The Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington turns 61 years old this year. That’s an incredible amount of history and heritage, especially for a city of transients like DC. If you haven’t already, take a look at our history.

What you might already know is that, since the 50’s, ADCMW has put on a great variety of events and competitions for the local creative community. But have you ever wondered who makes this all happen?

The ADCMW Board of Directors comprises a group of passionate creatives who volunteer their time to organize events and work behind the scenes ensuring that DC creatives have the opportunity to network, compete, and hear great presentations from some of the most famous faces in design.

I’m just finishing up my first term as VP of Publications and am looking forward to being involved with ADCMW for a long time to come. Serving on the Board has been an eye-opening experience when it comes to understanding how much planning and effort it takes to to organize a successful event. I’ve gained a huge appreciation for the Club’s role in our community and have worked — and become friends with — some of the most talented creatives around.

But don’t just take it from me…

Eric Stewart, Acting President:
Being on the ADCMW Board of Directors gives me benefits I couldn’t get anywhere else. It’s connecting with other professionals and building friendships, and keeping my finger on the pulse of the constantly evolving design community. It’s a lot of fun and a sense of accomplishment; working as a team, we’re able to create programs and events that none of us as individuals could. It’s a chance to learn and grow, and it’s rare that I come away from a challenge without gaining a new skill or understanding. It’s also an opportunity to interact with a variety of unique professionals who inspire me with their creativity, wit, business savvy, and dedication to their field. Most of all, it’s an honor to feel that I can give back to a design community that has been very welcoming and generous to me over the years.

Vernon Dunning, Website Chair:
What the ADCMW represents to me is energy, passion, and sharing. I may be biased, but there’s no community of professionals I’m aware of who are more passionate about the work they do and their quest for new and exciting ideas. Over my many years of watching the DC creative scene evolve, I’m constantly amazed at the energy and willingness to share among all those involved. The ADCMW has been a dynamic part of that evolution. Over the years, the Club’s focus has stayed true to its mission to provide meaningful programs, champion education efforts for young creatives, and sponsor two of the most prestigious (and sought after) awards competitions—The Annual Show and The Real Show. The ADCMW is a mirror of the DC creative community at any given point in its history because the Board of Directors is made up of practicing volunteers who are excited about giving back to their peers. For me it’s this passion, sharing, and energy that evolve with each new year that keep the club relevant and a tremendous value for its members.

Samantha Warren, Marketing Chair:
For me, ADCMW laid the foundation of the importance of community in the creative industry when I was first introduced to the Club as a student at JMU. The promotion of local talent and the diversity of creative professions is symbolic of the larger creative ecosystem that exists in the DC communications industry. Few of us check our work at the door when we leave the office; we aren’t just creative professionals but we also live creative lifestyles. ADCMW is about harnessing that passion to enrich our local community and finding new ways to be inspired about what we spend our professional lives doing as creatives.

Nick Whitmoyer, Treasurer:
ADCMW has been a great source of design inspiration to me for several years now. Seeing renowned design professionals like Steven Heller, Chip Kidd, Paula Scher, and Kyle Cooper — along with meeting and mingling with some of the great local creatives — has been an invaluable experience. At one point, it just became clear to me that I needed to give back and lend a helping hand as appreciation to everything it has done for me.

Jessica Eldredge, Membership Chair:
I joined ADCMW in an effort to connect with other creatives and reach outside my comfort zone of web design. Although I’m a relatively new member, I’ve already been amazed by the diversity and experience of the Club membership. It’s served as a great resource to find creative services in DC, learn new skills, and meet inspiring people.

Selena Robleto, VP Programs:
Being on the ADCMW Board has given me the opportunity to become part of the community of local creatives. In a city with such great talent, this has been a great way to become a part of it. It has been a source of motivation and inspiration that encourages me to be a better professional. And as much as I feel like I get out of meeting new people, hearing about the latest in the community, and rubbing elbows with some of the greatest rockstars in the industry, I also feel like I am making a contribution and that I am playing my part in giving back to a group that has been so embracing of its members.

Mae Coughlan, Secretary:
My experience with ADCMW has been a series of pleasant surprises from the start — from joining the board and volunteering, to attending events and socializing, I could not have asked for a more welcoming group of people. The generosity I have personally experienced has been a great inspiration to me and has moved me to give back to the design community whenever possible. It has also proven how strong the community can be when its members work together towards common goals. And the benefits of involvement can be invaluable — support, encouragement, growth (professional and personal), and friendship are just a few of the things I’ve been lucky enough to take away from my experience, and I hope for continued opportunities to offer them in return.

So, why should you care? (Right! As if you don’t already!)

Because we’re going to hang out at Blackfinn in DC from 6:30-8:30 PM on Tuesday, July 13, and you should join us. And because we’re looking for a few good people to keep the ADCMW Board populated with dynamic individuals who want to help the DC creative community continue to flourish.

Come out and tell us what ADCMW means to you.

Register for the Happy Hour here.

Rich Roat, co-founder of House Industries, shared his love for typography, the history behind House Industries, and the design process for several of their most popular type collections. On top of all that, he shared some of the new alphabet projects that we can expect to see in the very near future!

A big thanks to House Industries for letting us borrow Rich for the evening, Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts (CDIA) for providing their campus, Digi-Link for printing the event poster, and also a special thanks to our programs committee (Jessica Avison Eldredge and Selena Robleto) for bringing everything together.

When I met Patrick Smith of Market Hardware last November at BarCamp DC, I hardly realized how inspired I’d become by just volunteering my free time to work on a project he envisioned. After all, I already very happily volunteer with FullBleed helping to solicit stories and edit articles for the ADCMW community. And, with other responsibilities on my plate outside my day job, I was a bit skeptical that I had more time to give.

But, as a fan of TED — which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design — I thought it could be fun to be part of a local version, which Patrick was beginning to plan, called TEDxPotomac. So, when he asked if anyone would be interested in volunteering, I stepped forward, and it’s proved to be such a fulfilling endeavor.

Now, after eight months and hundreds of hours of planning among passionate volunteers and supporters alike, we’re about to see the fruits of our labors distilled in a line-up of truly engaging presenters who embody our theme, “Beyond Politics: Innovation, Inspiration, and Insight.” With so many events in DC geared toward specific industries or issues, it’s refreshing to be an integral part of a more wide-spanning program whose talks range from environmental impact to electronic music, from architecture to the Encyclopedia of Life, and from cupcakes to Craigslist.

We’ve got something for everyone out there, and as a non-profit, it feels great to have all proceeds going just to host the event on May 20. People everywhere WANT to be a part of something like this, so the support for volunteers has been overwhelming. We sold out our first round of tickets in fewer than 24 hours, and now we’re working on the details to be sure folks can watch the presentations live via webcast.

One thing that TED has touted successfully since its inception is “The Power of Ideas,” which personally has made a substantial impact on me. I’ve been told — and have learned — that how we choose to spend our time is one of the most important decisions we make everyday. When you decide to volunteer your time helping other people DO or ACHIEVE something, you’re literally giving of yourself something so precious that it can’t be replaced. You’re saying, “Yep, this is something I’m willing to give because …” it makes an impact, or it feels good, or it fulfills some other goal you find joy in achieving. The idea behind the volunteering generates some personal satisfaction, and to be a part of that (when you find those opportunities) can be energizing. And, if you’re associated with good people, the impact is genuinely appreciated.

It’s a good thing we all have different ideas about what’s important to us individually, because that means collectively, we have the potential volunteering power to make a lot of positive impact. Which is just super cool.

If you want to learn more about volunteering opportunities in the DC area, check out some of the following resources:

• http://www.volunteermatch.org/
• http://www.serve.gov/
• http://www.greaterdccares.org
• http://www.charitychoices.com
• http://www.volunteerfairfax.org/
• http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

There are few true originators in the land of Hollywood, but the iconic Kyle Cooper, designer of innovative titles for everything from Sherlock Holmes to Spiderman and Speed Racer to Seven is the very definition. His breathtaking work has brought the first few minutes of a film back to the forefront of creativity after a long slumber, and made staying to the very end a newfound requirement. Not since Saul Bass has someone’s work been so analyzed and enjoyed in this respect. As one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business,” he transcends film and has become part of our creative fabric.

This past week, The Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington had the pleasure of hosting Mr Cooper for a sold out event at the Navy Memorial’s Penn Quarter Conference Center. Before the event, ADCMW President John Foster had a few moments to quiz Kyle on everything from his typographical heroes to the animal menagerie in his house. Listen in:

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

You have almost become a brand unto yourself – something you could not have anticipated when you entered the field. What pressures have come with that that you never expected?

The only pressure comes from wanting to get everything done that is asked of me by clients I care about, as well as friends and family members who are important to me. There are a lot of opportunities and expectations regarding my time and I have to choose wisely what I am going to focus on. Choosing is something I prefer not to do, hence the pressure. Sometimes others are disappointed when they are not the focus of my time, and I do not like to let people down. At R/GA, Imaginary Forces and now Prologue, I have always tried to build creative teams that have the potential to consistently do design work at a very high level. In order for me to keep the commitments I make to my clients, but not necessarily have to do every aspect of every job myself, I need to depend on my teams. The pressure comes from trying to do everything alone and not being supported by a professional team. The better my team is, the better I am, the better leader I am – the better my team is. When I entered the field, I was more selfish regarding my work and more interested in making a name for myself. Back then I did not expect to take as much pleasure in the successes of my teams as I took in my own successes. At this point in my life, I take tremendous pride in ideas and executions that I know to be my own, but I am most satisfied when someone I have brought into this industry does work that inspires me.

If you had the opportunity – what movie or TV show (at anytime in entertainment history) would you most like to do the titles for and why?

I would do the titles for Chariots of Fire. The two characters, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams personify the two aspects of my character – which are constantly at war with each other inside my head. A close second would be Kenneth Branagh’s “Henry V.” Much of my approach to leadership is taken from Henry V (the names Imaginary Forces and Prologue not withstanding) and I love the Character of King Harry because he inspires me to continue to grow. His past, not unlike my own, suggested that he was unprepared to lead, but he excelled in that capacity regardless. Restoration came as a flood. “You’ll find a difference as we his subjects have in wonder found from the promise of his greener days to those he masters now”.

Give us a rundown of your pets currently?

At this writing, we have Pepo, jack russell terrier. Lola, a teacup chihuahua, Henry, a terrier mutt, two chinchillas and a dozen gold fish.

At a time when technology is such a driving force in all things visual, it is your reliance on your hands and eyes that seems to set you apart. Tell us a little about the process when you first start on a new project:

I do research. I listen to the director. I try to be an expert at the problem I am trying to solve. I try to find out everything I can about the movie, or the source material. When I went to work for Julie Taymor on “The Tempest”, I tried to memorize the entire play and it served me a great deal while we were filming, because I had an intimate understanding of the story. There are designers who make the book cover without reading the book; I cannot do that. You do not have to be a genius to try to become obsessed with whatever it is that you are focused on. I think if you are solving a problem you can become and expert on all things pertaining to that particular problem. If technology is part of the problem then great; if a technological solution is the best solution then great. I do not think the direction is to be found inside a computer animation, or illustration, or photo manipulation software package. I think you use the computer to execute the direction, but the web certainly helps with research.

How long does a typical title sequence take to complete? What’s the longest you have worked on one?

Two days to six months. Six months.

How do directors/producers react when they see that you have shot or created totally new footage for the titles (they might expect it at this point – but in the beginning) and do you think even the most design savvy viewer realizes that the titles are “completely” the making of a different creator?

Films have always had second unit directors and assistant directors. My client is the director, it is his movie – it is my job to support him. When I direct a feature again, I imagine that some of the directors I have supported will support me as well. I collaborate with the director, the work product is equally his or hers. If my work does not dovetail with their vision, I have not done my job. If my work does not enhance their feature, just as the arm enhances the body, I have not done my job. To view the two things as separate entities is not the purpose for which they were each created anymore than the arm being designed to function independently of the body. To make something that is not in the service of the film proper, is to not fully embrace the design problem provided, and is a bit self-serving in my opinion.

Photo by Nick Whitmoyer

Your decision to “go small” seemed inevitable in order to keep your hands in the creative – how are things working out? What are the advantages and disadvantages of your current firm’s size?

We are big again, but every single Prologue employee is the best person possible for their job – I am surrounded by the most excellent designers and production people that I have ever worked with. In the past, I was willing to settle for employees that were not at this level, but now big is not so bad, because every soldier is vital and they all can do good work without my help, so I can focus on the projects and clients I need to and trust that they will take care of me. If not, I am ok with letting them go which was a very difficult thing for me to do when I was younger, but now I realize it is often the the correct thing to do.

What changes in applying your skills to TV versus film versus video games?

I think the answer is more about the challenges of creating something that is interactive versus something that is unchanging and immutable. With interactivity you have less control over how the work is experienced and the experience is different for every user. We greatly enjoy designing work that is interactive, we were just nominated for a National Design Award for interactive work, we feel we know how to do it. Interactivity it is certainly a different kind of design problem to solve but as I mentioned, the goal is to become experts at each brief, technologically as well as content wise. This methodology works for interactive projects as well. Personally I like finishing a piece and controlling how the final project is going to be seen forever. It is so hard to make something that you have no regrets about something that about which you would change nothing. I find it a bit more satisfying to know that people will see the end product how I intended for them to see it, with the same sequence of events as I laid out. Interactive work is seen differently each time.

Do you have the itch to direct a full-length feature again?

Yes

You have traveled all over at this point – what is the best meal you ever ate?

I like the food best in South Africa and Korea.

iPod shuffle game – list the first five songs that come up randomly on shuffle – no cheating and not listing back to back MC Hammer’s:

(1) Black Cow – Steely Dan (2) Can I change my mind – Tyrone Davis (3) Crown Him with many Crowns – Choir of King’s College Cambridge (4) Life on Mars – David Bowie (5) Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit / Sonatina aus “Actus tragicus” [BMV 106] – Bach / György Kurtág & Marta Kurtág Bonus

What is your favorite movie of all-time?

Tie between: Chariots of Fire, Henry V – Kenneth Branagh Director, Rainman, Platoon, Cinema Paradisio, The Dead Zone

Typographical heroes?

Paul Rand, Hebert Matter, Armin Hofmann, High Dubberly, Chris Pullman, Bradbury Thompson, Jan Tschichold, Josef Müller-Brockmann, Alexey Brodovitch

If you are reading this interview then hopefully you have just enjoyed Mr. Cooper’s wonderful talk at Penn Quarter Conference Center and the only question left unanswered is – did he name that little mutt after Henry V? I’ll bet he did.

Every year the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington brings you a great variety of events. Last week we concluded 5 days of creative co-working at local coffeeshops and cafes, also known as a ‘Jelly’.

The concept of a Jelly is to provide a specific time and location where telecommuters or freelancers or just those who usually work alone can come together for a work session full of camaraderie, brainstorming, and feedback, or just a change of pace. Anyone is welcome to come, just bring your laptop or your sketchbook or your paperwork or whatever your task for the day is. Meet up at a designated place and time and enjoy a fresh take on your usual work. Maybe you’ll run into an old friend, maybe you’ll make a new friend. Either way, you’ll get out of the house or office, share some time with fellow creatives, and get some work done.

Here are some photos and stories from January’s Jelly Week, hope you can make it out next time to join us!

Busboys and Poets (DC)
with Sean McCormick

While Busboys and Poets is filled with many, many people seeking a place to work and sponge the free wifi, five members of ADCMW ventured out for the first of five Jellys. With temps near 60 we picked the nicest days in quite awhile to get out and meet our ADCMW bretheren, and sisteren for that matter. Everyone had a good time with the creative chats those of us that work in our homes rarely get anymore. It was a great way to kick off the week.

Jammin’ Java (Vienna)
with Corey Greeneltch

I was excited to host a Jelly at one of my favorite local venues, Jammin Java. Known mostly as a great place to catch national and regional music acts, it’s also a spacious coffeeshop with free wi-fi, good food and classic video games. As much as I love little main street Vienna, I was a little concerned that there might not be much of a turnout. The suburbs are more of a haven for giant corporations than freelancers. Luckily there were a few other like-minded folks who stopped by to visit and co-work including Jim Darling, Nick Whitmoyer, John Malhinha and Lisa Greenfield. We were a pretty productive crew but also took time to talk shop and catch up with everyone.

Corner Bakery (Arlington)
with Eric Stewart

On Thursday, Jan. 28, ADCMW members Eric Stewart and Jennifer Brewer held down the Jelly Fort at The Corner Bakery near the Courthouse Metro in Arlington, Va. “In our continuing effort to improve our Jellies,” says Eric, “I’m thinking we may need to create some modest table-top signage to indicate where the Jelly is happening. Even though we were sitting in a prime location, there may have been more Jelly attendees that missed us. Even so, Jennifer and I had a good afternoon break from the routine — and some excellent sandwiches!”

Caribou Coffee (Silver Spring)
with John Foster

Quickly retreating from the cold, into the Bethesda outpost for Caribou Coffee, I was immediately greeted by a familiar smile. Soon we were catching up on our various joys and challenges in our work. Clutching my hot chocolate, we managed to grab the large table and before I could even catch up on e-mail, we had a filled every chair in sight (bringing a power strip with me was officially the smartest move I made last week!) I was quickly taken by the fun mix of longtime club members and fresh faces that surrounded me.

Some stopped in for a short hello and a bit of networking, but most came for long and engaging conversations and it wasn’t long before valuable advice was exchanging hands at every turn. I am pretty sure everyone on twitter left with ten new followers by an hour in as well. I am not sure how much work was completed (I managed to finish off an emergency project before it got too crowded) but I know for certain that old bonds were strengthened and new friendships formed.

One of the things that really struck me, in retrospect. was that many of the attendees were working solo recently – not necessarily by choice. The local economy in our creative community is far from settled, and as most of these talented people are accustomed to the social atmosphere of an office, this chance to see other designers/photographers/vendors in person filled a number of needs: certainly a valued human connection but also gathering the tools for their new career path that lies ahead. It makes me proud to know that this is a place where the Club really excels and I look forward to more events like this where our members get immediate help in furthering their goals and improving their skills.

It’s resolution time, friends, and whether you’re a chronic breaker or never maker, 2010 is a whole new ball game. I realize that we’re 3 weeks in to the new decade but it’s never too late to make your annual vow to self improve.

All too often we make resolutions in order to change a life style or habit that is considered socially unacceptable. There’s the go-to resolution of quitting smoking, something my husband and I did on New Years in 2007 only to go back to smoking in October the very same year. Or working out more, which often ends up in an expensive yearly gym membership that you only go to in the first month.

I make a resolution every year. Some I’ve kept, some I’ve almost entirely blown off. Though statistics show that only 40-45% of people make New Year’s resolutions and 46% of those same people actually keep them, people who do make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their life goals than people who don’t. Think about it.

You have a choice, do you commit to doing all those things you “should” be doing (flossing more, eating right, sleeping regularly, drinking less, stopping smoking, eating in more) or do you choose some fun resolutions, like the AARP’s 10 fun New Years Resolutions that focus on healthy, or better, living. More specific resolutions that focus on bettering your every day are digestible bites of the broad categories like “lose weight” or “work less.” The smaller goals lessen the pressure, but still get you to the same goal. Here are some ideas.

PROBLEM: Your night life needs a make-over.
RESOLUTION: Go see a band you’ve never heard of once a month.

This was a successful resolution a friend and I made in 2003. We made a promise to see one band a month that we’d never heard of in order to change up our regular routine, meet different people and be introduced to new music. These new shows, paired with the shows of bands we had heard of, lead to a very expensive year, but opened my eyes to bands like the Long Winters, Minus the Bear, Rhett Miller, Pinback, and Spoon. We saw some surprisingly amazing shows that year, as well as some pretty terrible shows, but ultimately deemed our annual promise a success. My only regret is that we didn’t document our year with a mix tape because we both have terrible memories.

Bonus: This resolution taught me to never say no to a band I’ve never heard of. In fact, live shows with no expectation ALWAYS win over those you’ve been dying to see and, particularly when you’re having an off week, a random band on a random night can be an attitude game changer.

PROBLEM: You’re bored with DC

RESOLUTION: Pick 12 museums and dedicate each month to going to a different one.

I absolutely HATE it when people say there’s nothing to do in DC. Our fair city is filled with free entertainment, historical enlightenment, and other activities people travel from all over the world to visit. Sure we’re no Manhattan, but I’m proud of that fact. Where else is there 2 miles of free museums off a centrally located, metro accessible park? We owe it to this city to give it an honest chance, and not just when out-of-towners come to visit or during cherry blossom season. You need to experience the city during all of its conditions to truly appreciate where you live.

Suggestions: Don’t wait for weekends and vacations because that’s when all the tourists come out. See if you can work in a half-day from work once in a while to remember why DC is our nation’s capital.

PROBLEM: You’re a lazy bum.
RESOLUTION: Choose fun, effortless activities that allow you to move more.

This solution is very personal to one’s ability to incorporate activity into their individual lives. I can’t tell you what is manageable for you, but here are a couple thought starters of simple actions that can be applied to your daily life:

Daily Walk breaks. Maybe you eat lunch at your desk and have a very busy after-work social life (like me). Consider making some of your afternoon brainstorms mobile. Some of my best ideas come rounding Logan Circle on foot. You’d be surprised at how many of your co-workers would appreciate a moment away from under the florescent lights. Just don’t forget your sketchbook.

Another option, if you buy lunch, is to try walking a little further to get your healthy meal and take the long way back. You know as soon as you get back to your desk, it’s over for the remainder of the day.

Get some non-internet reliant hobbies We’re all slaves of the online: likely sit behind a computer all day and blog about it at night. Try taking a weekly dance class or hit the bike trails on the weekends. This is for those people who, like me, need to trick themselves into a workout in order to actually go. I’m much more likely to attend a weekly dance class than those daily gym trips I always find excuses to blow off. And our bike-friendly city is so accessible you could just pop a basket on your bike and ride across the river for groceries. Or take a lovely ride through the cute neighborhoods in Bethesda and look inside the houses you’ll never own. Leisure bike cruising can still make your thighs burn.

PROBLEM: You hate your job.
RESOLUTION: Get yourself out there: apply for 1 new job a week, minimum.

Before I get into this resolution please note (ahem, my team at FH) that I love my job and this is purely a suggestion based on the economy and the many people I know feeling stuck in their current situation.

With the economy in it’s current state, I’m having lots of conversations with friends who are staying at jobs because they feel secure, when, in reality, no one is truly safe from a surprise lay-off. While an annual salary is financially the way to go, if you hate your job and are just staying there for a paycheck, no one wins.

I’ve watched friends get laid off over the past couple years and, while initially it was an incredible shock, every single friend is ultimately happier with their new working situation. Lay-offs give people the opportunity to seek out that which they truly desire. Maybe you’ve been producing magazines for the past 15 years, but what you’d really love to do is design books for children: do it. Don’t let the current economy determine your career fate.

Dedicate this year to understanding what you really love doing. Start a blog, explore what’s happening in our industry or others you’re interested in moving to, get your work online (if you haven’t already), and vow to apply to 1 job a week until you have an offer.

This is obviously a monster bite for a resolution, but if you take it monthly it becomes easier to digest. January = Blog, February = Exploring our industry, March = Portfolio Web site, and April begins the weekly application process.

Please note: this is by no means a proven process for getting a new job. This resolution is merely meant as a motivator for those of you who are unhappy and overwhelmed. Nothing will change unless you activate.

PROBLEM: You’re too self-involved.
RESOLUTION: Get over yourself and volunteer one weekend a month.

For a current client of mine, I’ve been researching altruistic opportunities for them to sponsor and associate with their brand. Through focus research, we’re finding that their consumers like to volunteer, but don’t want to waste a lot of precious time finding the perfect experience that’s going to benefit from their skill level. There are several volunteer search sites out there: Volunteer Match, AARP’s Create the Good, One Brick, to name a few with presence in DC, that offer organizations the ability to post opportunities and give us the ability to search for the ones that suit our skills and areas most convenient to our daily lives.

Monday was Martin Luther King Day and, for those of us that had a day-off, we were able to participate in the MLK Day of Service, a fantastic effort that invites people to help out in a variety of organized events around the city. The best part about this day is the uber-organized process that enables each participant to walk away with the feeling that they truly helped out.

In an effort to make that feeling last through the remainder of 2010, I suggest you dedicate one weekend day a month to a new organization. Opportunities range from environmental clean-ups or cooking meals for people living with HIV/AIDS in DC allow you to experience different areas in your community that can benefit from your time.

In conclusion: That’s a top 5 of my suggested resolutions to fulfill a void, explore alternatives, and just better your life in 2010.

Photo credits:

1. My 2010 Resolutions
2. Derek Trucks Band Live at the National Harbor
3. National Portrait Gallery: Portraiture NOW Exhibit
4. H Street Bike Ride with My Husband
5. Dilbert Comic
6. Fleishman-Hillard Volunteer Outing at Food & Friends

I’ve been wanting to go to HOW since I found out HOW existed.

I think it was the first time I saw Paula Scher speak at Syracuse University in 1999, and she went on about Pentagram and painting her crazy maps… Or it was when the Communications Design Head, Ken Hine, introduced me and my sophomore class to Tibor Kalman, The Eameses, Buckminster Fuller, and all of the other amazing creatives who have done their part to shape our industry and inspire my career…

These simple little moments during my college years are what now drive me to a diet of cocktail foods, drink tickets, and a library of signed design books (a.k.a. networking).

Inspiration is what led me to be a part of the founding AIGA SU chapter, which enabled me to meet decision-makers and become a part of my destiny. By organizing tours of Manhattan design studios for my fellow classmates, I was able to talk to designers at Landor about what it’s like to be part of a company that pioneered consumer research and hear how a lot of their award-winning snack food packaging design ultimately ends up in the trash. I talked to Sterling Brands about the newly launched Burger King logo redesign and the process behind the “sizzle.” I was hooked. I had found a way to meet all my design idols in an informal setting and have a legitimate reason to ask them to bend their ear.

Ever since then, I’ve dedicated my life to local design organizations. I’ve also campaigned (with an incredibly irresistible argument) each of my employers to give me a free ride to HOW. I’ve written detailed emails and budgeted specific trips to Vegas, to Atlanta, to Boston, etc., because I looked at HOW as THE event to top all events…The Woodstock of the design industry…The cat’s couture pajamas…

And this year, I won.

As I flew into Austin for the HOW Conference this past June, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed—I had put HOW on a pedestal! How was my experience ever going to live up to the hype I had created over the years? Because I was flying solo, I had spent the week before the big event canvassing Twitter for speakers and attendees to follow, and scheduling meet-ups on the message board in the hopes that I wouldn’t be the loser in the corner at all the after-parties.

Side note: Twitter is revolutionizing conferences and trade shows. Attendees twittering session updates and after-party locations, sponsors announcing prizes at their booths, and the ability to follow speakers after the event… It’s incredible and, like the cellphone. I’m wondering how we survived without it for so long.

Like any conference, there were good sessions, there were great sessions, and there were sessions where designers basically touted their portfolio and complained about their clients. I got to see them all. I think you’re lucky if you attend a conference and feel moved by just one session. At HOW, three sessions literally changed my life.

Michael Osborne: Design for Change

My conference experience began and ended with Michael Osborne. Design for Change was the first session I attended, and I was fortunate to speak with him privately at the shipping center on my way out of town on Saturday afternoon.

Michael is a Vietnam vet and, frankly, total hippie known as the “heart guy” for his work on the Love stamps for the U.S. Postal Service and the Hearts in San Francisco. He talked about events in his life that led him to working with non-profits.

He moved us with his beautiful letterpress examples based on rubbings from the Vietnam War Memorial in DC. He inspired us with amazing work he did with AIDS in Africa that came about as part of his master’s degree studies at the Acadamy of Art SF, which triggered a seemingly natural career move into non-profit design for social change. And he tore through our hearts when he talked about the non-profit he started in the corner of Michael Osborne Design (MOD) studio in honor of his son, who died in an accident at age 24.

Michael’s passion for design, paired with his ability to talk openly about his intense emotional life experiences, allowed me to walk away with the feeling that design, like art, can come from the heart — and all we have to do is start with an idea that matters.

Please note: Michael is speaking in DC on November 16, 2009, and I highly recommend you don’t miss out. I can’t wait to see him again.

Nancy Duarte: Visual Story-telling

I registered for this session in hopes that it might solve my frequent account manager/designer struggle to make Powerpoint presentations “look pretty” for clients in an hour. I walked away on a newfound mission to revolutionize the presentation process and dedicate a portion of my workload to creating thoughtful, aesthetic visuals for our current and future clients.

Nancy and Duarte Design work with a variety of mediums for many big name clients, namely Al Gore and his famous presentation for An Inconvenient Truth.

Nancy — a woman whose business is built on wowing people with Powerpoint — rocked the socks off this presentation. She is a storyteller in the most genuine of ways, and she left me with some key nuggets, including:

1. Don’t fight your strengths. If there’s one thing you can do, that you can be the best in the world at, that’s what you need to do.
2. Forget Powerpoint, Keynote, or whatever you use. Like the Adobe Creative Suite, they’re just tools to get the job done. Stop fighting the program and tell your story the best way you know how.
3. Leave your mark. Transparency and authenticity are the two things people want right now. Let’s give it to them in an original way.
4. We’re all natural born storytellers. What started with Barbie dolls and G.I. Joe action figures can translate to how you build relationships with your clients. Be human. Make eye contact.
5. Make people feel conflicted. Al Gore used a presentation to create a tipping point that changed our world. With the right visuals and supporting research, we can, too.

I went immediately from this session to the HOW Bookstore and purchased a copy of Slide:ology, The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations to get signed and bring back to my team. If your team has similar presentation struggles, I suggest you buy it, too.

Marc English: Frontiers Are Where You Find Them

This was the last session I attended before the closing reception, and it was the perfect finish to an amazing three days. His presentation was totally outrageous. An exact opposite to Nancy Duarte: the Powerpoint was a mess and his speaking style was atrocious, but Mr. English put on quite a show for the standing-room-only session.

Marc English began his performance by sauntering to the stage in a cowboy hat with a guitar, spouting off random thoughts without a fluid storyline — like a true designer with Attention Deficit Disorder. He told stories of frequent travels and how he included his discoveries into his client work.

Similar to Stefan Sagmeister’s TED talk on the Power of Time Off — sans the seven-year plan with retirement in mind — Marc English discussed how he lives his work and life so equally that there’s no defined separation. There was a harmonica interlude and a sparkle finish where he and his team showered the audience with glitter.

While disorganized, borderline offensive, and overly preoccupied with the audience’s perception of him, I managed to walk away feeling inspired to make changes in my work/life balance:

1. Live your life. What are we going to learn sitting at our desks 50+ hours a week? We all need to get out and live our lives. And, of course, figure out some way to write it off at tax time.
2. Speak up. Basically anyone can package him/herself as a speaker and sell it to the conference organizers. Look into it. If you have a unique idea that might inspire attendees, practice your stage presence, and write a pitch. What do you have to lose?
3. Stop and smell the roses. Seriously. We need rests to truly appreciate the moments before and after.

This was not a note-taking session. My only documentation from his lengthy performance is through my cryptic Twitter feed that I managed to fire off as he talked. Then there’s an accidental video that demonstrates my ineptitude with iPhones, and gives you a glimpse of Marc’s sense of humor as he poses with one of the session stragglers who, like me, hung around to soak in more of his positivity and passion for life.

He is quotable. He is inspiring. He is my new hero.

Please note: If you’re ever fortunate enough to see Marc speak, make sure you go to the bathroom before the session. He WILL run over in time and he WILL heckle you if you try and cut out early. But trust me, you won’t want to.

So that’s it.

These takeaways, coupled with some other fun presentations, a few incredibly self-serving presentations, and great live music was my HOW Conference experience. Overall, it was the reminder that we should never stop learning. We really owe it to ourselves to stop working every so often and be reminded why we love what we do.

Sponsors for the evening’s event (from left to right): Frank Wang, Corey Greeneltch, Candace Nicolls, Bill Buell & Chris Cook of Ironworks Consulting.

CEO Peter Corbett of iStrategyLabs makes an appearance at the kick-off event.

Freelance Graphic Designer/ADCMW Board Member Selena Robleto & User Experience Manager Greg Robleto of The Motley Fool.

Freelance graphic designers Danielle Kozlowski & Ryan King.

Graphic Designer Tim Murren of Child Welfare League of America, Senior Designer Tom Giannattasio of E-site Marketing & Account Director Eric Frost of Stokefire.

President Cliff Farbstein of Dimension Creative Promotions (among others) playing creative bingo.

Graphic Designer Elif Kaygisiz showing off her new Kern sweatshirt (courtesy of our friends at Veer), which she won playing creative bingo.

Wednesday night was only the beginning of a new year for the club, and there’s going to be a lot from now until the end of summer 2010. Keep an eye out for more about House Industries, Kyle Cooper, and John Mason, as well as more web design events. In addition to the fine work of our programs committee, you can expect to see some exciting events from our education and annual show committees.

More photos from the kickoff event can be found on the club’s Flickr and Facebook groups.

Featured Illustrator: Glenn Lucas

This is one of the questions we asked in this month’s “Three” series. Check out what several local creatives had to say, then share your own insight via the comments below!

Which DC theaters/venues are the best to see the most innovative work?

E Street and AFI.

To see bands play, I’d say DC9 and State Theater. DC9’s got the small atmosphere going for it and State Theatre has the wicked old school architecture and layout.

Signature and Arena Stage are my favorites for theatre. I’ve also seen powerful work at Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth. For movies, I love checking out Shirlington and Cinema Arts (Fairfax). For concerts, I’m a fan of Black Cat (where I saw Mew in (arguably) The Greatest Concert Ever) and Sonar (Baltimore) for indoor shows, and Wolf Trap (Herbie Hancock last year was mind blowing) and Merriweather (Seu Jorge? Only Yes!) for outdoor performances on summer nights.

Movie theaters? No question, E Street Cinema gets the most variety and features less mainstream films, more my style. Non-movie theaters? I love Woolly Mammoth and their Pay What You Can days. They’re totally catering to the young crowd and I LOVE that.

I always keep an eye on who’s coming to Jammin’ Java in lil’ old Vienna. It’s so far off the radar that even popular musicians don’t pull a packed house (Push Stars, Neil Halstead, Jeremy Enigk, Damien Jurado). Another great ‘old-folks’ venue is Alexandria’s Birchmere. Brilliant acoustics and better beer/food service than many restaurants. Just wandering around Arlington? Make sure you stop in at the Galaxy Hut to see who’s playing. This tiny venue is often cramped, but it’s a great place to see some randomly amazing music.

What did we miss? Fill us in using the comments!

Featured Illustrator: Glenn Lucas

This is one of the questions we asked in this month’s “Three” series. Check out what several local creatives had to say, then share your own insight via the comments below!

Which DC galleries are your favorite and why?

Art Whino. It’s a great place to see raw talent being featured.

The Corcoran has been a favorite now for a while. It’s a small collection relative to some of the larger galleries on the Mall, but there’s always an interesting exhibit being featured. Going on now through the 20th, for instance, is a retrospective of photos by William Eggleston. I had a rather serendipitous moment walking through the exhibit when I noticed it was Eggleston who, in the 60s, shot the photo that would later be featured on the cover of one of my favorite records: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleed_American. Who knew?

I’m a good old-fashioned NGA fan. Huge range, great descriptions, sprawling space for big pieces.

I love me some First Fridays that tour the galleries in Dupont, but more for the event, not so much for the art. Most of the Dupont galleries participate and it’s a fun way to putz around the city, drink free wine, and see some art. Warehouse is my go-to for seeing something random. Paul and Molly are total wack-jobs, with an eye for original art.

Being new to the area I am not that familiar with smaller galleries, but here’s my list: Plan B on 14th: Amazing local work | The National Portrait Gallery + Smithsonian Museum – wonderful Folk Art in the Luce Center | The Phillips Collection

What did we miss? Fill us in using the comments!