Monday, January 5, 2015

Word Association and Reflection

Who do I see myself as, not only a person but also a designer? My personal thoughts of not only myself but also design will impact who I become as a designer.

Here are some words I would use to describe myself:

1. Driven
2. Smart
3. Quick Learner
4. Independent
5. Quiet
6. Creative
7. Different
8. Strong
9. Visionary
10. Contemplative
11. Imaginative
12. Persistent
13. Open-Minded
14. Focused
15. Goal-Oriented
16. Productive
17. Proactive
18. Mature
19. Industrious
20. Skilled
21. Responsible
22. Self-reliant
23. Logical
24. Innovative
25. Curious

Some words might be a little redundant but many could be used to also describe what design means to me.

Here are some more words of what I think design encompasses:
1. Intelligence
2. Practicality
3. Artistry
4. Function
5. Beauty
6. Stimulation
7. Interest
8.  Meaning
9. Purpose
10. Cleanliness
11. Craftsmanship
12. Organization
13. Economy
14. Psychology
15. Character
16. Personality
17. Originality
18. Evolution
19. Materiality
20. Accessibility
21. Adaptability
22. Simplicity
23. Inspiration
24. Fun
25. Expression

One of my goals is to figure out more words I could put in both of these lists. What else is out there that I still don't know... even about myself?

I hope to figure these questions out by setting and accomplishing other goals and future life experiences, such as:
1. Graduating with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and one day pursuing a Master of Fine Arts
2. Either owning my own company or climbing the corporate ladder at a firm I love
3. Living in Europe and traveling the world
4. Saving, restoring, and bringing life back into old buildings
5. Creating some sort of Family

No matter where I am at or what I am doing, interior design, architecture, buildings, etc. will always follow me and be an interest of mine. I can't tell you why I first wanted to be an Interior Designer at the age of 10, I can tell you now why I still love it. I choose Interior Design for the challenge. There is never one right answer, but I will push to find the best answer in my mind. I choose it because it lets me express myself and my abilities, you don't necessarily have to always follow the books. I choose Interior Design because it employs my greatest strength which is visual/spatial thinking. I think that is why over the years I never changed my mind. Nothing I have found since ever attracted my interest and abilities like interior design. I also choose it because even though 10 years have passed, I have never once grown sick of it. My interest continues to develop in Interior Design, unlike some other paths I once followed.

Do I think I am an artist? I don't know. An artist in simplest terms is a person that creates art. It's not the definition of an artist that I am confused about; it's the definition of art. Everyone's definition of art is different. To me art contains mass emotion; it may have a function, but the real purpose is to convey a thought, idea, or emotion. I would consider myself a designer more than an artist. I feel as a designer, I of course have to consider how things look, but I also have to consider their function hand-in-hand. As a designer my goal is to show others how important function is in addition to looks. It is sort of like when people say look at the inside of someone rather than the outside. Looks are important, but they can also be superficial.

Another message I would like my work to reflect is there is potential in everything. Every space has potential. I feel like the past few decades the majority of people have stopped realizing this, especially with older items & structures. Today people just go for what is convenient, new, and cheap. Quite often these things are a complete bore and have no character. Why waste all the good that is already out there?

Through Interior Design and SCAD I hope to better understand the deeper meaning to spaces. What psychological effects do they have on people? What can I do to make people feel better? How is what I am doing effecting people in the long run? As an interior design student I hope months of studying and designing spaces, working with trial and error, can help me find answers not only of the deeper meaning within spaces, but also deeper meanings within myself and design in general.


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