Take The Next Step Towards Your Design Career

Ink & Pixels is one of AIGA Baltimore's largest events focused on helping designers prepare for a job or career shift. Whether you want to make a good impression in interviews, need a new perspective on your portfolio, or want fresh eyes on a current project, we're here to help. Now more than ever, we believe in the importance of finding alternative ways to come together in the community and share the knowledge and resources we have with each other.

This year, Ink & Pixels is thrilled to offer a weekend of activities starting Thursday, April 18th, with a Studio Tour of Fifteen4 in Hampden and a Q&A with their Design Team. Saturday, April 20th, join us at The Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship (formerly FastForward U) in Remington for portfolio reviews, a workshop, and a speaker series. Mark your calendars and clean up those portfolios!

AIGA Baltimore is excited to host this annual event series that brings together students and professionals who share a passion for design and its future. Join us and share your excitement on social media using the hashtag #inknpixels.

What to expect Thursday, April 18th 4PM

Studio Tour - Fifteen4 in Hampden

3355 Keswick Rd # 203, Baltimore, MD 21211

Since 2004, Fifteen4 has been helping brands tell a better, clearer, and more emotionally engaging story. Located in Hampden, Fifteen4 brings creative minds together to work across Technology, Financial Services, Education, Healthcare, and B2B industries. To kick things off on April 18th, Fifteen4 will offer a tour of their new space and provide a Q&A with their team.

What to expect Saturday, April 20th

Registration starts at 10:00 AM, followed by an opening address by our keynote speaker to commence the day. Afterward, there will be a networking session and lunch break scheduled before engaging in portfolio reviews, workshops, and discussions.

Opening Keynote: How to Take Creative Feedback

Matt McDermott, President, Humble & Wallop

https://www.humbleandwallop.com/

Matt McDermott is an idea confetti bomb, educator, advocate, ally, creative strategist and loving skeptic who’s worked in advertising and marketing for more than two decades.

He’s built and led multi-disciplinary teams at numerous small agencies, creating award-winning work with amazing people. In 2021, he bought The Harvey Agency, an advertising firm founded in 1986 that was known for its work with CoverGirl, DeWalt, Flying Dog Brewery, and other regional and national CPG Brands. In 2023, he reorganized the agency, culminating in the launch of a new agency, Humble & Wallop.

Matt’s worked with brands across industries, including Comcast Universal, Stanley Black & Decker, Johns Hopkins University, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, the U.S. Navy, and the United Way.

One of his personal passions is education and mentorship. Matt formerly taught high school English in the Baltimore City School System, as well in undergraduate and graduate programs at Towson University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. He also sponsors a scholarship through the American Advertising Federation, recognizing underrepresented scholars pursuing creative careers in social impact.

Matt’s served on multiple non-profit boards and committees focused on advertising, social equity, youth advocacy, and animal welfare. Matt’s been featured in Ad Age, Ad Week, The Baltimore Business Journal, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and a number of radio, TV, podcast, and streaming platforms.

He lives in Baltimore with his wife — a kick-ass anti-money laundering attorney and former roller derby all-star — their sulking teenager, and countless rescue animals.

Lunch

Vouchers will be provided for lunch and redeemable at R. House, conveniently located next door.

Portfolio Reviews

After lunch, attendees will present their portfolios to regional design professionals and receive constructive, one-on-one evaluations. This is your chance to show professional designers your portfolio in a no-risk, non-competitive environment. The portfolio review is designed to give you advice and insight to improve how you present yourself and your work. You will practice your interview skills and receive honest feedback about your portfolio and resumé. Each attendee will have their portfolios reviewed by 3 reviewers during their review session.
Workshops / Discussions

Discussion: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Navigating the Design Career as a BIPOC Professional

Monique Jenkins, CEO at Creative Circle Collective and Co-Host of 'The Design Imposter' Podcast

https://creativecircleco.com/

Monique Jenkins is the co-founder of Creative Circle Collective (CCC), a design agency based in Baltimore, Maryland, committed to enhancing corporate and non-profit community engagement through branding and web design. As an ardent advocate for empathetic design, her expertise spans user experience (UX), user interface (UI), and graphic design, forming the core of her professional endeavors. Monique co-hosts "The Design Imposter," a podcast that explores imposter syndrome in the creative industry, and leads Ladies, Wine, and Design Baltimore, an initiative promoting women and non-binary creatives in the sector. Her mission is to craft community-focused design powerhouse, and through "Creative Culture for Change," the non-profit arm of CCC, she aims to foster a collaborative environment for creative professionals.

During this open discussion, she aims to address the nuanced experiences of BIPOC designers grappling with imposter syndrome, offering insights from my own journey and practical strategies for empowerment. The focus will be on creating supportive environments that celebrate diversity, mentorship's role, and leveraging one's unique identity as a strength in the design world. Ask her all your burning questions!

Workshop - Crafting Your Professional Brand: Optimizing LinkedIn Profiles & Resumes to Stand Out to Recruiters

Caden Rites, Account Manager at TEKsystems

TEKsystems is a talent services company that helps various clients with human capital strategies. Caden works in the Digital & Creative division where he helps clients by providing talent and digital agency solutions that help them drive digital transformation. During this workshop, Caden will be sharing a workshop on how to put together a LinkedIn profile that will get recruiters to notice you, while also sharing tips and tricks for putting together a resume and cover letter.

Pricing

Saturday, April 20th

• $10 for AIGA student members*
• $15 for non-member students
• $25 for AIGA professional members*
• $30 for non-members professionals
• FREE for Tours only

Tickets will include a lunch voucher that can be used in R House.

About the Venue

The Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship is a co-working, meeting, and event space all-in-one in Remington, across the street from R. House and a short walk from the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus.

Directions to The Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship

From 83 headed South

1. Head south on I-83 S

2. Take exit 7 toward W 28th St

3. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for 28th Street and merge onto W 28th St

4. Continue on W 28th St. Drive to Remington Ave

5. Turn Right onto Remington Ave

6. Once on Remington Ave make your first right into the Police parking lot on the right-hand side of the road before the light gray building with the beige. You are welcome to park in this lot as long as you like free of charge. There is also street parking available but there is usually ample parking in the lot.

From 83 headed North:

From 83 headed North:
1. Head North on I-83 N
2. Take exit 6-7A-7B for 28th St toward US-1/US-40/North Ave/Druid Park Lake Drive
3. Keep left to continue on Exits 7A-7B, follow signs for 28th St/Druid Pk/Lake Dr
4. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for 28th Street, and merge onto W 28th St
5. Turn Left onto Remington Ave. at the intersection with the 7-Eleven.
7. Once on Remington Ave, continue about one and a half blocks, then make a right into the Police parking lot on the right-hand side of the road before the light gray building with the beige stripes. You are welcome to park in this lot as long as you like, free of charge. Street parking is also available, but the lot usually has ample parking.

Parking

The building is a large dark gray building with a bright green Chevron logo and a large "Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship" sign on the side of it. The parking lot is right across the street in the police parking lot, the first right after you turn onto Remington Ave before the light gray building with the beige stripes. You are welcome to park in this lot as long as you like, free of charge. Street parking is also available, but the lot usually has ample parking.

What to expect Sunday, April 21st 10AM

Station North Tool Library

417 E Oliver St, Baltimore, MD 21202

Station North Tool Library
The Station North Tool Library is a nonprofit tool-lending library and community hub in the heart of Baltimore City. They provide:

• Over 3,000 tools.
• 30 classes.
• A public woodworking shop.
• A dedicated DIY workspace.
• A home repair classroom for the local community.

Join us at 10:00 AM on April 21st for a tour of their space!

Accessibility

If you need any accommodations to fully access the event, please get in touch with us by April 17th at info@baltimore.aiga.org.

If you are disabled or need to park closer to the building for unloading reasons, you can park in the small lot out front of the building. To get to the lot, make a left-right across from the Police Station lot. This lot is in front of our dark gray building with the bright green Chevron logo and Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship sign. All spaces are available EXCEPT the marked Zip Car spaces and the spaces reserved for the Baltimore Glass Company. The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and there is an elevator to the second floor.

Code of Conduct

AIGA Baltimore expects all attendees to treat each other with respect, openness, and adherence to the guidelines specified in AIGA's Code of Conduct, which can be found here: Code of Conduct.

Thank you to our sponsors