ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENTS
2011
Emily Carr Merit Award for Industrial Design
2011 Exchange student
in Product Design at Hochschule für Gestaltung, Schwäbisch Gmünd,
Germany.
2007-Present Completing an Industrial Design degree at
The Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Canada.
2004 Awarded
district scholarship and honour roll scholarships.
2004 L.V.
Rogers High School, Nelson, BC, Canada.
INTERNSHIP/CO-OP
2011 User Research, Systems Research. BC Women's and Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC.
2011
Design, Artistic Management. Digitalsoundboy.com. London, England.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2009-2011 Activities Coordinator, Supervisor, children aged 5-7. Spare Time Fun Centre. Vancouver.
2006 & 2009 Production Coordinator Assistant. Electronic Arts. Vancouver, BC.
2008-2009 Sales. Adidas Originals. Vancouver, BC.
2006-2007 Admin Assistant. Property Management and Realty. Legend Coronet Realty. Vancouver, BC.
SKILLS PROFILE
SOFTWARE:
Adobe CS5 (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, After Effects), Solidworks, Rhino, Keyshot, vvvv(beginner)
WORKSHOP: Woodshop machinery, Modelmaking, Vaacuum forming, Multi-piece moldmaking/slip casting, Ceramics, Industrial sewing machine, Patterns, Plastics, Laser cutting, Vinyl cutting.
EXHIBITIONS
2011
“The Exchange Show” Work from abroad, Concourse Gallery, Emily Carr University.
2011 “Form Gangsters” Industrial Design showcase, Concourse Gallery, Emily Carr University.
2011 “Seven” TOMS shoe design show + Ayden Gallery 7 year anniversary show.
2010 “Fabrication” Textile Design at the Concourse Gallery, Emily Carr University.
2010 “Fashion is Freedom” Spring 2010 Fashion show, University of British Columbia.
2008
“Show Me Your Munny Vol. 2” Kid Robot toy design show, Modern
Nightclub.
OTHER
First design sent into production, Polywal, Pot Inc. 2011
Sustainability Rep TA and for ECIDA (www.ecida.wordpress.com)
Published article in CURRENT: Design Journal, 2011, "Rest + Recharge"
Awarded Government Grant to develop a fine art program for children aged 4-12 during the summer of 2010, exposing children to new techniques while teaching facts about sustainable living and sustainable art practice.
369 graduating students (bachelors and master students) including me!
Majors: animation, ceramics, communication design, drawing, digital and interactive arts, film/video/integrated media, illustration, industrial design, interactive design, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.
May 6 - 20, 2012, 10am-6pm daily
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
1399/1400 Johnston Street, Granville Island
Digging through my archives I stumbled upon some notes I took from a speech by Karim Rashid in Vancouver for 2010. One of the quotes that stuck with me ever since: “Design is not style,” as style focuses on reiterating the past and design does not in order to solve additional problems. He also discussed a valid argument about archetypes and when we should consider loosing them as technology advances (i.e., electric cars, digital cameras, bank cards).
Interesting facts from the speech: The valve from the upside-down Method dish soap container took 6 months to engineer. Bobble took 2 years to develop.
If every thing is determined by the market, we will live in an impoverished, flattened world meeting only the lowest levels of culture, need and desire.
This round I featured Chiara Salini inform us about Sustainable Minds, a software which analyzes product life cycle data for sustainable design: on the ECIDA blog.
These are some snapshots from an event I took part in to DJ/VJ. My training in Design has given me the impression that there is always more potential with the music industry so I’ve been staying involved somehow while I finish my Bachelor of Design. I aspire to create more interactive experiences involving music in the future through product design and interaction design.
My visuals are simply a testament of my interest to provoke curiosity and smiles within the club experience. It is important to me that the video and stills are all done from scratch, promising a new experience for everyone. The work takes form of illustrative narratives, inspired by real stories of people in my life.
I’m now starting to plan my exhibit for my current product. I’ll be creating an interactive display to help explain my concept.
I’ve just configured my iPhone to act as a MIDI controller for wireless controlling. I used TouchOSC editor on my Mac to make my own interface then used the TouchOSC App on the iPhone and configured it with my Modul8 visual software which I will be using at a couple upcoming music events, including my University graduation event in spring!
This whole process might sound a bit intimidating, but it’s probably easier than you think!
Do you remember when fancy displays only included gradients, shiny buttons and big curves? Bill Flora explained at a guest lecture at University of Washington, how to transform an interface into a more emotional experience.
Above is the current design for the Windows mobile which Bill Flora worked on. I owned an HTC HD phone with this interface. You could choose your color scheme, background, foreground, etc. When connecting to your Facebook account through the mobile, your phone turns into You. It was beautiful. All your contact details such as friend name, phone number, e-mail and workplace is automatically imported- even with their profile photo! While using the phone, your folders will update autonomously as used: the people who you last messaged will show up on the corresponding folder cover and the last photo you took with the camera will appear on the front of the photo album cover also.
Tipping, shaking, ‘liking’ with simple heart icons, and additional reactive qualities with an interface can truly engage the user. Again, the Windows phone had a playful feature which stretched the interface when you tried to go beyond the end of the page. Bill was also able to show us projects which had greater depth, new scrolling techniques and more responsive capabilities which proved to be a bit too dynamic for the current market.
Bill Flora previously worked at Microsoft as a designer and creative director for 19 years. Currently he works at his self-managed firm called Tectonic, still working on Windows projects. Recent projects include those between Media Center, Zune, XBox and Metro.
Some bits of advice for design students from Vancouver’s industry experts:
Linus + Denise (Edison + Sprinkles)
Create a platform to practice something you believe in for creative freedom, this can be a way to discover, network, collaborate
Haig (Lift Studios)
Good collaboration skills will get you farther/Have a clear understanding of billable vs. non billable hours/The first 6-8 months of your first job, you’re not profitable. Be prepared to ask questions and time manage to speed up the process/Know how to keep yourself inspired when having to return to the same studio each day
Steven (Cause + Affect)
Value your work, if you don’t, no one else will/Talk about how your ideas can help the company/Awards are dumb. Life is a competition however/Let all professionals know you are looking for work. Referrals speak wonders
Nicolas (Nico Spacecraft)
It’s difficult to design when you’re distant from the materials/Try not to loose too much momentum while in the process/Pay attention to details like temperature and material relationships/Master your materials
Zoe (Fleet Objects)
Know what you want so you know how to get there/Find out who is doing what you’re interested in, talk to them/Even if you’re planning on being an entrepreneur, interning with a company can answer a load of questions, fast/Problems such as a burned down studio can be taken two directions: walk away or excel (Zoe chose to excel!)
Tak + Don (Free Agency Creative)
Spend extra time on ‘selling’ your work as a recent graduate/Understand business language/Face to face interaction is essential for sales/Learn how to adapt to create valuable partnerships from company to company/Follow a defined business model/Never loose the ideals of creativity once you leave university
Alumni contact cards! ECIDA, a student organization I belong to dedicated to the Industrial Design program at Emily Carr University, wanted to promote networking, connections and collaborations - so I made superhero contact cards. New designer every week on our blog.
Last summer I visited Alicante, Spain after a study semester in Germany. A friend and I climbed Santa Barbara castle which became the setting for these long exposure shots. The shots were inspired by some of the people who made an impact during my journey through university.
Check the whole set here