We will resume our regular posts in the Fall Season to bring you the latest and greatest happenings in the NYC design community. Get in touch if you’d like to suggest an event. Have a great summer! See you in the Fall!

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Be sure to check back every Monday for a fresh list of events.

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May 25–May 31, 2014

1/ Validating Product Ideas with Quick and Simple Experiments
Grace Ng, Co-Founder of Javelin.com, will share a structured process for designing effective experiments, and talk about some of the common pitfalls and challenges teams face when running experiments in their companies.
When: Tuesday, May 27, 2014, 6pm–9pm
Where: Etsy 55 Washington Street, Floor 7, Brooklyn, NY
Price: $10 NYCUXPA members, $5 students, $20 general public

2/ Dan Rhatigan / Gill Sans after Gill
Dan Rhatigan is a type director at Monotype, based in New York. He works on custom type development projects and consults on typographic issues with customers, and from time to time he gives talks about type and typography.
When: Thursday, May 29, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

3/ See, Make, Sip
A multi-sensory experience where you travel through the galleries. Make art along the way, then sip custom-mixed cocktails while listening to live music.
When: Thursday, May 29, 2014, 7pm–9:30pm
Where: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
Price: $15, includes museum admission

4/ A Party for Bob Newman
The Friends of Bob Newman community is pleased to announce an online benefit auction featuring the work of dozens of top illustrators and photographers, with all proceeds going to benefit Bob Newman and his family.
When: Thursday, May 29, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

5/ Bruce Nauman: The True Artist Book Launch and Conversation with Peter Plagens and Carlos Basualdo
Celebrate the release of Bruce Nauman: The True Artist , one of the most innovative, provocative, and influential artists working today. Always questioning the role of the artist and the very definition of art, Nauman’s pioneering explorations of sculpture, performance, sound, video, and installation have broken new ground and inspired innumerable artists’ careers.
When: Thursday, May 29, 2014, 7pm
Where: The New Museum Theater, 235 Bowery, NYC
Price: $8 New Museum members, $10 general public

6/ Introduction to Robofont
Dan Rhatigan is a type director at Monotype, based in New York. He works on custom type development projects and consults on typographic issues with customers, and from time to time he gives talks about type and typography.
When: Friday, May 30, 2014, 9:30am–5pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $275 TDC members, $350 general public

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May 18–May 24, 2014

1/ International Contemporary Furniture Fair
International Contemporary Furniture Fair is one of the largest and the most important show that showcases a wide and exclusive range of furniture and home decoration accessories. Events survey contemporary design’s current best and brightest.
When: May 17–20, 2014
Where: Jacob Javits Convention Center, NYC
Price: Various admission prices

2/ Positioning Strategy with Jennifer Rittner
Jennifer Rittner leads a positioning workshop in which participants will work collaboratively to develop the positioning strategy for a model design firm.
When: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: School of Visual Arts Branding Studio, 132 West 21st Street, 11th Floor, NYC
Price: Free Spark members, $25 general public

3/ Anthony Casalena
Networking and fireside chat with Anthony Casalena, the Founder and CEO of Squarespace, which he started from his dorm room in 2003.
When: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6pm–9pm
Where: AOL, 770 Broadway, 4th Floor, NYC
Price: $20 general public

4/ Snøhetta’s Design by Social Democracy
Snøhetta is an international design firm with offices in Oslo, Norway and New York City. Since its inception, the practice has maintained its original trans-disciplinary approach, integrating architectural, landscape, graphic design and interior design in all of its projects.
When: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: RAB Lighting Studio 535 West 24th Street 6th Floor, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA members, $30 general public

5/ MicroVisions
Richard Anderson, Steve Belledin, Nicolas Delort, Eric Fortune, Robert Hunt, Greg Manchess, Iain McCaig, Tran Nguyen, and Karla Ortiz are featured in an exhibition and an auction to raise money for the Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Fund.
When: Opening Reception Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6pm–10pm; ongoing through May 24
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

6/ Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself
A presentation and book signing of Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself, illustrated by Allen Crawford.
When: Opening Reception Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: $10 SI members, $7 students/seniors, $15 general public

7/ Dare2Draw
Dare2Draw is a mentoring and networking platform for all artists, an opportunity to connect with each other, face-to-face and to encourage good health and business practices for cartoonists. Special Mentoring Guest Artist: Bill Plympton. 90 minutes of dynamic figure drawing with live-action models and props.
When: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 6pm–9:30pm
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

8/ Kelly Hoey: WIM, Women Innovate Mobile
Networking and fireside chat Kelly Hoey, co-founder of Women Innovate Mobile (WIM), the first seed stage startup accelerator program for mobile tech ventures with gender diverse founding teams.
When: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 6pm–9:30pm
Where: Startup Grind, NYC
Price: $20 general public

Blechman was as a winner of the Rome Prize, a fellowship awarded by the American Academy of Art in Rome, “the Rome prize means you get five things…room, board, excellent food, a stipend, a studio, and freedom — freedom from all the chores that make up daily life,” Blechman explained.

Blechman’s wife and five-year-old son traveled to Rome with him, and all three treasured being somewhere different, away from their repetitive life in New York City. Instead of a quick sandwich at his desk, Blechman lunched at a long table in the American Academy’s arched courtyard. Blechman’s cluttered office was replaced by a huge studio space. And in contrast to New York’s hum of modernity and constant change, the city of Rome was infused with its connection to antiquity. “It felt like we were in a time machine going in only one direction — into the past,” said Blechman. “There’s always a story, and there’s always a past, to everything in Rome.”

Blechman’s primary project during the fellowship was to research and visualize food chains. “The food chain has become extremely complicated, because every time we eat something it sets off another chain of events. I wanted to somehow map this out,” he said.

His first endeavor was a study of how olive oil is made. He made his own olive oil straight from the olives growing on trees at the American Academy. Blechman described the process of harvesting olives from the trees and transporting them to a small, family-own mill to be cleaned, crushed, and separated into oil, water and pits. The pits were burned in the furnace to heat the building, and the excess water was used to water the trees outside. “It’s a completely self-sustaining,” said Blechman. “They don’t do it because they want to be tagged as ‘green’ — it’s just a more efficient way of working.”

Next, he studied industrial-scale olive oil making, a process rife with imported olives, and questionable oil blends. He turned these findings into a New York Times op-art piece, Food Chains: Extra Virgin Suicide.

Next, Blechman shared Food Chains: Planet Pasta about the Barilla, the world’s largest pasta factory, and illustrations of his research into Parmesan cheese production in Parma.

Lastly, Blechman showed off his two children’s books: Night Light is a guessing game, a counting tool, and a set of graphic illustrations of vehicles, and Animal Kingdom, a compendium of illustrated facts about animals. Following the talk, attendees who had pre-ordered copies of Animal Kingdom had the opportunity to have their books signed by the author.

When asked whether he planned to turn his ‘Food Chain’ work into a book, Blechman answered, “I have no idea!. That would be awfully nice, but right now I’m just focused on creating as many of these as possible, and on doing more research. That was the fun thing about working on this project in Rome: I had no idea how it would be used. It was more about creating a body of work around a certain topic.”

Additional Information:

Nicholas Blechman
The Rome Prize
Food Chains: Extra Virgin Suicide
Food Chains: Planet Pasta
Night Light
Animal Kingdom

Event Details:
AIGA/NY Nicholas Blechman: Food Chains

Event Photos:

Click here to view all photos from AIGA/NY Nicholas Blechman: Food Chains on Flickr.
To view additional photos, or to contribute your photos, visit our AIGA New York Flickr group.

Special thanks to contributing writer Karen Vanderbilt for the AIGA/NY Breakfast Club: All the Tricks in the Book event recap and photos. Karen can be found at karenvanderbilt.com, @k_vanderbilt and Studio Kudos.

Be sure to check back every Monday for a fresh list of events.

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May 11–May 17, 2014

1/ NYC x Design
NYCxDESIGN is New York City’s official citywide celebration of design, which spans all design disciplines and brings together commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program of exhibitions, openings, installations, shows, talks, and open studios.
When: May 9-20, 2014
Where: Various locations, NYC
Price: Varies by event

2/ Design Taco
DESIGN TACO is an idea accelerator and innovation lab that’s disguised as an incredibly delicious taco shop in New York’s Lower East Side.
When: May 12-18, 2014, 10am–10pm
Where: 37 East 1st Street, NYC
Price: Varies by event

3/ Process & Product at FiftyThree
Making hardware, software, and communications work seamlessly together is a complex endeavor, requiring an application of design thinking to both product, and the processes that drive production. Product designer Ian Curry and software developer Julian Walker will give a view into FiftyThree’s design process, including innovative prototyping methods and storytelling approaches.
When: Tuesday, May 13, 2014, 8am–9:30am
Where: General Assembly East, 902 Broadway, 4th floor, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

4/ Making the Image: Design x Fashion
Fashion leaders depend on professional image makers to tell their stories, connect the dots creatively, and build their businesses. This panel brings together three creative directors whose images have brought global attention to the influential artists and design houses they work with. Each will present work from the past/present/future and speak to the explosive intersection of design and fashion.
When: Wednesday, May 14, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30am
Where: Tishman Auditorium, Parsons, 66 West 12th Street, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA members, $30 general public

5/ OPEN IxD
OPEN IXD is the MFA Interaction Design Festival at the School of Visual Arts. It’s a collaborative celebration of the work from 14 interaction design students who present their theses in individual expression. Inside the theater, the class of 2014 presents their experience through story; outside, prototypes are in the open for play and exploration.
When: Wednesday, May 14, 2014, 10am–3pm
Where: Visual Arts Theater, 333 West 23rd Street, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

6/ Why Not Smile
Hoon Kim is the fourth speaker in AIGA/NY’s new series, Owner at Self: Adaptive and Innovative Design Practices. Kim is a New York-based graphic designer, educator, curator, and researcher. He founded Why Not Smile, a multidisciplinary design consultancy in New York in 2009, which focuses on integrated branding across various media for art, fashion, architecture, and cultural clients.
When: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 6:30pm–8pm
Where: Museum of Arts and Design 2 Columbus Circle, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA, MAD members, $30 general public

7/ This One Summer
Join Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki for a presentation on their latest collaboration, This One Summer. A book signing and cocktail reception will follow.
When: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: $15 SI members, $10 students/seniors, $20 general public

8/ David Kelley
As founder of IDEO and the d.school at Stanford, David Kelley has spent his career building innovative cultures that expand the role of design in the world. By applying a groundbreaking methodology called design thinking, IDEO has worked on thousands of products, services, and organizations that have had a lasting impact, from the first Apple mouse to homes for wounded veterans to an entire school system in Peru.
When: Friday, May 16, 2014, 8:30am–10pm
Where: Tishman Auditorium, 63 Fifth Avenue, Room U100, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

9/ Designer City: How Innovative Solutions Transform Urban Life
How has design innovated solutions to specifically address urban issues, and how will it continue to enhance life in New York? This discussion will explore the intersection of design and public service, demonstrating the social value of good design and innovative design thinking.
When: Friday, May 16, 2014, 7pm
Where: Museum of Arts an Design, 2 Columbus Circle, NYC
Price: Free with museum admission

10/ Tips and Tricks for Preparing Your Calligraphy for Reproduction
Xandra Zamora will take the mystery out of scanning and digitizing original calligraphy and lettering artwork for any kind of print method using a scanner, and Adobe Creative Suite. Learn time-saving tips from the experience of a master.
When: Friday, May 16, 2014, 6:30pm–8pm
Where: School of Visual Arts Annex, 214 East 21st Street, Room 701A, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

11/ 2014 Big Apple Redux
Every year, the interaction design community gathers to stretch our minds, sharpen our skills and inspire each other. A day of UX presentations and conversation followed by networking and refreshments.
When: Saturday, May 17, 2014, 11am–5pm
Where: Bloomberg L.P., 731 Lexington Avenue, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

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May 4–May 10, 2014

1/ Taking the Mystery Out of Acrylics for Calligraphers
Fine artist Randy Hasson will be in NYC to teach a painting workshop. If you’re ready to take your calligraphy to the next level, what’s your next step? Want to see what you can do with your lettering besides envelopes? In this workshop, you’ll see the value in learning painting techniques from someone who is both an artist and a calligrapher.
When: Sunday, May 4, 2014, 10am–4pm
Where: School of Visual Arts Annex, 214 East 21st Street, NYC
Price: $50 SoS members, $70 general public

2/ NYC Creative Week
Creative Week is the preeminent festival featuring presentations, panels, workshops and exhibitions showcasing the intersection of advertising, innovation and creative thinking.
When: May 5–9, 2014
Where: Various locations
Price: Package prices vary

3/ Century Expanded: Jerry Kelly, The Centaur Type at Monotype
Bruce Rogers remains a towering figure in the graphic arts, arguably the single most important American book designer of the twentieth century. The unrivaled subtlety of his style also sets apart Rogers’s most widespread accomplishment, the Centaur type. Numerous other Jenson revivals of his day (as well as more recent attempts) appear at best quaint, and at worst hopelessly dated, compared to Centaur, which stands as a perennial classic, as sublime as it is impossible to replicate.
When: Tuesday, May 6, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

4/ Dan Rhatigan / Gill Sans after Gill
Since the release of Monotype’s Gill Sans Titling in 1928, Eric Gill’s namesake family has been enormously successful for the company. As a result, there has been a demand for many variations of the design over the years, from the variants conceived by Gill himself to those produced in-house by Monotype, with or without Gill’s involvement. Thanks to the commercial success of the Gill Sans family, it is one of the more fully documented examples of the growth and evolution of a design, with ample drawings, samples, and correspondence still held in Monotype’s archive.
When: Wednesday, May 7, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

5/ MIX: Designer + Drinks =
Open will host the May edition of MIX, AIGA/NY’s monthly party at the Wooly.
When: Wednesday, May 7, 7pm–10pm
Where: The Wooly, 11 Barclay Street, NYC
Price: Free AIGA members

6/ F1RST
F1RST: The Masters Thesis showcase presentations of the inaugural graduating class of the SVA MFA in Products of Design program. Opening remarks from Allan Chochinov, chair of the program, followed by a Keynote by author and social theorist Douglas Rushkoff. Fifteen graduating masters students will each present their year-long thesis work, comprised of research, artifacts, services and platforms. Guests in all facets of design and innovation, including designers, entrepreneurs, teachers, advocates, journalists and cultural critics are welcomed to attend.
When: Thursday, May 8, 1pm–6pm
Where: SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

7/ Basics of Web Design
Ideal for designers that have little web design experience or anyone interested in learning more about designing for the web, this class provides an introductory approach to web design as well as the basics of designing a website.
When: Thursday, May 8, 8pm–9:30pm
Where: General Assembly East, 902 Broadway, 4th floor, NYC
Price: $35 general public

8/ Spring Card Making Party
Curious about hand-lettering? Drop by and watch a calligraphy demonstration, ask questions, and/or give a pen a test drive, or bring your own project and let’s get creative together! Join the Society of Scribes for a card making party.
When: Friday, May 9, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: School of Visual Arts Annex, 214 East 21st Street, Room 701A, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

9/ NYC x Design
NYCxDESIGN is New York City’s official citywide celebration of design, which spans all design disciplines and brings together commerce, culture, education, and entertainment with a full, varied program of exhibitions, openings, installations, shows, talks, and open studios.
When: May 9-20, 2014
Where: Various locations, NYC
Price: Varies by event

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April 27–May 3, 2014

1/ Information Everywhere: Flexible Content with Responsive Design
Responsive design ʺfrees our contentʺ to work anywhere, anytime, and gets us back to developing and delivering quality content – where and when our customers need it. Adopting responsive design means that technical communicators no longer need to spend time designing and creating deliverables for different devices.
When: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 6:30pm–10pm
Where: Medidata Solutions, 350 Hudson St, Floor 9, NYC
Price: $20 STCNY members, $30 general public

2/ The Story of Data: Visualization, Mapping, and Photography
From our smartphones to the city power grid, massive amounts of data are collected and monitored on a daily basis, radically transforming how socioeconomic conditions are understood and managed. Learn about digital strategies employed in data science, geography, journalism, and critical design that may be applied to photography projects for social impact.
When: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 6pm–8pm
Where: Aperture Gallery and Bookstore, 547 West 27th Street, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

3/ BUTTER: A Night of Pop Culture and Popcorn
A monthly screening event that showcases and connects filmmakers from the ADC community. An international panel curate the film lineup each month, which includes award-winning documentaries and shorts, as well as quirky animations, music videos and commercials.
When: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 7pm–10pm
Where: ADC Gallery, 106 West 29th Street, NYC
Price: $10 ADC members, $15 general public

4/ Oliver Munday: Backwards
A look back at 5 years of studio work, passion projects, and the hints that an inevitable job in publishing were there all a long.
When: Thursday, May 1, 2014, 5pm–8pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

5/ Free First Friday
On the first Friday of every month, admission is free and public tours led in English and Japanese are available at 2:00pm. This May’s film selection will be The Oyler House: Richard Neutra’s Desert Retreat by Director Mike Dorsey. Cash bar with wine and beer.
When: Friday, May 2, 2014, 5pm–8pm
Where: Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Road, Long Island City
Price: Free and open to the public

6/ Heller Fili Moving Sale
Hundreds of books (recent & vintage) on design, typography, lettering, photography, fine arts, cooking and Italy. Posters, ephemera, rarities and more. Bring your own bags. Free Louise Fili SVA subway poster with purchases over $300. Cash only.
When: Saturday, May 3, 2014, 12:30pm–4:30pm
Where: SVA Branding Studio, 132 West 21st Street, 11th Floor, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

Millman began with a few words about the practice of in-house design. She reviewed complaints from in-house designers: bureaucracy, office politics, monotony, and the difficulty of landing an agency or studio job afterward. Despite this, Millman added, “at this very moment in time, over 50% of all professional designers in the united states are employed as in house designers.”

She quoted Julia Hoffmann, Creative Director at Etsy: “In-house design studios are the future of successful branding. A strong in-house designer knows and cares about the brand and becomes a steward of the organization, leading the company in achieving design excellence.” Millman concluded, “The three in-house designers here today are proof positive that this is 100% true.”

Derek Scott | Instagram

Instragram’s mission, Derek Scott explained, is “to capture and share the world’s moments” while adhering to three core concepts. The first is simplicity: the interface shows only one square image at a time, and the company deflects requests for custom filters or new commenting features. “It’s very pure,” said Scott. Next, creativity, “we set the bar high from the very beginning. When Kevin [Systrom] created Instagram, he hand-picked the first 100 content creators to show the types of content that we want, which sparked Instagram into becoming what it is today.” Lastly, community: The intimacy of Instagram, Scott argued, comes from “knowing that we all have the same camera in our pockets…that if we were there in that moment in time, we could have captured that ourselves.”

As a creative strategist, Scott’s primary role is to teach companies how Instagram can help them build their brands. “Sometimes I miss getting my hands dirty,” he mused, and explained that Instagram’s in-house designers work on product design, art direction of Instagram’s photographers, and building sample campaigns for clients.

Renda Morton | The New York Times

“Our goal as designers at The New York Times,” said Renda Morton, “is to balance the goals of our business side and newsroom while advocating for the best reader and user experience. We represent all of her readers in absentia.”

Morton is a digital designer for the newspaper’s web platform, and she shared some highlights of the story page’s recent redesign. Her team built an extremely flexible template, with over 100 different layouts to accommodate various image shapes and sizes.

The team also incorporated more typefaces, moving closer to the wide range used in the print publication. Stay tuned for additional changes to the web platform as well, “We’re going to continue to iterate on this, because we never want to have a redesign ever again!” said Morton.

As for what some of the other digital design teams do, some focus on specific content. These designers create a special look and feel for items such as the “Invisible Child” feature earlier this year about Dasani, a homeless girl living in Fort Greene, or the Sunday Magazine’s visual columns such as “Eat” and “Who Made That?” The product team, on the other hand, designs and launches new products aimed at growing the Times’ audience, such as the NYT NOW app released just last week.

Joe Marianek | Apple

“I love Apple,” declared Joe Marianek. Yet he was the aware of the potential downsides of moving in-house when he left Pentagram for Apple. “A lot of people said to me, if you go to Apple you won’t get to be creative any more,” he explained. “But that’s not true. There’s a lot of invention at Apple.” The company welcomes fresh concepts from its employees, and ideas are literally “always on the wall” in the Apple office. “No matter what level you are, you can contribute,” said Marianek.

While working on the iOS7 launch, Marianek contributed to a complete reinvention of the iPhone’s visual design. He also helped put together an eye-opening video showing the production process for the new Mac Pro.

For Marianek, the move from Pentagram to Apple also meant a move from New York City to San Francisco. From California transportation (“It’s a real car culture, the kind of place where you either own a Honda or a Maserati”) to the uniformly branded campus (“There is a lot of Myriad at Apple”), this west coast world felt different to Marianek. Most of all, he was struck by the great sense of togetherness at Apple — not only socially, at the campus cafeterias squash courts, but also professionally, “it’s the community of people that make the company what it is, and makes it fun to to work there,” Marianek explained. “When you’re in-house you’re all doing the same thing. It can sometimes get monotonous, and you all have to challenge each other to work and think outside of that.”

Additional Information:
Instagram
The New York Times
Derek Scott
Renda Morton
Joe Marianek and what he’s doing after Apple

Event Details:

 AIGA/NY In-The-House IV: Culture, Connectivity and Content

Event Photos:

Click here to view all photos from AIGA/NY In-The-House IV: Culture, Connectivity and Content on Flickr. 
To view additional photos, or to contribute your photos, visit our AIGA New York Flickr group.

Special thanks to contributing writer Karen Vanderbilt for the AIGA/NY In-The-House IV: Culture, Connectivity and Content event recap and photos. Karen can be found at karenvanderbilt.com, @k_vanderbilt and Studio Kudos.

Be sure to check back every Monday for a fresh list of events.

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April 20–April 26, 2014

1/ Photographs of Sandy
Presented to mark the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Rising Waters draws on work submitted by over a thousand photographers, both professional and amateur, who responded to an open call for images in the storm’s wake. The juried exhibition features striking before-and-after images of the hurricane’s impact on the New York region, including preparations, the storm’s destructive effects, and the ongoing rebuilding efforts.
When: Closing Sunday, April 20, 2014
Where: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Avenue, NYC
Price: Museum admission

2/ Sesame Street
Branding for Sesame Street, a beloved and complex organization, takes a dedicated creative team to maintain the heritage of the past, while continuing to evolve the brand for future generations. Join AIGA/NY for a walk down “the longest street in the world” to discuss the multi-layered, multi-media effort to attract and maintain loyal fans and why nearly 50 years later, it’s more important than ever.
When: Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: John L. Tishman Auditorium, University Center 63 Fifth Avenue, Room U100, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA members, $30 general public

3/ A Journey of Design Transformation
Bob Schukai, Global Head of Mobile Technology at Thomson Reuters, will share his experiences guiding the company’s journey as it transformed its culture. He will share visual examples that show the contrast between its mobile products today and from before, as well as his perspective on innovation, wearable technology, and how the team used design workshops to catalyze breakthrough innovation in mobile design and beyond for Thomson Reuters.
When: Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 6pm–9pm
Where: Thomson Reuters, Thomson Hall, 195 Broadway, 4th floor, NYC
Price: $10 NYCUPA members, $5 students, $20 general public

4/ Slow Motion Collision: How Digital Design Careers Evolve
Discussion with four designers who navigated the landscape of digital design, each in their own unique way, to build unique, inspiring careers. Whether they’re still new or have achieved veteran status, they’ll each explain how they got to where they find themselves today, and what were some notable landmarks along the way. Moderated by Khoi Vinh, who will draw on the interviews he conducted with the panelists for his forthcoming book, How They Got There: Career Paths in Digital Design. Attendees will get free digital previews of the book.
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 7pm–9pm
Where: Bumble and bumble Auditorium 415 West 13th Street, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA members, $30 general public

5/ Contemporary Art in Healthcare Environments
Look at how contemporary art is integrated into healthcare environments and the affect it has on patients and their families.
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 7pm–9pm
Where: New York School of Interior Design, Satz Auditorium, 170 East 70th Street, NYC
Price: Free NYSID students, $10 students/seniors, $12 general public

6/ David Carson
David Carson was named as one of the 30 most influential designers by Apple Computers in January 2014, calling him, “a pioneer with profound impact.” David was also named as an AIGA Gold Medalist for 2014. Also this year, The Smithsonian Institute commissioned Carson calling him “one of Americas most important artists.” Come see David and some type stuff he’s been up too lately.
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

7/ NY Tech Day
A full-day event for the NY tech startup community.
When: Thursday, April 24, 2014
Where: Pier 92, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

8/ From the Borscht Belt to Seinfeld: The Evolution of Jewish American Comedy
A panel discussion on how Jewish humor grew out of Yiddish culture, defined New York City’s character in the early 20th century, and filtered into our American culture, literature, art, film and television from the 1950′s to the present. Steven Heller, SVA Co-Chair MFA Designer as Author Program and New York Times Book Review columnist who will serve as moderator; panel includes Edward Portnoy, Ph.D, Yiddish language, literature and theater expert, Larry Storch, film and TV comedian, Drew Friedman, illustrator and author, Bill Persky, legendary TV sitcom writer, Tom Leopold, contemporary sketch comedy writer.
When: Thursday, April 24, 2014, 7pm–9pm
Where: Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Price: $10 SI members, $7 students/seniors, $15 general public

9/ Design and Identity between global types and local characters
Boris Kochan’s branding agency KOCHAN & PARTNER is engaged in many fields of typography. The GRANSHAN project explores, melts, translates, connects worlds of script, ways of communication, sign languages. With their focus on Non-Latin Typefaces, the GRANSHAN competition and conference are unique worldwide.
When: Thursday, April 24, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

10/ Gourmet Typography Workshop with Ilene Strizver
Gourmet Typography Training teaches the typographic skills and aesthetics rarely taught or fully understood by professionals. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned pro, this training will sharpen your eye and give you the practical skills that will visibly improve your type. Learn tips for more professional typography, as well as how to get the most out of your software (typographically speaking).
When: Friday, April 25, 2014, 8:30am–4pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $275 TDC members, $350 general public

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April 13–April 19, 2014

1/ Balanced Team Sunday Salon
In coordination with LeanUX NYC 2014, Balanced Team will hold a one-day synthesizing symposium to share ideas, socialize, and continue the conversation.
When: Sunday, April 13, 2014, 10am–4:30pm
Where: Pivotal Labs, 625 Avenue of the Americas, Second Floor, NYC
Price: $10 general public

2/ Accumulated Wisdom: The Collector as Inventor
When is a discovery an invention? When is accumulation art? Is recombination transformation? In an evening of short performances and talks, artists and scholars consider case studies in the relationship between collecting and creating.
When: Tuesday, April 15, 2014, 6:30 pm. The exhibition A Collective Invention: Photographs at Play will be open at 5:30 pm for program attendees
Where: The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue, NYC
Price: $10 for Morgan members; Free for students with valid ID, $15 general public

3/ Music, Machines, and Meaning
Andy Cavatorta, MIT Media Lab alumnus, Bjork collaborator, and TED exhibiting artist, explores the pleasures and perils of creating sound and music using physical machines and materials. Topics include recent projects, a brief history of musical machinery, unusual aesthetic issues, an overview of useful skills, and the importance of fake rules.
When: Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 6pm–8:30pm
Where: School of Visual Arts, MFA Interaction Design, 136 West 21 Street, 3rd Floor, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

4/ History Behind Trends
Amy Azzarito, managing editor of Design*Sponge, will talk about pieces you see everywhere—from inlay furniture (currently the rage at Anthropologie) to the Crate and Barrel standby, the Windsor chair—and delve into the history of these iconic design objects.
When: Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: New York School of Interior Design, Satz Auditorium, 170 East 70th Street, NYC
Price: Free NYSID students, $10 students/seniors, $12 general public

5/ Nicholas Blechman: Food Chain
Join us for a fascinating night of conversation with Nicholas Blechman about the future of food through the eyes of a designer.
When: Thursday, April 17, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Tishman Auditorium, Parsons, 66 West 12th Street, NYC
Price: $10 AIGA members, $30 general public

6/ OLD’S KOOL: The Roots of New York Graffiti
Blazing a trail for graffiti art back in the 1970s, New York City teens claimed the city’s walls and mass transit system for their canvases—and in the process invented a new art form. Jay J.SON Edlin, veteran graffiti artist, historian, and author of Graffiti 365, discusses graffiti and street art with revolutionary but unsung writers of the ‘70s: icons COCO 144, JESTER ONE, LSD OM, and Al Diaz, a.k.a. BOMB ONE and later SAMO (in collaboration with Jean Michel Basquiat). Presented in conjunction with exhibition, City as Canvas: Graffiti Art.
When: Thursday, April 17, 2014, 6:30pm
Where: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Avenue, NYC
Price: Free MCNY members, $12 students, $16 general public

7/ Sites of Criticism: Studio and School
The critique is a cornerstone of a studio education in design and art. This use of criticism can be a generative and positive force encouraging growth and refinement for the individual maker. Exploring how the critique is embraced, rejected and manipulated, this roundtable discusses the role of criticism in the sites of the designer’s studio and the school.
When: Thursday, April 17, 2014, 7pm
Where: Museum of Arts an Design, 2 Columbus Circle, NYC
Price: Free with Pay-What-You-Wish museum admission

8/ Post Typography: Greatest Misses
Nolen Strals and Bruce Willen of the Baltimore design studio Post Typography give a behind-the-scenes peek at the design process, illustrated with never-before-seen projects that fell short, missed the mark, or were blown off-target by the fickle winds of client taste.
When: Thursday, April 17, 2014, 6:30pm–8:30pm
Where: Type Directors Club, 347 West 36th Street #603, NYC
Price: $5 TDC members, $15 students, $20 general public

8/ Francis Bitonti vs CRATED on Disruptive Manufacturing
Join Francis Bitonti (best know best for Dita Von Teese’s 3D printed dress) and the VFL’s Artists in Residence, Maddy Maxey and Mari Kussman from CRATED, for a debate on disruptive manufacturing.
When: Friday, April 18, 2014, 6pm
Where: School of Visual Arts, Visible Futures Lab, 132 West 21st Street, 7th floor, NYC
Price: Free and open to the public

9/ Ai Weiwei
In celebration of the exhibition Ai Weiwei: According to What?, attend special screenings of films by and about the artist throughout the day.
When: Saturday, April 19, 2014, 11:30am–5:30pm
Where: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
Price: Museum admission