Self-Illumination
As I am reaching the end of my schooling in design, I am realizing that my passion for design truly stems from my friends and family who have managed to be supportive of me in the most difficult of times. Although it has taken me years to discover, I have grown and developed on my path, even within the interior realm, to design not only for the public needs but for my own creative outlet as a fabric designer.
I have always been exposed to creativity from things like scrapbooking, decorating rooms, and even cakes through my mother, it wasn’t until I became a teenager that I started to exercise this creative freedom on my own. It came in the form of creating playlists and designing covers for CDs as they were the only thing accessible for my 1964 Toyota Corolla. I would spend hours on the weekend curating the perfect set of songs for my drives to and from town and school; and as the songs would slowly download, I would doodle and sketch anything pertaining to the music itself and my experience on my drives on the cover for a visual reference. I carried this out for 4 years until I upgraded to a car that was capable of Bluetooth connecting to my iPod. This did not stop me from finding ways to exercise my creative outlet. At the time I was also on track to become an engineer, which is any family's dream of a secure job that provides a bounty of benefits and money. But, in my senior year of high school, I dedicated myself to creating an art portfolio because I had discovered my love for the arts through mixed media paintings, glass mosaic work, and sculpture. Because of this exposure, I began searching for options that included the technicalities of engineering, along with the creative presentation aspects of the arts. I discovered the interior design and graphic design program at the University of Central Oklahoma and realized there was a way for me to have the best of both worlds. Over the past four years, I have learned a variety of technical skills and knowledge that have been extremely helpful to my professional career in design. But, there are some key lessons that I have learned through my friends and family, and for that I am thankful.
-To my mom, you have passed on your childlike wonder of your surroundings with an eye for detail. Even though you are notorious for being a helicopter parent, in this way, you have helped me gain my independence, embrace what it is to take criticism, and still soar past expectations imposed upon me.
-To my dad, you have taught me how to be headstrong and innovative. If something is not working out, there is always an alternative route or new methods to research and explore. Even in your impatience, the final result is always well thought out and effective.
-To my sister, you have shared a sense of balance in my life, the yin to my yang, and always help give new insight for my creative solutions that are not always successful.
-To my grandparents, you have loved and cared for me in times of rebellion and provided me with only support and affection. You have built the only family that I know and I am so grateful to visit with you and be inspired by your past experiences.
- To my extended family, our memories together taught me that it is okay to make mistakes, there is room for forgiveness; to carry myself with discipline, and to let my true colors shine even when in the minority.
- To my friends, you have taught me to be confident in myself through your endless love and encouragement. In times when I felt the most stranded, you were always there to help me get through, and pull me out of my creative rut. You all make me feel the most alive and inspired by the moments we share, whether it is our lowest lows or highest highs.
There are a plethora of memories and moments, good, bad, or indifferent, with those that I love that have affected the way that I design. Becoming a designer for me is not just about producing the most in the shortest amount of time, it is the dedication, quality, time, and attention to detail that add to the designs that I produce for myself and others.
