"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

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

The final Spare Parts Puppet Theatre design gig for the year,
And it's the delightful book by Margery Williams. It inspired Toy Story y'know!

And although it was written in the 1920's, the set is very vintage 50's. So I illustrated the artwork to reflect the old 1950's posters. Block colours, peachy and sky blue.

I was waiting for the final design to be approved and whilst I waited I designed more toys to scatter around the artwork. Sometimes clients do get bonuses when they least expect it.

With a moment of unpressured time, I feel like adding more magical bits to my design. And for some reason I believe that more design features will sell more tickets?
"If I just move that jack a couple pixels to the right then the viewer will be so inspired they'll buy tickets for their neighbours too."
"If I make the shadow on the car of correct alignment (to match the other toys) then the show will be a sell out!!"

Or maybe I just do it to satisfy myself...

[current mood] Being sung and strung to: 'Forever Young' & Millet Porridge

Quote by Helena Bogucki.
She describes the use of the naughty cat as 'genius'.

And I find it darn amusing that a cat riding a bicycle with a pointy hat, does indeed sell Helena Bogucki.
A designer just knows....

I enjoyed, ever so much, designing this catalogue artwork for Helena's jewellery.
Combining the images and quotes found within 50 year old books with stunning images of Helena's jewellery set the tone she desired:
Collectable, Historical, Covetable and Heirloom.

It also seemed appropriate to add the words of Lady, Royalty and Mischievous.

I like to ask 'words' of my clients. They describe it in words, I interpret them in images and then I review the words and we check that the final products feels like those words.

My favourite part of the artwork creation was the choosing of random sentences from an old book about an artist. The turns of phrases that tickled my fancy included:
"utter neglect of monetary matters"
"insisted on moving into his fanciful residence" and
"praise was the very breath of her existance".

I loved marrying these with the images of her unique and sometimes bizarre jewellery.

Helena's top story (in my opinion) is the one where she went to a deceased estate to purchase her unusual collectables and came across a set of diaries where the gentleman had recorded his haircuts, every 6 weeks, with inclusion of a clipping of hair.
Naturally Helena turned this into an artwork complete with hair loop, cast brooch and the diary.

I love the details of designing, you can put so much effort into a little corner. It may not be appreciated on the same level of concern you had in constructing it, but you can't send it to print unless it sits 'just so'.

Here are the details:

Final quote from Helena "The catalogue thing was of course a big success, how could it not be a success, so sleek and glamorous!"

YAY for client love!!

[current mood] Harmonica in G Blues & Tahini and Honey on toast