Essays that are in progress and open to criticism and feedback.

Thinking through Making "There is a distinct type of learning that happens when students make something – not just “comp it up”, but actually construct it, from the small kernel of an idea they start with to its fully realized form, so they understand it from the inside out... When students start to learn by making something, thinking about it, responding to it, and making something new, it creates a type of “feedback loop” that helps students get out of their typical creative rut." Presented at the AIGA Intent / Content design education conference in June 2007. [Download PDF]

The Construction of Nostalgia "As a designer, nostalgia and the referencing of the past is something that I have been interested and engaged in for quite some time, but I’ve never looked any deeper than the surface. Why am I, along with so many other people, captivated by things that are created in historic styles, whether it is a building, a car, a poster, or a pair of shoes? Is it the objects themselves or what they seem to mean?" Thesis paper for my MFA in Design at California College of the Arts, 2005.

But is this Still Design? " There are so many expectations and limitations that a format introduces to a project that it becomes a constant struggle to get students to think about new ways of approaching the project, redefining its goals or assessing its effectiveness. For example, a student would never consider shooting video if the project was to make a poster. But what might be gained from doing such an exercise?" Presented at the AIGA Schools of Thoughts II design education conference in March 2005. [Download PDF]

Documentation: Community and History "Documentation specifically targets two aspects of a class: Its history and its community. The ease and speed of digital recording technologies make it possible to view and review (and begin to comprehend) the history of a class even as it is still evolving. This method of “experiencing” history (as opposed to retroactively analyzing it) enriches the experience of students and teachers alike." Co-authored with Cassandra Kegler and presented at the AIGA FutureHistory design education conference in October 2004. [Download PDF]

Authorship in Design "Design has emerged from its roots as a simple service industry and become acutely self-aware, examining its role within culture at large... The designer’s individual perspective is now considered an important part of the design process. The role of the designer as an author and cultural producer has been a radical shift that continues to change design practice." [Download PDF]

Protest Posters “Although the relatively short life-span of a poster seems limiting, the ability of the art form to be reactionary makes up for any limitations it may have in the future. A poster reacting to any given event can be produced in a matter of hours and be plastered all over a town the next day.”

Edward Tufte An attempt to distill a full-day presentation to a few important ideas that I thought were worth remembering, including, “Only two industries refer to their clients as ‘users’: illegal drugs and interface design.”

Society’s Art “Design has been slow to take its place confidently among The Arts. It is placed in back halls and side gallerys at the museums in exhibitions that look as much like a retail enviroment as they do a museum space.”

Where do we go from here? “... complete media saturation, an accepting, anticipating, design-devouring audience who are more willing than ever to pay for the brand above and beyond the product. Design is involved in the definition and complete transformation of modern living.”