Last week, I had the pleasure of judging (and learning from) the “Split & Twisted” design show at Watkins College of Art and Design. I saw a lot of talent among these kids. (I know a many of them aren’t kids but I like calling them kids.)
If you are a student and you have a piece in the show, you should be proud. We (the 3 judges) didn’t think about hurting feelings or trying to make a full show. Department chair Professor Dan Brawner, told us that he wanted the show to be high quality not high quantity, so we were pretty strict on our criteria.
There were many pieces that seemed really close but something was holding them back… pixelated images, unfinished concepts, shoddy handwork (Come on guys, cutting with a dull blade? Seriously?), weak choice of typefaces and don’t get me started on the use of justified text.
Then again there were pieces that blew me away. I thought, “Yeah, I wish I did that piece… even if it’s a fake client.” (It made me long for old school assignments.) A couple of the pieces also made me think, “I want that kid on my team, which is a good reflection on Watkins and the future of design.”
While I reviewed the work I reflected on the student I use to be and I reminded myself to stay open to learn from every situation and every project. Visit the show, which is open October 25th-November 9th, and be willing to learn from these kids. (They may be smarter than you think.)
And if you are in the design community don’t steal away the two that I want on my team :)
