Catching Up: Finding Inspiration in Learning Again (Personal Update)
It’s been a little while since I’ve shared an update here, and life has been quite busy lately so I wanted to share a bit of a personal blog. Between my full-time job, classes, and client projects, it feels like every day has been packed with things to do! It feels good though! I feel like life has started moving forward again in the best ways!
Earlier this year, I made the decision to go back to school to get my bachelor’s degree in graphic design. I was excited to learn more but it’s actually been one of the most inspiring choices I’ve made in a long time. Diving back into design and art history has really been refreshing my creative perspective. Relearning design principles through a more mature lens and with a few years of real-world experience behind me has really helped me see some of the concepts in a new light. I think the most important part of this journey though has been giving myself permission to learn again. To make mistakes. To experiment. To be a little messy in the process.
Being back in an environment built around creativity and learning has reminded me that it’s okay to be curious, to question things, and to rediscover who I am as a creative person. Each project, sketch, and class assignment has become an opportunity not just to refine my skills, but to reconnect with myself and the pure joy of creating without the pressure of it needing to be perfect.
And then there’s art history! Getting to study historical art pieces and the cultures they came from has been an unexpected source of inspiration. It’s reminded me why I fell in love with art and design in the first place! The ability of art to communicate, to connect, and to endure over thousands of years and across people who didn’t speak the same language or live in the same time period or even location is fascinating. Every lecture has given me new thoughts and sources of inspiration.
That said, balancing everything has still been quite the task! With my day job, schoolwork, and Celestial Bear Design it has definitely been a challenge, but also a gift. The structure of my weekdays has become a bit of a rhythm for me, early mornings at work, afternoons filled with lectures or studio time, and evenings spent studying or with clients and creative projects. Somehow, even though I’ve been busier than ever, the ideas have been flowing more freely. There’s something about being immersed in learning that seems to fuel everything else.
As Celestial Bear Design continues to grow, I’m really excited to bring this new energy and perspective into my client work and blending what I’m learning academically with the intuitive design sense I’ve built through experience. Growth and learning, after all, is the heart of creativity!
Thank you for following along on this new adventure and whether you’ve been here from the beginning or you’re just discovering my work, I’m so excited to share more projects, insights, and creative inspiration soon!
