- This portfolio is currently being updated -
Activism
After years of making individual changes to minimize my effect on the climate and ecological crisis, threatening all life on earth, I realized systemic change is necessary. I found a shared for change at Extinction Rebellion (XR) in January 2020. Extinction Rebellion is an international, decentralised and non-hierarchical movement using non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the climate and ecological emergency. In July I also joined University Rebellion (UR), an autonomous movement urging universities to use their agency in combatting the climate and ecological crisis and its root causes.
In both movements I am active at the local and national level and take on many different roles, mainly within the topics of Action and Arts. I have participated in and organized actions, represented smaller groups within the larger movements, facilitated meetings, integrated new rebels in the movement, safeguarded a non-hierarchical and anti-discriminatory space for everyone, and developed and given informative talks. I have also developed a design identity for University Rebellion and University Rebellion TU/e and am constantly designers posters, flyers, logos and social media posts for both XR and UR.
Activism is a big part of my life and impacts the way I look at the world. In XR and UR I have experienced different ways of being with one another, based on empathy and regenerating. The way in which XR & UR are structured have impacted my vision and the creativity, strength and perseverance of the many people I have met inspire me every day. During my time as an activist, my view on the climate and ecological crisis has become more intersectional and my focus is now on the interconnectedness of the climate and ecological crisis and global injustices, changing my vision on society. Being an activist has taught me valuable lessons in collaborating, communicating, storytelling, organizing, and designing.
UNID
From September 2018 to August 2020 I have been active at UNID. UNID is a design magazine with articles ranging from extensive interviews with designers and opinionated articles to research pieces, made by Industrial Design students from Lucid at the Eindhoven University of Technology. During my first year at UNID I wrote several pieces and created graphics for multiple articles within the provided style of each issue.
After one year, I became the Chief of Graphics of the magazine, supporting a team of approximately 10 graphic designers by giving workshops, organizing meetings and structuring the process with deadlines and feedback moments. Furthermore, I developed a style for every issue with colour palettes, fonts and layout examples. During my time as Chief of Graphics, I continued with making my own graphics, creating articles together with the Text and Media Team. All my work for UNID can be found here.
Working at UNID accelerated my graphic design and illustration abilities and allowed me to develop my communication and collaboration skills. As Chief of Graphics, I have become familiar with managing a team, working together professionally with a printing company and collaborating with the other chiefs to create a shared vision for the magazine.
Wool for Warmth
Since December 2018 I have been volunteer graphic designer at Wool for Warmth. Foundation Wool for Warmth collects wool and organizes knitting groups that knit for the homeless. By doing so, warmth and happiness is brought to the homeless in the Netherlands, as well as to the knitters who find purpose in recycling wool that otherwise would have been thrown out.
As a graphic designer, I have designed a logo, several flyers and a wrapper for yarn cakes. If you would like to know more about the foundation, please visit the website, which I have created as well.
Designing for Wool for Warmth is a valuable experience for me in trying to maximize my creativity and aesthetic preferences within an already provided framework. I could not decide on the colours or the overall style of the foundation, targeted mainly but not exclusively at elderly ladies. However, along the way I have tried to include elements of my style, such as simple layout of the first flyer and the modern illustration style of the logo.
Teaching
During my last year of high school I found much enjoyment in tutoring primary and secondary school children, mainly in Dutch and mathematics. Therefore, I continued my teaching practices by giving creative workshops at the university, commissioned by the Industrial Design Study Association Lucid. I have given workshops on the principles of graphic design and on the basics of Adobe InDesign. These workshops are focused on applying the theory into practice. I like placing the student’s style in the centre of the assignment, because I believe empowering the individual helps creating true creative content. Within a teaching context, I have also given workshops for my graphics team members at the UNID. These workshops are an introduction to the design procedures at UNID, explain the basics of working with InDesign and inspire going the extra mile. Due to my interest in teaching I have followed a course on educational pedagogy during my third year.
With my knowledge on education and skills within illustration and graphic design I have helped a teacher at the TU/e with professionalising his course, Innovating by Design. The work I've made for this course can be found here. I have also been part of the Propadeutic and Bachelor Council of Industrial Design at the TU/e since 2018, where I give feedback on the quality of education at the department.