Notes from Semi Permanent

This Friday and Saturday, I was very lucky to attend an event aimed at inspiration. The event was Semi Permanent an annual event for Designers and Creatives.

There were 12 speakers from NZ, Australia, USA and the UK. All masters of their own disciplines. Each lecture seemed to follow a similar system:

1. what their interests and dreams were as a kid
2. What items they obsessively collected
3. What role education in all its forms has played in their careers
4. The flow on effect and giving back
5. Sticking to what you are passionate about and making the commercial work fit with these ideals
6. how to keep the drawer of shame to a minimum

My favorite speakers for the day were: Duke Stump, Harry Pearce, Kate Moross, Alexia Sinclair, James Jean and David Carson.

I liked these speakers over the others because they spoke more about the future, the idea of collaboration and giving back to the world. They were also all very driven in their own style and passion and let that shape the work rather than allowing the client or work to shape them. This approach meant the work was actually better and the client much happier.

Two statements said during the day really resonated with me one. The first “If money wasn’t an issue would you be doing the work you do” and the other was “as creative people we are very privileged in the sense our voices and output often has the opportunity to effect greater change so use this privilege to help make the world a better place”.

Overall came away very inspired and with a nice reminder of the bigger picture (we all know how easy it is to get lost in the details!).

For more info http://www.semipermanent.com/newzealand/