few vendors and of course grab some free swag. I got my free drink, some hor d'oeuvres (that was okay) and a bunch of information. After information overload I couldn’t think straight so I left soon before the Resource Center closed. I was ready to crash but not before I went and had something real to eat.

There were about 15 billion ways to get inspired. I often meditate to clear my thoughts and then take a walk. I usually get inspired by nature and observing people. Each session gave me a new way to look for inspiration.  Most of the time I find myself gazing at the sky (my head is always in the clouds…lol). I imagine what heaven is like and often think about what an extraordinary world we live in. God, the ultimate creator, made a world so beautiful and filled it with things we often take for granted. I try to appreciate every little detail.

Every day I am constantly working on something I can improve on. Whenever anybody asks me where I am in life I pretty much give the same response…”I am in transition” (whatever that means). It’s the simplest way to put where I am in life.  For people that know me know I am all over the place so I always am saying and doing random things.  The one thing I do every day is try is to make someone smile. If I can achieve that then for one moment they will forget whatever stress or anything horrible that they are going through and that makes my day.

Most of the sessions I attended were helpful, funny, witty and insightful. Mig Reyes, Cami Travis-Groves, Sally Hogshead, Jessica Hische, Chris Chapman and James Victore are phenomenal.  Their sessions were my favorite not simply because they are awesome designers :) but because they were themselves and didn’t apologize for it. The one thing I will not do is go through every session and tell you my thoughts and blah, blah, blahhdity, blah. Frankly, I can’t remember everything from each session (maybe that’s why I purchased all the sessions on mp3) and to hear every single detail is a little excessive. So I’ll talk about what I thought was helpful to me.

 Mig Reyes’ How The New Kids on the Block Do It session was filled with so much awesomeness that I had to let him know what a fantastic job he did and get some advice from one designer to another. Throughout the session he emphasized that the design world is changing. Every now and then he gives some tidbits he has learned: “Make stuff. Make stuff and more stuff and that’s how you find your voice.” The more I design for myself the more passion I have behind the project. Mig does fifteen minute design exercises that challenges his brain. Not that these fifteen minute designs are masterpieces or anything pero it’s prepares your mind for something else. It allows you to process design and execute quickly without over thinking. Let’s face it we all tend to over think things.  Another tidbit of info: “You are not your designs” meaning the designs you have made for clients do not define you as a designer. Hmm…so when I never got a call back from a small freelance gig executing invitations, posters and programs for an art show because the lady told me that she liked my resume design better than my portfolio I should have told her I am not my designs (or to shove it j/k`). When she told me this I was baffled and shocked because if you like my resume design then obviously you like my designs. My branding is a true reflection of me. I never even pursued this freelance opportunity after the initial meeting because I was so turned off.    

Mig also states in so many words, “The best ideas come from when you are at a bar getting drunk with good friends and the stories that come from that night. Great ideas come from experiences.” So true I can’t even tell you how many stories, pictures/videos I have of my nights with my crazy friends. Let’s just say one of my stories involves shots, Halloween costumes (wigs included), someone going through a window, the ER, and a children’s book about 10 sly piranhas. All we have from this night are a few pictures and plenty of video footage and all the memories that make for one insane story (scars included). After the session I asked Mig, “As someone who is new and the only designer in my company. How would I go about finding a mentor and more people in design?” He probably gave me the best advice, “Talk to the designers here. They are geeking about design and understand you more than you think.” Yes, it is true I am GEEKING about design but I am in good company. I think, research, read and learn about design morning, noon and night.

By the end of Saturday I was exhausted and wanted to just crash. I was unaware of any of parties, bar/ club crawls anybody was attending so I just chilled out. How lame right?! I didn’t even know there was a forum on HOW Live’s website until after the conference was over. :(  I found out there was many useful things on there from places to go, bar/ club crawling, getting FREE business cards and more. Even though I didn’t have the opportunity to indulge in any of that I still enjoyed myself.

My favorite slide of James Victore, "I <3 NY more than Milton Glaser"

James Victore is crazy/ amazing because he simply is himself. He said something everyone should hear designer or not, “Worry about perfection? You lose…perfection is not interesting.” Too many people worry about perfecting things. It’s the imperfections that make everybody human and unique. He shocked the hell out of me when he said “F*CK Photoshop”. I heard that statement twice that day after attending a 7:30 a.m. (note I am an insomniac and not a morning person so coffee was in full-effect) session on Adobe CS5 products earlier lol. People are so dependent on Adobe products that we can’t even think straight. We need to get out of the office and do something different. This is why many designers have something they do outside of their job. I am a painter and photographer. My paintings are abstract (very Jackson Pollock inspired) and are meant for me.

 Each speaker had something special to bring to their session. Chris Chapman talked about maintaining the kid in you. I am a true kid at heart, watching Saturday morning cartoons still (even though they are not as good now lol). I do what I love and don’t apologize for it. I often reminisce about my childhood and remember how simple life was. I admire the innocence in children because they never stress the way we do as adults. I was the type of girl that hated dresses and would roll around in dirt. I never thought I shouldn’t be doing this or worried how dirty I got. I could careless and I want to maintain that same carefree attitude my whole life.

Neenah Paper sponsored the Closing Reception party with a Chicago Blues Brothers theme Sunday night. For those of you who don’t know what Blues Brothers is, it’s a movie made in the 80s (that’s all you’re getting from me). I will quote it though: “We’re on a mission from God.” Love it. This was the best way for us to close our HOW Live experience. After a few drinks, much conversation, bad desserts, Blues Brothers band and dancing craziness my feet were tired (teaches me to break in a new pair of wedges).

Me with a foam bike on the brake it says, "I brake for designers"

Sally Hogshead was the closing speaker. Her session was the best way to end this fantastical experience. She talked about the 7 triggers of fascinations. My main trigger is passion and my secondary is mystique. This isn’t surprising mainly because I pour my heart into everything I do. I have also heard many times that I am mysterious meaning that I don’t necessarily reveal everything all at once. My two triggers passion: I create attraction and mystique: I arouse curiosity together they allow me to magnetically attract interest in whatever I do. Interesting right??!? :)  

Overall I took back to Syracuse memories and pictures of all the awe-inspiring architecture, graffiti and most of all knowledge I have acquired in the four chaotic days.  With my first HOW conference behind me, I am officially a HOWie (YES...lol). I am savoring the indescribable experience and patiently waiting until next year. BOSTON, here I come!

Until next time peace, love and harmony.
~Mel