Before texting, emailing and blogging, do you remember the days of anxiously awaiting a letter or special card in the mailbox? Spotting a handwritten correspondence from someone special was a highlight of the day, to be sure. And, I think with it’s relative rarity, that is even more the case today! Recently, an envelope from London arrived in my mailbox and the first thing I noticed was this beautiful stamp. Inside was a certificate of completion for an England based correspondence course in Visual Marketing I had completed over the summer. But, almost half of the treasure of that mailing was in its simple beauty. When I decided to take a Visual Marketing class, I knew it had to be European influenced because it’s my foundation – to me, that’s home. For those of you who don’t know, my German immigrant parents moved a bit before settling in the U.S. permanently resulting in my dual citizenship with Canada and experience attending school in Germany as a child. As a result, my influences are distinctly European.
When I found the instructor online, I just knew I wanted to take a class from her! Sarah, the woman leading the virtual class, has done visual merchandising for well-known European retailers like Harrods and Harvey Nichols. It was an extraordinary opportunity to work with her one-on-one and learn from her vision and experience. The venture underscored to me how closely the creative visual fields relate and I was inspired and encouraged by the new experience. Opening myself up to other opportunities helps to stretch me artistically…. and I can apply my new knowledge and experience to my next project
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| These displays were a source of creative inspiration for me during my online course. |
Do you ever do that in your work… take inspiration from things not directly related? Maybe you love the architectural curves in the building across the street and it inspires you to incorporate beautiful twists & turns in your own project. Like this beautifully creative window display from Louis Vuitton… the color combination, the textures, the sophisticated whimsy it just makes my mind begin to paint the possibilities!
Best,
Stephany