Its now my third week at Hasbro and I’m really beginning to feel at home. My entire educational career and even my professional career has been stalked by questions of whether or not what I design has a place in the “real world of design”. I have personally heard other artists and designers I know express the same concerns. I have always been fairly confident yet I think in every artists’ mind there is that level of doubt or fear that motivates improvement. I have been known to be called obsessive when it comes to my work. I like to call it passion with a purpose. Everyone searches in life for they’re purpose and if they say they’re not, they are lying. It’s just my opinion… but I mention purpose while not knowing exactly what mine is to this day. I feel I’m on my way to understanding more, especially with my time at Hasbro. Since I have started at Hasbro and been sketching new products, problem solving, and new ideas it suddenly occurred to me that in the middle of work  I was beginning to break BACK into a part of my imagination that I feel so many of us lose as we grow older. Prior to this moment at Hasbro I have been struggling with finding that sweet spot in life and in my work.

Whenever you design something you have to ask certain questions…who will see this, who will  use this? How will they use this and who will want this etc..

Since I am designing toys at Hasbro I obviously have to start off by understanding these questions and what they mean to a child. This thought process has allowed me to tap into my childhood imagination I felt I would never regain. I’m learning more and more about myself through this experience and am really being rewarded by my work in knowing that the toys I help create will do more than just fill the shelves at your local store but generate lifelong memories for any child who has that cool new toy that I helped to design! All the hard work we put in as a society and culture we forget to enjoy the moment. Don’t take yourself too seriously, allow yourself to have fun and play a little and everything will fall into place. See where “your” imagination can take you?  So far mine has landed me in Rhode Island at Hasbro for the time being. Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way!