long time…
no blog. been dilequent in updating this thing. I've been bad. But i've been busy. Since leaving school last year in May, my life has been good, but busy. So if you have the time and the inclination, please read on. I'll breakdown for you what has been going on.
After I left school, I freelanced for about six months. here is a breakdown of where I went.
DKNY: Spent three months at DKNY working with my friend Brigitte. I designed marketing books that showcased all the DKNY accessories (shoes and bags mainly) and designed fabric patterns. Also designed some bag hardware too. It was fun being there. The hours were totally crazy (10 hours to 12 hours), but it was fun to work with someone as talented and amazing as Brigitte. We made some pretty kick ass stuff that made it to production. So yes, there are bags out there with my designwork on it. Also scored some shoes (they have over-runs and my feet are the perfect size 7 which is what all their samples come in. Also did foot modeling work for them too sometimes. Me! A Model!! who knew?)
VICTORIA SECRETS: after DKNY, I landed a full-time freelance gig at VS. I worked on all the instore signage. Was there about month and a half. The pace was crazy, but my hours returned to normal 9-6. Somedays though there was no lunch which wasn't fun. The design wasn't as fun as DKNY, but the people were amazing. In my short time there, I made some friends that I still go see and hang out with. Great experience.
ETC: did tons of other random freelance work. Did an entire website for a publishing company in chicago, logo for a start up handbag company, one week as a production manager, website design for my favorite web company, Funny Garbage. It was good to be back at FG. they are like my family. I fit in there so well. Maybe someday they will be able to hire me. Eiiiiiii!!!! FG even recommend me for a freelance gig. I have building animated gifs for a teenage boy joke site (one a day). Good stuff.
Finally, after all this freelance, I got a full-time job at the Visual Art Press. The VA Press publishes and designs everything from magazines to catalogues to invites for the School of Visual Arts. I had interned for them last summer and freelanced for a month or so in the spring so I knew everyone at the press and knew the job well. They loved my portfolio so I took the job. I am an Associate Art Director and I get to work on the bigger, large scale projects at the school. It is a good gig and I am happy. I am still doing good design that makes me happy.
Even though I have a job, I still do design work for DKNY. Ever season I come up with patterns for bags, shoes and now, scarfs. It is fun and I am happy to try my hand at it.
Other big things that happened were that I met at great guy and moved in with him. His name is Jesse and he was in my master's program. He is a year below me (so he is working on his thesis now. scary). He is the art director of Comedy Central's website and has the most contagious laugh i have ever heard. We started dating in the spring and have been together ever since. We live together in Jackson Heights, Queens in our 1 bedroom co-op with a cat named Cat. I am digging finally have found a wonderful guy that supports me and loves me and makes me happy (especially after all the assholes i've dated and had broke hearts over).
Still working on getting my thesis lauched. I have about 10 more hours of coding and then I should be done. Need to find time to do that I am I golden.
Living in NYC is great, but I still miss the midwest. The East Coast is just different. I don't know if I will ever feel completely at home here. Plus, I just don't have the circle of friends and aquantences that I had in Chicago. I know that comes with time, but I wonder if I will ever get that here. Now, I am older and don't go out and mingle as much as I once did. Plus, the people I meet here my age have established groups of friends and they are hard to break into. But, besides all that, I am happy here. I have Brigitte and Becky and Araba and others. I don't plan on returning to the midwest anytime soon. I do love it out here even though I get loney and miss people. Plus, I think Chicago would seem too slow after being here. NYC seduces you slowly. Also the best design is here. If I want to do good work, I need to be here and I would put up with a little loneliness to do that.
Other stuff happened, like I went with Jesse and a bunch of his friends to Munich, Germany this summer. We ate tons of meat and beer. It was great fun. I'll write about that in another email once I put up my flickr photos. Not today though. I've had a crazy week at the press and on top of that, I've been working nights on stuff for DKNY. I just want to go home tonight and have a beer or two and relax. maybe watch a movie. Hope this has caught you up. I am well and fine.
THEY DISCONTINUED MY LIPSTICK!!!! I AM PISSED AND SAD. bet all of you out there never would have thought these words would have even pasted through my head let alone utter from my mouth or be written down. but shit, i love my lipstick. the color is great on me and it comes in this easy to use pencil so you get the control of lipliner and the lovelyness of a lipstick. I've been using it for the past 8 years and I would stock up and buy 2-4 pencils at a time. True, i've dabbled in other lipsticks through out the years, but within a week or two i always come back to lip express by maybelline AND NOW IT IS GONE!!! sigh. i sent maybelline a note asking them what is up and if there is another color for me as a replacement for my shade. also as a desparate last attempt to get my hands on my lipstick, i bid on an auction on ebay that has my color. my mama who always wanted me to be a bit more girly would be proud.
