FIRST EVERYTHING

My first blog, what the hell should I write here? Should it be profound, intelligent, witty and award worthy? Nope, I don’t think so. I’ve read the first sentence several times, so I’m just going to type and see what happens.

This is not the only first, my first time owning a laptop, first time on LinkedIn, makes me feel all grown up. And three weeks ago I’d never had a website, let alone created one. And here we are. I’ve had so many thoughts about content, not knowing when to stop tweaking before I send it out into the world. Must get my head around the whole SEO thing. Anyway (googling - can I add pics to my blog. Ohh yes you can, cool.) Here’s some random pics.

Perhaps my 2nd blog will be a bit more design orientated. (Will google that too.)

Can we start sentences with ‘And?’ I am.

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“I’M NOT A PROSTITUTE MUM. I’M A GRAPHIC DESIGNER.”

For years I’ve been trying to explain what Graphic Design is to my parents. So chuck in a healthy amount of Vascular Dementia and it’s an interesting mix of the surreal.

I’ve always immediately explained, ‘Logos, Leaflets, Posters.’ But it’s changed. So much. I like to learn and will push myself. I’m beyond excited as I get things to move. My feeds are saturated with all things design. Explosions of colour and movement. I love it. But I can’t help but to notice a lot of the same. I truly believe that there are many talented, innovative students emerging. I’m sure it’s my algorithm chucking up another illustrator how to video and this is not a true representation of the talent out there right now. Ultimately there is so much you can do now under the heading of graphic design, it’s such an exciting brilliant career to be in. Do I know what Graphic design is anymore? I’ve got a good idea - albeit an old one, but whatever it is, I still love what I do.

For the beauty of the line, here it is again: “I’m not a prostitute Mum, I’m a Graphic Designer.”

(Obviously thinking that’ll make a good heading for a blog and adding that to my ‘must put that on a T-shirt’ list.)

MOST MEMORABLE MEETING

I sat round a table facing several employees at a large London County Council. I was the creative lead. The head of the group, an angry lady, threw several pieces of work at me. It spun down the table and as it stopped she said “I don’t like this.” I looked at her, looked at the work and said ‘I don’t blame you, it’s shit.’

At which point the very junior Account Handlers tried to interject. I listened to what they all said. They were all getting their moneys worth. All battling against each other to show who was top dog at that table and when they had finished I talked through all the reasons why the work and the team that had done it, was not right for them. I gathered up the work and promised them my commitment to getting it right next time.

I worked on projects for that Council for many years after that. I built up a close working relationship with the angry lady. She retired and the account went to another agencey.

I’ll never forget that day around the angry table.

They didn’t teach me that at Art College.