Storytellers: UCDA Design Conference Programming

STORYTELLERS: BLENDING OF CULTURES, HISTORY, AND IDEAS

SAT OCT 15 | 6:45-9 p.m.

The conference is hosted on the ancient lands of the Tamayame people and nestled at the foot of the Sandia Mountains—an area rich in storytelling. Gather on the banks of the Rio Grande as we sample a broad range of experiences and see what the heart of New Mexico has to offer. Here to tell some of those stories in a culmination of cultures is:

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTIST (FLAUTIST), ADRIAN WALL is a contemporary singer/songwriter and instrumentalist. Fusing the influences of western rock with the sounds, themes, and rhythms of his Pueblo heritage, he composes for the Native American flute, provoking emotions of peace and contentment.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FLAMENCO who’s mission is to preserve and promote Flamenco’s artistry, history, and culture through education and exposure worldwide will perform through live music and dance.

HIDDEN STORIES OF NEW MEXICO VISUAL CULTURE—In this  illustrated talk Andrew Connors, director of the Albuquerque Museum, will explore objects from 2000 years of New Mexico’s artistic history. Exploring some of the state’s little understood art forms such as 19th century photography, prehistoric jewelry making, and late 19th and early 20th century silver and gold jewelry traditions, Connors will demonstrate that art making in New Mexico has always been avant garde, experimental, and largely oversimplified.

STORYTELLING AND VISUAL DESIGN

Ellen Lupton

SUN OCT 16 | 9-10 a.m.

Storytelling builds connections through action, point of view, and movement through time and space. Stories drive novels, plays, and Netflix—but what about visual design? Writer and curator Ellen Lupton will show how people actively experience a graphic illustration, a workflow, or a retail environment. Learn how concepts such as the narrative arc, the hero's journey, and the rule of the threes encourage emotional responses. Audience interaction will help participants see the stories all around us.

KIDS CREATE: BRINGING THE INSPIRATION OF YOUR YOUTH TO YOUR STORYTELLING OF TODAY

Chad “Lil Coyote” Yellowjohn

MON OCT 17 | 3:15-4:15 p.m.

When we were kids, we were the best storytellers. Our young minds were partially isolated from the world's influence which as adults is quashed by our inner self-critic. Return to a time when your young mind was original and fun and allow that younger you to inspire a new approach to your creative storytelling. Your childhood creativity deserves a place in today’s creative process and I will show you how to unleash it.

IN BEAUTY IT IS FINISHED.

Dr. Chip Thomas

MON OCT 17 | 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Dr. Chip Thomas, aka jetsonorama, is a photographer, public artist, and physician who has been working in a small clinic on the Navajo Nation since 1987. There he coordinates the Painted Desert Project which he describes as a community-building dialog that manifests as a constellation of murals painted by artists from the Navajo Nation as well as from around the world.

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? TELL ’EM A STORY.

Ted (Slampyak) Kinyak

TUE OCT 18 | 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Stories are how we process and remember. It’s how we see the world and how we make sense of it. Experienced illustrator and storyboard artist Ted (Slampyak) Kinyak will show how even the most dry and clinical information can be told like a story, that not only helps to convey the information but also makes it fun. He’ll show numerous examples from his own work and talk about how to find the story that your work needs to tell.

YOUR INSPIRATION ISN’T ON PINTEREST—IT’S IN THE PROCESS

Brandi Sea Heft-Kniffin

TUE OCT 18 | 9:30-10:30 a.m.

The number one struggle I have seen when working with creatives, is how to find unique inspiration. But how does inspiration work exactly? Is it a lightning bolt that suddenly strikes? Is it a random idea that comes to you in the shower? Sometimes.

But what if I told you that not only can you find unique inspiration but that there is a way to tap into that inspiration when you need it most? What if said you could find unique inspiration and create a way to access it when you need it most? Your client or boss likely doesn't care if you aren't feeling inspired. She probably doesn't care if you are having a creative block or can't focus. Why? Because you are being paid to be creative, on-demand. As in, "we need this poster done by the end of the week or else we lose money", kind of demand. There is no room to fiddle around, take your time, browse the internet for hours, hoping to find that one perfect idea. The more likely scenario is you searching for inspiration for days until you're right up against a deadline and end up designing something that doesn't have any real heart or strategy because you just weren't feeling it. Sound familiar?

It isn't enough to feel inspired. I'd like to show you a better way to think about inspiration that leads with the process. How to recognize inspiration, what to do with it once you've found it, and how to use it in your design work to bring life and personality to your design concepts.

BRINGING A SERVANT’S HEART TO EXECUTIVE STORYTELLING

Jenny Petty

SUN OCT 16 | 10:15-11:15 a.m.

An unhealthy tension has developed on college campuses between understaffed and under-resourced marketers and their campus partners. This session will provide a framework and mindset to help marketing communications professionals tell their stories and get the respect they need and deserve. Key takeaways will include: how to calculate and communicate marketing ROI, educating the campus on the modern marketing function, raising the profile of marketing communications staff, how to set priorities and boundaries, tips for finding the right team, and the information your university cabinet needs to ensure that marketing strategy is seen as an institutional strategy.

ME VS. US VS. THEM: USING DESIGN TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS AND CREATE STRONG COLLECTIVE IDENTITIES.

Ishani Banerji

SUN OCT 16 | 10:15-11:15 a.m.

Every individual wants to be unique and belong to a collective. We might view these needs as being at odds with one another, but I argue that they need not be mutually exclusive. Using research from social psychology and marketing along with case examples, I will discuss why these needs matter and illustrate how institutional design can balance these needs.

TAGLINES: DANGEROUS OR JUST USELESS?

Mike Roe

SUN OCT 16 | 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Does it feel like everyone has a tagline these days? Everyone certainly seems to want one. It’s understandable. Taglines are fun. Taglines are powerful. Taglines look great on t-shirts. Taglines tell a story. Taglines have no place in higher education. Wait, what?! In this session, you’ll learn the case for and against taglines, best practices in developing them including what a tagline is and isn’t, the best time for a new tagline, what makes a tagline memorable vs. likable (and which is better), and when and how to use them.

THE “WHY” BEHIND THE DESIGN: DEVELOPING AND UTILIZING AUDIENCE PERSONAS TO BUILD YOUR BRAND

Christina Hudson

SUN OCT 16 | 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Who is your audience? Who do you want them to be? That’s the question that should fuel every marketing and design decision. In this session, Christiana Hudson presents a case study on the marketing strategies for Spider Mountain, a chairlift-served downhill mountain bike park in the middle of Texas, and its sister resort, Thunderbird Lodge at Spider Mountain. She explores redefining the ideal customer through developing personas and reveals her strategies for retargeting audiences to new guests. Utilizing demographic data, she will discuss efforts to incorporate existing audiences to blend with attracting new ones and building a cohesive brand for both entities.

WHO ASKED YOU ANYWAY?

Ellen Babers

MON OCT 17 | 11 a.m.-12 noon

Does your stomach clench and your heart rate soar when your client begins to critique your work? Or have you noticed a tightening around the eyes and the small step away from you that can happen when you provide feedback for someone you manage? Join us for an interactive exploration of how the body moves and the brain transfers into survival mode when critique is at hand. Fortune cookies, tinkling bells, and an interactive role-play will be the tools we use to practice and implement a healthy and effective feedback loop in our organizations and creative teams.

WHAT PHOTOGRAPHERS CAN LEARN FROM CINEMATOGRAPHY

Evan Green

MON OCT 17 | 11 a.m.-12 noon

This session will discuss how techniques and practices from the cinema world can be applied to improve your photography. Topics include adding depth to images, using color, reading light, and composition. Learn principles that can help improve your photography eye and craft even better images. 

LINOCUT LANDSCAPES: A PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP (SOLD OUT)

Celine Gordon

SAT OCT 15 | 9 a.m.-12 noon

Explore the world of printmaking! In this hands-on workshop, we will make linocut prints and learn skills that will allow you to make multiple copies of original artwork. Attendees will learn the basics of relief printmaking exploring linework, light and shadow, and carving techniques. Each person will make a print inspired by the surrounding New Mexico desert landscape which can be used as a card or souvenir to take home.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SOLD OUT.
$65/PERSON ($85/GUEST)

HOT TIPS FOR INDESIGN, ILLUSTRATOR, AND PHOTOSHOP

Keith Gilbert

SAT OCT 15 | 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Before the firehose of creativity that you’ll experience at the UCDA Design Conference, attend this pre-conference workshop to hone your software chops. The more you know about InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, the easier and faster you can execute your creative vision.

There’s always something new to learn, including:
• Advanced typography in InDesign
• New methods for isolating images from backgrounds in Photoshop
• How to use blend modes to your advantage in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator
• How to quickly recolor complex artwork in Illustrator
…and much, much more

This will be a demo-style workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop to follow along if they wish or to simply sit back and take notes. Exercise files will not be provided. Each participant will receive PDF handouts that reinforce the key topics covered in the workshop.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SPACE IS LIMITED.
$65/PERSON ($85/GUEST) 

20X20 PRESENTATIONS: SHARE YOUR STORY

SUN OCT 16 | 7-8 p.m.

The 20x20 presentation format allows presenters to show their 20 chosen images, each for 20 seconds. In other words, they've got 400 seconds to tell their story, with visuals guiding the way.

These short presentations will be given by conference attendees, and we welcome your participation. If interested in telling your story with 20 images, mark that box on your registration form or email us!

DESIGN PODS

Join your fellow conference attendees for these small, informal, and fast-paced sessions on the floor of the UCDA Resource Center.

MON OCT 17 | 8:30-9 a.m.
POD 1: To be announced
POD 2: The Lil Coyote Way with illustrator and artist Chad “Lil Coyote” Yellowjohn

MON OCT 17 | 9:30-10 a.m.
POD 1: To be announced
POD 2: The Lil Coyote Way with illustrator and artist Chad “Lil Coyote” Yellowjohn 

SPONSOR PODS

In addition to visiting the sponsor and partner booths during the UCDA Resource Center, enjoy these small, informal mini-sessions for added takeaways and content.

MON OCT 17 | 8-8:30 a.m.
POD 1: To be announced
POD 2: To be announced

MON OCT 17 | 9-9:30 a.m.
POD 1: To be announced
POD 2: To be announced

MON OCT 17 | 10-10:30 a.m.
POD 1: To be announced
POD 2: To be announced

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