Childhood camping experiences with my dad remain a vivid memory; the red Swiss Army knife with which I first learned to whittle by the campfire symbolizing a world of potential and discovery through successful use of a variety of tools. Just as that knife felt weighty in my hand and pocket, particularly in proportion to its size and shape, the breadth of both hard and soft skills, mixed with boundless creativity, required for success in the creative world (particularly with my eventual goal of Artistic or Creative Direction), require metaphorical “weight” and depth in terms of ability, experience, and creative vision, put into practice daily, over time.

I draw parallels between the shiny, new, somewhat stiff and reluctant unfolding tools in that red Swiss Army knife and the revelation and gradual acquisition of my skill set as a creative. How the repeated opening and closing of the knife mirrors the continuous refinement of my technical skills. This unfolding journey feels akin to the transition of this object from a captivating toy to a highly useful tool and vehicle for creative expression, where each skill becomes an essential piece of the whole, communicating a vision that would not be possible without mastery of all the tools in my arsenal.

I consider proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite as a well-crafted blade, slicing through visual challenges with precision, while the understanding and effective application of graphic design fundamentals functions as a screwdriver, tightening elements of a composition and ensuring a seamless result. My previous experience in music and sound design becomes useful when bridging audio and visual aspects of design, branding, and storytelling across mediums. Experience with web design is yet another tool that opens up possibilities, enabling cross-discipline understanding, communication between designers and developers, and types of work that span the entire scope of the design process from start to finish.

Some tools are more intuitive, such as the way my natural empathy helps with understanding a wide range of user experiences, and/or enables effective communication in a team setting across disciplines and work styles. While I have much to learn about the language and techniques of UX/UI, I look forward to applying my intuitive understanding to concepts and skills I have yet to learn.

I think back to whittling those sticks, learning to apply consistently firm pressure to gradually shape and soften the edges of the wood with my pocket knife, turning it into something beautiful- how that compares to the supportive and soft-skill-infused communication style, coupled with consistent and firm conviction of vision required to lead a creative team and work with a client to achieve an effective, innovative, and inspiring end result. While I obviously lack experience here, the path forward feels both achievable and exciting to me.

I’d like to think I’m a bit more useful and interesting than a pocket knife, but the metaphor is a useful lens through which to consider how far I have come, and what my creative future may hold.