Since the start of my career, I’ve made a goal to attend a design conference at least once a year. Bluewolf, where I was working at the time, had set aside a budget for education. So being the avid learner and resourceful person that I am, I set my eyes on the large events. They sent me to AIGA Design Conference and Brand New Conference.
This year, I took the leap from a full-time permanent role to contracting and freelancing with different companies. While it’s given me the opportunity to meet talented designers and expand my knowledge, I didn’t have flexible time off — except in December. One day, I saw an email from Dribbble promoting their upcoming design conference… in December! Despite the small scale of the conference, I noticed Paula Scher was one of the speakers and immediately signed up. So, I decided to make December my mini-sabbatical month — filled with inspiration and passion projects.
On a beautiful sunny day in downtown Los Angeles, my friend Eileen and I lined up outside the Ace Theater to get our conference badges. The Ace Theater is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous historic venue from the 1920s designed in the Spanish Gothic style. I couldn’t help but roll my head around to scan every single detail of the immense, ornate ceiling as I sat in a red velvet chair sipping my coffee. Then the lessons began.
