Creative Thought – KELLY CASSIDY-VANEK

September 13, 2022September 13, 2022

What designers should know, part 2

As aspiring graphic designers look toward securing positions in the creative marketplace, ofter they are unaware of the expectations of hiring managers, art/creative directors, and human resources departments. What’s expected varies widely from small businesses, to design firms, to corporate creative departments, to advertising agencies.

What should a designer know,? How can they prepare for success? The second installment of this series is an interview with a colleague who has seen the hiring process from a variety of vantage points.

August 19, 2023

Portfolio Examples

November 7, 2022

How to become an excellent graphic designer: secrets of success for students

Recently Graphic Arts Today published an article to help graphic design students succeed. Stefan Sagmeister shared the secrets of success as a graphic designer and advertising. Take a look.

August 27, 2022September 13, 2022

What designers should know

Recently, I have had the opportunity to work with many aspiring designers. Seeing the enthusiasm and creativity of the next generation of graphics professionals is always exciting and intriguing. The future is bright. Opportunities abound in both digital and traditional (ex.: display and print) design. Entertainment, gaming, big corporations, small businesses, non-profits, and agencies continue to seek talented creatives.

But what should a designer know, and how can they prepare for success in the marketplace?

That question is often posed. So, I decided to seek the answer by interviewing colleagues who hire and mentor designers. This is the first in a series of insightful interviews.

October 29, 2021August 29, 2022

Paint the Rocks

We have all heard about taking time to “smell the roses.” But now more than ever before, it seems that the collective stress level has skyrocketed, and there’s not much “rose smelling.” Maybe it’s time to turn some attention and creative energy to some simple things we can genuinely experience to find stress relief. Perhaps it’s time to paint rocks.

This excerpt from the American Psychological Association confirms what I have suspected. Despite an overall positive outlook beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, stress struggles remain.

October 4, 2019August 29, 2022

Intelligent Design Meets Evolution

Through experience, best practices, and agility, I believe meaningful design solutions provoke thought, elevate engagement, and promote action. Today’s discourse may intellectually divide thought. However my creative approach blends two terms that collide in science, but complement one another in design: “Intelligent Design” and “Evolution.”

July 30, 2019August 29, 2022

WordCamp Adds Cassidy Expertise

WordPress powers more than one-third of websites worldwide. According to Brenda Barron, an active online publisher, and experienced WordPress blogger, “That means that around 75,000,000 websites are using WordPress right now.” So for bloggers, business owners, designers, and developers, understanding WordPress is essential. With this in mind, WordCamp Lehigh Valley is back for its fourth year presenting a full-day event on August 17. WordCamps are informal events organized by the local WordPress user community helping everyone from casual users to core developers learn, share ideas, establish best practices, and build strong relationships.