I don’t want to be a designer.
It’s a peculiar statement to write as the opening line in your graduating portfolio. A four-year degree in Visual Communication Design, and at the end of it. I don’t want to be a designer.
Not only did I write this as the opening statement, but I also wrote it in one of the most common fonts in the world – even more so than Arial! Times New Roman. It was quite beautiful. Times New Roman, Italics, black font on a big white page. I don’t want to be a designer. I suppose it was the most un-designy thing to do. Firstly to open with a personal essay, but to set it on a page paired right back to its core. No airs no graces – no fancy typeface, no colour, nothing. Just Times New Roman, Italics, black font on a big white page… I don’t want to be a designer.
It was only a few months ago that I pulled out my portfolio from the cupboard (Yup! A physical, hard copy folio!). I was re-evaluating my next move, and I wondered how accurate and relevant my opening statement was to me now. It’s a decade since I wrote it, a lot has changed, and I wondered… is this still me? Do I still not want to be a designer?
I probably felt a little rebellious writing that statement. Was it a giant middle finger to my degree? Perhaps? I certainly know, it’s taken me years to appreciate my education. When something becomes second nature to you, you forget that it’s special.
But, there was more to this portfolio prologue. At the time, I had crafted a type of vision or mission statement about how I wanted to use my design skills for ‘good’ and not ‘evil’. This is what the very philosophical Olivia had to say:
I believe when you are equipped with knowledge, you’re powerful.
When you have something to say, when you believe in something and hold onto that conviction, it goes a lot further than any superficial, surface-level opinion or solution.
I want to be a creator/thinker/communicator that never stops learning.
I want to be part of a team that affects positive change, and where words are aligned with actions.
Is this still me? The 2021 Olivia?
The I’m-starting-my-own-business Olivia?
One million per cent!
But, how did I arrive at this very cheeky and bold place 10 years ago? And, how did I get here, right now, to the week where I’m launching my business dream?
I’ll catch you up tomorrow!
Liv
PS. In the meantime, you can read more about me, and my new business here.
