Stefan Sagmeister brought back my passion.

My contribution to Sagmeister 's piece.

Die-cut cover with one of mini books.


The wall of 3,000 bananas on the first day.


Angry monkey wants his bananas!

Wall of bananas the day before the show closed! The place smelled like it and some of them had mold on them.




I don't know how many people can say that they've been lucky enough to realize for themselves that they need a change in how their life is going and actually do something about it. This realization came to me in a rather interesting way.

This past Tuesday a group of us went to the lecture by Stefan Sagmeister for a class- "Design Therapy" as we like to call it. I'll be honest, my knowledge of Sagmeister's work was basic at the time. I had done some research for the same class earlier in the semester and thought of his work as interesting yet didn't think much of it. I typically do some homework on a lecture, musical or anything that I go and see. For his lecture, I had no pre-concieved notion of what it was about. When it came time to decide whether or not I was actually going to the lecture,the selling factor was saying to myself "hey he graduated from Pratt, let's see what he's done with that degree", considering the fact that I had just gotten over the two most horrible weeks of my life where my existence at Pratt as a student was i jeopardy.

I decided to buy the book [Things I have learned in my life so far] before the lecture started and as I looked through the list of his "life lessons", the first one that I read is the one that has stuck with me since and has given me my passion for design back. It reads: "Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now" Here's someone who I had never met before telling me what I needed to hear.

That quote opened my eyes. Throughout the whole lecture I kept thinking to myself "Now why can't I enjoy the work that I'm doing like he is" I purposely registered for 7 design, studio classes and no liberals so that I could do "great things" and not be hinder by stupid essays and journal entries for such classes. I've always been the type of person to worry, constanly thinking about the future. I've been telling myself that I will have great pieces at Survey that everyone will be amazed by and that itself has gotten in the way of creating those "great pieces". In advertising it is hard to design work for yourself and still pay the bills. This is my time to explore and experiment and try new things and not be sooo caught up with what others will think as much. I mean yes, I want to get a good grade but should I have to sacrifice my opportunity to explore and have fun. My survey wall and book will be great because they will showcase those great pieces that I will have fun designing.

Going out for beer and wings after the lecture with those who I was with was also amazing. There I was sitting with those who have been around and go through the same assignment at Pratt as I do. I got the sense that at least one life lesson from Sagmeister made an impact on their life.

Above are images from the book as well as photos I took from the gallery show on Grand St. with some of the actual pieces. I'm not one to go out and venture into the city to check out shows by myself yet for this one, I was happy that I spent the afternoon on my own, being inspired- I needed that!

My favorite quotes:
1. Thinking Life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
2. Complaining is silly. either act or forget.
3. Keeping a diary supports personal development.