AIGA Archives - Page 3 of 4

Passing the Torch

Posted on June 16, 2017May 29, 2018 by AIGA Baltimore

It feels like only yesterday that I had moved up to Baltimore and was just another fresh face at one of our chapter’s round-table events. Fast forward four years, and I’m closing out my two-year term as President. Our chapter has intentionally short terms, and mandates that presidents roll off the board after two years, because we believe that the chapter belongs to you, our members. We are a board of 100% volunteers, driven by a passion for design and innovation, and a desire to serve our community.

Two years ago, my goals were for our chapter were to expand on our solid foundation by growing our community involvement: 1) with the national AIGA organization and our other chapters, 2) with the broad Baltimore community, and 3) with the Baltimore creative community. I’m proud that our amazing team went above and beyond, and achieved some significant outcomes:

Expanded programming types and times
After redesigning our recurring events and offering Saturday morning events, we saw a spike in new event attendees. Last year our chapter put on 22 events, drawing more than 700 attendees across the greater Baltimore area. Design Week alone drew more than 400 people to nine events over the course of the week, 23% more than in 2015.

Getting involved in Baltimore neighborhoods
We also got involved in the Druid Heights neighborhood, leading a rebranding project for the Druid Heights Community Development Corporation. Check out their new branding on their website here: druidheights.com

Funding for two grant projects
In 2016, we were awarded two Innovate grants from AIGA to develop national resources for design entrepreneurship and design policy. We were able to develop these platforms due to the generosity and partnership of our amazing friends at Orange Element and Foxtrot Media: PolicyDesigned.com and YouLaunchIt.org.

Collaborating with other creatives
AIGA Baltimore co-founded the Creative Minds Crew, a team of leaders from six other creative organizations in the city: B’more Creatives, AAF Baltimore, AMA Baltimore, the Production Club of Baltimore, Girl Develop It, and the Society for History and Graphics. Together, we planned and co-hosted the inaugural Creative Mixtape networking event, bringing more than 250 professionals together.

Leading at the national level
I’m also delighted to share that AIGA Baltimore will host the national AIGA leadership retreat in 2018 – an honor that will bring leaders from AIGA’s 72 chapters across the country to convene here in Baltimore, to inspire and learn from each other, and chart the course for our field and our organization.

I’m thrilled to leave the board’s leadership in Joseph Carter Brown’s capable hands. Joe has been a rock for our chapter in his roles as programming director and vice president. He is also one of the most dedicated, visionary people I know, and he genuinely and deeply cares about this organization and the people in it. I know that under his leadership, the board will listen to the needs of the design community and the Baltimore community, to drive initiatives with impact.

Thank you to all the board members and volunteers who make this work possible. Thank you to the organizations who have partnered with us, the attendees who have learned with us, and the members who support our advocacy for design as a strategic business initiative and vital cultural force.

I am so exceptionally proud of everything the board has collectively achieved over the past two years, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve you as president. I am also so excited to see what AIGA Baltimore does next.

Thank you.

Posted on June 16, 2017March 20, 2018 by AIGA Baltimore

I’m writing this in an airplane, flying back to Baltimore from the AIGA National Leadership Retreat, listening to the new At The Drive-In album; with a heart full of love and eyes full of tears I reflect on the impact that AIGA has had on my life, and career. As I enter this journey as the president of the Baltimore chapter the only thing I can think is, “How can I provide this feeling to every member of our community?”

So here’s what I’ll say to you, I will literally give you the shirt off my back, I will literally lift you on my shoulders to help you project your voice, I will be your pin cushion and support system, because I know the power that we have as a unified community. I know the impact design can have and I want to see you at the forefront of changing the world. The funny thing is, when I joined this organization none of the above was in my head, heart, or hand, but having spent the past 4/5 years around this amazing community, I see the platform that AIGA has provided to every person that chooses to get involved. So as I begin my term as president, I want you to know that we have your back, we care, and we want to see you succeed. I hope you will join with me on this journey. Thank you.

One more thing, I want to give a special thank you to every person that has helped me along this path. I was going to list you all individually, but then I realized that this letter would extend another 14 pages because there are so many of you. So I will just say thank you, I cherish this challenge, and I am excited to bring my passion to the forefront. Let’s continue to FSU.

5 Tips for a Successful Portfolio Review

Posted on April 3, 2017May 11, 2020 by AIGA Baltimore

Ink & Pixels 2018: Creative Review is just around the corner, which means you’ll have the opportunity to have your portfolio reviewed by industry professionals. Here are five tips for you to get prepared so you can make the most of it.

Portfolio Tip #1: Don’t take it personally

As creative people, we tend to get deeply attached to our work, but keep in mind that any criticism you receive is not directed at you but at the work you present. Reviewers don’t know how long it took you to make it, or if your piece has a profound personal meaning to you, they will be there to give you a neutral honest opinion about your designs. They are providing you with their time and knowledge to help you have a stronger portfolio.

Portfolio Tip #2: Presentation is key

Whether you have a website, a PDF or a print portfolio doesn’t matter as long as you’re paying attention to detail. This includes not having typos and how your work is presented. If you are a product or packaging designer and don’t know how to take crisp, clean pictures, ask a friend who knows photography for help. The internet has plenty of free Photoshop mockups to display your card, flyers, and posters. It would be a shame to have your sharp designs lost in blurry or dark pictures.

Portfolio Tip #3: Keep it consistent

By consistency, I don’t mean including only print design, or only website design but rather the quality of the work. Every designer has good and bad pieces, so don’t feel pressured to include everything you’ve made. A few “meh” pieces can bring down the entire quality of your portfolio.

Portfolio Tip #4: Include what makes you special

Nowadays with templates on the internet, pretty much anyone can come up with a business card design, but that doesn’t mean all of them are innovative. Include what makes you special. Examples of this could be your use of color, your minimalist or maximalist aesthetic or the way you mix fonts.

And finally…

Portfolio Tip #5: Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Take a look at your work and write down any questions you have. Are you wondering if you should include a particular project in your portfolio? This is the time to ask your reviewer any questions you have. Take advantage of this, as once you are showing your work to a possible employer there is no turning back.

Now is time to get to work and prepare your portfolio. Join us at the next Ink & Pixels, where you’ll get personal reviews from peers and design professionals in the area!

We’ll see you there!

Pending State-wide Design Policy Needs Your Help

Posted on February 14, 2017February 7, 2019 by AIGA Baltimore

Given the interest in the Baltimore Innovation Village and Open Works, there is no better time than now to contact your delegates and senators to support design-driven initiatives on a state level. This week, we need your help contacting Annapolis legislators (e-mail, in person or by phone) to sign on as a sponsor for the Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission.

Scheduled to be introduced during the 2017 Maryland General Assembly Session, the Commission’s mission is:

To distinguish design in all its manifestations for innovations in both the public and private sectors.
To further the evidence of how design impacts innovation in government and industry.
To measure discrete economic, social and educational benefits of design activity in all its manifestations.
To apply economic, social, and educational outcomes of design activity to important public policy issues for Maryland including but not limited to: best practices for the natural and built environment, accessibility, and the delivery of public sector services.

The Commission has been endorsed by IDSA and AIGA Baltimore, and is currently developing partnerships with Open Works, Baltimore Innovation Village, Morgan State University, MICA, and Stanley Black and Decker.

Do your part to get the Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission Legislation approved by the Maryland General Assembly.

Take action now

Please take 15 minutes to call or send an email to your Maryland state senators and state delegates. This is vital in order to secure sponsors to support and introduce the legislation before February 24, 2017 in the Senate finance committee.

You can quickly find contact information for your district’s representatives by visiting the General Assembly of Maryland website. Simply click “who represents me?” in the upper right-hand corner and enter your address.

Here’s a sample message you can use:

“Greetings, ________________! I’m __________, a constituent calling/writing to ask for you to sponsor the Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission in the 2017 legislative session. The commission aims to distinguish design in all its manifestations for innovations in both the public and private sectors. which can apply to the fields of (specific examples: industrial design, architecture, engineering) Federal funds can be used to secure services and programs such as _____________________________________________ that promote sustainability and accessibility and support careers such as _______________________________. This will impact my field of interest by providing ______________________ Thank you for your time.”

Please CC designpolicymaryland@yahoo.com with all correspondence so we can track verifications!
To learn more, visit www.marylandbydesign.org

Thank you for taking action to advance the value and practice of design in Maryland.

Stephanie Yoffee is currently working to establish the Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission to serve as an intermediary between the sectors of design, state government, non-profit, and business. She is collaborating with policy-makers on MarylandByDesign, a design policy platform.

Kathleen Mazurek serves on AIGA Baltimore’s Innovate Committee, working to create an online national resource for design policy. She has worked with Stephanie Yoffee on the Design Excellence Commission since 2015. Kathleen is a Program Coordinator for the Tech Kids After School Program at Liberty Elementary School.

Designers for Good: A Conversation with Shannon Ryan, Vice President and Co-Director for Creative at Burness

Posted on September 1, 2016September 1, 2016 by AIGA Baltimore

Welcome to AIGA Baltimore’s Designers for Good interview series, featuring conversations with designers who work in the field of social innovation.

Shannon Ryan is Vice President and Co-Director of Creative at Burness, a global communications firm supporting nonprofits and the people they serve. Shannon joined Burness in 2011 as an Art Director and works on a variety of projects—print publications, information graphics, and websites—each with the goal of using visual communication to enhance a message.

Before joining Burness, Shannon was the Senior Designer at the Center for American Progress, where she designed Center’s publications and created graphics on a range of policy issues. She has also worked as an environmental advocate with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and has spent time in Nairobi, Kenya interning at the United Nations Environment Programme.

Shannon graduated from Cornell University with a degree in government and international relations and has also studied at the Corcoran College of Art + Design.

What is your background?

I studied government and international relations in college and then moved to Washington, DC to lobby Congress to protect endangered species, an issue that’s close to my heart. I was writing a lot of reports, and I soon realized that I enjoyed designing the reports more than I enjoyed writing them. So I decided to transition to a design career. I’m happy I did!

How and why did you becoming involved in designing for social innovation?

I didn’t want to leave behind work in the nonprofit and social change field after I became a designer, and I knew I would be happiest if I were able to work on issues I care about while doing the job I love. I got my feet wet in design at a health consulting firm, and I really appreciate the design fundamentals I was able to learn there. But I was eager to return to an advocacy environment so I moved on to be a designer at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank. After that, I started working at Burness, a communications firm that partners with nonprofits on a broad range of social change issues. I started up the in-house design department, and I’m still here almost five years later.

How do you define design for social innovation and how does your role at Burness accomplish this?

I think of design for social innovation as design that’s focused on improving people’s lives. “Traditional” design principles apply, and we still aim to make things engaging, enticing, and alive. But we’re using design as a tool to promote ideas and tell stories that will make a positive difference in the world (we hope!).

What’s the importance of design and communication in social innovation?

Designers have so much to bring to the table. One of the ways we’re most useful is in making content accessible to people who don’t live and breathe an issue. When I begin a design process, I’m often very unfamiliar with a topic. It’s not a detriment; it actually requires a researcher or advocate to explain their work in the simplest terms. That allows me to approach a design from a place of simplicity, adding detail as needed. As designers, we can help scale back content to its core messages, which will often resonate with a broad audience.

One of the most rewarding parts of design is the before and after. How does a presentation look when a client comes to us, and how does it look after? How much better does it communicate? It’s really a privilege to be able to help people who are doing important work present it to the world more clearly, beautifully, and compellingly.

This is still a new field, where do you see the area of social design moving in the future?

I actually think designing for social change has been around for a while, but it might be finding more of a defined niche with design firms like Hyperakt or Purpose, or even our own in-house design operation, being solely devoted to social change design.

Where it’s going, I’m not entirely sure. I’m writing this on one of the darker days in recent American history, following the deaths of two African American men at the hands of police and the killing of five police officers at a protest against police brutality. Designers have a role to play in making our communities and our country better, as we all do. The Washington Post is doing it by tracking the number of deaths from police through this interactive piece. As we grapple with these enormous and entrenched issues, designers can continue working with journalists and advocates to bring information to light, which is an important part of making change.

What advice would you give a designer interested in entering the social innovation space?

Do it! When I’m hiring designers I look primarily look for three things: 1. Good design fundamentals (obviously). Learn typography, learn color theory, learn hierarchy and spacing. 2. Passion. If you want to do this kind of work, let it show through your work and in your cover letter. 3. Curiosity. You don’t have to have a background in the history of social change movements or be a health care wonk, but you should be excited to learn. Designing for social changes goes far beyond “making things pretty” (as all design should), so it requires digging into content to understanding what you’re trying to communicate.

Overall, it’s very rewarding to pair a love for design with a desire for change. You get to take your conscience to work, as they say.

What are your favorite projects and why?

At Burness, our partners range from large, global foundations to small, local nonprofits in the DC area. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done for Serving Together, an organization providing resources for veterans in Montgomery County. We designed their logo and their website, and we continue to support their work in making resources accessible for the men and women who serve our country.

I’m also excited about the work we’ve done with several nonprofits and foundations in promoting indigenous peoples as stewards of the forests where they live. Forests are key to curbing climate change, and the greatest preservation of these lands happens when their management is in the hands of those most invested in it—the people who live there. For last year’s climate change meetings in Paris, we collaborated on the #standwithforests campaign, encouraging world leaders to make a commitment to indigenous peoples and forests. Our graphics were shared on social media and used as backdrops for high-profile events. It’s always very rewarding to see our designs in action.

What are challenges you have encountered while working for social innovation?

A recurring challenge is in trying to prioritize content. Our clients’ passion and depth of knowledge means they often want to communicate a great deal of nuance and detail. For some of the most common means of communication these days (read: social media), simplicity is king, so we have to work with clients to really focus on the one or two messages that will capture attention as people scroll quickly through their social media feeds.

Closing thoughts?

Thanks for interviewing me! It has been fun to share these thoughts and some of our work. I love that AIGA Baltimore is committed to social change design, and I’m looking forward to hearing from others doing this kind of work in the area.

About Design for Good

Design for Good is a platform to build and sustain the implementation of design thinking for social change. This platform creates opportunities for designers to build their practice, their network, and their visibility. Design for Good recognizes the wide range of designers’ work and leadership in social change which benefits the world, our country and our communities.

Design for Good supports and sustains designers who play a catalytic role in communities through projects that create positive social impact. By connecting and empowering designers through online networking tools, inspirational stories, chapter events, training, national advocacy and promotion, Design for Good serves as a powerful resource for designers who wish to work in this area and a beacon for designers leading the charge.

Designers for Good: A Conversation with Liz Danzico, Creative Director for NPR

Posted on August 13, 2016 by AIGA Baltimore

Welcome to AIGA Baltimore’s first installment of our Designers for Good interview series, featuring conversations with designers who work in the field of social innovation.

Our first interview is with Liz Danzico – part designer, part educator, and full-time dog owner. She is also creative director for NPR, overseeing and guiding both the visual and user experience across NPR-branded digital platforms and content. Liz is chair and co-founder of the MFA in Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts. She has written for design-minded publications, including Eye Magazine, Fortune Magazine, Interactions Magazine, and writes part time at bobulate.com.

What is your background?

I started out thinking I’d be a writer, but absolutely fell for work in the digital space when those positions first started emerging. Today, I’m creative director for NPR, whose mission is to work in partnership with member stations to create a more informed public. I’m the founding chairperson of the MFA Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts, one of the world’s top design schools. On the side, I advise startups, nonprofits, and global companies. Because my background is in writing, I continue that work by writing talks and writing for design-minded publications, and on my own site, bobulate.com. My very first job after college was as an English teacher in Japan, an experience I still think helped me be human-centered in my design practice.

You are founding chairperson of the MFA in Interaction Design Program at SVA in addition to advising various startups, nonprofits and global companies. How have your varied interests and experiences informed your role as the first creative director at NPR.

I used to joke that when people asked what I did, I responded in one long run-on sentence with too many commas. I joked because, quite honestly, I was a bit self-conscious about my many side projects across teams and fields. Someone eventually pointed out that perhaps this wasn’t a deficit, but a feature. Perhaps keeping multiple projects in one’s head and lateral thinking was my talent. So I started taking roles that took advantage of that, which required me to do that. This is all to say that being responsible for design across platforms, products, and divisions draws upon that very skill.

You may not define yourself as a social designer, but your roles as creative director at NPR, a non-profit whose mission is to create a more informed public, an educator, and consultant to mission-based organizations are contributing to the improvement of society, students and non-profits. How do you think design can work to address social problems or further social causes, and do you see any or all of your roles in this light?

Design has the power to make people’s lives better. If we ask how can we give the people we design for a sense of hope, empowerment, strength, and make their lives a bit better than they were before, then we are using design to address social problems no matter what they scale. This is the kind of work I’ve tried to chase down in my career. Work that helps to improve people’s lives, helps them be more informed, more empowered in their careers, get the basic human services they need, helps improve cities, financials, our government services. Design and its uniquely human-centered approach has the potential to affect and improve everyday life.

Where do you see the field of interactive design moving in the future? (And if you are comfortable answering, how could this apply to the field of social design?)

It used to be that interactive referred to only that sliver of business that wanted a simple website. Over the course of years, it’s now hard to find a thing or a place that isn’t touched by some kind of interactive design. Looking ahead, we’ll start to see more and more complex problem spaces being affected by interactive design.

What advice would you give a designer interested entering the interactive design field?

Read the new “LEAP Dialogues: Career Pathways in Design for Social Innovation,” which in full disclosure, I was a co-editor on. In it, 84 practitioners and educators weigh in on the role of social impact design in a changing market and world through interviews conversations, essays, and case studies. Next, read Khoi Vinh’s book, “How They Got There,” which talks about the paths of 14 digital designers. This is important as, for a field that’s still relatively young, the field is still inventing itself. It’s useful to see how some of the most important designers got their start. After reading both, consider where you want to do interactive work. Then, and most importantly, look for great people you can learn from. No matter what field you want to enter, it will be the people who surround you who make your career. Find people who inspire you, and head in their direction.

What are your favorite projects and why?

The MFA Interaction Design Program at SVA. Starting this graduate program been one of the more rewarding parts of my career to build a graduate program, which is truly building a community of people, then watching them change the world.

NPR One. Working on this storytelling platform has been one of the more challenging and broadly influential projects in my career, and I’ve learned more deeply what it means to do product design.

Bobulate. This is my personal site and a place where I get to be entirely myself through writing.

What is a surprise you have encountered over the course of your career?

People who are top of their field are generally the ones who are most willing to help and/or the first to respond to your request, no matter who you are.

What are 1-3 challenges you have encountered over the course of your career?

I’ve always had a problem saying no. But over the course of years, I’ve learned to be grateful that I have so many opportunities to say no to! So it’s a challenge, but a welcome one. Perhaps relatedly, I have worked to maintain balance in my life. Balance between work and play; between travel and home; between impactful work and work that pays the bills. But the truth is: there is no “between.” Once I realized that it’s all part of my life, rather than thinking about it as some intricate balancing game, it all started coming together. But it’s a lifetime of learning.

About Design for Good

Unveiling a New Identity

Posted on January 5, 2016October 5, 2020 by AIGA Baltimore

The national AIGA headquarters recently launched an expanded AIGA identity, a direction that will allow each chapter to express their own personality while being able to unify under one distinct voice. Developed by Kiss Me I’m Polish, the new visual system strengthens the current AIGA brand while unifying chapter branding across the country.

In introducing brighter, bolder use of color, a new typographic sensibility, and encouraging the logo to play a more active and dynamic role in all of its applications, the AIGA brand remains consistently strong and recognizable as it moves forward, while reflecting all of the vibrancy and diversity of our chapters, members, programs and initiatives.

To give each chapter a unique identity, a pool of ten colors options and two typefaces were presented to all 70 AIGA chapters throughout the country. Each was tasked with choosing just one color and typeface to best represent their chapter.

FUN FACT: The last brand refresh was in 2008, and chapters had a whopping 24 colors to choose from.

Presented with a design problem, we did what any other group of designers would do: use design thinking to solve it. First, we polled members to uncover initial reactions to the typeface and color choices. Then, we formed a smaller branding committee and worked to identify Charm City’s strongest characteristics: robust, passionate, quirky, gritty.

With a foundation laid, we discussed typography. We had two typefaces to work with: GT Haptik and Serifa. The board had unanimously chosen GT Haptik Bold for it’s bold, bright personality and its quirky letterforms in our initial poll, and the members of the branding committee felt it was the right choice. GT Haptik provides just the right amount of visual balance when both the AIGA logo and chapter logotype would be used in tandem.

Finally, we looked at the given set of colors to represent our chapter: teal, aqua, pink, purple, lime, orange, red, blue, green, and cyan. One by one, we went through each option and discussed how each color connected to Baltimore’s characteristics. The blues and greens resonated with our connection to the harbor, and red has been used historically by our chapter. Orange and purple were in the running, of course, because they, too, reflect a certain quirkiness (but ultimately we felt Baltimore’s design style and spirit couldn’t be fully reflected by a color that was so heavily identified as a sports team color).

After rounds of debate, we eventually narrowed our options down to one final solution: Pink.

The new AIGA Baltimore logo

Pink, the color of the flamingo hanging above Cafe Hon in Hampden. Pink, one of two colors found on the ubiquitous pens that proliferate our town whilst promoting a certain bail bonds company. Pink, a color that speaks to not only the quirky nature of our city, but also to the boldness of its residents.

We chose pink because it stands out. It isn’t apologetic for being different and it owns up to its convictions. And yet, as much as it’s bold, it’s also welcoming, bringing forth a positive brightness to our home.

We chose this brand direction because these characteristics embody both Baltimore and its creatives. We hope you feel the same warmth, passion and energy through all your interactions with AIGA Baltimore.

AIGA Baltimore’s Brand (New) Identity Guide

Rob Schilke is the Outreach Chair at AIGA Baltimore and graphic designer at T. Rowe Price. When he isn’t dreaming about his next snowboarding session, he can be found in his hammock plotting his next adventure. Tweet him @robschilke.

Image Credit: The featured image above, “410 Banner”, is a derivative of “Baltimore City” by Yianni Mathioudakis, used under CC BY-NC 2.0. “410 Banner” is licensed under CC BY by AIGA Baltimore.

Meet the 2015-2016 AIGA Baltimore Board!

Posted on June 4, 2015February 7, 2019 by AIGA Baltimore

Each year, we ask our members to vote on the entire slate of Board Members, each of whom volunteers for a minimum two-year term, helping shape the direction of our local chapter and the design community at large. Some of these individuals are brand new to the board, and others are in the middle of their term.

The proposed 2015-2016 slate of board members is below. Please take a moment to review the introductions for each board member. AIGA members will soon receive an email with a link to vote either for or against the entire slate. So be sure to cast your vote, as voting will end on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015!

Interested in joining our team of volunteers? Check out our available volunteer and board member positions and get in touch with us at info@baltimore.aiga.org.

Vanessa Ulrich, President
Term ends: June 2017

Vanessa Ulrich is a communications strategist currently working in public relations. She has done freelance work in graphic design, brand development and writing, and is passionate about bringing clarity to complex ideas. Vanessa graduated from the University of Maryland with a dual B.S. in Marketing and International Business and from the Savannah College of Art and Design with an M.A. in Design Management.

She grew up both in Montgomery County and Thailand, and is proud to call Baltimore home. Vanessa enjoys downloading fonts she swears she’ll use someday, going on runs around Riverside Park, and networking with all the amazing people who make Baltimore such a fabulously quirky city.

After falling in love with graphic design in grad school, Vanessa sought out AIGA as a way to stay plugged in and give back to the local design community. As incoming President, Vanessa’s goal is to promote the value of design and design professions, and expand AIGA Baltimore’s presence and relationships within the community.

Chad Miller, Membership Chair
Term ends: June 2017

Chad Miller is a Senior Graphic Designer for MedStar Health and his passion is deep for design and illustration. If you were to follow Chad around on a weekend, you may just find him hiking the great outdoors, collecting designer vinyl, reading graphic novels, immersing himself in pop culture (the geekier the better), enjoying an adult beverage here and there, and spending time with his lovely wife and daughter. Oh, and also drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

As the newly appointed Membership Chair, Chad’s goal is to engage with the chapter’s members, hear their feedback and respond in kind, all in an effort to establish and improve relationships, ensuring a positive membership experience.

Joseph Anthony Carter-Brown, Programming Director
Term ends: December 2016

As a graphic designer and entrepreneur, Programming Director, Joseph Carter-Brown is what you might consider a “jack of all trades.” His breadth of experience (in tech sector consulting and training, apparel design, higher-ed teaching, web design, brand development, publication design and screen printing) has been a key factor in helping numerous small and mid-size companies throughout the DC, Virginia, Maryland and Atlanta areas conceive and execute key branding initiatives. Joe holds a BS in Graphic Design from Full Sail University and has a passion for all things art and design. He enjoys learning as much as he can and takes on new design challenges as often as possible.

As Programming Director, Joe is focused on raising awareness of design and its importance in the larger corporate, social and economic conversation. In his role, Joe works hard to connect designers to broader professional and developmental resources in the Baltimore community.

Jermaine Bell, Programming Chair
Term ends: April 2017

Jermaine Bell is a graphic designer who holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Through his work at Havas Worldwide, he has gained footing in advertising with clients like Michelob Ultra, Liberty Mutual Insurance and Constellation Energy. Jermaine is also a Contributor for the Arts & Culture Blog Bmore Art.

Jermaine Bell is well-suited to his role as Programming Chair because he enjoys planning events that engage Baltimore designers and community members. His unique voice and his passion for inclusivity fuels him to work towards providing a comfortable space for people to talk about design and issues that can be solved through design thinking. Through programming geared towards embracing diversity, Jermaine will also work to give all designers—regardless of their race, gender, or any other demographic status—a more significant voice in the local and national design community.

Kerry Tasch Korrer, Social Design Chair
Term ends: January 2017

Kerry Korrer is a senior art director for an advertising and marketing agency and a freelance designer in her limited free time. She fuels her passion for branding, communications, interactive design and advertising with adventures in the great outdoors, yoga, craft beer, and funny gifs on the interwebs. Originally hailing from the great state of Wisconsin, she is now proud to call Baltimore home.

As the Social Design Chair, Kerry aims to educate, inspire and encourage involvement in social design initiatives. She comes to the role with a desire to connect design to causes that are important to the community, and to showcase the great work that is already being done throughout Baltimore.

Gary Rozanc, Education Director
Term ends: January 2016

Gary Rozanc is an assistant professor of graphic design at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he teaches responsive web design. He received his BA in Graphic Design from Cleveland State University and his MFA in Visual Communications from the University of Arizona. Gary has also presented his research and findings on inquiry and problem-based learning methods at international and national peer-reviewed conferences, including AIGA’s bi-annual National Conference “Head, Heart, Hand” and the “International Conference on Design Principles & Practices.”

As the Education Director, Gary continues AIGA Baltimore’s strong tradition of educational programming, which includes the annual spring student design conference and portfolio review, Ink & Pixels. Gary works to find new opportunities to grow design faculty involvement in the Baltimore design community and increase student engagement.

Vivianna Bermudez, Education Chair
Term ends: March 2017

Vivianna Bermudez is a Graphic Designer for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As a strategic communications professional, she enjoys fusing together creative vision, extensive design knowledge and marketing expertise with a passion for higher education. She received a BS in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Delaware, and is currently pursuing an MA in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. From a Blue Hen to a Blue Jay, Vivianna has relished the opportunity to work with talented students, faculty members and researchers, and will continue forging a path towards equality in higher education.

As the newly appointed Education Chair, Vivianna works to promote and expand student and faculty participation in the Baltimore design community. She also helps to provide growth and networking opportunities for design students and professionals.

Kate Lawless, Communications Director
Term ends: April 2017

Kate Lawless is a Communications Designer at the University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. With her BA in English from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in Publications Design from the University of Baltimore, Kate has strengths in writing, making visual connections with words, and translating those connections into fully developed pieces, from flyers to emails to eLearning courses.

Through her role as Communications Director, Kate is able to help strengthen Baltimore’s creative community and grow the design profession by way of making ties with the people in it, both in person and online. She comes to the position with a passion for design thinking and a love for sharing it with others. By serving on the board, Kate is able to give back to the design community both far and wide and keep in touch with Baltimore’s creative undercurrents.

Meredith Burke, Web Chair
Term ends: January 2016

Meredith Burke, Web Chair, is a freelance designer who lives and works in Baltimore City. Having earned an AA in Publication Design from the Community College of Baltimore County and a BS in Corporate Communications from the University of Baltimore, she has a wide range of skills, including print design and production, web design and front-end development, project management, and writing. She also enjoys tutoring and training others in the use of design applications and coding for the web.

As Web Chair, Meredith’s goal is to help improve and maintain AIGA Baltimore’s web presence. She provides front-end web development, content management support, consultation on technologies and best practices, and connections with Baltimore’s web tech community.

Update: Since the time of first publication, we’ve added two *new* board members. Please welcome Leo and Rob to our team!

Leonard Brady, Board Operations Chair
Term ends: June 2017

Rob Schilke, Outreach Chair
Term ends: June 2017

Ben Jenkins Lives Slow and Makes Fast

Posted on May 30, 2015October 5, 2020 by AIGA Baltimore

Ben Jenkins, founder of OneFastBuffalo, toured the East Coast hitting up six cities in six days to talk to six AIGA chapters about how he evolved his design business and his personal life into a more satisfying and fulfilling one. We laughed, we learned a lot about his concept of work-life balance, and we talked about how designers have a natural inclination to be designtrepreneurs.

“Twitchyness is contagious”

Ben Jenkins started his presentation with a disclaimer: “I can be a bit twitchy, and it can be contagious.” And as he continued through his talk, we watched him go into side tangents, witnessing just for ourselves how twitchy he was. We hung onto every word, anyway, as Ben told us a story about how he evolved his design business and his personal life into a more satisfying and fulfilling one.

About Ben

Growing up in the suburbs of Dallas, Ben Jenkins loved two things: art and baseball. He admitted it’s an odd combination; there aren’t many sports fanatics that are also into art and design. Following his dreams, he got a scholarship to play baseball at Mississippi State University, where he studied graphic design and architecture. After graduation, Ben went on to play for the Phillies in the minor leagues, and out on the road he passed the time working on small design projects for whoever asked him. These projects put him on the path to freelancing after Ben realized that his career as a baseball player was not going to land him in the big leagues. He continued his education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he earned an MFA in Art & Technology.

Everything is Bigger in Texas (Including Partial Male Nudity)

In 1998, OneFastBuffalo (OFB) was born from the idea that conventional wisdom isn’t always useful. Using his competitive nature as a ball player, Ben grew OFB from a two-person operation to a boutique firm. OneFastBuffalo would move from one office space to another as they expanded, and each time Ben would strive to create the dream office that any agency and their employees would love to have, especially one that would impress clients.

Through the growth of OFB, Ben sought validation as a successful graphic designer. He felt strongly that in order to be considered a good designer, he needed a client list full of the big ones. He was collecting his own design trophies, so to speak. Over time, he would spend more energy managing than designing, more time at the office than at his home, and more time making calls for work. Those 10 years of trophy collecting took a toll on Ben. The man who had been good enough to play in the minor leagues had gained substantial weight and it showed (literally) in the photos his wife took of him just wearing gym shorts.

Slimming the Buffalo (and the Man)

In 2008, Ben realized that it was time for another renovation, and not just one of office space. He turned his work and personal life upside down after realizing that he could work better in a different way. In a period of purging, Ben reduced not only his weight and a large portion of needless possessions, but also the size of OFB as the economy took a downturn.

He even subleased his office space (with the furniture), enabling him to do more with less. Plus this allowed him to spend more time with his wife and three sons. Instead of just heading off to work in the morning and getting home late from the office, he wakes up and has coffee with his wife, takes his sons to school, works in his home office (or wherever he feels like working), and spends time with the boys after school, too.

As Ben simplified the external aspects of his business, his branding process changed, as well. Now, instead of giving clients multiple logo concepts, Ben focuses on just one concept until he gets it right. This allows for more concentration and energy to be put into that one idea, as opposed to spreading the creative energy and time across two or three ideas, he says. And, as an added benefit, the client never picks his least favorite concept. And this process works, too! Since Ben began presenting one concept to clients in 2008, he’s only had to go back to the drawing board a few times.

Since 2008, Ben shows only one logo concept to the client. This allows for more concentration and energy to be put into that one idea.

As his business evolved, Ben also stopped worrying about collecting trophies. He now focuses on creative work to help good people make famous brands, and he’s quickly learned that it’s more enjoyable and more fulfilling to work this way.

Where the Buffalo Roam (Have laptop, Will Travel)

While eating some authentic Mexican cuisine with his wife and kids, Ben came up with the idea of a Mobile Creative Lifestyle. Harking back to his days as a baseball player in the minor leagues and being out on the open road, Ben wanted to combine his passion for design and travel. Buying a 1958 Airstream trailer, Ben began to take his family out on “journeys” (not just vacations) and taught himself to “create big work in the smallest of ways,” by working within the confines of wherever he is at the time.

The OneFastBuffalo 1958 airstream mobile office.

You can now find Ben working on a brand concept in the back of his truck on a lawn chair, parked by a lake, while his wife and three sons enjoy some fly fishing or playing in a nearby playground. This is how “Live Slow, Make Fast” became his new mantra. Ben says that living and doing beautiful things that you enjoy while resting and relaxing will re-energize your work. Working in this way allows him to stay more focused and fill the eight hours (and only eight hours) with a more productive workflow. He uses the 8-8-8 principle to demonstrate this: 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of play, and 8 hours of work make for a much more healthier work-life balance. There’s time to make and time to live, all in one day.

Ben quickly noticed that this new found freedom of working anywhere at any time made his work better, too. The famous brands that Ben used to chase around now just come to him because they recognize the quality of work he produces and the energy and focus he puts into it.

Designtrepreneur

With his new approach to working, Ben found he had the energy and focus to create brands for himself rather than for a client. He believes that designers are still artists at heart and that their ability to create and produce gives them a natural inclination to start their own personal brands. Armed with a passion for baseball, Ben started Warstic Bat Company, which produces handmade wood bats, baseball gear, and apparel. The company was recently featured in the pages of GQ and was even contacted by Coach to sell a limited run of men’s gear in their stores. Some other brands Ben has created are Treadsmith Board Co. (a snowboard producer), and INDIG (a strategic branding company for Native American owned companies).

Warstic_Pic — Warstic Bat Company, one of Ben’s many self-created brands.

The Journey Continues

The takeaway from Ben’s presentation is that a well-rounded work-life balance can be beneficial to re-energizing a creative professional’s focus and drive. He says you do not have to allow the pressure and distractions affect you as a whole. Spending time away from the computer and spending quality time doing things that make you happy will help you to be a better creative.

On June 1, 2015, Ben will shut OFB down for the summer and not reopen for business until September 1, 2015. He will travel around the country on a journey with his family, enjoying some quality time together while resting and relaxing. When September comes back around, with the energy he will have stored up, he most certainly will come out swinging his bat of creativity. And we can’t wait to see what he does next.

Chad Miller is a Senior Graphic Designer for MedStar Health who enjoys all things design and all things caffeinated.

Touring through the National Parks Conservation Association’s Brand Journey

Posted on February 7, 2014October 5, 2020 by AIGA Baltimore

When Scott Kirkwood joined the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), headquartered in Washington, DC, as the senior editor of National Parks magazine 9 years ago, he knew he had a lot of work to do. The magazine was in desperate need of a redesign, the annual report had been neglected, and the logo hadn’t been revised since dinosaurs roamed the planet. He could sum up the brand in one word: stale.

But he said “We can do better!” Scott buckled down and began making small tweaks to the design department’s production and nearly 10 years later he’s lived to tell the tale of the NPCA’s brand revitalization. His side-kick, Annie Riker (who came on as a designer at NPCA in 2006) joined him on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, to talk to a large audience of brand-hungry design lovers at Groove Commerce’s new digs in Harbor East.

Participants nodded in agreement as Scott and Annie revealed their views on cultivating client and partner relationships and what constitutes engaging content. Check out some of the highlights from our Twitter feed below and some great moments captured above.

Continue reading “Touring through the National Parks Conservation Association’s Brand Journey”