"Enclosed is your mission, if you choose to accept it..."

"I do I do I do!"

I've been thinking a lot about my purpose - that deep sense of purpose... that which drives my every action, that which makes the journey directional, meaningful, sensible... logical responsible practical... oops supertramp moment.
And at this moment I've forgotten my purpose. It happens every now and then and the common thread is the amount of time I'm in front of a computer. Not just because the electro magnetic field zaps my chakras into misalignment or at worse, totally closure, but because my purpose is over-ridden by several micro purposes.

I'm talking about DESIGN purposes. Jobs are missions I lose myself in!

And like a designer superhero I take on the missions. Ace designer, creative problem-solver, beautifier, extrordinare gets down to work like she's saving lives.

I go about my multiple missions with real dedication, with the most whole-hearted and detailed desire to produce the best design I can (for the purpose). Sometimes I stop to query whether my moving of an image a few pixels to the left will in fact have any tangible results for the client, however job satisfaction IS paramount.

Here are two recent examples of about 20 jobs I've got right now pulling me in many a purposeful direction.

Regional Arts Fund - promotional pack

Client: Country Arts WA
Mission: To promote their regional arts funding program

I took 8 successful projects and turned them into little inspiration boards, as though the people have collected quotes, photos and objects throughout their project and pinned them to their office cork board. I kept the theme real square.

Here is the beaut package, pin striped and recycled.

Here is the back, it folds in and is sealed with a inspiration sticker - also useful to then stick on your forehead or heart after opening.

Here is how it folds, like a box! I've done enough house-moving in my time to be able to fold these babies into shape rather swiftly.

Here are the cards.

Some back-sides placed together to show the kind of detail I get into when on my mission. Each card has an object on it, "pinned to the board". So I hunted through rubbish to collect plastic lids for the recycled art kids project card, I nabbed some blue rope and picked a seedpod off the ground to make the river-art object. I spun together wool for the weaving project. I hand cut metallic stars for the dance project...

And best of all, I chose my own (and favourite) photograph for the Mingenew photography residency card - the project I did!

The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik

Client: Perth Theatre Company & Tim Watts
Mission: To give prospective show buyers a take-home pack

Tim Watts' brilliantly reviewed one man show had to pitch itself at APAM (Australia Performing Arts Market) so I thought it appropriate that the adventure show should be packaged in an adventure survival pack (like Alvin would be given for his mission).

Click for a bigger view

Each piece was full of wit and detail. I hand soaked those luggage tags in coffee, dried them on the front lawn and stamped them whilst sitting on a plane. A very tightly packed 'air bus'.

There was the species chart for Alvin's identification needs whilst under water. I loved making up the names like Squibbiligibbet and Siloneous Legalot.

The important information sheet with a whole bunch of NOs and crucial graphs.

The other side of the sheet shows Alvin's suit. I do like the details like 'store in a cool dry place' - like you could, under water! ho ho.

Then there were the support cards. I designed that word sleuth to be the appropriate level of challenging with a few misleading trick-words!

And the really supportive cards like images of food that you wish you had.

You should go check out his show sample video on the Weeping Spoon website and fall in love with Alvin.

The packs were a hit and he's booked shows all over the world.
So I think I'll take full credit for that, knowing that my mini purpose for this job was met, big tick, and on to the next adventure....

[current mood] The idea of pink macaroons & Polyphonic Spree

To update you on where my design went for the Mosman Park Art Awards, I bring YOU the final design result.

I spent 24 hours trying to work the other idea up based on the feedback of it being preferred by most people, but got so frustrated and went back to this design. I just knew how it was going to look... you just can't deny what your heart wants. And admittedly this was the design most liked by other artists/designers.

Artists and photographers in Perth, enter the awards!

[current mood] Lover, You Should Have Come Over & Pork Belly with Scallops

She's having a little party. I offered to make her invite and described my immediate vision of two christmas coloured balloons floating away in the park. So I bought the balloons, battled the river wind and shot it. I can't even go which bothers me more now cause it looks like a cool event, judging from the invite design that is...

[current mood] Looking at chocolates intended for other people & Opera Classics

It's been a while since I shared my design work with you from my company, Seedpod.

I've designed for sustainability.
Drawn leaves and coloured like rainbows.

I've designed for parties.
For kids who dig the 80's.

I've designed for corporates.
Clean and precise.

I've designed for arts.
With edgy Sir Shaffer.

I've designed for city scapes.
Minimal and dramatic.

I've designed for the Indigenous.
Using their art and my paint.

I've designed for real drama.
Dark but finding light.

I've designed for blokes.
Nothing fancy, mate.

I've designed for the public.
In a way that I like.

[current mood] Cranberry Juice & Voice Messages

I'm doing the artwork for the Town of Mosman Park's Art Awards 2010 (and beyond).

It's theme and name is Between River and Sea and the brief was 'do whatever you like, I trust you'.
Always a bit scary! Too much scope!

So in my usual style (which doesn't feel like work) I headed to the beach to gather shells, and collected objects that were sea-ish. Then I went to the river and walked the shoreline for more inspiration.

I like how things evolve, you have an idea which was 'make the word sea from shells and the word river from... not sure...' and so I decided on peppermint tree leaves. But it didn't look good and so I thought of rope because along the shore line, nestled between rocks were random lengths of rope. Plus it looks a bit river-like too. Wouldn't have got that idea if I hadn't ventured into the location.

So here was my idea:

And I wasn't sure I liked it once I did it. So I went for a jog...

I like how as I get into my second wind my creative brain starts to jog too. I actually believe that the body is flowing better and therefore the inspiration factory is more productive, and I like the idea that if 'god' is to credit for my ideas then I am better at channelling them when my body is a clear flowing vessel! But I digress...

I had this other cooler vision for two shapes overlapping and the space between being the 'awards'. It's more conceptual and to me it seemed like a design other designer's would like. And this is how it ended up:

I'm excited by the colours and the potential of imagery to be placed in the two 'squares' where river and sea overlap. These can evolve from year to year.

I sent them both to the client who said "I can't decide! Can you choose which you think is best?"

Isn't that what all designers want to hear? Ack! I just can't quite make the call though.

So can you give me your opinion (and why perhaps)?

[current mood] Carob Coconut Yum Yums & Attempting to dance to The Mountain Goats