Posted in AIGA, Design, Press on 02/15/2010 10:25 pm by Patrick Carter
Courtney Cotten :: UX/IA Design
I love to share stories about design with fellow creatives, so naturally when my buddy Courtny Cotten asked me to chat with him on his blog I was excited and glad to participate. Courtny is an incredible designer from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a proud member of the Indy chapter of AIGA | the professional organization for design. He has a fine portfolio of identities and interfaces even though he is at the beginning of what is sure to be a long career.
Here’s a bit about Courtny from his site: I am a graphic designer focused on delivering beautiful and practical solutions. I have experience in a broad range of design disciplines: print, 3D, video, as well as web. My current passion is emerging information technologies, user interface design, as well as communication architecture. I work and play in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Read the interview on his blog
Posted in AIGA, Art, Design, Events on 08/01/2009 12:30 pm by Patrick Carter
End of Summer Poster Show & Mix Tape
AIGA Jacksonville’s annual membership event is the perfect place to grab a few cold beers, a bite to eat, enjoy some local art and reminisce about the lost days of summer. Featuring some of Northeast Florida’s foremost creative talents, Always Summer celebrates design excellence in our area. AIGA Jacksonville presents this exhibit reflecting diverse disciplines of design emphasizing illustration, typography and printing techniques. Participants are asked to pick their favorite summer song and turn it into a piece of art in poster form. A live local DJ will be performing the songs compiled from the artists’ selections to set the tone for the night! Participating designers will have the chance at some killer prizes by winning Jax Choice awarded by popular vote. For more information on this event or on how to become a member, email us at membership[at]aigajacksonville.org.
Call to Artists – Summer’s over and it’s time to cool it off with a smokin’ new poster design. You know you have that hot summer polka song floating around in the back of your mind and you’re raring to turn it into a true work of art. Heck, you might even win some prizes while you’re at it with the Jax Choice award. Join in on the party and save your spot in the show now!
Visit the event site for the most up to date info: alwayssummer09.aigajacksonville.org
Posted in AIGA, Design, Events on 06/15/2009 10:55 pm by Patrick Carter
AIGA Leadership Retreat 2009
Thanks to AIGA Jacksonville, I was lucky enough to participate in the Sea Change AIGA Leadership Retreat in Portland, Oregon on June 4-6, 2009. This conference style retreat included selected local chapter board members from across the nation celebrate the successes and hard work of the last year, and prepare for the changes and initiatives of the year to come. We discussed many issues on behalf of our local chapters and learned thoughts and ideas of other AIGA leadership including how to define the future course of the organization.
This was such an incredible experience for me. Being a Jacksonville Beach native, attending college at the University of North Florida and a member of this business community for my entire career, it was awe-inspiring to meet other creatives and design innovators from every corner of America. I expected a camaraderie between attendees prior to embarking on the trip but what I encountered upon arrival was beyond description. Everyone was so supportive, willing to share ideas, introduce themselves and tell you a story. Not only was everyone ingratiating, but also incredibly intelligent. It seems that any topic I was engaged on was worth listening to and taking note of. People shared success stories about clients, industry standards, design techniques and the list just goes on.
Although this was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life, I found myself somewhat discouraged upon returning to Jacksonville. After being surrounded by so much culture, intelligence and inspiration, coming back to the daily grind seemed so lack luster. The same commoditized design jobs, uninspired concepts and lack of appreciation for the power of design. I realized that more than ever, that this marketplace was resistant to new ideas. I don’t really believe that this is only the market that behaves this way, but a good portion of the small business world in general. We have determined that the best way to combat the challenges that face our industry as design thinkers is through educating our clients, students and anyone you hope to influence with your work. The resolution as a whole can only be to try our best to influence the world that surrounds us in hopes that in some small way we can make a positive impact. The hope is to leave things better than we found them or at the very least prevent further diminishment of the trade that is so loved by myself as well as fellow design professionals around the nation.
This is going to be a huge year for AIGA Jacksonville, and I am more excited than ever to get started. We are fueled with new ideas for programming, membership, sponsorship, community outreach and a new desire to collaborate more with our nearby chapters and fellow professional organizations. We will not only be focusing on individual benefits, but also have an enhanced initiative to progess the design industry as a whole. Through hard work and the passion successful design takes I believe we can embody the mission of AIGA: to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.
