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Imagine: you’re an aspiring designer who is ready to purchase your first drafting table. Excitement is oozing out of your pores. However, it is all too common for this excitement to turn into despair, frustration or even worse, resentment.  This is where beloved DI drafting instructor, Michelle Hamm, steps in. Michelle has been working with DI to put together some videos for anyone who has questions regarding their drafting table. These instructional videos can help you keep your excitement high and prevent any future issues. Here are the links to the videos and description of what you’ll find in each:

How to Set Up Your Home Studio:

How to Set Up Your Drafting Table, Part 1:

How to Set Up Your Drafting Table, Part 2:

How to Set Up Your Drafting Table, Part 3:

All that’s left of a bizarre childhood.” That is the self-proclaimed statement that hangs above the door of Design Institute instructor, Kate Palese’s home office. “My mom was an agoraphobic. She had a fear of open spaces. It was interesting to live around and it was what started my interest in weird environments.” With both a bachelors and masters degree in sculpture, Kate took a special interest in creating objects and space that were slightly frightening, and now she mainly does oil pastels of those environments.

Kate teaches the Elements of Design I class at DI and really enjoys how different the job is every day. “You get to adapt to the students. I particularly like DI because the students are really motivated. There isn’t anybody just slacking.” But that doesn’t mean the job is easy. As fun and approachable as she is, Kate is also “appallingly honest.” She is endlessly encouraging of the students but doesn’t like to sugar coat anything. “I think it’s really important that they not be led astray. It’s not helpful to them. The students know I’m not [being honest] to be a jerk, it’s because I really care about them and sometimes it’s not good enough and I know they can do better. That’s part of being a good teacher.”

Kate was never confused about what she wanted to do: “Art was the only thing I was ever really good at. That and writing. But writing is too much of an alone thing and I’m an extrovert.” Her personal influences in art came not only from her mother’s struggle with agoraphobia but from the Mexican imports she had all over the house. “I love Mexican imagery. I didn’t realize that you could be white and make art until about the age of 10!” Kate is particularly drawn to the colors in Mexican art: “the Tapa Boca candles, the Chango, and Our Lady of Guadalupe.” Despite her attraction to bright colors, Kate’s work is most often about “being devastated and destroyed, and a little bit about rebirth.”
One of her latest projects was for an exhibition at the Shoshana Wayne Gallery in LA. It was organized to be the largest art exhibit ever in one place. The show organically came together starting with four artists who picked four other artists and it continued from there which resulted in everything from fine art to kitschy art. “It looked like an art swap meet!” The show was a huge success with hundreds of attendees, many celebrities and other high profile guests. The piece Kate designed was about the biology of relationships. “When you first are in love it feels like everything is perfect because of your endorphins, and then little by little they fade away.” Kate’s piece was made of wood, graphite and lamp conduit. It had words that would flash randomly like synapses. Having very little knowledge about electricity, Kate called upon DI student Mark Maffei to assist and it was his knowledge and skills that helped bring the project to life. She could not have been more pleased. “It [was] perfect.”

When asked how she’s been able to create so many different types of pieces using so many different media (she has been known to utilize strange smells to enhance the experience of her work), she simply stated, “Perseverance. It’s just a matter of getting in the studio. This summer I only taught some night classes so I would just go to my studio and sit there.” She paused, then looked up grinning and bluntly stated, “Eventually something would happen because you can only be so bored.”
Kate doesn’t take for granted being able to do what she loves day in and day out. “I’m super lucky. It’s a cool way to make a living. I always think that if I won the lottery I would still probably teach because it’s just so fun.”

It’s one thing to read about it but there’s nothing like seeing it in person. Brindan Byrne, Furniture Design instructor knows this which is why on November twelfth she loaded a van full of students and headed up to LA to see three houses designed by Rudolf Schindler: The Mackey Penthouse, The Schindler House and The Fitzpatrick Leland House. Schindler is best known for his role in the modernist movement, his use of raw materials and his collaborations with Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Neutra. His designs force even the least interested person to stop and take notice of the space.

The Schindler House in particular made an impression on everyone. It was built in 1922, inspired by the idea of a permanent campground, and was designed as a live-work space for two couples. This experimental living style included rooftop bedrooms without any solid walls and two outdoor fireplaces that served as the kitchen. As Brindan put it, “When they’re talking about an open kitchen, they’re not kidding!” Having been built before sliding glass doors, Schindler used canvas which let in the light and he jimmy rigged a version of the first track lighting. Brindan explained that it encompasses “the whole idea of camping: the canvas doors and open floor plan, the way the light goes through there. I never got that from any photograph. Seeing the space and getting that visual imprint is so important for our visual literacy.” Is there any better way for budding designers to get inspired? Seeing, feeling and being engulfed by forward thinking and historical spaces is vital to a well rounded understanding of space. The magnitude of this was not lost on the students. “I needed to see it.” DI student Heather Young stated, “I learned about the Schindler house in 20th Century Architecture and to be here, walking through it, you really get to experience what the architect was envisioning which is important to me. You just learn so much.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

It’s never too late.” This pretty much sums up the reason Terri Parsons decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in Interior Design despite the fact that she was 40 years old and had an established and secure career in the IT world. “I used to love it but I just got tired of doing it every day and I realized that it was not what I wanted to do the rest of my life.” Terri had always drawn compliments on her homes even though, in her early years, they were put together on a shoe-string budget. Terri also fell in love with HGTV when it first started becoming popular and it really inspired her to look into a career change. After researching schools online there was no question about where she wanted to go. “The accreditation is what brought me to Design Institute. And now I know it was the right choice because when I’m out there and go to PK (Product Knowledge) meetings, other attendees sometimes ask me all sorts of questions about design and business that I learned while I was a student!”

Terri currently owns her own design business where she specializes in residential design and also dips her hand into hospitality, warehouse spaces and offices. Terri believes that every budget deserves good design. She made a special effort to put together two design options for just that purpose. “We need to get rid of the old fashioned notion that designers are only for the wealthy.” She is sure that it is this attitude that has gotten her business through the hard economic times. As she put it, “I never turn down work!”

Terri didn’t wait till she was out of school to get started. Due to her age and previous work experience she decided to get her business license and resale certificate before she even graduated. She also took on a ‘real design’ for her senior project by restoring an Italian farmhouse. She actually contacted the Italian contractor, Geometra, for the existing plans and photographs. The clients ended up buying her redesign; drawings, renderings and all! Although that gave her an exciting boost of confidence at the end of her education, it was actually her very first design class at DI that she calls her favorite. “Intro to Interior Design really opened my eyes to what designers actually do. I also liked the CAD classes. But I would say my favorite class and most enlightening (pardon the pun) was Sage Russell’s lighting class. I’m actually reading his new textbook. Lighting is everything to a space, and Sage was a terrific instructor; I still design my lighting plans just how he taught.” Terri states that she frequently reviews her DI resources from school projects, “The answer to many of my dilemmas, when I run into them, is covered in that material.”

Terri’s creativity does not stop at designing interiors. As an accomplished cellist, she plays for the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus, gives private lessons, and even played at her own graduation from DI. She also uses this skill to help inform her design decisions. Yes, you read correctly… “When I hear music, I can see colors. It’s a phenomenon called Sound Synesthesia. If I have a client who is active and wants a vibrant space I’ll play through some quick music or just the opposite. I will play periodically throughout the design phases which help me see the colors I want to use.” Whatever approach she uses seems to be working. Since graduation she has been published four times in San Diego Home/Garden Magazine; two times in the paper version and two times in the online version. She has also been doing home shows associated with ASID, IFDA and NKBA. Keeping a journal of notes from every project has been key to Terri’s growth. “I learn something useful from every project. The interior design business has been so rewarding. I am honored when a client refers me to friends and colleagues, and I love it when they smile through their walkthrough and say ‘You really got us.’ A designer just inwardly says to themselves, “Whew!”

Advice for students? “Stay involved in the associations. It’s a great way to network, learn about the industry, and learn more about design. Sometimes it’s a great way to find a job too. Getting involved in being a docent for different events is always a great way to meet established designers. Keep up with a variety of periodicals. It is important to understand all design styles. Remember, it’s about what the client needs, and this versatility will help you give the client what they want.” And hang in there! “I now understand why DI was so tough. They really prepare you! I wouldn’t want to be from any other school.”

To see Terri’s website: http://www.anneparsonsinteriors.com

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Who takes their career knowledge, gives back by teaching others, and then continues to find ways to contribute to society? If you guessed the DI faculty you were right. And if you guessed David Stuber in particular, you were even more right. David has been teaching the Building Codes course at DI for many years. As the owner of the company, Building Design Consultants and as a Certified Access Specialist, he is the first to know of and practice the ever changing laws of the Building Codes. If you have ever seen him teach, it is easy to see how much he loves his work. Yet recently he felt the pull to give back even more in a rather unexpected way; as an RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol) for the San Diego Police Department.

“I had seen RSVP cars driving around in my neighborhood in Clairemont and I always wondered what they do. So one day, I just asked them!” It was this conversation that enlightened David to a multitude of programs few people realize exist. For example, YANA (You Are Not Alone) is a program where they visit shut-ins. People who live out of town but have elderly parents in San Diego can sign their parents up, and an RSVP will visit for about 20 minutes to see how they’re doing. They also do vacation home checks and can write tickets for non-moving violations. Beyond that they basically just patrol to keep an eye on things. But it is the YANA program that Stuber enjoys the most. “A lot of people we visit are in their nineties! So they have stories to tell and they really appreciate you coming by. It’s nice to be appreciated.” Though this kind of work may seem strange for someone with David’s background, it was his brother, who recently retired from the police department in the financial crimes unit that sparked his interest. “He would tell these stories whenever the family got together about his work and I enjoyed that. Plus I’ve always volunteered for other things and just saw this as a way to be a positive part of the society.” So David went through the grueling process of paperwork, background check, finger printing, interviews and a 40-hour academy. This all took an intensive month to complete and ended in a graduation. “I was given certificates from the mayor, chief of police and two council members. They make a big deal of it!” David enjoys the people he works with, who are mostly 20 years his senior, and is starting to feel connected to the work. “I’ve settled in and am comfortable. I committed to do it for at least one year. I’ve talked to others who said the same thing and now they’re in their eighth year!” David’s schedule consists of one 8 hour day a week to help patrol our streets and give back to the community. Here at DI it is a commitment like that that makes us proud to have David Stuber as a part of the DI team. Congrats, David!

David wearing my badge and standing with his wife, Susan, and younger brother, Daniel, a police officer who works for the Financial Crimes Unit of the SDPD.

By: Debby and Larry Kline, Instructors at Design Institute of San Diego

We are honored to be the first non-Latinos to have a solo exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino arts in San Francisco. Curator, Maurizzio Hector Pineda, discussed with us that he wanted to take the gallery to a new level and that our work fit in well with his vision of exhibiting edgy, contemporary art. He mentioned that the Center’s building is very much alive and we quickly learned the truth of that statement. As we were installing The Age of Enlightenment, a work that reflects the comingling of religious myths and dogmas, powerful drumming began from above. While the Center was simply experiencing one of their weekly Danza Azteca classes, we imagined costumed participants in a ritualistic dance moving between the columns and the sarcophagus. It was perfect and somehow completed the experience.

We were interviewed by a couple of Spanish language radio stations. One asked the expected question, “Why were we exhibiting in a Latino setting”. We responded that part of the focus of our work is social justice and that these issues transcend individual cultures. The host readily agreed. During the second interview, the host occasionally forgot to translate for us but we ultimately figured out what she was asking so the show continued quite successfully. Our intern, Oscar Cespedes, traveled with us and photographed events as they unfolded. The exhibition is dedicated to Oscar’s brother, Placido, who was also our intern. Placido Cespedes was tragically killed in a drive by shooting a year ago.

We were excited that Zack Wilkie (past DI student) attended the opening and the after-opening party. Zack volunteered in our studio and assisted us in the Tijuana installation of The Candy Store. Another studio volunteer and recent graduate from DI, Jen Sagar, graciously modeled for two of the works, Tobacco Papers and Smokin’ Columbia, reminiscent of a cigar store Indian-style sculpture.
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James Denton, a recent Design Institute graduate, like many recent graduates across the country, was having trouble finding work since many firms he was interested in had just downsized. “I was competing for jobs not only with students but people with years of experience and contacts.” He continued selling rugs at an upscale store in La Jolla, a job he had through school, and even picked up a few side projects from clients he met there. James took every opportunity that came his way, even if it wasn’t interior design related. Having learned Photoshop at DI, James found himself involved with many graphic projects. “I would always jump on the opportunity to help out my friends. I’ve done logos, business cards, and flyers just so I could keep my creative juices flowing and my skills honed.”

One of James’ friends had hired a graphic designer for his business cards and when James saw the work, he got inspired to take a stab at it. “So, one day, just for fun, I did a creative study on his logo and emailed it to him and he liked it!” Having seen this sample of James’ work, he recommended James to another friend who was vying for a lease in a grocery store space and needed presentation materials put together. He already had someone lined up to do the work but James agreed to do it for less, and won the bid. “I’m always looking to get more professional work in my portfolio and I knew the building owner, who owns many other buildings in the area, would be looking at these drawings and that would be a chance for him to see my work.” James did all of his renderings for the presentation by hand. “I prefer hand drawings because it’s easier for the client to envision your thoughts with theirs. Computer generated drawing can be too real or hard lined which doesn’t leave much for the client’s imagination.”

And it worked! The building owner liked what he saw and asked James to look at his other properties because they were also slated for remodeling. “When I worked on the presentation, it wasn’t just about drawing a plan or elevation; it was more about selling a story. The concept is small but the story line is what I think sold him on wanting to get to know me better. I did research on the community, building history and owner’s history. A designer has to sell an idea to someone, which is difficult, so having a creative story helps sell that idea. The client usually has a dream idea of their own and you want them to be convinced that you get it and that you’ll follow through with it.” Now James has signed the contract to do multiple projects including a restaurant, hotel and club.

It just goes to show how a little creative graphic job can turn into a career-changer. As James said, “Put it out into the universe and it will come back tenfold. You can’t expect anything; you just have to do it. But it’s amazing what you can get back.”