Design Lifestyle
and have inspired me to be a similar example. When thinking of who to ask about the “evolving landscape of design education, research, and practice,” talking to an old professor was at the top of my list.
I was able to set up an interview with Jason Otero, the Principle of Art + Anthropology based out of New York. He has been working in private practice since 1994 and started teaching in 2003. My first interaction with Jason was in a Visual Language class that was basically an introduction course to Graphic Design. Within the first month, he gave several talks about the importance of the design field and that it’s not just a job choice or career path but a lifestyle. He instilled a passion to not just do design but to be design. So it came as no surprise that most of his comments and feedback from the interview were in the same vein.
When I asked him about his journey of how his past got him to where he is now, he was quick to say, “The first years as a designer are the most critical. Like when you are a baby, they help develop who you become as a designer and give you a foundation.” His experience was with two small businesses, which exposed him to how resourceful a small business can be and ultimately needs to be. His experience includes working for several small firms, large firms, and then eventually starting his own company. But he made it clear that those first years really set you up for what you will do down the road.
When asked about any advice he had for someone like me who is almost done with their MFA, he said, “Harness what you’re curious about, then go on your journey and see how design channels through that.” He explained that design is an extension of who he is and is a vehicle for what he does. “I design because it’s the channel by which I educate.” His comments made me realize how important it is to not lose yourself to design, but to challenge it, explore it, and wrestle with it. It’s not something that overthrows you, but something that enables you to express your true self.
His response to how the he thinks the design field is evolving instantly addressed how much design is changing. He said, “The world has changed since I graduated in 1975. We’re not just designing for a website; we’re designing for a site that lives on a certain device, that is accessed in a different environment. We’re designing for the context.” This response put a lot of things into perspective and made me think about the accountability aspect of design that I discussed in my previous post (found here). In a world where software and hardware are changing the field of design so rapidly, the role a designer plays is ever-evolving. We are held responsible for keeping up with the changes and innovations, but how do you keep up? The interview came full circle with his response about always staying true to yourself and the role design plays for you, not the role you play for design.
These interviews provided a direct insight to the professional world and gave me great examples of the different paths I could take. When design is approached as a lifestyle and not merely a means to an end, it catapults you into situations and opportunities unimaginable, all the while maintaining who you are as an educator, designer, and researcher.
