Last Thursday the Art Institute of Toronto, where I've taught for the last 4 years, graduated the 2nd last class of graphic design students that will come out of the school before corporate offices in Pittsburgh shut down our program forever. This was the best body of young designers we've graduated and the second largest group I've had to teach at AIT. Great kids.
James did a great job. Best grad show yet.
Stacey from corporate was the lowlight of the night. The highlight was my wife and son coming to the show! This executive bureaucratic marinated us in 10 minutes of canned cliche fulmination. I guess we were supposed to feel honored that she had flown in from the USA, but it was hard to overcome a nagging gag reflex throughout her, what can I call it, orientation lecture? When never-worked-in-the-industry types drag out old saws like 'the easy part is over dear student, now comes the hard part, the real world', it's the biggest crock. There's nothing harder in my opinion than being young, responsible for your own time, studying your brains out and for some, also going into debt for 36k. Excuse me, I'll take the real world over my student days.
I wish one of our graphic design grads had given the valedictorian speech. We have some really fun and witty personalities in the group who could have really roused the crowd. This gal officially kick started a snore fest. Which only lasted until our gang rose to receive their diplomas.
Your a nice man Steve.
Funny guy. I like his laid back approach to teaching. He's earnest and knows his shit.
Dapper elder statesman. His shirts are a little wacky sometimes, but I dig this guy's style.
Appears to have been the big sister to everyone in her program. Way too much hugging for GD. We're hardcore!
My buddy Anson. Very good illustrator. Hard working sonofagun. We play hockey together. He's a pit bull out there at the rink. Probably a little crazy from elbows to the head!
Well, what can I say, was this the comic relief? He should have opened the show right off the get to, to warm up the crowd as it fidgeted into comfortable seating and gossip. Sorry, not really ready for prime time as a speaker. Very sincere guy with lots of ego. Yawn.
Afterwards Paula, Jacob and I went out for dinner in Kensington Market. A cool little place where you custom put together everything in your dinner. The Rice Bar I think. It was really delicious and the waitress was super helpful when we bugged her about the myriad of choices we had to wrestle. Its got tiny chairs, tables that wobble and when the door gets opened you get icicles on your nose. Not nice. Jacob has some good rock star hair no? He's always swooshing it around and recompiling it.
James did a great job. Best grad show yet.
Stacey from corporate was the lowlight of the night. The highlight was my wife and son coming to the show! This executive bureaucratic marinated us in 10 minutes of canned cliche fulmination. I guess we were supposed to feel honored that she had flown in from the USA, but it was hard to overcome a nagging gag reflex throughout her, what can I call it, orientation lecture? When never-worked-in-the-industry types drag out old saws like 'the easy part is over dear student, now comes the hard part, the real world', it's the biggest crock. There's nothing harder in my opinion than being young, responsible for your own time, studying your brains out and for some, also going into debt for 36k. Excuse me, I'll take the real world over my student days.
I wish one of our graphic design grads had given the valedictorian speech. We have some really fun and witty personalities in the group who could have really roused the crowd. This gal officially kick started a snore fest. Which only lasted until our gang rose to receive their diplomas.
Your a nice man Steve.
Funny guy. I like his laid back approach to teaching. He's earnest and knows his shit.
Dapper elder statesman. His shirts are a little wacky sometimes, but I dig this guy's style.
Appears to have been the big sister to everyone in her program. Way too much hugging for GD. We're hardcore!
My buddy Anson. Very good illustrator. Hard working sonofagun. We play hockey together. He's a pit bull out there at the rink. Probably a little crazy from elbows to the head!
Well, what can I say, was this the comic relief? He should have opened the show right off the get to, to warm up the crowd as it fidgeted into comfortable seating and gossip. Sorry, not really ready for prime time as a speaker. Very sincere guy with lots of ego. Yawn.
Afterwards Paula, Jacob and I went out for dinner in Kensington Market. A cool little place where you custom put together everything in your dinner. The Rice Bar I think. It was really delicious and the waitress was super helpful when we bugged her about the myriad of choices we had to wrestle. Its got tiny chairs, tables that wobble and when the door gets opened you get icicles on your nose. Not nice. Jacob has some good rock star hair no? He's always swooshing it around and recompiling it.
8 comments:
:) you made me smile. right on. i like how you described the keynote speaker. i though exactly the same!
anyways...and the drawings are awesome. specially the one of jacob!
J.
I love the texture of paper you chose, adds a very casual feel...blah blah blah...
Either way, good notes on each speaker, I agree with the fashion guy. I think he'd be doing a lot of kissing afterwards as well..wah wahhh...
BS.
Your thoughts on the keynote made me laugh out loud. I still cannot fully believe that he blew his nose on stage. Who does that? I think that the unintentional humour and hubris of that small act is a small, symbolic window into his personality. Or maybe he was just stuffed up.
Love the drawings.
How fun would it have been if each of the programs had put on a play poking fun at the characters in their departments? I'd take that any day over people I don't know talking about my future.
Love that we stood when each of us walked the stage. I thought it was very cute.
That was cute, i love how accurately you drew Anson lol, or atleast terribly close to accurate. I still feel bad how we did not stood up for poor Khalid only. Love the drawings and the notes.
Ohhh.. So THOSE were the drawings my lil sis was watching you do. They're really well done for quick sketches.
If one of our boys were to do the valedictorian speech, then you might as well send up the entire back row. The crowd wouldn't have known what hit them.
Mr. Keynote had the essence of a complete madman. But I dig crazy. We all dig crazy, don't we?
Great post, Larry. It seems the graphic design minds were one that night.
Just read them all, Dad. The insight is good. I love you.
I agree with you thoughts about the Valedictorian speech, It was rpetty "cliche" in how she didn't want it to be "cliche". "I didn't want to start off with the regular speech of how were one big family, so I won't" But you did. Sigh.
I'm not sure if we would have been much more exciting, I know if the stars aligned and God shat out gold coins and I was picked as Vlaedictorian I would just stand there sweating, complaining of the lights being too bright.
But oh well, the Grad show was a waste of time until we got to go up. I'm really glad I met Andrew, though, and am really glad you decided to tell him of how good I am at design. I guess you had a little too much punch, huh?
Again, great job and I hope to see you again Larry! (Maybe coffee? or perhaps Bananna shakes?)
BS
You are too f*ckin'funny larry! almost wished i stayed for grad - the keynote speaker sounded like a prize. ya know they pay them $500?? you should apply next quarter, lol - unless you've already been fired, LOL! oh and btw, heard the valeditorian was a FM student - i'm sure she was nervous and did her best, i'm still protective of my cohorts!
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