CREATIVE MORNINGS ROUND 2 – SPENCER WYNN

This Creative Mornings talk was a vastly different experience from the last –– at least for me.
Perhaps because it was my second time attending, I felt comfortable enough to go on my own.
It's always a struggle to get out of bed that early in the morning, but it is absolutely worth it.

There always seems to be a large number of people exclaiming "it's my first time!" I have also observed many veterans who go around greeting past acquaintances or colleagues. Even when you aren't listening to the speaker, you're learning. Two girls befriended each other beside me. During their conversation, I acquired very useful knowledge applicable to my industry.

As a web developer explained how often she receives request for Wordpress websites, she answered my question of whether or not I need to learn web design in some capacity. The designer to whom she was speaking also mentioned that she builds HTML sites and works for an intimate (and reputable) design company.

Behrouz Hariri, who runs the lectures, opened up a "Town Hall" type platform for the audience. He made it possible for those seeking the opportunity to publicly declare they need employment (or need an employee) and other such announcements.

It is an incredibly easy environment for sparking conversation. If you're going to find a likeminded individual somewhere in this city, you're bound to do so at CM (Creative Mornings). The RGD laughed when I requested a mentor who had studied at my overseas university, which is allegedly world-renowned. At yesterday's CM, my lecture-neighbour was educated in the same foreign city as I and had studied at one of the sister colleges.

As a "retired" journalist and Graphic Designer, I was very intrigued to listen to Spencer Wynn, the Art Director for Toronto Star. The Star provides an environment supportive of wild creativity. Wynn stated that for any wacky ideas presented, they're "absolutely on board." His photographic ingenuity has taken him to exotic locations, and allowed him to orchestrate local risky endeavours. For example, some of his assignments included setting Bloor Street alight outside the ROM, and printing (and subsequently destroying) illegal money and a smoke grenade shoot with Porter Air.

To please typography enthusiasts he included some examples of experimental typography that had been printed in the Star. Prior to his role at TorStar, he worked at Toronto Life magazine.

Throughout his talk he threw ideas into the crowd and encouraged us through his energy and words to be proactive. When answering a query from an audience member about a prospective project, he even suggested specific companies to contact.

The rest of his talk centered on creating Blurb books, where he demonstrated his excitement at new technological possibilities (like embedded media in ebooks). He had a countless amount of his own projects to share with us, ranging from assembling other people's portfolios, to his own experiment with hipstamatic, and a hilarious surgeon's alphabet book. It begins with "A is for Accident," though he recommended we skip the "S is for Staples" spread.

The last slide in his presentation told us to "Have fun and Create!" Despite this call to action being specific to producing Blurb books, I repurposed it to a more general context. Now I'm feeling inspired.

HEY! LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

I was sorting through my photographs and stumbled upon these photographs taken of some of my favourite places/tutors at the old CSM location at Southampton Row. I may have posted them at an earlier date, but I often reminisce about those days.
Such a lovely time.

FORGOTTEN LONDON NEGATIVES

I discovered a forgotten roll of film I took during my two weeks in London. I was pretty excited to get scanning! Here are the highlights.

RGD CREATIVE EARNERS RESULTS

Bless the RGD (the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario). As a current freelancer, searching for full-time work, I am vehemently curious about the conditions within the design industry here in Canada. The RGD has (literally) just posted the results of their Creative Earners Survey (download it here). I encourage you to have a read! This is what surprised me.

Forgive me RGD if I am not allowed to share this document with the rest of the interweb.
But I wasn't not expecting that the majority of people employed are in For Profit Organizations.

Another subject of interest is freelancing rates. I was shocked by the current rates, and how little I've been acquiring in my experience as a freelancer.

In this document there is a lot of concern expressed for the future of Graphic Design as a profession. It seems many are finding it difficult to attain (or sustain) employment, noting the necessity for knowledge of digital/interactive practices to stay relevant in the industry. It is comforting to know I'm not the only one struggling, and considering expanding my education to fulfil the requirements for current design opportunities.

BREAKFAST LECTURE AT HERMAN MILLER

Creative Mornings puts on free monthly breakfast lectures ‘for creative types.’ They have 29 chapters worldwide and by some stroke of luck, one here in Toronto. These talks are popular, and if you don’t register early you are likely to miss out. It’s not often the speakers are Graphic Designers (let alone veterans in the industry), so when the sign-up opened at 9-something A.M,
I was at my computer ready.

This being my second ‘networking’ event of the week, I thought I knew what to expect — a few edibles (vegan unfriendly), and staying mute while listening to the featured speaker. The lecture was hosted by the Toronto Office of Herman Miller, allowing us an opportunity to acquire insight and feel for the company by exploring their space.

I was surprised by the extensive breakfast spread and numerous fancy coffee/latte/tea machines (I’m old school). I made a bee-line for display tables littered with design porn. I was taken aback when two girls actually utilized the nature of this occasion and introduced themselves. One did all the talking. She was very friendly and interested. Being quasi-socially awkward and distracted by my surroundings, I blanked on questions to ask her. Luckily, my outgoing colleague chimed in. My interpersonal skills clearly suffer when I’m not caffeinated. When we took our seats I noted the quantity of photographers (4 visible).

Herman Miller is a Michigan-based furniture and equipment company with an office in Toronto. It was renamed in 1923 when DJ De Pree became president after joining the company 4 years following it’s conception as Star Furniture Co. Herman Miller was De Pree’s father-in-law who kindly loaned De Pree the money to purchase the company.

Steve Frykholm was the first internal Graphic Designer at Herman Miller. He joined the company in 1970 after teaching Nigerian girls screenprinting as a member of the Peace Corp. He says he didn’t know how to screenprint at the time, so he learned with them. He is most known for his screenprinted picnic posters for the company, which are in museums such as MOMA, the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design. He has also won a number of awards from AIGA, American Center for Design, Communication Arts, and Print.

He shared the lecture with Clark Malcolm who has been at the company since 1983. He is also an accomplished author/co-author or editor of 16 books.

This modest and jovial duo delivered a casual and comedic presentation with the dynamic of a cute married couple. Malcolm promised to tell us “the truth” but
“couldn’t guarantee fact.”

They began with a key story that changed the outlook of De Pree and in turn shaped the ethos of Herman Miller. After the death of a Millright, De Pree visited the Millrights wife at their home. His wife showed De Pree poetry that the Millright had written. This supplanted the notion that “everybody is extraordinary,” which he adopted into the hiring process, basing future decisions on honesty and integrity.

When asked for their thoughts on the future of design and the rapid evolution of digital technology and practices, Frykholm stated though the possibilities are exciting, “design principles will not change.” He told us that designers have to pull up their socks and work hard. In demonstrating his approach to something dull like an annual report, he explained that he thought of the assignment as an opportunity to tell a story as opposed to an arrangement of numbers. One year presented ingeniously on the translucent packaging of a rain poncho. I can’t think of too many companies that would provide their designers with such creative freedom, which I can imagine contributes to Frkyholm’s long-standing loyalty to the brand.

During the question and answer session of the lecture, an audience member sought their perspective on the notion that “everyone’s an artist” given current social media outlets and technological abilities. They struggled to suppress a lengthy opinion, and answered with tactful optimism, but remarked “design is in your DNA” and “don’t these people have day jobs?” Frykholm also encouraged us to strive for authenticity.

The only thing detracted from this otherwise inspiring experience was the fellow with a camera who sat in front of me and shot continuously using his flash. I was blinded every 5 minutes and left with a headache. I wanted to tap him on the shoulder and inform him that a flash was not necessary, nor were 3,000 photos of someone in virtually the same position.