Well..congrats, you found it! So, What could I possibly say that hasn’t been said before about the creative process? Nothing, except for me, creativity is less about developing a process and more about gaining self-awareness.

 

To illustrate my POV, there’s this fabulous excerpt from Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In the book, a lone sperm whale and a bowl of petunias are called into existence high above the earth. While both the whale and petunias plummet to the ground below, they both take opposing views of their situation. Unlike the pessimistic petunias who focus on their disastrous end, the whale chooses to embrace his situation, appreciate the small details, and end his journey with optimism. Both eventually meet their demise by colliding with the ground. It could be argued the naive whale was unaware of his impending doom, however, it is equally as plausible the whale wanted the journey to matter as much as the destination. This is how I see my creative process. 

 

During my 15 years as graphic designer & illustrator, I’ve found my success is dependent on my perspective of the challenges set before me. Professionally, I've created product, packaging, illustration, typography and brand identity for my clients. While my goal is to satisfy their needs, I see each project as a learning experience and revel in where my creativity goes. This allows me to develop future creative solutions and efficient work processes. I firmly believe the journey matters as much as the destination if you want to grow as an artist. And, no matter how many times I smack into the ground, I would do it over and over again without hesitation. See you on the way down!

 

Keisha Officer is a graphic designer and illustrator who lives in Edmond, OK with her husband, daughter and 3 boxer dogs. She considers herself a connoisseur of eccentric concepts, comedy, the paranormal, and Christian Bale. If necessary, she can easily be bribed with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or a Dr. Pepper.