As both an alum, it was deeply meaningful to return to ArtCenter College of Design in a mentorship role, guiding a collaboration that provided students in the Surface Design track of the Illustration Department with hands-on exposure to real-world design, production, and exhibition.

Astek has always been committed to supporting the next generation of designers. As Creative Director, I proposed this project to Astek’s owner and Jeannie Winston, the department lead at ArtCenter. From there, the partnership came to life.

We kicked off the semester with a visit to the Astek studio, where I introduced students to materials, production methods, and scale considerations to help ground their creative decisions. The assignment I developed asked students to explore the idea of an abstracted “maze” through analog processes: burning paper, painting, taking rubbings, and collage. They then transformed these tactile elements into seamless digital patterns.

Each week, I attended classroom critiques to offer technical and aesthetic feedback, guide production feasibility, and help refine their design language. I curated the final selection for ICFF 2023 in New York, ensuring the work was professionally presented and aligned with each student’s creative vision.

The collaboration culminated in a student-led exhibition at ICFF, where the designers engaged with the public, spoke to their process, and experienced the full arc of taking an idea from concept to installation, side by side with the Astek team and myself. It was a full-circle moment: mentoring emerging designers while reconnecting with the place where I first began building my own creative voice.