Career Area: Visual Arts

  • Daniel Dorriety

    Daniel Dorriety

    “I’ve always had a passion for welding… I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. The more you do, the more you try, the better you get.” 

    Daniel Dorriety is a welder by trade and works at General Electric building gas turbines. He is part of a special process team for repair engineering, focusing on joining development, handling the welding on every part of the gas turbines that get fixed. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Daniel Dorriety

    My name is Daniel Dorriety. I am a fabricator slash welder by trade. I worked for General Electric. I’ve been there for 24 years. Prior to that, I worked in some other Welding Fab [Fabrication] shops. But G.E. has been the most of my career.

    Haley Hansen

    You said you’d been working there for 24 years?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Yes, ma’am.

    Haley Hansen

    Can you walk me through like a typical workday?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Sure. So, we build gas turbines. At Greenville, I work for the repair engineering side. I am part of the special process team for repair engineering. So I focused on the joining development, which means all the parts on the gas turbine that get fixed; I handled the development of the welding, the braising, and the laser cladding repair of these parts. I have, typically, a dozen projects at a time that I work intermittently between each other. Today was more admin, catching up on documentation, more than anything. I kind of plan that out, because I’m on vacation in the next two weeks. Typically, my role specifically now is for laser repair. So, I run a C.N.C.[Computer Numerical Control] laser clatter; I do 3D Adaptive repair of gas turbine components that are by definition, unweldable. Hence why we’re using a laser. This is a fairly new change for me; that’s something I picked up about two… two years ago. The 22 years prior was all welding and brazing, and then, welding on gas turbine parts my entire stance; we did new mate manufacturing the first few years I was there, and then I switched to repair. So, I’ve been repairing and refurbishing gas turbine parts for nearly 20 years now.

    Haley Hansen

    For someone who doesn’t know anything about the industry, can you elaborate on the difference between welding and laser repair?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Sure. So, welding is it’s a manual process, and you’re using just a welding machine, and has a lot of human interface. So it’s, it’s a lot of variability between operators, not all welders are the same, right? So, it’s hard to establish control critical guidelines, you know, if you have to have a very stable process, it’s hard to control that when you have the human factor involved. And gas turbines are made of components that are very difficult to weld. By nature, they are super strong, and they hold up the very high temperatures in the engine. And that equates to alloys that don’t like to be welded. So they’re in a nutshell, very brittle and a crack. So, the difference between manual welding and laser is that laser is a more controlled process. It’s a C.N.C.[Computer Numerical Control] process that has a program driving it, right? So, you can control your heat input, your travel speed, the amount of filler that’s added, you can control all those precisely, and the density of a laser is so much more precise that your heat affected zone is smaller, which just means that you’re not going to introduce stress and cracking into the base metal nearly as much as you would with a manual welding process. Plus, it’s faster. And it’s an automated process, right? So, you can control it. You can’t weld everything with a laser, but we try to focus on the parts that are the most critical. Everything else, is pretty much a manual repair from that point.

    Haley Hansen

    How did you end up in the field that you’re working in, right now?

    Daniel Dorriety

    I always had a passion for welding. I went to Career Center in high school, took some welding classes, and loved it. I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. So, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I like to build things. The fabrication side is not just welding, but it’s building structures. It’s, you know, whether you’re building a trailer or building a house. I’m building my second house now, and I’m doing all the work myself, right? I just liked that work with your hands and have something to see when you’re all done. Welding was something that I was good at it. I was always kind of into art. When I was young, I did a lot of drawing. And I think that helps me with welding.

    Daniel Dorriety

    You know, it’s a lot of hand-eye coordination, just fell in love with it. I stuck with it. And this is where I’ve ended up.

    Haley Hansen

    Being able to like to visualize the finished product I imagined helps a lot.

    Daniel Dorriety

    Especially on the artistic side. Yes. You know, typically, in my field, they give you a drawing, and you have to make it, right? So, there’s not a lot of visualization in that. But outside of G.E., I know I do gifts for people. I do fire pits. I built fire pits and that’s where the vision comes in, right? You have to have an idea in your head and then create it.

    Haley Hansen

    Did you, go straight into professional welding right out of the career center and like high school?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Pretty much. Yeah, I started in a [work] Co-oping in my senior year of high school. That would be my second year at the Career Center. So, instead of going to class my senior year, I went straight to work, Co-op, and then, when I graduated, I was hired full-time into the company I was working for welding, and then I continued on at Tech[Horry Georgetown Technical College] and got my associate’s degree. Then, eventually, I switched over to General Electric and have been there ever since.

    Haley Hansen

    What was your associate’s degree in?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Industrial Technology, with a major in Welding.

    Haley Hansen

    Do you have, like, a defining moment in your career or your creative journey where you realized, like, that was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life?

    Daniel Dorriety

    I guess the only thing I can really remember, is that my uncle had a fabrication shop. He built trailers. I found that fascinating when I was young; pretty young. I was probably in middle school, and I would go over to his shop and see what he was building and see all his tools. I just thought that was fascinating. And I wanted that for myself. And I think that’s how I kind of went down this road. 30 years later, I now have my own shop, and I’m starting to do stuff freelance on the side with a goal of eventually being self-employed, but G.E. is a pretty good job. So, I’m gonna stay there for a while.

    Haley Hansen

    I’m sure they’re glad to hear it. [Dorriety laughs] What would you say was the biggest adjustment or challenge you faced when you started your current role?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Maybe working with people? You know, all the different kinds of personalities.

    Haley Hansen

    That would do it.

    Daniel Dorriety

    You know, being a welder, especially the first place I worked at, you kind of got a rough crowd. I worked with a lot of field hands, guys that are used to working on the road and a lot of different personalities. And then, switching over to GE, a much more professional environment. So, that was definitely better. And then migrating into working for repair engineering, where I’m working with all very professional people, you know, that are engineers, and PhDs, and again, very different personalities, right? So, it’s learning how to fit in the world from one extreme to the other.

    Daniel Dorriety

    So, one of my primary jobs is, developing a repair but also transferring that repair to the shop so that they can do the repair. And then I have to train the operators, right? So, I’m the interface between the operator on the floor doing the work, the engineering staff that controls the process, and then our engineering staff that owns the process, right? So, it’s working with a vast difference in personalities is probably the biggest challenge. And we’re global too. So, we work with people in Singapore; we work with pink people in Saudi Arabia, shops all over the place, language barriers, and cultural differences. So, I’d say people. People are the biggest challenge.

    Haley Hansen

    Kind of related to that, can you recommend any specific skills that someone aspiring to your profession should develop?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Practice. It goes just along with everything, you know, if playing a guitar, for instance, I can’t play but I imagined that the more you do, the more you try, the better you get. And the same things for welding; I mean, you’re not going to grow and have better opportunities. If you don’t try be the best you can at it, right? You’ve got to put in the time, and you got to put the effort in; it takes a lot of practice to get good at welding; it’s not something you can just learn in three weeks; it literally takes months to years to get proficient, much less expertise. If somebody chooses to be a welder, I’d say that patience and practice. And a lot of it.

    Haley Hansen

    Are there any organizations or programs, or maybe, like, annual events that you would recommend for folks who are interested in your field, in South Carolina?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Well, the tech centers are bringing back trade schools. I went to Greenville Tech, their program was pretty decent. There is a private organization called ArtLabs that has a more intense and faster program that’s more specific to getting people employed and getting into work faster, versus going to Tech[Horry Georgetown Technical College], that kind of, kind of drags things out because they want to add extra classes to your workload and things that don’t get you into a job shop faster, right? So, I would probably lean towards art labs, they come with a very good reputation for their program. You know, other than that, working with people, making connections with experienced people, I’ve had a lot of people come up to my place that wants me to do things for them, and that are fascinated, and they want to watch and they want to learn and then they come back and I help them. Not necessarily a school, but this kind of gets them started just enough, where, they can do things at their house, and they can practice.

    Haley Hansen

    Do you have any advice for current students or young adults who are pursuing a creative career in welding?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Just don’t be afraid to try. Don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back, I think I would have probably been freelance much earlier. If while, one, I had a family, so I had to have a steady income and benefits. So, that kind of helped me where I was. Still, the fear of the unknown kind of holds me back because I do have a stable good job. And I hate to walk away from that and struggle, right? So, I’ve been trying to build my own thing on the side.

    Daniel Dorriety

    In addition to keeping my stable pay slash benefits, who knew the day I enjoy making things? I do a lot of retirement gifts for people at G.E. I’ve probably made 30, 40, 50 of them over the years. Some of them have turned out really good, very artistic. Some of them are okay, but in the day, it’s fun. But I’m afraid if I get in a position to where it’s a consignment job, or I have to do it to make a living, that the fun will disappear.

    Haley Hansen

    Oh, I know that feeling.

    Daniel Dorriety

    Yeah. So, I don’t want to get in that position to where I don’t enjoy it, right? So, I don’t know. It’s the fear of the unknown that still gets me. I don’t know how to compress that yet. Small doses I guess.

    Haley Hansen

    Before we end, is there anything else you think is important that you say here?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Just, I always told my daughter that if you can find something that you enjoy… that you can make money at it. Then you never really have to work for a living. I never quite figured that out for myself, but I hope she does. So, just try to follow your passion and make some money at the same time.

  • Matteo Miles

    Matteo Miles

    “Take your work seriously, and your client will as well.”

    Matteo Miles, from Greenville, South Carolina is a self-employed and full-time traveling artist and painter. Specializing in painting murals, he travels around the region creating artwork.  

    Interview

    Transcript

    Matteo Miles   

    My name is Matteo Miles. I’m 28, I live in Greenville, South Carolina, and I’m a full time artist, painter, specifically in murals. So it helps you do murals and kind of travel to other areas of the region and the country as well. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are you self-employed? 

    Matteo Miles   

    Yes, I am. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Can you say, like, what your typical workday is? 

    Matteo Miles   

    So typically, what I’ll do is kind of start off by either answering emails or DMs of, like, inquiries, and just get those out of the way. And probably just, most of the time, it’s answering questions, especially for people who haven’t had any mural work done specifically, is what the business is that I’m doing right now. So I’ll respond to those, and either get people scheduled or, you know, kind of giving the information. And then after that, I’ll go in and work on some proposals that may be required for people that have moved forward in getting a mural done, whether that be getting together a vision board full of ideas, taking measurements, or doing the designs and drawings, and kind of going back and forth. And I call that pretty much the whole like planning process of it. And then if I have anything going on that day, any projects to start, then I’ll probably go on-site to wherever I’m working on, whether that be a restaurant or a hotel, and then kind of mapping out and prepping the space, if it isn’t day one for a project. But I typically like to at least try to work on at least two or three murals a month, and sometimes they will overlap. But that can get kind of chaotic, depending on the project, and what it could require. But on a typical day, during the week, if, if I’m not actively on-site at a project, it’ll just be kind of the administration stuff with planning and drawing. Takes up a lot of that time. 

    Matteo Miles   

    How did you get started painting murals? 

    Matteo Miles   

    So I got started painting murals, pretty much a transition from doing canvas work. So I’m assuming this is just like another part of the question, another question kind of talking about how I got into it. But I always started doing murals was I worked at a hotel over here in Greenville, South Carolina, and I was bartending and they had this big chalk wall in their lobby space that someone else had initially done when the hotel opened. And that person, you know, wasn’t able to come back. So I was like, oh, well, I, you know, was already doing chalk signage for Starbucks and stuff like that. So I was like, why not give it a go. So since then, I was able to change it out and rotate the themes, and along with the seasons with the artwork. So with that in mind, it became public art. So I was able to present that, you know, pretty much for free, and then you know, I would get paid to just change it out. But through that, I was able to get other people reading my name, and then kind of looking me up and asking me to come to their space, or, you know, if they said they had chalk murals and whatnot, or a permanent mural, and that’s kind of how it got started with kind of, you know, networking and getting other opportunity for larger walls and not just on canvas. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Did you have any education in visual arts, or were you self taught? 

    Speaker 1   

    I was self taught for the majority of the time. Of course, throughout grade school or high school, I would take the art classes required, or like AP, any kind of advanced, you know, exercise that I could get with it, because I just, I loved it. I was always drawing since the second grade and, just, any reason to not do other homework. And just to, and just focus on like, whatever required any kind of art, whether that be like science class and stuff like that. And then through high school, there was a institution called the Fine Arts Center. That was for high schoolers, kind of like a magnet trade school to get people started into college as well, but this one just focused on arts and liberal and music and stuff like that. And so after that, I did a couple years at Greenville Technical School over here, and that focused on, that had an incredible art program. 

    Speaker 1   

    But I did that for a couple of years, and that really helped me get a better gauge on the community, and like my mentors, including professors, and, you know, people who are really trying to take it more seriously and engage, you know, their own work into real life and into career aspect. So, that definitely helped me take it more seriously. Of course, it got a little bit heavy with trying to regulate, you know, I was living on my own already and then I had two jobs and stuff like that. So it was a lot to carry. But it really was manageable. You know, it was just you learn a lot about discipline and, you know, what art school or whatever you’re focusing on in creative work requires. But it really did help having like my mentors and the professors there kind of guiding me. I did have to take a break for about a year just to focus on work, but I was still selling my own personal freelance canvas stuff, and I eventually returned back to finish up my studies. And then after that, went to mortuary school for a few years, worked in a funeral home, and decided that my passion took even further a backseat. And I wasn’t really making art anymore. And then after that is when I found that hotel opportunity to do public art. And I’m like, “Well, let me just jump on this and see where that goes.” And over a span of maybe about three years, where I’m at now, I was able to kind of kickstart you know, going full time and, but learning every day about everything, and then everyone else in that community. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    You said that you’ve pretty much been, like, artistic your whole life. But was there one defining moment where you realized that you could and you wanted to make a career out of that? 

    Matteo Miles   

    There was in, I’d say it started in about middle school, when I would do art, or participate in art shows, I just had more of a business mindset, like track on it. So that was all I was determined to do was to really make it into a business and say, “I want to make a living off of this, I can’t do it by you know, just appreciating my own work.” Of course, I appreciate my own work, but just to be realistic. And I tried to share that concept with other people, then, you know, our professors as well, just so people didn’t think that the super high privileged could be the only ones being able to make art today as an adult in our generation. So I think that’s something that we all work on in education at the moment just to make everyone aware about that. 

    Haley Hansen   

    What would you say the biggest adjustment or challenge you faced was when you started being self-employed, working as a mural painter? 

    Speaker 1   

    One of the biggest challenges that took me a while to learn was how much things cost, but also the like, kind of underestimating what actually was required to get a project done. And at the end of it, having that learning experience of being like, “Oh, well, this required so much more than I at first intended to,” with supplies or equipment. And at the end of it, you kind of just didn’t really gain much out of it other than having the job finished. But that was just learning scenario, that’s probably one of the things I share with other people who are trying to go into actual murals, is just make sure you have your, your estimate correct, and your numbers good for your client. Because it’s, you can’t go back and try to change the numbers just because you thought you needed a more expensive paint or needed a scissor lift that you didn’t initially put into your proposal or a number, you’re just gonna have to like eat it. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Also be just taking your work seriously so that your client does as well. And that equals your own value. Because you can do the work, you can do what I call portfolio building, which I think is really important, which is doing your mural work. But if you’re first getting started and you’re gaining that experience, you know, you kind of give some slack to your prices, just so, you know, you make it easier, you’re able to portfolio build, and I think that’s important. And later on, as soon as you’re getting more experience, you get more value, then you can kind of up those prices. But don’t feel discouraged that you’re not just doing your work for a penny, you know, on the dollar just, you know, kind of realize that these are stepping stones in every career and every type of creative work too. And they only get better. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are there any specific skills that you would recommend to someone who’s trying to start a career in your field? 

    Matteo Miles   

    I think special skills, probably first, drawing and painting, getting good exercise. With large scale, for some reason for me, it feels easier to draw large scale, that idea seems really intimidating for people who are used to drawing within boundaries of you know, a smaller form, so just exercising with that. Also your body is super important, because you’re using your whole body. So exercise your body, stretch, make sure you’re able to have endurance, whether it’s inside or outside on ladders, scaffolding, scissor lifts, weather difficulties, whether it’s outside or inside, accessibility, not being afraid of heights, and not being afraid of strangers, not being afraid to perform in public, because that’s a big deal of it too. I had, it took me a while to kind of build up that, that shell of anxiety, like to reduce anxiety from being in public trying to draw or paint and not being able to focus because there’s people around you, people want to talk to you, people are interested in what you’re doing. 

    Matteo Miles   

    And sometimes that little like, “Oh, thank you” or “Yeah, I am drawing this” is fun, but, it’s exciting, but it’s so hard to like keep clicking back in that gear of like focusing on your drawing, because you’re not like in your studio, being able to do your own thing whenever you want. That’s, that’s one thing I’d say to definitely learn is that public, just awareness. Exercise your body, and your eye, your hand eye coordination, to think big, because when you’re up close, you spend 10 hours working on something super up close, and then you like stand back, it’ll look completely different. So sometimes you have to shift things up close on purpose, though, stand back, it looks different. So those are probably the three things that I would recommend for someone who’s wanting to go into mural paintings, and that’s just kind of the physical of it. And then business is a whole other ballgame. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are there any organizations or programs or events that you would recommend for people who are interested in, like locally or statewide? 

    Matteo Miles   

    There are mural festivals happening all over the country, they’re very easy to look up, there’s plenty of resources to find them. I’d say there’s about maybe well over 10 that happen every year all over the country. In my region, in South Carolina, we have our local art festivals, like Artisphere, or I think there’s one in Asheville, and then Charleston I believe, and Columbia, like Soda City. But those, they will incorporate sometimes some larger work or live performances by a mural artist or other people. So that’s for like the festival part and also going there to look at what other artists or muralists are doing. And you really learn a whole lot about that. I feel like I didn’t start doing that until maybe like last year. I was learning about Asheville’s big art, mural scene. And then also I went to Miami for the first time this year to look at Art Basel. I think Miami is a super huge mecca for murals within the United States, it’s probably one of the largest. And then there’s always, always local city of resources for RFQs, request for proposal that cities and people will post those goes for funding for grants and scholarships and opportunity for people interested in doing the mural work. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Because the most common question that I get asked from artists who want to do murals is, “how do I get started? Who do I ask?” And I’ll say, “if you haven’t done one yet, if your neighbor or family member or friend hasn’t asked you to come into their home and paint their bedroom wall or something, if it’s not a rental, then that was to me, it’d be a good place to start.” And what I got started with was a great opportunity was in a hotel space. But if you don’t have the opportunity, I’d say start with residential, that includes the bedroom, kitchen, ceilings that are pretty cool, and also baby nurseries, as well, those are a great start to do. You can do them for $1,000 to $3,000 per project. That way for people to agree with, and then you could start going into like restaurants or, you know, hotels or sides of buildings, and you know what the professional people are doing. 

    Matteo Miles   

    So I would say that that’s a good start. Because eventually, honestly, how it goes is once you do one or two of, you know, give it your best shot, mostly, most of the time that person’s going to share it, or people are going to see it and they’d be like, “Wow, I would really like something like that.” And it’s all word of mouth honestly, as well. It’s a very short one just because it’s very taxing on your body. So that’s another challenge that I faced was like, I’m 28. So I think I could probably do murals for another, hopefully 10 years is the goal. And then hopefully more after that if I’m still good at that checkpoint. But yeah, that’s another thing too is what makes it a little bit more challenging. Do you have any more questions? 

    Haley Hansen   

    Do you have any final advice for current students who are interested in pursuing a career in the creative world? 

    Matteo Miles   

    I’d say, stay in school as long as you can. Because there, most of the time there will be a section in, if you’re doing specifically Visual Arts on outdoor art, sculpture or murals. And I remember vividly, when we got to that part of the course or the curriculum, I was like, “I don’t need to learn.” I was like, “I’m never going to be doing that.” I go “that sounds too complicated.” I go “I don’t want to do that.” But, and then I didn’t really listen, and, but that’s what I would say to people or to students. It’s to just pay attention to maybe that portion, just since we’re getting a little bit more education and actual muralists out there now that are younger and kind of starting that generation. So I would say to if you’re, if they’re interested in it, it does pay off. Just pay attention in school to that part. And then yeah, and just try your best to connect to other muralists online to because I’ve met, I’ve met a lot that really do, they do like to work with each other. And I’ve met a few that rather would not work with other artists. I think, I don’t know why that works, I just think artists are just like that. But there are a lot of resources and helpful tips that people could share with each other. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Awesome. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Good stuff. Awesome. Well, thank you Haley. 

  • Rick Sargent

    “I actually got turned down twice when I applied to medical illustration school. I took time off, reassessed, and just drew and drew. When I finally got in, I was excited, and I have been doing this ever since.” 

    Rick Sargent is a professor of art at The Citadel, where he teaches drawing, painting, animation, and illustration. He is also a seasoned freelance medical illustrator specializing in medical-legal illustration. A native of Columbus, Georgia, now based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Sargent holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Medical Illustration from the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University). 

    About

    Rick Sargent’s career is a seamless fusion of art, science, and education. With over two decades of experience in medical illustration and a decade of college-level teaching, Sargent brings a dual perspective to the classroom. His journey began with a high school art teacher’s advice to pursue medical illustration, a field that would allow him to combine his love for drawing with a deep interest in science. 

    After earning his master’s degree in medical Illustration, Sargent began working in the field, eventually specializing in medical-legal illustration, where he collaborates with attorneys to visually communicate complex medical scenarios through 2D, digital, and 3D illustrations. “They have to explain and communicate in layman’s terms what happened in an accident or medical procedure,” he said. “That’s where I come in.” 

    Sargent transitioned into teaching when a colleague suggested he consider the classroom. “I fell in love with teaching,” he recalls. Now a professor at The Citadel, he continues to practice freelance illustration while guiding students through the fundamentals of art and creative expression. 

    His advice to aspiring creatives is both disciplined and expansive: “Find your thing and do it really, well but don’t be afraid to explore. The creative paths you follow may connect in unexpected and meaningful ways.” 

    Sargent’s impact at The Citadel is evident in art has become the college’s largest minor, in part because students discover new ways of thinking visually through his classes. “There are many incredible artists at The Citadel who didn’t know they were artists,” he said. “For me, coming from a medical illustration background that’s something they can get their minds around.” 

  • Jim Craft

    “The importance of learning the craft, learning the principles and elements of art and design and really understanding how to apply them, cannot be overstated. Design theory ends up being the currency of whether or not you can develop a particular visual way of expressing yourself, whether it’s sculpture, ceramics, architecture or another field.” 

    Jim Craft, who lives in Greenville, was a studio artist for ten years and then transitioned to academia. He was a professor of art at North Greenville University for 16 years and then moved to West Palm Beach, Fla., teaching at Palm Beach Atlantic University for 10 years. He earned his B.A. and M.A. from Bob Jones University and his MFA at Clemson University. 

    About

    As a studio artist, Craft worked in nearly all traditional media, including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and printmaking. He marketed ceramics, sculpture, and art to galleries and designed and produced ceramics for the High Point, N.C., furniture market. Craft secured commissions for paintings, murals, and architectural installations, including one at Our Lady of the Rosary in Greenville, S.C. 

    “It was really fun having a studio and being an artist, getting up every day and making stuff, showing my work at exhibitions,” said Craft. “But, it’s just not a realistic long-term goal. Even my friends who were wildly successful as artists had to supplement their income with other things, and it’s good to have those kinds of things in your pocket. So, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from getting a degree in graphic design or advertising or any of the design areas.” 

    Craft had also earned a degree in education, and making the move to academia was the best fit for him and his family. Teaching allowed him to mentor and guide aspiring artists, and the range of their career journeys was vast. 

    “I had students who have ended up in retail and selling in galleries or auction houses, traveling internationally even. Keep your alternatives lined up and be realistic about a career in the arts. You don’t have end up in a studio to stay in the arts. I had a student who ended up being an international buyer of fine rugs from all over Europe and North Africa and the Middle East. She was a painter, and she understood artistic principles and elements. You can focus on that and keep that, but keep a number of alternatives in your pocket just to be more widely marketable. It’s all the same – whether you’re looking at a Persian rug or a really nice ceramic vessel.” 

  • Daniel Dorriety

    Daniel Dorriety

    “I’ve always had a passion for welding… I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. The more you do, the more you try, the better you get.” 

    Daniel Dorriety is a welder by trade and works at General Electric building gas turbines. He is part of a special process team for repair engineering, focusing on joining development, handling the welding on every part of the gas turbines that get fixed. 

    About

    Daniel Dorriety is a seasoned welder at General Electric, repairing massive turbines with laser precision. His path began in high school, where he took welding at the Golden Strip Career Center and discovered the satisfaction of building something with his own two hands. That experience, paired with an associate’s degree from Greenville Tech, launched a lifelong career in the trades. 

    Today, Dorriety specializes in special process welding a technically demanding role that involves everything from torch repair to laser applications. Off the clock, he runs his own small welding shop and dreams of full-time self-employment. What drives him isn’t just the metal it’s learning. “The more you do, the better you get,” he says. 

    He encourages students interested in trades to explore short-term training programs like Arc labs, and to stay open-minded about alternative paths. Welding isn’t just about physical skill, he says it requires patience, communication, and constant adaptation. Whether it’s collaborating with engineers or mentoring newcomers, Dorriety takes pride in the craft and the community behind it. 

  • Matteo Miles

    Matteo Miles

    “Take yourself seriously, and others will too.”  

    Matteo Miles is a professional muralist based in Greenville, SC. Known for large-scale, hyper-realistic public art, he blends creative talent with a strong business sense. Miles believes in creating work that speaks for itself and builds community along the way. 

    About

    Matteo Miles built a career from scratch literally by picking up a paintbrush and offering to finish a mural that had been abandoned at the hotel where he bartended. That spark ignited a career now filled with large-scale murals across the region for clients like Starbucks and local businesses. 

    A graduate of Greenville Tech and the Fine Arts Center, Miles knew from a young age that art was his calling. “I always wanted to do something creative,” he says. But the transition from sketchbook to scaffolding wasn’t easy. He learned to price his work fairly, navigate contracts, and build stamina for long painting days. His advice? “Take yourself seriously, and others will too.” 

    Miles now completes multiple mural projects a month and approaches each one with both artistic vision and professional discipline. His work is deeply tied to place celebrating community stories, local icons, and shared identity. “You’re creating something that lives in people’s everyday world,” he says. 

    For young artists, he recommends gaining both technical and physical readiness. “You’ll be on your knees, on ladders, in heat or cold,” he says with a laugh. But the results? They’re unforgettable. 

      

  • Kathy Phillips

    Kathy Phillips

    “Stay true to your creative path—there are remarkable opportunities waiting for those who persevere.”  

    Kathy Phillips is the Chief Curator at Baxter Mill Archive. She holds an MFA in Theatre Design with a concentration in costumes.

    About

    Kathy Phillips is an accomplished Creative Director, Chief Curator, and textile expert with over 25 years of experience in the home, apparel, and quilting/craft industries. Currently serving as the Chief Curator at Springs Creative’s Baxter Mill Archives, Kathy leads the creative development of a vast collection of over 1 million antique documents, textiles, hand-painted artwork, and rare European textile books.

    Throughout her career, Kathy has worked with esteemed home furnishing companies, curating artwork and inspiration that reflect evolving consumer trends and uphold brand integrity. She has successfully directed high-profile brand launches, including the Springmaid rebrand in collaboration with Target and Genevieve Gorder, and has expanded product lines at JLA Home, overseeing collections for prominent brands like Natori and Woolrich.

    A passionate educator, Kathy has taught textile design at Winthrop University and the Art Institute of Charlotte and holds creative workshops for local fabric stores and quilt guilds. She holds an MFA in Theatre Design, with a concentration in costumes, from the University of Connecticut. With a keen eye for design and a commitment to preserving and advancing textile arts, Kathy continues to shape the industry through innovative brand strategies and creative vision.

  • Rick Sargent

    “I actually got turned down twice when I applied to medical illustration school. I took time off, reassessed, and just drew and drew. When I finally got in, I was excited, and I have been doing this ever since.” 

    Rick Sargent is a professor of art at The Citadel, where he teaches drawing, painting, animation, and illustration. He is also a seasoned freelance medical illustrator specializing in medical-legal illustration. A native of Columbus, Georgia, now based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Sargent holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Medical Illustration from the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University). 

    Interview

    Transcript 

    Rick Sargent 00:00 
    I am Rick Sargent. I’m originally from Georgia, Middle Georgia, a smallish, mid-sized town called Columbus, Georgia. And right now, I currently reside in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. 

    Sara Sobota 00:12 
    What do you do for work? And where are you working from right now? 

    Rick Sargent 00:16 
    I am primarily a college professor at The Citadel, and I teach art. I teach drawing, painting, animation, and illustration. What makes me suitable for that is my other career. My other gig which is being a medical illustrator. When I’m teaching, obviously it’s in person, not online. As a medical illustrator, I work from home. 

    Sara Sobota 00:43 
    Okay, next question. How long have you been working there, and what is your official job title? You have two of each of those? 

    Rick Sargent 00:50 
    I do, yeah. I’ve been at The Citadel for 10 years. I have been a medical illustrator for 22 years. 

    Sara Sobota 00:59 
    Okay, wow. How did you end up in the field? We kind of went over that already, but if you could just give us a recap? 

    Rick Sargent 01:06 
    Yeah, absolutely. So, I ended up becoming a medical illustrator from the inspiration and advice I had from my high school art teacher, who knew a medical illustrator and thought I would be a good fit.

    I changed my major at the University of Georgia, earned an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, and then went on to get a Master of Science degree in Medical Illustration. From there, I started practicing medical illustration in New Jersey, came down to South Carolina, and had a colleague who was teaching at another school who turned me on to the idea of teaching. He eventually left the program, and I took over his role and fell in love with teaching. I have been a teacher ever since. 

    Sara Sobota 02:08 
    Wow, that’s great. So, your graduate degree was an M.S. in Medical Illustration? 

    Rick Sargent 02:15 
    Correct. 

    Sara Sobota 02:16 
    Wow, that’s fantastic. You don’t often hear or see that. 

    Rick Sargent 02:21 
    Yeah. Different programs offer different degrees. Some, like Johns Hopkins, offer a Master of Arts program. At the Medical College of Georgia now Augusta University they wanted to provide a stronger scientific foundation, so they offered a Master of Science degree while teaching the arts. 

    Sara Sobota 02:49 
    Forgive me, I don’t know what’s the Medical College of Georgia’s name now? 

    Rick Sargent 02:56 
    It is now Augusta University. 

    Sara Sobota 03:00 
    Oh, I didn’t know that. 

    Rick Sargent 03:01 
    It changed maybe five years ago. It used to be Georgia Regents University, but they were absorbed into Augusta University. 

    Sara Sobota 03:10 
    Got it. What background helped you land your roles? 

    Rick Sargent 03:16 
    Yeah, for sure. For being a professor, it was a real-world experience plus having a master’s degree, which is the terminal degree for medical illustration, since there is no Ph.D. in the field. 

    Sara Sobota 03:34 
    Are there any medical illustration programs in South Carolina? 

    Rick Sargent 03:40 
    There are not. 

    Sara Sobota 03:40 
    So you need to go to another state? 

    Rick Sargent 03:46 
    Yes. There are about six schools across the country offering a master’s degree program. Some, like Rochester Institute of Technology, offer a bachelor’s degree in medical illustration. 

    Sara Sobota 04:01 
    Can you walk us through a typical workday? What’s your process and what’s expected? 

    Rick Sargent 04:08 
    Sure. I’ll focus on the medical illustration side. I specialize in what’s called medical-legal illustration. I work for attorneys who need to explain in layman’s terms and visually what happened in an accident or a procedure.

    A typical day involves reviewing operative reports and radiology films, then making a proposal on the best way to present their case. That gets reviewed by a medical expert. We usually schedule Zoom meetings to clarify the case, and once I have the supporting materials, I begin creating the illustrations. 

    Sara Sobota 05:04 
    Wow, you are blending law, medicine, and art. 

    Rick Sargent 05:08 
    I’m telling you, it’s all over. 

    Sara Sobota 05:10 
    That’s amazing. 

    Rick Sargent 05:12 
    Yeah. 

    Sara Sobota 05:14 
    That is awesome. Can you describe a defining moment in your creative journey, something that had a significant impact on you, or something you produced that really showcased your creativity? 

    Rick Sargent 05:27 
    I will say, medical illustration-wise. Yeah, there was a defining moment; I was the senior medical illustrator at Houston Sports Medicine Orthopedic Hospital in Columbus, Georgia. And there was a conference coming up, where a surgeon wanted to display a new surgery technique. And he was; this was back in 2002. Um, 2003, time. And he was cutting edge. And even in technology as far as visual communication. And so, he was really pushing the department to move to 3D. While we were just scratching the surface of that, a lot of stuff that we did was in Photoshop. Every now and then, we would dip into After Effects and things like that to make things move for animation.  

    And so, in a very quick turnaround, he bought the software for 3D, told me to learn it, and created an animation of his procedure. So, we had a roughly three-week turnaround time, from start to finish, of storyboarding of creating the models and rendering to get ready for his presentation at his conference. And we actually won an award for it. It was, it was insane. It was long nights spent. I slept there over the weekend trying to create something. But it’s well worth it. And I think he is still using some of the components of it.  

    Sara Sobota 06:37 
    That’s amazing. So, when you say “we,” who was on the team? Was it just you and him or?  

    Rick Sargent 07:19 
    It was me and him as; we had another medical illustrator on staff, who was helping to kind of give art direction to it. Since she was more, publications. But she was definitely lending a hand to the process. We had all hands-on deck, so to speak, right?  

    Sara Sobota 07:39 
    That’s amazing. Was it for you to find this career path? Or to figure out how to apply your background to this task? We talked about that. 

    Rick Sargent 07:49 
    Definitely a challenge, for sure. And I definitely wrestled with, could I make a career, I’m just gonna go with medical illustration, like, it was definitely challenged to say that I was going to be a medical illustrator. I actually got turned down, twice, to apply to the school. And so, with my portfolio I just kept, I was more kind of not really, I was a little bit wishy-washy, at least on the second round, because I was debating on this career or this career. And I was like, well, I’ll just submit my application. 

    And then I took a year off. And that kind of sat down, reassessed where I was going, and what I needed to do, and I think, really put the nose to the grindstone and just drew and drew and drew and drew, you know, everything that they wanted for the portfolio, took their advice from the previous portfolio, and it’s like, Alright, I’m going to, I’m gonna hit this hard, you know. And then, when I finally got in, I was pretty excited.  

    Sara Sobota 08:50 
    Yeah, that’s amazing. Great. Can you recommend any specific skills that an aspiring applicant should have to increase their chances of landing a role in your field? 

    Rick Sargent 09:04 
    I know that, obviously, rendering and the timeless skills are line, shape, accuracy, value, accuracy, being able to communicate visually, and being confident and effective about the way that you communicate with line and value. That is something that, hands down, digital or non-digital, you have to know.  

    So, but I know that, you know, AI is coming up and you know, or people say, is that going to replace, you know, illustration and things like that, and then relying on generative AI, things inside of software such as Adobe Photoshop, which we use a ton. That software only gets you so far, and that reliability on that can only get you to a certain level.  

    So, I would say you need to; don’t rely on those things. You can use them as tools, but you’re making case specific and what’s going to make you relevant is that you can be case specific, and not generic and not rely on things like AI, or generative art that’s going to make you seem more clip art and non-relevant.  

    So, I would say, keep being creative, I would say, keep up your draftsmanship skills and your ability to learn how contrast of how atmospheric perspective communicates and makes a hierarchy. That will be the most important skill that I would recommend. 

    Sara Sobota 10:30 
    Okay, great. Okay. Are there any local organizations, programs, or events that you recommend for aspiring creatives in South Carolina? 

    Rick Sargent 10:41 
    In South Carolina, I would say, you know, Piccolo Spoleto, getting involved in getting your artwork out there as much as possible. Being involved in art and art competitions, I found it really useful. I won the Cooper River Bridge run poster design contest, you know, way back when, and just getting involved in competitions, like those sort of things, even though the Cooper River Bridge one, wasn’t medical illustration at all, you know, but it’s designed, and it got my name out there. It gave me a little bit of, you know, clout. As I approach and talk about design, they are like, well, what did you do? And I say, well, here is this or people recognize my name from certain things.  

    And I have always been a proponent of just finding any competition that interests you make stuff and find ways to get into it. You get connected to more artists that way, that, oh, I saw your work and filled in the blanks, right? And so, design organizations, graphic design organizations, I would be a part of or try to connect with. There is the Association of Medical Illustrators, as far as my own career that I am a part of, I would connect with them, you know, follow them online, look at their stuff on Instagram. See what is happening? What are hot topics? And learning those topics? The research know, is it on your own? 

    Sara Sobota 12:10 
    One more aside, have you ever been to Artfield’s? 

    Rick Sargent 12:16 
    I have never been to art fields. I know, stop. I know, I know. It’s my own fault. It’s my own fault. Some of that, I’ve submitted fine artwork to art fields that were not accepted. It is one of my goals to have a piece that is accepted that way; a lot of my stuff is more illustration-based rather than pushing the envelope of art.  

    I’ve had friends; one of my best friends here, who is a painter, you know, got in several years ago, and just spoke highly of that and loved it. And I want to take my kids there; they are now traveling at an age where we can do that sort of thing. And so, yes, it is my own fault. But I want to be part of that. 

    Sara Sobota 12:59 
    I only ask because I’m so proud of that gem for our state. 

    Rick Sargent 13:04 
    It’s amazing. Really incredible. 

    Sara Sobota 13:07 
    It’s really nice to have you here. Do you have any advice for current college students or pre-professional creatives? 

    Rick Sargent 13:18 
    Yes, I do. I would say there are two main schools of thought for creatives currently. Number one is that you find your thing and do it really, really well. It seems more of a single focus. And so, I would, I would say, it’s easy to get distracted from social, in social media, and discouraged and say, well, I’m not that person, and then just quit what you’re doing. I would say, first and foremost, find, figure out what you like, and figure out what you want to do. And what gives you energy, what feeds your creativity, and do that thing and keep going at it. It is discipline. And so focus on that. And just keep going, keep going, keep going.  

    Rick Sargent 14:09 

    Draw, sketch. If you are a fanatic about birds. How can you communicate, birds, and do it over and over and over and over and over and over again? The thing is, to not resist the temptation to have diversity. So, are you an acrylic painter? Are you an oil painter? Are you a sculptor? Do you have a creative inkling to move into other realms? Don’t limit yourself.  

    So, I know it seems like a little bit of a disconnect or contract or I’m contradicting myself a little bit. But at the same time, man, there’s some really cool stuff that you can be involved in, and you’re never going to know that if you follow this little track of creativity it’s going to come back to that other bit that you were just passionate about or like oh, wow, now I see these connections.  

    I’ve had so many things that have strangely connected me and developed my artwork. You name it. sand sculpting, you know, like what? Sure, you know, like sculpting has helped me become a better draw or like a better illustrator, like learning in depth and plains of the face as maybe a better portrait painter by becoming better by sculpting like things that you would never think that could be connected somehow gets connected.  

    So, if there’s something doesn’t ignore things that give you fire as far as a creative like, Man, that is so interesting. pursue it, learn about it, and figure some things out because it may come back to bless your drawing, so to speak, or enhance your drawing, so to speak, or enhance your other part of your creativity. 

    Sara Sobota 15:45 
    Yeah, fantastic. Well, that’s all the questions that I have for my interview; you have given me so much; I really appreciate it and your input, I know it will really be helpful to the students. And there is also a few other things that we might have gone on with creative careers in the future. So, is it okay if I reach out to you again if anything comes up? 

    Rick Sargent 16:06 
    Yes, absolutely. Yes. Okay, well, I love talking about this stuff. I love meeting other medical illustrators or other illustrators or aspiring medical illustrators. For you know, Zoom calls, I’ve had text, Zoom calls, coffee, you know, with people who are interested in this. So, either that or any sort of creative, please let me know. 

    Sara Sobota 16:28 
    Okay, that sounds great. 

    Rick Sargent 16:29 
    Yeah. 

    Sara Sobota 16:30 
    Thank you for your time! 

    Rick Sargent 16:31 
    You’re welcome, Sara. Nice to meet you. 

    Sara Sobota 16:33 
    Have a great weekend! 

    Rick Sargent 16:34 
    You too! 

  • Marius Valdes

    Marius Valdes

    “Everyone’s got their own journey, and you have to find your way. I would never discourage anyone from a journey in the applied arts or the creative arts if they have the drive and the will to do it. Because that’s the biggest part of it: just being disciplined.”

    Marius Valdes is an artist, illustrator, and professor of Studio Art teaching graphic design and illustration at the University of South Carolina. Valdes received his BFA in graphic design from the University of Georgia (UGA) and his MFA in visual communication from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Valdes is originally from Charleston and lives in Columbia.

    Interview

    Transcript

    Marius Valdes  00:00 

    My name is Marius Valdes. I’m from Charleston, South Carolina. I currently live in Columbia, South Carolina. I’m a professor at the University of South Carolina. I teach graphic design and illustration. I’m also a practicing artist and illustrator. 

    Emma Plutnicki  00:15 

    Amazing. So, can you just tell us what your official job title is? And how long have you been working as a professor there? 

    Marius Valdes  00:22 

    Yep, it’s Professor of Studio Art. And I’ve been here since 2007, so something like 17 years. 

    Emma Plutnicki  00:31 

    Yeah. 

    Marius Valdes  00:33 

    So long! 

    Emma Plutnicki  00:34 

    Yeah, that is a long time. So how did you end up as a professor, and I believe before you were a practicing professional in the field, so how did you kind of make that transition from practicing in the field to then to academia? 

    Marius Valdes  00:48 

    So, I graduated from the University of Georgia in 1998. And I worked as a designer for about four or five years. And I had got to a point where I was really exploring illustration, I was kind of enjoying that almost more than the design work I was doing. But one of the things I felt like was limiting me as a designer was, I didn’t feel like I was very good at talking about my work. So, I thought going to graduate school would be kind of a good way to go and kind of expand my education, and kind of take what I’ve been doing for four or five years and kind of refocus and kind of just make myself more marketable. And while I was there, I had no intention of being a professor or teacher, and to me today that still seems kind of crazy. They let me do that. But when I was there, part of my scholarship was to teach a class. And I just loved it. And it was really fun. And what I found was kind of like, even though some of the students I taught were, were, maybe in some ways, more talented than I was, as a designer, I just knew more than them, because I had been doing it as a professional. And so, I just kind of really enjoyed it. 

    When I originally started college, I was going to be a psychology major, because I thought maybe I would be a counselor, or a shrink or something. I like talking to people. But then I realized there was science involved. So, I feel like teaching has kind of given me the ability to do that sort of stuff, in addition to teaching, you know.  

    Emma Plutnicki  02:25 

    Yeah, it makes sense. So, what kind of background led you to become a professor? What do you think, specifically lead you to do studio design, how has your background within studio design helped you to teach it now? 

    Marius Valdes  02:39 

    Yeah, so I think what helped me was, and I always tell students who are thinking about going to grad school to work for a couple of years, because when you get out of college, and you start working, and this is also why internships are really important, it gives you a chance to kind of figure out what you like, and also what you don’t like. So, for example, I was working in Charleston, and I was doing really well, I was working for companies that were doing a lot of real estate, like brochure design and advertising for real estate companies. And it just got so boring. I mean, it paid okay, and it was a nice job. But it wasn’t very interesting. And I started painting on the side for fun. I was literally finger painting on cardboard. And that started winning me awards. And I was, just like “what?” You know? 

    So it was kind of taking those things that were fun with the practical stuff I had kind of learned as a designer, and putting those together and then going to graduate school for two years, and working with a whole new group of professors who treated me more like a colleague and less like a student, and just learning to talk about work and look at my own work and kind of evaluate it, and look at other people’s work and be able to learn how to talk about it. All those things make me able to teach now, you know. Some semesters are easier than others, you know, some groups of students are easier to work with than others. But usually, it just means it takes me a little longer to kind of get through to people. But once I do, you know, I can share with them what I’ve been through. And I think that helps. 

    Emma Plutnicki  04:11 

    Yeah, that’s great. So nowadays, can you walk us through a typical workday, like what you have to do, what classes you teach, and just what’s expected from you on a daily basis? 

    Marius Valdes  04:33 

    Yeah, so I teach what they call two-two load, which means I teach two classes in the fall and two classes in the spring. I teach Mondays and Wednesdays, which is why I normally check my calendar first thing Monday morning. But the thing about teaching is my classes are two hours long. And I don’t always go the full time because a lot of times, the students, I give them something to do and they need get started and they’ve got to meet with me, and then once I’ve I met with them they need to go work. And that can be, they can stay in the classroom, they can go to a design lab, they can go to the library, they can go wherever they need to do their work. But for me on Mondays and Wednesdays, I’m teaching from eleven to four. Before the classes start, I’m usually checking email, getting caught up talking to students. 

    On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I do office hours, and that might be coming into my office and actually meeting with people. It might be doing a Zoom call; it might just be looking at work that’s been posted online and making comments on it. And then I’m also doing emails with, you know, colleagues and trying to figure out how to keep the design program going. It might be service at the university where I have to go to, like, for example, I was a faculty senator for a bunch of years. And that was a thing where once a month, for two or three hours, you go to a really long meeting and talk about all the things going on at the university. 

    So, Fridays are usually research days where it’s supposed to be a day where you have kind of an uninterrupted time to just work on your work. Although I will say this year, it’s been a lot of meetings on Fridays, because there’s so much going on all the time. At the university level, I’m at what they call research one university. So that means the emphasis is 40% teaching, 40% research, and then 20% service, which is doing things like being a faculty senator, for example. Other schools, like I taught at USC Upstate for two years. That’s what they call a teaching school where you’re teaching more classes and there’s less expectation of you doing research. Research for me is doing design work, illustration work, making art, and putting on other shows and stuff like that. And going to conferences to present my work. 

    Emma Plutnicki  06:55 

    Cool. Yeah, so, you just mentioned putting together projects and things like that. Do you have one project that stands out in your career as being, like, exceptionally motivating toward you or something that just had a significant impact on your life? 

    Marius Valdes  07:11 

    Oh yeah. You know, for the past couple of years, I’ve been working with the medical university, Carolina’s Children’s Hospital in Charleston. And I got a couple of grants through the school to work with them and created several murals for them. I’ve created some kids’ activities and books for therapists to use. I would say that’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, because it’s weird, I mean, I’m not kidding you, about an hour ago, a guy I work with here was like, “Hey, man, I’m at MUSC right now in the children’s hospital with my kid and my kid is like obsessed with your frog, you know, the mural, and it’s been really nice, like, it’s really made a difference on this visit,” and I get emails like that occasionally from people. And its always kind of sad, because like, the only way to really see those things is if you have a sick kid, but I really enjoy that. 

    And then I have other projects, I’ve done things that are more self-initiated, where I’ve kind of created little casts of characters. Some of them are called The Secret Species, and they’re these little clay figures, and I kind of would make art about them and leave them places and stuff. And I got a lot of mileage out of those, like that was kind of part of my thesis for my grad school. And I just kept kind of working on it. I got some really good attention for that work that was meaningful to me, for people to say, “Wow, this is a really creative idea,” you know. I kept hoping a toy company would come and offer me a couple million dollars for it. But that never happened. So… 

    Emma Plutnicki  08:45 

    No, that’s so cool. And just like, overall, has it been challenging in your career, both as a professor and as a practicing creative? 

    Marius Valdes  08:57 

    Yeah, I mean, you know, I’ll be honest with you, I think being a professional creative is not for the weak of heart. But what I will tell you is that when I was probably a little bit, like, your age, or even a year or two younger, I remember driving with my dad, and telling him, “I think I’m going to be an art major.” You know? I was just waiting for him to like, say, “What are you doing?” you know, and he just said to me, he’s like, “Well, if you do something like that that you love, you’ll never really work.” And I kind of feel like that. I mean, now, I do feel like I work. But, I mean, I work on things I care about. And I think that to me, it is sort of one of the main things that is like, you know, on my worst day, I might be struggling with a painting or an illustration for a client, but what I’m sitting here doing is drawing, you know. And I’m married to my wife who is a paralegal. She has a very normal nine-to-five job. And, you know, her job is answering to five attorneys, you know, screaming, like, “I need this now, I need this now.” And I can’t really complain too much, right? 

    The other thing is, I think that like, if you go into design or advertising, you are a little bit subject to your clients, and where you’re working and who your clients are, versus academia, which is much more steady, it’s a little bit more of a routine, you know, you kind of get into a groove. And I feel like whenever it gets too stressful, oh, spring break! Oh, Christmas time, here’s a month off! Here’s summertime, you can go paint for a month. And you kind of get all the stress of all the things you have to do, kind of out of your system, and then you reset. So, I feel like I’ve done a little bit of everything in the creative world. And I think like, sometimes the grass is greener, you know, sometimes you’re doing, you know, I’m doing academia, and I’m here teaching a bunch of kids, or students, and I think like, “man, I’d really like to just be in like an office setting right now, working on a project all day, sitting in front of it not worrying about this person or this person or this person.” But then you go into having a critique, and your students bring in a bunch of amazing work. And you’re like, “oh, man, I am a good teacher!” I mean, I joke around them all the time, and when they do something good. I always say, “Oh, I do know what I’m doing.” You know? There are little rewards everywhere. 

    And I think there’s all levels of like, I look at some people who have careers, you know, in the arts, and they are just doing amazing things. And they’re making gobs of money. And they have tons of exposure and fame and fortune. And I looked at people who were totally content just to be in their studio painting all day and illustrating and never seeing anybody and that makes them happy too. So, it’s like anything in life, you kind of have to everyone’s got kind of their own little journey. And you kind of have to find your own way. But I would never discourage anyone from a career in the applied arts or creative arts, if they have the drive and the will to do it. Because I really think that’s the biggest part of it is just being disciplined, you know? 

    Emma Plutnicki  12:15 

    And along with being disciplined, are there any physical skills that you think are beneficial for people trying to break into the world of design? Any specific skills that maybe you possess, that help you in your day to day life, or just if you saw, if you were hiring for a design job, and you saw, “Oh, this applicant has this skill,” what kind of things like that are beneficial to have? 

    Marius Valdes  12:39 

    Yeah, I think anytime you can get better and faster at learning software, that just becomes a tool in your tool belt that will help you get your ideas out faster. The one thing I preach to my students about a lot, and I always tell them this story that I graduated on Friday, and I started the following Monday freelancing at Cartoon Network, which at the time, back then that would have been my dream job, to work there and work with animation stuff. And what happened was, I was at Turner network, which is in Atlanta, and they were using a brand-new version of Adobe Illustrator that was different than what we had in my undergrad at Georgia. And I just could not teach myself how to figure out the new software, because I was used to having a professor always come over my shoulder and say, “All right, push that button, push this button.” And back then there was no SkillShare. There was no LinkedIn learning, it was called Adobe Classroom in a book, and it was a book like this thick, and you had to flip through and follow the steps, and it was really unintuitive. So I always kind of preach, I think one skill students can really do is teach themselves how to learn, and learn how to learn, and be open, you know, because technology is changing so quickly, that if you can’t keep up with it, it’s going to really hinder your growth, I think. 

    And the other thing is to be a design sponge or art sponge. And I mean that in the sense of, don’t just look at Pinterest and don’t just look at Google. It’s like, go to the library, look at design books, find stuff that’s been curated and edited, and it’s got the really good stuff in it, because the stuff you see on the internet, while some of it’s really cool, a lot of it is just a copy of a copy of a copy, you know. It’s good to go back and go to the original stuff. I think also just being a decent person, a nice person, nice to people. That goes a really long way. You know. And not everybody is going to be nice to you, but I think I’m in this job because I’m a good, decent person. I think that as I make connections and networks and you start meeting people, I think people are like, “Oh, that’s someone I would want to work with,” you know? 

    Emma Plutnicki  15:03 

    Yeah. That makes sense. So, for networking, are there any events or programs or organizations within South Carolina to meet people like that? Like design specific events or anything that you know of that someone who’s looking to get into that field could go to and kind of meet people that have similar minds? 

    Marius Valdes  15:22 

    Yeah, for design, AIGA [The Professional Association for Design] has always been kind of the big national organization, and they have chapters throughout. Some chapters are better than others. We used to have one in Columbia that was amazing, and it’s basically dead now. But you could go to Charlotte, or depending on where you live, you could go to Atlanta, or maybe another place that has a little bit more thriving AIGA chapter. 

    The other thing we’re seeing is like, here at the university we’ve got a group of students who just kind of took it upon, amongst themselves, to start a new chapter of a design club. And they’ve been doing amazing things, bringing guest speakers and doing workshops for students that are younger than them. And it’s just kind of been really cool to see them kind of take on a mentorship role. And some of the speakers they’ve got in, I’m just like, “how did you get that person for free?” I mean, you know, I think if there’s not something for you to use, then you can always start your own thing, and get like-minded people together. For advertising, there’s the Advertising Federation, there’s usually chapters of that. So, for example, there’s the Midlands Federation here, and they have things every year called The Addy Awards. So those are competitions you can put your student work in and try and get feedback on. But those are kind of probably the main ones I would think about, you know? 

    Emma Plutnicki  16:47 

    Amazing. And then just as we wrap up, do you have any advice for either a college student who’s trying to, after graduating, get into design or academia, or just somebody who wants to get into a creative field? Any advice? 

    Marius Valdes  17:02 

    Yeah, I mean, so one of the things I’ll tell you is, you know, and again, something I tell my students all the time is, you’re going to graduate with a portfolio that you made. And if you have a good teacher, it should be a good portfolio; it should be a pretty solid portfolio. But the day you graduate, you could take that portfolio, you can throw in the garbage, and make one that you really like, you know? Or you can have several, you could have a portfolio that’s aimed at a very conservative company, you could have one that sort of, like, aimed at like your dream company, you could have one that is more about your illustration than your design, or one that’s all about your lettering. And the main thing is like you want to go after the kind of work you’re interested in doing, because if you put a bunch of calligraphy or hand, you know, handwritten stuff in your portfolio, and you hate doing it, that’s usually what you end up getting hired to do. And you’ll be like, “oh, man, why’d I do this?” So, I think part of it is kind of, again, figuring out what you’re interested in, but also what you’re not interested in. So, you can be more targeted yourself. 

    I also feel like when you’re in college, and you’re graduating, if you’re young, if you can try and come out of college without any credit card debt or student loans, and you have nothing, like, no baggage, go to a big city and work if you can, because it’s a bigger market. You’ll have more opportunity, it’s faster paced, it’ll make you better, because you’ll be competing against a lot of other people and you’ll be working a lot harder. If you are from a town like Charleston, or Columbia, when you come back, you’ll be heads and shoulders better than everybody else, because you’re used to working in those bigger markets.  

    And I also tell students, if you’re sending out emails and cold calling people by email, sometimes it helps to have a really nice piece that you can mail, because people love getting cool things in the mail. If you’re looking at a very specific city, you can always email art directors and tell them you’re coming to visit that city for a week, and you would love to meet with them while you’re in town. And sometimes just stopping by place and letting people see you in person and see that you’re a normal, nice person. Or maybe you’re an abnormal person, they like that too, you know? I mean, sometimes just going and introducing yourself, the person sits behind that front desk, they have a lot of power, because they can reach back to the creative director and say, “Hey, you know, this guy Marius came by here today. And he was so polite and nice. He would be a good fit here.” You know? Sometimes that can be the thing that makes a difference, versus just sending a PDF to someone saying, “Hey, here’s my stuff. I just graduated, let me know,” you know. 

    And lastly, once you graduate, you have your student portfolio. You should be working immediately to try and replace student work with real work. So, if you find an organization, or nonprofits that you’re really interested in, maybe it’s like maybe you’re someone who’s really into cats and dogs, well maybe go to your local SPCA and offer to do a poster for them. If they print it, you’ll trade design services for them doing that, then you can replace one of your student projects with a real project. And I think the more you start building that up, the better it is. 

    And then the last thing I’ll say, this is the advice I would tell myself, if I could go back in time: be patient, finding a job is, sometimes it’s the market, sometimes its timing, is just like, you know, you just never know what the elements of finding that right job are at the moment. It could be someone is going on maternity leave, and they need someone to fill in for six months. They just happened to get your resume that day; you know that literally happened to me. So, it’s about being patient and not looking at your classmates or your friends and seeing “Oh, man, so-and-so is going to work for Google and so-and-so’s going to work for this agency, and I just can’t find a job.” It’s going to take a little time for some people. And you just have to be persistent, and again, disciplined. Maybe you get a job waiting tables at night, so you have your days open so you can go to an interview or do freelance work. Or maybe you just got your dream job right out of college that happens to you know? 

    Emma Plutnicki  21:16 

    That’s great advice, thank you. And just overall, is there anything else you’d like to add? 

    Marius Valdes  21:21 

    I mean, I think college and work are the same thing. You get what you put into it. So, I think you just got to get started. Like, that’s really something someone told me. The Cartoon Network thing didn’t work out, so I moved to Charlotte. And the girl I was dating at the time got this amazing job making really good money and doing awesome client work. And I got offered this really boring job, making almost half of what she was making. I remember one of my teachers just saying, “Dude, just get started.” And it’s so true. Once you get into the field, that first job is kind of a fifth year of college. You learn more, and you start to get better at things. And once you’re in a job, it’s easy to find another job, you know? And you will be amazed, and students will be amazed at what life is like when you don’t have homework. You have so much more time, like spare time, that you won’t know what to do with yourself. My first year out of college, I was like the healthiest I ever was in my life, because I would get home from work and be so bored. I would just go for a two-hour walk with my dog and then come home and read, and paint, and I had so much spare time outside of the nine to five thing, and it was great, you know, it was really, really nice. So, I guess that’d be my last little bit of advice. 

    Emma Plutnicki  22:49 

    Yeah. Perfect. Well, thank you so much for joining us today.