Hello [member_name_first],

Spring has definitely arrived in Upstate New York, summer surely cannot be far away. The unexpected warmth brought an array of colors to our community and tank tops and shorts are already the dress at my community college. In our chapter we have also had a shot of color with the recent programming across the state; lectures by illustrators and designers, portfolio reviews and talent showcases, and terrific programming such as the brand presentation by Debbie Millman. We have a few more small programs left across the region and an election yet to complete but overall we're wrapping up for the season and going into the planning stages for next year. This is your opportunity to get involved in your chapter. If you want to suggest a program for next season, please feel free to send your ideas to any board members listed at our site. We welcome your ideas and look forward to speaking further with you about them.

We are hopeful that some of our new board members will be part of the national leadership retreat on June 3-5, 2010 and then all new board and committee members will participate in our regional leadership retreat on June 19, 2010. This full day regional event is where programs and initiates for the upcoming year are reviewed and planned for. This is another good way to learn about the chapter and become part of the leadership by serving committees. If you are interested in becoming further involved in the chapter workings, let us know. We are happy to invite you to participate with us at the regional retreat.

Now, go outside and charge up your design juices!

Marj Crum
AIGA Upstate New York - Secretary, Interim President

AIGA UPSTNY 2010 PROGRAMMING CALENDAR

Participate in one of the many events happening this year in the Upstate New York graphic design community. For more information, visit our website events page.

CREATIVE EATS | May 2010

This monthly social event series was a huge success last year. AIGA UPSTNY is continuing these third [3rd] Thursday of the month social gatherings. The locations will change between a dining experience and a happy hour gathering. We hope you will come out to join us in open dialogue about local design issues and creative discourse.

This networking event is open to long time professionals through beginning students. It is not exclusive to members or graphic designers. It is a gathering of those in the local creative industry, no matter what your title.

Find out more about this month's locations:
Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Southern Tier and Utica.

WHY WAS THE DEBBIE MILLMAN LECTURE A SUCCESS?

By Bill Klingensmith

The history of our region mostly states when there are design-related lectures, attendance is usually light and the report back is that those in attendance have great reviews. This was taken into great consideration this past year when our chapter scheduled their events. The goal: market the daylights out of it. When we invited Debbie Millman to be on our schedule, I knew she was a dynamic, entertaining and informative speaker. I also knew no one in our creative community should miss this event. The topic of branding is a thread the pulls through nearly all of the creative disciplines of Upstate New York. This event was for every one of those disciplines; not just for AIGA members.

» Read More

2010 Board of Directors Nominees

Following solicitation of nominations from professional members, chapter leadership and design leaders, this year's board of directors recommends the following slate of nominees for the eight seats on the Upstate New York board, effective July 1, 2010 for two years.

Balloting is now open. Professional members of the Upstate New York Chapter are eligible and encouraged to vote. This includes nominees and current Board members. You are asked to vote yes or no to ratify the slate; it is not possible to vote for individuals.

The candidates were selected after a rigorous review of nominees against a variety of criteria, including the nature of their practice, their previous contributions to AIGA and the commitment of service for initiatives.

Consistent with the bylaws, the proposed slate is submitted to the full professional membership of the Upstate New York chapter for adoption. All professional members should vote online by May 17, 2010.

Board position descriptions are available here.

AIGA Upstate New York Chapter 2010 Slate of Nominees
Term of service July 1, 2010 thru to June 30, 2012

Consistent with the bylaws, the proposed slate is submitted to the full professional membership of the Upstate New York chapter for adoption. All professional members should vote online by May 17, 2010.

Board Members who are staying involved in one capacity or another, are: Lori Reed, Dennis Angelo, Debi Bower, Ben Van Dyke, Bill Klingensmith, and Marc Stress.

SPEAKING OF TYPE...

By Marjorie Crum

Which man's invention did Thomas Edison call the Eighth Wonder of the World? It is the same man who's invention also revolutionized the art of printing - Ottmar Mergenthaler, who spent much of his life in Baltimore, Maryland. He invented the linotype machine - which enabled printers to create and assemble type far faster than was done previously. Making it possible for publishers to print books, newspapers, magazines, and other work much faster than before. With the time they
saved, they printed more than before.

» Read More

UPSTNY MEMBER INTERVIEW

Can you give me a little biographical information on your career?

I studied Graphic Design at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. During my junior year, as a part of the program, I participated in an internship at In House Graphic Design, Inc. in Geneva, NY, where I took on a full time position as designer after graduating in 2009. While at St. Rose, two other students and I founded the AIGA Saint Rose Student Group in our senior year. We recruited members, educated our peers about AIGA, and grew the group for future students.

As a designer just getting started in the field, what would you say is your biggest challenge?

Managing a sort of checks and balances relationship with creativity and time constraints. My goal is always to make something look beautiful and function well, but I have to keep deadlines in mind. At first, I felt like the time constraints were hindering my creativity, but as I have become more familiar with the speed I have found that it encourages me to be even more creative. It also makes me more decisive and forces me to develop very clear concepts.

What inspires you?

Research. Learning something new or seeing something exciting is my way of finding inspiration. Being thoughtful and observant is hugely important in my career and I try and get inspired by everything that I am surrounded by. Getting different perspectives is a great way to compare and contrast your own point of view, which lets you grow more knowing of what you have to offer and what you enjoy doing.

What role do you think designers should play in going green?

We have an obligation to take care of the world we live in, and as designers, we have a great impact. What we do is very related to our environment, whether it's using paper or using energy for interactive work. It would be great to see studios use paper responsibly and to educate themselves about how they are affecting the global community. We should also educate clients on how their electronic or printed material could best help us fulfill our responsibility to sustain a healthy environment.

What would your top piece of advice be for other designers just getting started in the industry?

Ask lots of questions. Ask everyone lots of questions. People in and around the industry are your greatest resource for advice, counsel, and inspiration. Going it alone is pretty scary and most people are happy to share their experiences with you. I have learned so much about my field and about being a professional by asking questions. Ask about your work, too. Getting feedback is crucial because it is too easy to get lost in an idea and lose the bigger picture, and critique helps to keep you grounded.

In what way does being a part of AIGA enhance your career being a designer?

The AIGA is the greatest resource for people in our career to be a part of the design community. With the AIGA I am in contact with countless other people in my field, which allows me to stay current and connected. The AIGA is also a great resource for research; online I can look at other people's portfolios or access a huge archive of quality work from past and present.

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2010 AIGA UPSTNY ROUNDTABLE SURVEY

Thank you to those who took the time to respond to our recent online survey. The results of the roundtable will be shared with other chapters, the national board of directors and staff and will become the basis for discussions during our upcoming national leadership retreat in June as well as help forumlate our plan for the upcoming programming year.

We encourage and welcome feedback on your AIGA experience year round, so feel free to contact any board member with your thoughts and ideas as they arise.

Membership Benefits

AIGA membership offers great value, including tangible and intangible benefits: Savings. Information. Special offers. Community. Inspiration. Education. Representation. Validation.

Benefits of AIGA membership

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