01 – PLAY

Really Cool Shit - When looking through my camera roll, I had a lot of photos that repeated so I just selected the first 50 that were different enough from one another (otherwise it would have been 50 photos of my cats :P) I take a lot of photos of nature and cats! Lol, and the designer in me is always focused on the composition and finding a good angle.

Stack of Notecards - I thought this was interesting, as I tend to follow Instagramers on a whim so it was funny to see and analyze what types of accounts I follow.

Call Your Mom - Going into this conversation, I knew I was going to surpass the 10min limit, haha. It's been a while since I've called my mom so it was more like a 2-hour conversation–but that's a good thing! I'm glad I followed through. Sometimes life gets busy and you forget to touch base with your family/friends who aren't nearby. It's always a good idea to call your mom (or dad!)

Treasure Hunt - I wasn't sure how to quite approach this exercise but decided to just select things that resonated with me the most.

Choosing Must - image 1 - student project

02 – FOCUS

As I began organizing my photos and notecards, I realized that a lot of the work I do as a graphic designer is informed by who I am as a person. A few words my mom used to describe me as a child are "soft, emotional and quiet" (I chuckle at "emotional" because I'm a Pisces, I can't help it, lol) and I constantly find myself being drawn to the process–especially if it's handmade–because there's depth and a sort of spirit behind it all. My approach to art and design is thoughtful and I use empathy as a tool to create. To connect. I try to find beauty in all that surrounds me, always leading with my heart.

Your North Star - The book cover design I selected for my north star is "Growing in the Forest" (No. 2 of my ranked covers). I need to be more patient with myself. My expectations often surpass my physical and mental abilities, making my anxiety skyrocket because I'm constantly fear that I'm not doing enough. I fear I'm not enough... So my north star is a reminder to be patient with myself. Like a tree growing quietly in the forest, no one has to notice, (i.e. I don't need to constantly be posting and marketing myself online) I can simply exist and one day I'll be magnificently tall and strong, just like the other trees around me.

Choosing Must - image 2 - student project Choosing Must - image 3 - student project

After sitting down and meditating for 15 minutes as my activity, I watched Elle's last bonus video "How the Process is Manifesting in My Life" and I felt as though her journey to understanding Rilke and Rodin, which lead her to think about solitude and patience, spoke to me so clearly!

I don't have a mood board or artifact but I know what I need to do–maintain my practice through patience and trusting the process by following what gives me energy.

03 – ARTIFACT (UPDATE)

After my 15 minute activity, I didn't really feel as though I had a sound moodboard or artifact to define or represent my Must, however about two weeks after completing the class project, I went to Austin, TX to attend Rancho Victore, A Creative Workshop & Retreat, hosted by artist and designer James Victore and spiritual embodiment coach Laura Victore... And there, is where I found my Must.

I declared a new chapter in my life. I'm more than a graphic designer, I AM AN ARTIST. In my past, I never felt like an artist because the expectations of going to college and finding financial stability loomed over me. I felt I had to live life a certain way, in order to succeed. However, looking back at the past 3-4 years, I realized that I was not happy. Sure I had moments of happiness and I learned A LOT as a designer, but there was always a part of me that yearned to create for myself. To explore art, to have fun and to play. I was missing that. I was only doing what I was told–I've always done what I've been told. So moving forward, I am an artist. I'm choosing to love myself first and trust that everything else will fall into place.

Below is my artifact, a flag that I created at the creative retreat, to remind myself of my new story. That I am an artist. I am sunshine, radiating with love/clarity/knowledge/bliss. I am aligning with my truth and am excited to see where this journey takes me.

Choosing Must - image 4 - student project

Kimberly Yang

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