Mar 23 - Mar 25, 2021
UCDA Creative Summit
Live Virtual Event
Inspiration can fuel your imagination, spark the next big idea, or be the catalyst to respond to change. But for that to happen, we need to allow ourselves the time to discover, create, and connect. The 2021 UCDA Creative Summit—spanning 3 invigorating days (mid-day hours)—will provide you that creative outlet.
Engage virtually in an intimate setting with design professionals across North America. These muralists, printers, illustrators, designers, and creative thinkers will be sharing their work and stories, and leading hands-on creative exercises. Roll up your sleeves and come prepared to learn, share, and grow your creative potential. You’ll walk away with unique keepsakes, new ideas, and a tight-knit community to support you along the way!
TOP REASONS TO INVEST IN THIS SUMMIT
Education—Seven carefully curated speakers and sessions over three days to help you engage and spark your creativity.
Networking—UCDA is your community. Connect with the folks who do what you do so you can charge your creative battery.
Affordable—Without the need for travel or lodging, the UCDA Creative Summit is very affordable. Without extra costs of an in-person event, along with shrinking or frozen institutional budgets, we are able to pass the savings onto you.
PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS
Wendy Sheaffer, Director of Creative Services, Elizabethtown College
Matt Hansen, Photographer/Graphic Designer, University of California San Diego
SUMMIT PASS
The Summit Pass gets you access to all the scheduled summit presentations during the event; swag box with hands-on assignment supplies; and access to the Help Desk.
ALL ACCESS
In addition to everything included with the Summit Pass, the All Access (AA) add-on gets you access to the summit presentation recordings (through May 31) and a black canvas UCDA messenger bag.
“Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”
- Edward de Bono
The schedule below can help you protect and preserve your time. Note that all times are in North America Eastern Time.
Monday, March 22 (pre-summit icebreaker)—7-7:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, March 23—11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET
Wednesday, March 24—11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 25—11 a.m.-2 p.m., 7-7:30 p.m. ET
We start mid-morning at 11 a.m. Eastern (we have found this is the best overall time to allow different time zones to join us). Given this start time, we have only scheduled short breaks (no long lunch break), so plan to have water, coffee, and snacks on hand.
Clark Orr, Graphic Designer and Illustrator, Clark Orr Design Co.; Co-founder, Hellcats USA
Doc Reed, Senior Graphic Designer, Premier Inc.; Founder, Reedicus
Donald Robertson, Senior Vice President and Creative Director, Esteé Lauder
Paige Stampatori, Illustrator
Victor Ving, Mural Artist, Greetings Tour
Ryan Wheaton, Owner and Designer, Craft Brew Creative
Megan Zettlemoyer, Graphic Artist and Letterpress Printer, Typothecary Letterpress
Full speaker bios can be found below.
MONDAY, MARCH 22
Pre-Summit Icebreaker Happy Hour (7-7:30 p.m.)
BYOB—Drink your beverage from a cup, mug, glass, or stein that has a history, story, or a place you visited. Show and share!
TUESDAY, MARCH 23
Communication Through Illustration—Paige Stampatori
Paige will present an inside look at freelance illustration and the power of visual storytelling. Taking us behind the scenes, she’ll share her techniques and creative process, what it’s like to collaborate with an illustrator, and the value of this versatile art form as a tool for communication. Join her in exploring all that illustration has to offer!
Play Within the Box—Doc Reed
As in-house designers, we often feel like we are designing in a box. The toys we have to play with feel tired. How many ways can you use the same colors, fonts, and visual elements without losing your mind? Let's take some time to think differently on the big events down to the turn-and-burn direct mailers. Look for possibilities while taking calculated risks. Elevate your organization's brand beyond a logo into campaigns while making the marketing and enrollment departments believe you live to make them happy.
The Diversity of Letterpress—Megan Zettlemoyer
Letterpress has been around for hundreds of years. Most of you may be familiar with it in one capacity or another, but today we’re going to take a look at a wider variety of its capabilities as a commercial print medium to a fine art outlet. We’ll explore how the different presses each have a niche of their own and how you may be able to incorporate this vintage printing technique into your modern workflow. We will take some of the principles talked about and try some experimental printing at home and walk away with a beautiful hand printed tote bag.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24
Not Your Average Beer—Ryan Wheaton
Take a step into the world of beer branding and package design. The beer market and industry is a very dynamic and competitive landscape with a variety of passionate consumers. How do you create a beer brand and product design that cuts through the chaos and makes a lasting impression? By creating a customer persona, we can see how to effectively design for a more successful brand.
The Original Postcard Mural Tour—Victor Ving
Muralist Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs have been traveling full time out of their RV since leaving New York City in 2015. The artist duo started the “Greetings Tour” and have completed over 44 murals in 21 states, continuing their mission to paint in all 50 states across America. “Greetings Tour” creates landmarks through public art. Learn how using the classic large letter postcard style, they work with communities to create colorful murals featuring local landmarks, history, and culture. With everything that 2020 has thrown our way, the concept of community is more important than ever. Victor and Lisa treat each city and town that they work in as part of their local community. Therefore, the public art truly belongs to the neighborhoods they live in long after Victor and Lisa are gone. They want to provide a sense of hometown pride as well as a landmark for future visitors.
THURSDAY MARCH 25
Think Inside the Box—Donald Robertson
If you are ever asked to find a creative solution DO NOT “think outside the box!” Terrible advice. Actually go find a box. Put it over your head and limit your imagination! Get super specific. You can still be insane but be super focused. Cut your own budget! That’s how to make the best “idea babies.” I swear it works.
—Wise Oldish Canadian, Donald Robertson
Be A Self-Starter!—Clark Orr
We spend most of our time as creatives telling someone else’s story or making someone else’s idea a reality. But, it’s important to make something for yourself; big or small, physical or digital. Showcasing self-initiated projects is not only a way to possibly open up a new revenue stream, it also shows potential clients the type of work you’d like to take on. In this workshop you will learn strategies and tricks on how to ideate, stay motivated, and create personal projects that will renew your creative spirit and become an authentic extension of who you are as a professional. This session will help you tap within yourself to develop an idea that you can take and make all your own.
It’s a Wrap—Virtual Happy Hour
(7-7:30 p.m.)
Come chat with other summit attendees to share what you've learned, or to continue conversations started during the summit.
For those who like the swag—be sure to register before March 12 so we can mail you a Swag Box full of summit goodies from UCDA, sponsors, and hands-on assignment supplies to arrive prior to the start of the summit. If you can't register by that date, don't worry; you'll still receive a swag box, but it may arrive after the event.
|
|
||
“You can”t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.”
- Maya Angelou
| SUMMIT PASS (all prices in USD) |
Early Bird (by March 12) |
Regular (after March 12) |
All Access Add-on |
| UCDA Member (Professional, Associate or Faculty) Become a member |
$97 | $147 |
$47 |
|
UCDA Partner Member |
$147 | $197 | $47 |
| Non-member/Subscriber | $197 | $247 | $47 |
| Student | $97 | $97 | $47 |
| UCDA Emeritus Member | $97 | $97 | $47 |
See UCDA’s Cancellation Policy
See UCDA's Inclusiveness, Code of Conduct, and Anti-harrassment Policy.
Featured Speakers
Clark Orr is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Orlando, Florida, who runs his own studio Clark Orr Design Co. He also is the co-founder of Hellcats USA, a goods and accessories brand and storefront. Clark has 20 years industry experience in the branding and apparel world. He’s worked with the likes of Target, Marvel, Nike, NBC, and Facebook.
Doc Reed is a full-time in-house creative living in Charlotte, North Carolina, with almost 2 decades of graphics design and illustration experience. Running parallel with his full-time gig, he moonlights under the moniker Reedicus. Doc finds excitement in blending childhood heroes like Chuck Jones, Maurice Nobel, and Rockwell with a love of the grit and grunge of the 90s surf skate culture.
Donald Robertson, or Drawbertson as he is better known on Instagram, is a prolific illustrator and pop artist whose work spans both industries and media. Whether he is painting walnuts or Birkins, you can always spot a piece of his infamous art and style.
Robertson’s first major success was the launch of VivaGlam! for MAC Cosmetics in the 80s, an up-and-coming brand at the time, which raised millions for the fight against AIDS. His next move was to New York City, where he held the title of creative director at several top magazines including Glamour, Marie Claire,and Cosmopolitan. His exciting career in fashion ultimately drew the attention of Estée Lauder Companies, prompting the beginning of his career in the beauty industry.
Although Robertson has been a longtime creative fixture, his Instagram social media presence is what propelled him, and his zeitgeist works, to international fame. Since starting his Instagram in 2012, Robertson has amassed over 200k followers and has been compared to the likes of Andy Warhol.
In 2017, prestige and luxury publisher, Assouline, published Donald’s large body of work as well as including his loyal and high profile fans and their quotes, which became a best-seller for Assouline. The book was launched at Bergdorf Goodman with a packed house of fans, hosted by Linda Fargo. Robertson has also collaborated with fashion designers in Ready-To-Wear collections which have included Giles Deacon, Jenna Lyons for J. Crew, Alice and Olivia, Veronica Beard, noted floral and fragrance creator, Eric Buterbaugh, luxury bag brand, Mark Cross and with toy company Mattel, where he re-designed the Barbie Style Guide as well as art events with the (now closed) legendary retail emporium, Colette in Paris. A few of his favorite ‘art’ events were the Bergdorf Goodman window display takeover and his Cadillac pop-art installation at Miami Art Basel several years ago.
In 2018, Donald was honored at the Newport Art Museum in Newport, Rhode Island. In December during Art Basel, Robertson was the main art exhibit at the famous Faena Arts District, taking over the Faena Bazaar where he exhibited his art as well as doing several personal appearances.
In March 2019, Donald Robertson was part of the curated artists that Culture Corps identified as ‘important’ to create large scale art for the newly opened Hudson Yards in New York City.
This year in May, Robertson was eagerly awaiting the Met Ball merchandise he created in conjunction with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The ball was canceled but the merchandise will be launching in October of 2020.
Currently Donald is very excited about his fashion collaboration with Italian fashion house Max Mara Weekend that will be released in February 2021. Donald Robertson and the rest of the Robertson clan reside in Santa Monica, California, where he proactively teaches his 5-year old twin boys skateboarding when he’s not painting.
Paige Stampatori is a recent graduate and freelance illustrator working in Ontario, Canada. She completed the Honours Bachelor of Illustration program at Sheridan College in April 2020 and began her career as an illustrator in the height of the Pandemic. Paige loves to create work that focuses on relevant topics and current events. Her work is colorful, textural, and supported by a strong concept. In her short time working as a professional, Paige’s clients include The Washington Post, NBC News, Reader’s Digest, VICE, and more.
Muralist Victor Ving is a former New York City graffiti artist who now utilizes his aerosol art experience to create public artworks for communities across America. He is the founder of Klughaus creative agency specializing in large scale mural art.
Greetings Tour creates landmarks through public art. Using the classic large letter postcard style, they work with communities to create colorful murals featuring local landmarks, history and culture.
Muralist Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs have been traveling full time-out of their RV since leaving New York City in 2015.
The artist duo have completed over 44 murals in 21 states, continuing their mission to paint in all 50 states across America.
Ryan Wheaton started his career in graphic design 20 years ago. Leaving a role as creative director for a California-based marketing agency, Ryan moved on to build his own beer branding business, Craft Brew Creative. He the owner and designer, he founded and hosts Branding Brews, a beer branding and marketing podcast that has been downloaded over 67,000 times and has reached 112 countries. In 2017, he was a branding instructor for the Oregon State University—Craft Brewery Startup Workshop. Ryan has conceptualized, organized, and moderated beer branding seminars in Portland, Oregon, for the Craft Brewers Conference, the California Craft Beer Summit, and for BYO's NanoCon.
https://www.craftbrewcreative.com
https://www.instagram.com/craftbrewcreative
Megan Zettlemoyer is a graphic artist and letterpress printer at Typothecary Letterpress. Megan graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City. After a few years of in house design jobs and agency life, she set out to find something more fulfilling. After a visit to the Heritage Press Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a lot of volunteer hours paired with classes up and down the east coast, Megan began Typothecary Letterpress in 2011 to satisfy her hands-on, creative desires. She currently wears all the hats the business needs and has watched it grow steadily over the last ten years. With the introduction of the Lancaster Print Crawl in 2017, she has shared the art of letterpress with a wider audience of both local residents and visitors from Baltimore, DC, New York, and Philadelphia. She continues to do design work as well as teach at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster.
Addons
All Access Pass
| Price | $47.00 |
| Options | Through May 31, 2021. |
Event Files
Speaker Files
Date and Time
Tue, Mar 23 - Thu, Mar 25, 2021