As the fall semester of many area schools have recently come to a close, we felt it appropriate to focus the membership spotlight on Flagler College senior, Luis Gonzalez.

Originally from California, Luis is entering into his final year at the 4 year liberal arts college, and serves as president of Flagler College’s AIGA Student Group. A believer in constant curiosity and inspired by many things, Luis enjoys going on adventures, laughing and sketching.

Q:
Give us a little background on yourself, where you’re from, and where you’re going to school. What are your interests as a designer, and what do you do for fun?

A:
I was born in California, raised in Puerto Rico till I was 11 and then we moved to Tampa Florida. I currently attend Flagler College double Majoring in Graphic Design and Fine Arts, and Minoring in Illustration. This year is actually when I realized what it is that I am seeking from design. Before I just enjoyed the art and craft behind it and now I am interested in the experience and emotion of design; finding and designing solutions that havent been put forward before. I want to continue studying design and learning more and more about it because I want to create new and different solutions. Im interested in typography and pushing its limits. Im also interested in minimalism and concepting through a project and trying to find the least that can be added that will leave a strong and lasting impact. For fun I like to relax and goof around. Going on adventures and going to new places. Laughing is the best cure-all and I try and do that a lot too. I hangout with my friends in the studio pretty much all day everyday during the semester and thats always fun. But ultimately I have the most fun when Im designing and thinking, I love it so much that whether Im working or sketching, Im always having fun.

Q:
What inspired you to get into the design field and what are some of your inspirations?

A:
Originally, in high school, I loved drawing and fine arts and I planned to go to the Art Institute of Tampa to learn animation. So then one summer I went to a week long workshop where we got a schedule and went to classes and got a taste for the program, and I HATED every second of it. I loved the drawing but everything else I despised. And I had made friends with the students that were there for graphic design and I was amazed at the classes they took and the projects they got to work on. Everything they were achieving, not only for themselves, but for an audience. I loved it. And that is when I realized I wanted to learn more about design; and what started out as a spark of curiosity then became a burning love and passion for the art. Im inspired by everything. People, friends and family, books, blogs, other designers and designs. Everything gets me thinking and I start analyzing everything and then I concept and problem solve.

Q:
What would you consider to be your “dream job”?

A:
A lot of people would want to own their own agency, but the idea of having my own is so stressful to me, so my “dream job”, HANDS DOWN, would be to work at Pentagram NY. I value and appreciate their work and I admire their talent and thinking and I would love to work with them; to learn and grow as a designer. They’re so versatile in what they do. They own many areas of design and that is where I would like to be in my career. Im so indecisive in pin-pointing just one specific area of design where I’d like to focus on and work with, that I want to do it all.

Q:
Can you offer some advice to those interested in earning a graphic design degree? What are some things you wished you knew going in?

A:
One thing that I wished I knew was DO NOT BUY A COMPUTER RIGHT AWAY. You’re starting off new and not knowing much about design or what is necessary, so wait until you have your feet wet and understand what it is you want to study exactly, and then you’ll know what hardware and software will be for you rather than just buy it all and waste money. One thing that I’d wanna offer to those interested in studying design is always be curious. Don’t ever revert back to a crutch once you know it works. Better and unseen solutions are out there, and you are just a few more thumbnails away from the right answer. Another thing would be nail the concept. If the concept is solid, the pieces will come easier and leave an impact.

Q:
You are  currently president of Flagler College’s AIGA student group – why do you think it’s important for design students to become active in the creative community outside of campus life?

A:
I think its absolutely important because this is our career right here, get involved now and it’ll only make the future easier for you. There are so many opportunities and events for networking and learning that its beneficial to you as a designer. Deciding not to join or become involved will only set you back.

Q: When you’re not in a studio, computer lab, or working into the wee hours in front of your computer, where would we find you?

A: Bed. Catching up on all the sleep I have missed out on due to all the hours in the studio, computer lab, and from working into the wee hours in front of my computer.

~ Kristina, Membership Co-Director