Sarah Lawrence College magazine was selected for inclusion in the 2012 HOW International Design Awards Annual. The issue was designed by Hannah Fichandler and edited by Suzanne Gray and features work from photographers Andrew Lichtenstein and Don Hamerman. The judges of the competition were Steve Gordon of RDQLUS Creative, Mary Zall of Landor, and Ann Willoughby of Willoughby Design. The 2012 HOW Design Annual will be published in February 2012.
The Keep America Beautiful Annual Review “My World Tomorrow” was selected as one of 30 gold award winners in Graphis’ 100 Best Annual Reports 2011. Designed by Art Director Mark Barrett, the annual features original artwork created by school children from across the country. This volume, which contains the best annual reports of the past year, was published in November 2011 and can be purchased at the Graphis Store.
David Cushman, publisher of ConnCreatives, recently posed a question to several Connecticut designers: “What was the defining moment in starting your own agency?” For me, it was a simple desire to stop commuting and gain a better work-life balance. For others, like Peter Leeds of Gabardine, the elimination of a corporate position provided the catalyst. Perhaps the best reason was articulated by Brian Miller‘s colleague Tony Leighton, who reasons that having your own business is safer than working for someone else. “When you’re employed by an agency, you have exactly one client. And if they decide to make a change you have no clients. Whereas if you’re a freelancer, you might have 4 or 5 clients or more. One or two might make a change and you still have two or three to fall back on.” As tough as it is to lead and maintain a business, I can’t deny this simple business logic. Visit the “Making the Leap” article at ConnCreatives.
Stamford’s annual holiday balloon parade, which started eighteen years ago, marched past our studio on Sunday November 20. Designer Ryan Crane, dressed in matching blue coat and yellow hat, manned one of the ropes of the giant Paddington Bear, sponsored by First Niagara bank.
In preparation for next week’s special Legislative session in Hartford, Governor Dan Malloy is conducting a “Reinventing Connecticut” tour. Dan Taylor was one of twenty business leaders brought together for this dialogue on Monday, October 24, at Terex Corporation in Westport. Suggestions for the Governor included steps to make it easier to do business in the state, become more innovative, reshape education for next generation jobs, and incentivize small business growth. Let’s hope there will be bipartisan support for the Governor’s economic plans so the state can grow and prosper.
On Monday, October 3, Taylor Design participated in the 2011 Stamford YMCA “Golf Fore the Kids” tournament at Rockrimmon Country Club in Stamford, CT. Our team consisted of Dan Taylor and Senior Designer Mark Barrett (below) of Taylor Design and Patrick Dwyer, VP/Global Public Policy of MasterCard Worldwide. The event raises funds to supports the Stamford Y’s LEAD Academy, an after school program for grades K-12 that provides academic enrichment, tutoring, mentoring and life skills training. For more information, visit the Stamford YMCA.
Dan attended the second Brand New Conference in San Francisco on September 16. A diverse line-up of excellent designers from Australia, the UK, Peru, Italy, and the US made the event inspiring. Dan also visited SFMOMA with friend Earl Gee, a talented designer in San Francisco, enjoying the special exhibit of Dieter Rams, the famous German industrial designer (see his work below).
Taylor Design received two awards in the 2011 American Graphic Design Awards Competition, presented by Graphic Design USA Magazine. The projects honored include the new website for the Long Island Sound Study and the alumni magazine for Sarah Lawrence College.
Ryan Crane began his career at Taylor Design as a summer intern between his junior and senior years at the University of Connecticut, where he was working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design. Previously, he worked as a design intern at the Affinion Group in Norwalk and a web assistant at Alvarez Photography in Trumbull. Upon his graduation in December 2010, he joined us as a freelance designer and became full time in August 2011. Ryan has been developing communications for Right Management, Iona College, and MasterCard.