CatCoq Guest-Lecturer Event at The University of Kansas // Hallmark Symposium
CatCoq Guest-Lecturer Event at The University of Kansas // Hallmark Symposium
Hallmark Symposium is a lecture series that exposes students to accomplished designers, artists, educators, and architects from around the world. Every semester, a handful of professionals are invited to KU to present to the students. I was honored to be invited back to my alma mater to speak at this special event and share my story.
The students in the audience were exactly where I was ten years ago: future illustrators, designers and architects. I shared the story of how my passion, painting, morphed from a leisurely activity into a full-blown career path.
I spoke about intellectual property licensing, entrepreneurship, the trepidation/excitement/unknowns when making a career shift, living out of a suitcase year-round, and ultimately, how identifying previously unrealized opportunities within their own passions and hobbies may have potential to be leveraged into something much greater. (After all, my passion, painting, wound up shifting my entire career trajectory.)
One of the prevalent themes throughout my presentation was how art licensing has paved the way for me to travel the world 24/7, growing my business as I go.
Hallmark Symposium
The Hallmark Symposium Lecture Series was established in 1984 through the generosity of the Hallmark Corporate Foundation with the goal and intention of enriching the education of students at the University of Kansas and in support of those in particular in the Department of Design through exposure to designers, artists and educators from the United States and abroad.
During these nearly 30+ years of collaboration, approximately 10,000 students have been exposed to these rich and various array of practitioners.
Bonus: In addition to presenting to 300+ students in the evening, I also had the opportunity during the day to participate in a class critique with the junior illustrators.
Ten years ago, I was the one pinning my work to the walls while my professor and classmates critiqued every brushstroke. I’ve got to say... it was infinitely more enjoyable to be on the other side.
