Today’s #inspirations4aspirations interview guest is @Gilliankdesigns
I aspire to create cool things that make people happy. Gillian Kamerer
Gillian Kamerer is a graphic designer, illustrator and, before the quarantine, a former colleague of mine. She has worked in multiple mediums: charcoal, oil paint, pastels, print-making and much more. She also does digital work like 3D printing, logos, user interfaces, collages and, her favorite: digital illustration. In May, she graduates from Florida State University with a degree in Information Communication and Technology.
While she is still finding her style, Gillian says she leans toward “bold fonts, bright colors, and…using minimalistic elements as well as playing around with controlled chaos.” With that in mind, I decided to create a multimedia piece using pen and ink, digitally overlaid with color pencil and oil pastels. The carefully done hand-lettering pays homage to the great Swiss designer Armin Hofmann with his 1959 poster for the ballet Giselle.
Gillian Kamerer: in her own words
I was born and raised in Parkland, Florida. From a very young age, I started to draw and paint. My grandmother is an incredible artist, and she taught me early on how to draw people and still lives. I’ve always been attentive to detail, and I’ve always had an affinity for color!
I enjoy all kinds of two-dimensional mediums- from charcoal to oil paints to pastels, and of course digital art. I’ve worked with wood and other 3D materials, but they are definitely not my strong suit! My favorite is oil paint because of the vibrance and luminosity you get from the pigments in the paints.
I decided [to become a graphic designer] Sophomore year of college, which is about two and a half years ago now. I knew I wanted to do something artistic, and I loved the fact that you can so easily paste, move, and edit all of your work on small or super large scales.
I’ve done paintings, custom font and other logos, some User Experience designs, collages, and my favorite: digital illustrations. My style is still evolving, but I lean towards using bold fonts, bright colors, and I love using minimalistic elements as well as playing around with controlled chaos.
My two biggest inspirations are my grandmother who sparked my interest in art, and my overall passion for creating beautiful things that say what people are thinking. I know that making art (physical or digital) is what I love, and I’ll never get tired of creating.
I aspire to create cool things that make people happy.
1) Why do you create?
I create because it’s what I’m best at, and it makes me happy! Drawing or creating a new piece makes me think from different perspectives, therefore challenging me to go farther with my work and with my life, too.
2) When life gets you down what inspires you to get back up?
I find that life throws quite a few curveballs at us, but it’s important to remember the things in life that make everything okay. Even if that is a small thing like a sunrise or a really good cup of tea, remembering that those good things exist can ground you and bring you out of any slump with time!
3) Why is art and design important?
Art and design help us to understand the world around us from different perspectives. Without them, the world would be bland.
4) The great designer Paul Rand once said, “…To design is to transform prose into poetry…” What do you feel like when you design?
I feel like a paper airplane in a steady stream of air soaring over fields of green.
Many thanks to my inspiration and aspiration, @Gilliankdesigns. I’m John Lhotka, wishing you a nice day, and all that jazz.