Tanya Marie

It's Just January...

2012-01-25T16:40:00.000-08:00

...a photo tid-bit and a hello :)

Design work that ended 2011

2012-01-19T16:03:00.001-08:00

So a lot happened in 2011...

Abovegroup merged with international Advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather.
I moved from working with a handful of about 2 people to close to 60!
I became Senior Art Director.
I went back to school to pursue a new degree that led to me starting a new blog called 'Designer Island' and lots and lots of new work happened at work as well!

Below I'm sharing two other editorial designs I did in 2011 before finishing the year and starting the New Year with designing the magazine, Lookbook.

Hope your year is going pretty damn good cause mines is :)

Designed the 2012 Diary and Sourcebook for Trinidad &Tobago Institute of Architects.

Very cool clip designed by our Creative Director Marlon.

To see more of the design check out Abovegroup Ogilvy's website here.

Ministry of Public Administration Annual Report

Abovegroup Ogilvy was commissioned to design an annual report based on client provided copy. From the initial creative concept to the design & layout, Abovegroup Ogilvy also provided copyediting and print management for the entire project.

TEAM:
Creative Director: Marlon Darbeau
Senior Designer: Tanya Marie
Designer: Blayne Clark
Photo Editing/Designer: Roger
Photography: Alex Smailles and Kibwe Brathwaite
Copy Editing: Helen Pipins and Cheyenne Baptiste
Client Services: Monica Cupen

Meet the Team at Aboveroup Ogilvy

and lookout for updates on our Show&Tell event

all photography courtesy Abovegroup Ogilvy

Designing Trinidad Lookbook

2012-01-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

Editorial work has not always been my favourite thing to do. Actually I used to hate it until I started working at Abovegroup with “Type Nazis’ like Gareth and Katinka. Before then, letters were as boring as numbers and fonts as interesting as Algebra. Then I started to discover designers like Paula Scher, Ellen Lupton and Marian Bantjes and discovered really beautifully designed magazines like Surface, Acne Paper and so many more. This was when editorial and editorial photography really started to become interesting. The idea of designing with type and words and discovering so many beautiful fonts came into my life and I was in love!

When Mel and Trinidad Lookbook came to Abovegroup Oglivy to take her very successful blog into the print world, I was at first admittedly very worried because for one, printed magazines is said to be a dying genre and two, Mel just started working at AGO so the whole client at the office walking over to my desk and over my shoulder thing did not make me very excited. I was, however, excited about print and the opportunity to design a fashion magazine with stories. I was ready to put something fresh out into the Trinidad magazine landscape!

The process of creating the magazine was a long and at times stressful process but it was also a lot of fun. The Design Team at AGO comprised Marlon our guiding Creative Director, Tricia Dukhie, Graphic Designer, who picked the gorgeous masthead font- Magnel and Kibwe Brathwaite – Photographer. I am used to working with Marlon as my partnering designer and with this project it was my first time working with Tricia, a really quiet and shy designer – a complete contrast to my more bold and opinionated style of directing a project. While working with Marlon means back and forth banter, butting heads and non-stop mix of collaboration, conversation and some arguments, working with Tricia was the very quiet ballet version of that.

I quickly appointed Kibwe ‘manager of photography’. I already have a real appreciation for Kibwe’s vision and style and knowing his apprehension for fashion photography only made me more excited about what fresh view he’d bring to the table, especially for his own editorial spot, ‘Fashion Diary’ with Ayana Riviere. Working with Kibwe is always a comfortable space for me. He gets my ‘brand of crazy’ and it was an almost seamless collaboration that I expect to only get better with time and more projects.

After months of work, the completed magazine was a joy to receive. It was a process with many lessons I am going to take forward in the New Year and I wish Mel and Trinidad Lookbook all the best moving forward.

Happy New Year Everyone!

photography credits: Kibwe Brathwaite for Abovegroup Ogilvy and my phone!
Lookbook in print is currently available at the following outlets:

- Meiling | No. 6 Carlos Street, Woodbrook
- Bang Bang | Frederick Street, POS
High Street, San Fernando
Trincity Mall
Blaanix by Bang Bang, Aboutique Mall, Frederick Street, POS
212 Location, Aboutique Mall, Frederick Street, POS
- Runway Street | SimpliCity, 45 Murray Street, Woodbrook
- Indulge Clothing | Tragarete Road, POS
- The Pallet Stick | Havelock Street, St. Clair
- So Chic Boutique | Francis Plaza, Chaguanas
- SuperPharm | Westmoorings
Maraval
Valsayn
Tunapuna
Trincity

End of Year Soon Come...

2011-12-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

Hi All!

I've been crazy busy with work and the decision to go back to school and pursue a degree in Mass Communication for which I started another blog.

I've also been enjoying mental breaks on tumblr sharing my favs, likes and photos of my life.
Also been working on a magazine recently at work and some branding for a friend.

I hope you have all been well and I'm sure you are looking forward to Christmas breaks
(if you have a break) :D

Much Love for the Season and I'm looking forward to finishing off the year!

Love,
T.

My Island Identity

2011-09-26T08:26:00.001-07:00

I wrote this quote a couple days ago and put it on my tumblr.
I think I have 'island issues' the way people have 'black people issues' (it's ok you can laugh :)

Between working at a recently merged agency where the happy little branding studio I worked at for the past 3 years married a big international advertising agency and became a Brand Engineering Agency (yes fancy sounding).... Turning 29 going on 30 next year....Finding myself trying to rebrand my-own-self.... Being even more highly annoyed lately when people tell me I 'don't sound like a Trini' (whatever the hell that means. as if I ever lived on another island, big or small) and finding myself in familiar old advertising territory with all it's ups and downs... I additionally Decided To Go Back To School and pick up and entirely new Degree - A BA in Mass Communications!

Don't ask me why I'm still sorting that part out.

But part of why I am stating this is to let you know that one of my courses requires me to start a blog and get some comments going on it and I couldn't use my existing blog.

I know I haven't posted in a while, but believe me I'm Not Dead.

I'm busy at work, at school and at tumblr while ranting on twitter!

So please check out my Blog For Assignment; Designer Island and say hello:)

A Designer Week on an Island!

2011-07-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a packed, fun week of events and work
and stresses curbed by margaritas and end of week dinners!

Earlier in the week I attended and was a part of a performance/installation at Alice Yard by Ebony Patterson

It was the most moving 'exhibit' I've been to at Alice Yard and one that really made me think about life and art and the effects and affects of it.

Ebony Patterson and Chris Cozier at Alice Yard, Artist Talk

The coffins

She encouraged the audience to help carry these beautifully decorated coffins through a procession in Woodbrook, Trinidad. While a guy pushing one of those music stands on wheels played a 3 Canal song that was voiced over with the list of the murders that happened in Trinidad while she was here. One decorated coffin for each death...

Her Artist Talk at Alice Yard after was interesting and provocative and she spoke so clearly of her work that it engaged the audience who expressed their honest feelings about how 'the walk' made them feel...

See Andre Bagoo's write up on the moving event on PleasureTT

...................

Show& Tell 15: Shifting Spaces, Transcend - One Fabulously fun night!

Trinidadian artist Wendell Mc Shine
and Photographer Wyatt Gallery on 'Tent Life: Haiti"

(photo by Abovegroup Ogilvy)

Wyatt at Show&Tell 15
(photo by Abovegroup Ogilvy)

(photo by Abovegroup Ogilvy)

I had fun! I came a bit late, so I missed the early socialising but I got there just as the talks started!

Wyatt took us through his journey of images and previewed his film based on his journey through Haiti with friends and Wendell did a live painting on the door of the famed Callaloo company (Peter Minshal's Mas Camp), while DJ Shy Guy spinned his tunes!

Wendell Mc Shine in action

a section of the socialising crowd at Show&Tell

The Guys! ... 'Designer Boy Blayne'

Creative Director and Product Designer 'Startbeau' : Marlon Darbeau
(No That's not my damn hat! He has his own!)

Miss LM Brown and myself at Show&Tell

Girls will be Girls.... and as such, we take pictures of ourselves
at events cause that's what we do!

White Wine and Rum in paper cups is classy as hell!

...................

Now Wake your Ass up and Go To WORK!

coffee and cake..

A little extra sugar is sometimes needed to get through the day.
Whether you partied or limed the night before or it's just one of those days...

Cotton Candy is fantastic to! Ask our photographer Kibwe!

Drugs are So...

Photographer Swag at Show&Tell..

If the extra sugar doesn't work... a lunch time margarita will do the trick for the days where the industry is really pissing you the hell off and you need a get away...

A Friday afternoon... Heading into Port of Spain to end the week...

On Friday evening I had fantastical Sushi diner with a fantastical friend Ayanna.
Cause some 'girl time' getaway was needed with some good food and good conversation.

More Sugar! ... Desert- YUM!

Then we met up with the guys from work at the usual watering hole- Drink Wine bar...

... (where the ambiance often wins over the prices... )

Heading home at 6am... Over the hills into Santa Cruz..
6am is so pretty for so early... often I am however not up before 8am
so the air was a nice change...

(Abovegroup Ogilvy photos by Kibwe Brathwaite- See more event photos here)

It wouldn't be a party on an island if a pot-hound wasn't present!

Good nite :)

Tumblr... My Procastinator

2011-07-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

A mixture of me and more... http://tanyadol.tumblr.com/

A Bit of Life...

2011-06-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Finally finished laying out a very not fun Annual Report at work.

It pretty much went on for several annoying weeks...

So this weekend I just wanted to relax!

And I got to do so with a very chill Friday night of drinks and conversation, chilling on a coworkers veranda on Fort George with the best view of Port of Spain, all the way to Chaguaramas and all the way down to south. Just view, cool air and music! Vibes! (these little moments remind me of earlier days at Abovegroup)

On Saturday it was a retail therapy trip with a friend, (FUN!)

And a very, very good friend's baby shower of which I drank way too much Pinot to avoid those awkward conversations with mothers talking about babies all evening....

Then at night I had MORE DRINKS with a friend who saved me from the baby shower! :D

May have however been a bit tipsy already by then. But he just thought I was very amusing.....

How was your weekend?

Enjoy some Sunday evening vibes with this song I recently discovered by Ntjam Rosie called 'Space of You'

"C'est si bon! Breakfast with Mango'. A little bit more of Nothing and Something

2011-06-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hope you're enjoying your day off! :)

I Used To Love Him (Design)

2011-06-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

(image above: work in progress. playing with darkness, light, photography and pattern)

I’ve come to realise that the thing I used to love about design..

The thing I love about Design, was the process.  

The interaction with people, the conversation,
the flow from start to finish, the exciting, nervous beginning,
the attachment and flow of progress the high pitched intensity as you get to that end
and then letting it leave you at the end- Bittersweet.

I miss the conversations.

I miss the steady pace.

  I miss the natural flow of it.

  Design just isn’t as fun as it used to be.

I miss him.

A little bit of Nothing and Something...ME

2011-06-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

omlette..

shoes, legs...

and salad

"Making Local Brands Beautiful"

2011-06-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

2010 finished with some great projects, some hard projects and some very fun ones as well and 2011 continued that trend at the start with the repositioning of Immortelle Beauty.  A beauty product for the Caribbean woman.

We created a brand identity and package design which combined the culture of the Caribbean with international cosmetic quality. 

Abovegroup Ogilvy started work on this project in 2010 with an intensive brand analysis by the strategy team and then conceptualising the design began.

 We wanted to design a logo that had some of the quirks of an organic feel but was strong and modern so as to hold the brand together and make it timeless.
We turned to strong typography that was tailored for the brand. And in keeping the corporate material clean, we went for quality paper; white with just one accent colour from the colour palette and we created a custom die scalloped trim for the stationery.  
The scalloped trim was inspired by the decorative fret work and dollies in older homes throughout the Caribbean.  

Growing up in the Caribbean, the beach on a weekend is a known pass time to relax and rejuvenate from the week.  Dig your feet in the sand, take a dip in the ocean.  
The colour palette and textures of Immortelle Beauty’s Brand was inspired by the ocean, beaches, plants; sugarcane plant, avocados, plum...

  I believe in making a quality local brand look like a quality brand.  
Package and presentation is important and this is why your brand is important. 
This is how you look to the world.
 I believe it should be as authentic as possible and as inspired by true things
and elements that represent what the brand is about.

Go here to purchase Immortelle Beauty and find out more about the brand and it's creator Kathryn Nurse.

Senior Designer/Art Director: Tanya Williams
Company: Abovegroup Ogilvy
Photography: Kibwe Brathwaite
Creative Director: Marlon Darbeau

A Designer Mashup of only 9years of work!

2011-06-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

This facebook album contains samples of my portfolio of work over the course of my 9 years in the Advertising, Design and Branding Industry in Trinidad and Tobago.

From being a Graphic Designer at: CMB Advertising.

A Senior Designer and Art Director at: Abovegroup Design and Branding Studio.

And Projects of my own.

Advertising work includes: TDC, First Citizens, Standards, ClICO..

Design, Branding and Website Design for: Meiling, North Eleven, YMCA, Sirocco, The Trinidad Film Festival, Inside Carnival, Immortelle Beauty, Secret Bay Luxury Eco Resort In Dominica...

Work for groups such at Artzpub/Draconian Switch, Indigroove, Red Earth Eco Festival.

You're very welcome to a closer peak at my facebook album here.

An Abovegroup Ogilvy Project: Developing the Brand Identity for A New Development in Dominica- Secret Bay Resort.

2011-06-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, late in 2010, I was working on developing the brand identity for Secret Bay Resort. A beautiful Eco resort in Dominica.

This sustainable up-market villa development project in Portsmouth area has ten spacious villas with spectacular views and access to Secret Beach; one of Dominica’s most beautiful beaches. The mission was to create a brand that would be internationally recognized.

After a lot of research and studies, visits by the team to the beautiful nature isle Dominica, photos sketches and I will admit, a few identities well! We finally achieved the branding for Secret Bay.

The vine-like brand property was inspired by the web of gaia (mother earth) and the many winding paths, roads, hiking trails present in Dominica and Secret Bay.
The veins present in leaves and plants and life really. The beautiful organic pattern in it. 

The brand property is used as a veil to add to the feeling of secrecy to the location.
Invite you in mystery to the treasure that is this eco resort.

Take a peak at the branding for Secret Bay below and check out the website we designed as well secretbay.dm  

Tanya Marie Williams  Senior Designer and Art Director at Abovegroup Ogilvy 

UnDone

2011-05-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

16x24 mixed media on board

Been painting.

I repeat icons and symbols and shapes and images and re-work them constantly.
I guess until it or I am past some point.

Or maybe that's just the 'Designer behaviour' to thumbnail and thumbnail
and re-work a thing until I or the client is satisfied.

Maybe it's my need for approval.

I don't think I'll be satisfied anytime soon so I think I'll be
on the rough part of my design for a while...

(The photos don't do the textures any justice. But I'm a Work in Progress.)

The Bride

2011-05-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

16x24 acrylic on board with makeup...

A Week off In Colour Palettes

2011-05-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

ARC Magazine launch issue2. -'For give'

2011-04-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

So this week ARC magazine launched it's second issue in Trinidad at Alice Yard.

It was very exciting because I finally got to meet the lovely Nadia and Holly who are the geniuses responsible for the fantastic Caribbean Arts and Culture magazine. And I also exhibited my piece
'For give' at the launch event.

'For give' is a print installation of three small flip books that displayed images that I would call a process with many layers and with many beautiful beginnings and no ends…
The covers of the books together
read 'For give' and in the last page in the 3rd book the word 'forget was written.

It is a mixed media project of layers of paint and text and photographs of the original artwork layered in prints and patterns that are symbolic. Assembled and printed on a white matte paper and spirally bound
so that the viewer can flip through the pages and leave any combination of images telling any story by the sequence of the images displayed at any moment.

I enjoyed watching people interact with the work and seeing the work of the other artist and of course meeting Holly and Nadia.

It was a great night with great vibes and a really very well attended event.

BELOW: Photos of my work on display at ARC Issue 2 Launch

( some photos from my phone and stylised, other by Kibwe Brathwaite (the better ones)

Working on my piece for ARC Exhibit.
Repainting and redrawing symbols and sketches
that each mean something different to me.

Beginning the layering process of the work to come.

Everything in layers. Everything's a process. Everything one day at a time...

'For give not because u expect the same from others,
but because that is what frees your spirit.'

Layer Cake

2011-04-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

"How would you define love?"

That's a good question….. I would say in several layers.
Love is cake that comes in layers.

The top layer is the most appealing one, this is the one you see first.
Then you cut into it and you see may different layers.
They are all beautiful, but some are sweeter than others.

Love is a very intense passion in one hand and a very steady level on the other.

The first layer , the one of passion is the most troublesome. God it's a pian.

Because the more you love, the more jealous you become.
You become jealous of everything, the air around the person,
the people, a look even, the way they look at something.

Then there is the extreme pleasure of writing about love as well.
This is fascinating to me.
The layer of correspondence- and anxiety to receive answers. That is great.

Finally you come to the physical layer.
The emotion of receiving and conveying pleasure is sensational.
It's unbelievable how your entire body becomes a messenger.
Your fingers, lips, eyes, smells. Your whole body becomes involved.

Then there is the layer of suffering.
Distance, remoteness, no presence, horror.
Your suffering of not seeing who you want to see, and not being with whom you love.
This is another painful aspect of love.
We are talking about pain.
All these layers define love.
I think that is why it's so great and so extremely complex.

"My life is a continual struggle, a continuous battle against vulgarity taking over."
-Massimo Vignelli (Designer)

For get

2011-04-22T18:22:00.001-07:00

Preparing for ARC Magazine Launch Exhibit...

Object of Desert/Desire.

2011-04-03T17:52:00.000-07:00

part 30x23inch painting, part Mac

Favourite Girl

2011-03-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

I used to write.... I wrote this a VERY, VERY long time ago and i came across it in my facebook notes along with a few other old ass things I wrote in emotional rants that made me jump and shudder, thinking *Fuck! I wrote that shit on facebook!* Jah! Damn immaturity! :/.....

Anyway, This one I'm glad I came across. It made me smile when I was just crying my eyes out. It always makes me smile.

Favourite Girl.

Sad Eyes
Funny I thought I was being
EXPRESSIONLESS,
I thought I was being a BITCH.

So I was told.

Said I was skanily CUTE,
- Glad I could be of service,

Told him I was versatile,
Not flexible,
But if he was Patient
I was willing to try anything.

I don’t only wear one shoe,

One of the best things about
Being a girl is playing dress up,

This is my favourite one,

Sad eyes,
Girl chile,
What do you have to be a sad about?
You can be anything you want,

You put on a dress,
an expression,
Some makeup
and smile or cry,
Even your sad eyes can be SEXY.

Put on that new dress,
Paint your face,
Play dress up,
Today I’m your favourite girl.

After Jouvert is New Year

2011-03-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Trinidad Carnival, Jouvert 2011

2011-03-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

I love Carnival!
Usually Tuesday on the road in full costume is a a Must Do for me!
But for the past two years I haven't played mas on Carnival Monday and Tuesday but this year I met up with 3Canal and played Jouvert and I had a blast!
I brought my sister along for Jouvert once again and in no time we were covered in green, black and blue paint and oil!
But as you can see in this picture the Blue took over!!!!!
..... I'm still trying to get the blue off my skin! I maybe this colour til Carnival 2012!

On a side note... I'd love to play a sexy Blue Devil one Carnival Monday:D....

Happy Carnival Everyone!

My little company is now a Big Company....(our first 3weeks)

2011-02-26T11:08:00.000-08:00

It’s still in it’s very early stages but I recently worked on one of the first presentations for a large regional brand.
The presentation had it’s ups and downs and two presentations in less than 7 days later-we came out with a fantastic win! And I am so happy and so proud of my little team!

I’m embracing the change and the new, along with my own personal growing pains. But it’s still about the core team for me.
Not the core original group of 12 or so but the tinier core I work with closely all the time while learning about and getting to know the new.

We worked our asses off and we did good!

It’s not an elitist thing or a clique thing.

It’s not a them and us thing cause if you love what you do or are bussing your ass trying to do the best at what you’re passionate about then you’re an ‘us’ to me.

I’m always really proud of my ‘tiny team’ I love working with them.

This week we also had a huge Dj at our monthlyish Sow&Tell event and as usual our hard working staff were bussing ass in the background for an insanely short deadline and they made magic (with it’s fair share of hick-ups) and pulled off a fantastic event!

The party was ram! It was hot and sweaty and DIPLO ROCKED!

As usual most of the team stood in the background, counting heads, drinking drinks, taking in the vibe, dancing and laughing.
Most did not actually meet Diplo with an intro but while the ‘Big Company’ did the ‘show’, we had our ‘little merger party’...

We make jokes about each other’s ‘Designer Egos’ (yes u Photo-takeouters, Production people and Strategist are included) but if you honestly look at us under lights, we’re the most quiet, we’re ‘the artsy-fartsy underdogs’ Working hard cause we just f*king like it!

We love the beautiful things,we love the laughs, we love the beautiful moments and we like to Make Things Good! - And then enjoy the drinks after...

I still quite like my Little Company..... Yea it’s still a little crew and I like em’, even when I’m bitchin about dem;)

.....onward 2011 an’ more

Tanya Dol 2011

2011-02-14T17:02:00.000-08:00

Hi T wiiter or tumblr me :)

My Interview in Arc MAgazine

2011-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

Photos of the magazine by: Kibwe Brathwaite
My portrait photo for the magazine by: Damian Libert.

Distributors of Arc Magazine.

Barbados
Island Art Gallery
The Booksource
The University Bookshop

Grenada
Caribbean Art Project

Jamaica
Bolivar gallery
Bookophilia
HiQo Gallery

New York
CCCADI
International Center of Photography
MoCADA

Saint Lucia
Sunshine Bookshop
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Bequia Bookshop
Jujube Books

Suriname
Readytex Art Gallery

Trinidad
Alice Yard
Paper Based Bookshop

Arc Magazine Facebook Page
Arc the Magazine website

Welcome to Tanya Marie's Blog.

2011-01-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! :)

I'm finally tired of blogger.
I'm currently having fun with Tumblr.
A peek at my portfolio can be viewed on The Caribbean Creative Network.
I'm pretty in love with twitter. But my website is a Work In Progress I'm finally decided to get to.

So bear with me and please twiiter or tumblr me instead.

Kindest Regards,
Tanya Marie Williams

IamTheNuBlack and I'm in ARC the Magazine!

2011-01-23T10:20:00.000-08:00

Despite starting the New Year with massive car troubles.
The New Year still managed to start off well with two published interviews.

One online for 'I AM THE NUBLACK'

And the another for the first Issue of the print and emagazine ARC. arcthemagazine.com

Thanks so much for both. It's just the push you need to keep going!

ARC Magazine is a quarterly Caribbean Art and Culture print and e-magazine published out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by artists Nadia Huggins and Holly Bynoe. We are endeavouring to form a creative platform to offer insight into current practices across the burgeoning creative industries, while bridging the gap between established and emerging artists. Within the recent motions of integration there is a critical space developing where, for the first time, we can envision a converging nexus of artists who want to share their creative experience.

ARC Magazine presents a formula, an experiment and an imaginative body of curated work that exhibits the trajectory and the motion of artists who practice within the region. Within our collective networks, we are finding it necessary to make the common man and the aficionado aware of possibility of art, its evolution, trends and ‘personalities’. We also feel the need to provide a forum that celebrates creativity, its determination, dialogue and pleasure. It is our ambition to inspire and give voice to a new generation of independent, DIY and emerging artists who remain fearless while battling the parts, fractions and whole of their varied cultures. At ARC we want artists to negotiate their own space by offering a neutral ground that will license discourse and varied creative insights into the mind of an artist.

ARC is a projected motion that goes up, outwards and beyond into a space of curiosity.

arcthemagazine.com

A Blog Post About Work.-'Hi client, nice to meet you'

2011-01-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

I've had the title of Senior Art Director for no more than a year max.

All the time before I've been 'Graphic Designer'
Working my but off, doing my thing.

But people react to titles.
Whether it be school titles, work titles, class titles, titles, titles, titles…. It' a very interesting, not so fun thing… But this is less about titles and more about the work (As the work is really what I am about.)

Today I went to what I realized was my first creative meeting with a client for work in the initial stages of the design process.

Usually what happens at work is that, research, questionnaires, meetings and more meetings and so forth happen with the directors and marketing reps etc with the client and then a creative brief gets to us creatives and we start working it out from there.

Interaction with the client and myself will most often happen many weeks later when you're sitting or standing in a cold ass meeting room presenting your Design.

This is the first time you are meeting the client and you are terrified! Because you're about to bear your creative soul to the client and all their minions of partners that are either going to give you a round of applause or tear you apart!

You're also going to be the person they engage with most of the time about questions, possible changes, additional creative and reply to every email, phone call and random 'drop in' that happens after.

Hi Client. Nice to meet ya!

Now for the most part, since I left Advertising about 3 years ago I haven't had Traffic Managers or Account Execs etc… So the whole middle management or extra memo passer-person has not been a part of my life.

There have been many moments where I miss the good Account Exec and all those people that break down and decipher the client's many questions and request and bring it to me in a nicely typed out memo that I more than often want to chew up and spit out. Many times because obviously those are the request that I don't agree with. But i do sometimes miss the management of it. ( I repeat-TheGoodOnes)

After working in Abovegroup for the past few years I've gotten unaccustomed to the 'Ad. way' and more accustomed to the small design studio way. And I've found positives and negatives to both.

But today while having a fairly good meeting with a client for a new job at the very beginning of the process for the first time I thought wow! You don't seem as scary when I'm not meeting you for the first time in a presentation room where you are not only just meeting me, but my work to!

Also today I thought, 'What on earth is a Senior Art Director if this is the first time I've ever been involved in a 'early client meeting'!?' …. I lie, I've thought of this before but chose to ignore it because at work I already always feel like I'm swimming against a tide trying to keep my head above a constantly rough, constantly urgent list of work to do...

It was nice to hear the client talk about their company, their ideas, their maybe bad jokes as they try to explain the job they put intense hours into everyday, the way I put intense hours into working to visually communicate their company to their shareholders, customers and potential customers.- There are things I just wouldn't get as fast reading an audit or brief. There are things the client might say that sparks the first creative stroke for me that may not have been picked up in an audit.

I've been asked how is it that sometimes I do such stunning work for personal freelance clients but sometimes don't have that same pure creative rawness in my work at my job. - That could be insulting, it could also be true and it could also not be. Either way I've done far more work at work than I have for freelance clients and several of these are in my top 10!

But the fact is my work 'at work' is judged by so many before it reaches the client. You start it with a sense of already preconceived judgment and there's also the fact that when you work for a company you are working under a company's already preconceived 'styles' and sometimes ideas. It is the nature of work or maybe just the nature of some companies.

There are so many different variables that affect both situations.; The creative job at the desk and creative job in many scribbled notes on my bed-head.

When I'm working with a client on a personal project I'm talking to them and getting to know them and what they want to communicate.

I have no preconceived styles or ideas, I'm ready and open.

Of course also you can be far more picky when picking freelance clients and it's often a far smaller budget so that's a bit of a cheat.

There is a lot less stress and worry of failure and the worry that your idea may have to beat it's way through to even reach the client.

At home, there is a freedom and a trust in myself that still comes far easier than it does at work.

Whether at work or at home I start everything with a blank slate and start Thinking.

At work the research done by the team is a tremendous asset. Especially when you are molding something from something you don't know and have never met.

At home on my paint splattered desk, markers, colour pencils, open sketchbooks and uninterrupted space, it's a blank slate as well. Time To Think.

From Jr Graphic Designer in an Advertising Agency, to Jr. Art Director to Senior Art Director, freelance or home. I have to open my mind and most importantly LISTEN to the client, then Start To Work, because I have no idea where I will end up until I start to Work.

It's All Work.

With Great Expectations in 2011...

2010-12-31T14:41:00.000-08:00

Sweet Distractions and Mood Swings...

2010-12-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

I got beautiful flowers at the ending of this year... I however had to re-floral arrange...
I think I should open a flower shop.
I think I have a good eye for it.

- A girl will always appreciate flowers and pretty things.
However, limit your expectations to a distracting smile ;)

Mood Swings.
(sketchbook drawings)

Merry Christmas and Such!

2010-12-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas break at home was nice.

I must admit, that while I desperately needed the break, I was also worried about what I'd do with all that time. But with my large family, all the eating, drinking, badminton, fuzbol, bad table tennis playing and really bad twister playing, I also found the time to do a bit of drawing and painting and catch up on sleep.

It was very much a full family Christmas.
Just the way I like it!

Couva, Trinidad. Christmas Eve.

Framed picture of (most of) the grandkids in my family.
Younger cousins In Tacarigua did one of these for all the parents in our family.
Boxing Day was spent by them.

With days spent in Couva, Tacarigua and at home in Santa Cruz. Now, I'm just going to enjoy the quiet time while I attempt to sort out my life and my New Year's plans for 2011 with a Stag or two.

Christmas morning at home.

I'm very excited about my New Year plans!
Hope everyone is enjoying the Season. Many wonderful blessings!

Missing Sundays-OldNew Furniture,Closet Space&Stuff

2010-12-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

ld-New Furniture...
I got new shelves over the weekend!
Technically they are second hand shelves.

The white one is from my mom and the long black one with all the books and the flowers now on it, I bought along with two smaller shelves from the architect studio next to us who just downsized their office.

I got all three pieces for $500TT!!
I love when companies renovate and I can't wait for ours to…I need an office chair...

ecessity is the Mother of Invention..
I got this project to do for a local online mag that asked me to do a fashion diary.
I'm still skeptical about it but I'm making an attempt! Because of this task and because of my tiny closet space I decided to take what I know best and utilise it!

Cue tiny functional digital camera and Adobe Bridge and Voila!
- An easy to view folder of snap shots of possible outfit options and my happy Go-To selection!
Personally I think my style is ubber casual most of the time and far from trendy-generally and if anything, resembles random moments in the Sartorialist Blog (for way cheaper I am sure!)

Ok, well it's already Tuesday and in less than two weeks I'll be done with the crazy end of year madness at work and be on a little Christmas break and I can paint and get on with some fun stuff I'm working on for 2011

Latrz til!

It's Sunday- My Emotional Hiccup Day

2010-11-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

There were too many things to say and I didn't say any...

Somethings Old, Somethings New

2010-11-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

(Disappointment 2010 Mixed Media. Digitally Finished)

(Disappointment 2010 Original)

These below were done around 2006.

(Untitled 2006)

(Paper Dols 2006)

(Ballerinas 2006)

You can see the paintings and drawings I used to do in 2006 in my issue of Draconian Switch Here...
I'm working on combining styles of the past and the present..

Identity Design- The Show&Tell logo

2010-11-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

photo from Abovegroup Ogilvy by Kibwe Brathwaite.

The Show & Tell logo for Abovegroup is proving to be one of those 'little-Big' projects.

The kind of projects that at the time you were thinking, 'you just want to do something really nice and simple'
Now it's grown on you to become one of your 'little-big-Proudest achievements', solely because of collaboration and working with an incredibly talented team of creatives...

We just wrapped our last Show&Tell and I was really impressed with the wall installation for Show&Tell 'Tech_Styles' and once again even further impressed with 'our other resident photographer' at Abovegroup; Kibwe Brathwaite and his stunning shots of the work in progress of the wall art and the final shots. Checkout a few of fav designs for Show&Tell— Installation art designed by Alicia Milne, Marlon Darbeau, Alex Smailes and the rest of the team and of course,
Do Come to our Show& Tell Events :)

All photography shown below was taken by Kibwe Brathwaite

Show&Tell 'Tech_Styles'

Show&Tell 'Visual Swim'

The New Artzpub/Draconian Switch Website Design

2010-11-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Designer: Tanya Marie Williams

Web-development: Anderson Mitchell /BleedArt

Draconian Switch is run by a core collective comprising of;

Designer/Publisher: Richard Rawlins

Editor/Filmaker: Mariel Brown

Designer: Tanya Williams

Designer: Marlon Darbeau

WebDesigner: Anderson Mitchell

Photographers:Rodell Warner and Damian Libert

Draconian Switch is a collaborator in the Alice Yard

artspace initiative.

Draconian Switch is an Art and Design e-magazine published in Trinidad AND TOBAGO by Richard Rawlins with the collaboration of a group of artists, designers, and writers, many of whom work in the advertising industry. Each issue can be downloaded as a PDF, and the online archive also includes several one-off artists' publications.

THE MAGAZINE features the work of CONTEMPORARY artists, designers, writers and creators all currently working in Trinidad and Tobago or with GLOBAL Caribbean connections.

It's like all new and emerging forms of expression is a work in progress. What you get from it is entirely up to you.

The magazine is very much a designer's publication, with the style of the presentation of the art and commentary changing not just from issue to issue but often from page to page. It's art, interpreting art and framing words about art and the artistic impulse.- Mark Lyndersay Bit Depth 691

Please feel free to download this eMag, and pass onto friends.

Post a link on your websites and look out for future issues.

Join the facebook group for current updates Here

Follow the Artzpub Blog Here

“I really enjoyed working on the redesign of Artzpub/Draconian Switch.

I love the Art, I love Caribbean Contemporary Art and I love Design!

The opportunity to work on this project and be a part of Artzpub is a very fulfilling experience for me.

Being completely comfortable and happy with the people involved also makes it great because we’re all friends.

These kinds of projects are priceless opportunities to be involved in the making of something with purpose.- With a life that can go anywhere. –It was fun!” - Tanya Marie Williams, Designer Girl.

COMMUNITY....Alice Yard:A Work in Progress

2010-11-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Click here to: Watch the Alice Yard: Work In Progress on Vimeo

I recently wrote about 'Sharing with Designers' and how much it means to me...

I am a very passionate person and I love working with people that share that passion.

People that create things out of nothing but ideas,
People that do things because they love it and that is WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

I don't know a lot of people who have had things handed to them.

I only know hard workers and I am incredibly inspired by that.

I sat in Alice Yard last week while friends and co-workers and co-collaborators and co-conspirators worked through the night, preparing for the Global Africa Exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design in New York and took some behind the scenes shots as I wrote a mini essay about the experience in my blackberry...

They've put together a video on Alice Yard and featured some of the images I shared with you all before.

I think I've watched it like 10times already, thinking Alice Yard is such an Awesome space!

It really is that free and open creative space that you can go 'Do things!'

I am Tanya Marie Williams. I AM A GRAPHIC DESIGNER.

2010-11-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

Identity Design for the online Arts&Design Magazine and Blog: ARTZPUB/DRACONIAN SWITCH

2010-11-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Artzpub/Draconian Switch Business cards

Artzpub/Draconian Switch Logo design

Draconian Switch Logo Design

Some Illustrations between painting..

2010-11-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

My graphic Identity is a work in progress...

These illustrations are based on parts of paintings I've done in the past
and old sketchbook illustrations.

The graphic symbol for 'Dol' is still in progress...

Hopefully you'll be seeing the new Dol tag on t-shirts by Christmas.

'Sharing' with Designer and Artist Friends.

2010-11-02T06:53:00.001-07:00

There’s a good reason why the friends I have are my friends.

— I don’t call everyone that.

My friends are part of a huge, fabulous exhibit at the Museum of Art and Design in New York in two weeks.

Last night I sat in Alice Yard in Woodbrook , Trinidad and watched as they took pictures of the products and installation art they designed for the show before they were shipped off for display until 2013.

One of these friends I’ve known for almost 10years, the other about 5years (a former boss of sorts and creator of Artzpub) and the third an older contemporary artist I’ve admired for a long time, even before I understood his work.

Even the photographer, Damian Libert is a friend. – A photographer, an animator, a videographer. — A Great person.

I sat on the damp concrete floors of Alice Yard till after 11pm, taking pictures and talking, but mostly quietly observing and writing much of this note in my phone.

As I watched and laughed, I forgot about how upsetting the day was.

I forgot how difficult the project at work had become and how emotionally tiring being ‘the Designer Girl’ can sometimes be…

At that moment I was just happily enjoying sharing in this moment of pre-exhibit excitement.

I was so proud and inspired.

These are the cool moments that only I can find cool and that the friends I share these moments with can find cool.

...I am happy to know them....

Chritopher Cozier's 'Made In China'

I am not exhibiting at the great M.A.D.

I am a Graphic Designer in a small design studio in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies.

A self-taught artist and illustrator, an in general – constantly evolving, creative talent.

— A simple, stubborn, hungry, ‘Designer Girl’

And my friends are all Trinis, exhibiting in the Global Africa Project

at the Museum of Art and Design in New York.- One of the most anticipated shows of the fall exhibit season.

And I am sharing in this amazing moment with them.

Sitting on the cold damp floor in Alice Yard, Trinidad.

Marlon Darbeau's 'Peera'

WHY AM I A DESIGNER?- 'The Caribbean Aesthetic??'

2010-10-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

People keep throwing around the idea of 'The Caribbean Aesthetic’— I don’t know what the fuck that is but I know that I am Caribbean. I know that I am a Trinidadian Graphic Designer and Artist and I am influenced by everything I explore and everything that is inappropriately thrust upon me via unwelcomed intrusion.

This creates my ‘Caribbean Aesthetic’.

Why am I a Designer?

Because I believe that progress is required and solutions should be relevant.

Not an intrusion of the society it exists in, but Compliment it.

Designer Girl....
20.10.10

ARTZPUB/DRACONIAN SWITCH In Progress....

2010-10-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

flashings, lights, flashings, lights, ......

flashings, lights, flashings, lights, ......

"Psychedelic ain't she!"

Check out the Artzpub blog while we work out the new website!

Why am I a Designer?- Because I Love Collaboration

2010-10-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

There are great things about working with friends— Especially friends that I like and respect a lot.

Whether it's a project started by being given a cryptic message from a designer friend stating, "Your project- Which you are going to accept is to redesign my online magazine identity and website. Do as you Please!" (loved that-ha!) —Result: Artzpub/Draconian Switch

Or — Working with another designer colleague on their website and sending files back and forth and actually working together on the computer at meetings over coffee taking the mouse from each other...

I’ve never wanted to work alone.

I love the collaborative energy of people— What they bring to the creative table, how they influence what I do and how I influence what they do.

The synergy is addictive and fun and the projects become an energetic buzz of ideas!

................................

Why am I a designer?— Because I love what I do even when I hate it. Because inherently, I love to solve problems and because I refuse to accept what I’m given.

Designer Girl....
12.10.10

“True Power as a designer comes when we realise that to solve any problem we will work with many partners,collaborators,even co-conspirators” -AIGA Design Process

TANYADOL'S Sketchbook

2010-10-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Committing to the sketchbook again so I can do developmental work
towards my final paintings.
You can see the journey as it unfolds through my twitter account.
(along with other random thoughts and pics of what's going on via my crackberry)

mobile upload

mobile upload

Untitled Beauties...

SELF-CONSCIOUS SUNDAYS- Lost Puppy

2010-10-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Take care of me - He says he wants to 'Take care of me',

What does that mean? - You wanna put me in a house and mine me?

You wanna hug me whenever I'm sad?
You plan to come to my rescue whenever I'm hurt?
What does that mean?

I wanna take care of me.
I know I'm bad at it.
But I want you to see that I can do it all by myself.

Take care of me.

- Lost puppy.

LOVE, SEX and CUPCAKES- He said She said...

2010-09-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

What is hilarious about you,

is that your volume of secrets and internalized emotions,

are hidden as loud and as vibrant as the personality you display.

... He said, she said...

MY GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

2010-09-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

The way I design, paint and draw is constantly changing.

Maybe that's a bad thing - I've never been very consistent
or particularly good with keeping the momentum up with projects.

I'm easily bored.

I easily loose interest in things...

I used to doodle a lot and then I began to work more...

I'm trying to build consistency and I'm trying to revisit and
re-develop my own graphic language and identity...

Tanya Marie-Designer Girl In Progress... © 2010.

Rain..2000-something... I'm redoing in on wood now :)

The Arrow-Heart-Cupid attacking the cupcake drama saga begins.
Love is Sweet and Messy, 15"x17"
. Acrylic on Wood. © 2010.

Detail of a painting.

Draconian Switch -ISSUE 3 Featuring ME!

Dwight Campbell wrote this, "P.S. I Love her" based on my drawing and story on the left.- Definitely my favourite written piece! download here!

Dwight's off getting a Masters in something in Business somewhere in Boston now.
- He also wrote a very cool book called "I Febrezed My Dog" available here

Anywhere But Here. 18"x23". Mixed Media on Canvas. © 2009.

Another piece from my Draconian Switch Issue.... I used to write a lot in those days to...

AG ❤ Film!- TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FILM FESTIVAL

2010-09-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

Abovegroup LOVES Films!

The AG team did their thing this year with the guerrilla marketing for the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

Adam and Kibwe - Yuh WIN!

Stunning 'I ❤ FILM' posters in crazy, vibrant colours are all over the town!

And Trini's are having their morning staple 'doubles' breakfast in cool ass bags printed in hot pink or blue 'Doubles with Slight? Wanna see the movies?' packages.

It Looking Good!

You're in Focus Trinis! Go to the Movies and see yourself!

For film schedule and times visit trinidadandtobagofilmfestival.com
To see what else we have been up to check abovegroup.com

Sun-Day-Self Conscious.

2010-09-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Lady One. 23"x27". Acrylic on Wood. © 2010.

My room.

Self- Conscious Sundays part 1

Self Conscious Sundays in Progress... 18"x24". Acrylic on Wood. © 2010.

My visual vocabulary is starting a new evolution process I think.

I miss doodling because I used to have sketch book upon sketchbook filled of doodles and ideas and I think working as a designer, while has done a lot of good as also been damaging my own free-thinking idea process and I can't loose that.

I started drawing these arrows with hearts for the points and I'm beginning to draw them everywhere and stabbing everything. Even cup-cakes and sweets.

.....................................

This guy after seeing my painting for over a year told me that "I"m very obsessed with myself"

I replied, "No, I'm very Obsessively Self-Conscious. But anyway, who said my paintings were me."

Self Conscious vocabulary.© 2010.

WHITE PAINT!

2010-09-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

prepping to paint... I was argued with that the new hardwood floors are NOT FOR ME TO PAINT ON..... so I settled for d yard instead!

The painted white edges look just like the dollie edges of my brand mark:)

Modern Intelligence means intuition>>IT'S FEMALE

2010-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

"Perhaps the macho look can be interesting," designer Philippe Starck writes in Harvard Design Magazine, "if you want to fight dinosaurs. But now to survive you need intelligence, not power and aggression. Modern intelligence means intuition-IT"S FEMALE!" <'Tom Peters Essentials-Design'

Tanya Marie Williams

2010-09-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

RED WHITE & BLACK

2010-08-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Does it matter what colour I am if my cheeks are red?

I've become incredibly patriotic in the last few years.

Encouraged by a growing understanding that having little being expected of you can either make you give up or see it as a wide open slate..... I am not attempting to be deep here. Just a statement.

It's the 31st of August, which makes it Independence day in Trinidad and Tobago.

I did no grand things to celebrate. My siblings and cousins are all off to see the fireworks on the rooftop of the Sagicor building around the Queen's Park Savannah where my cousin Lee works. << I've chosen to continue my blissful relaxing-at-homeness...

Happy Independence Day Trinidad! Me Loves You Lots!

Red, White and Black Ladies.

See my process of things via twitter and twit pics here on twitter:)

Abovegroup presents Show & Tell 10: Visual Swim

2010-08-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

This Friday is shaping up to be another exciting evening as we celebrate our tenth Show & Tell!

Come on down!

above photo^^ by: Kibwe Brathwaite

An evening filled with both hand-crafted and visual-digital design. We are stoked to have surfboard maker Alan Davis and photographer / digital artist Laura Ferreira present.

Laura starts off the night by opening the doors to the complex mind of a uniquely quirky artist, who shows us our world through her eyes.

Alan then takes the stage to share his experience in the sub-culture of surfing and how it has shaped him as a surfboard designer.

DJ Shy Guy will be spinning some funky grooves, so don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes for the after party.

Thanks again to our friends at Bryden's who help us out with some of their Chilean wine and also to Red Bull who pull through by providing us with wings to last out the evening. (err... donations are still welcome)

Spread the word, admission is free.

Please note 7.00 p.m. start time. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

See you there,

Abovegroup

Show&Tell Wall Art for 'Visual Swim'
photos by:Kibwe Brathwaite

FOUNDATION_ 'I put my makeup on with my fingers'

2010-08-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

I never formally learnt how to paint,
No one taught me how to put on makeup,

I use my fingers instead of the brushes and sponges
to apply foundation and eyeshadow because it seemed to me
that I could control the liquid better and I liked the way
it felt between my fingers and my skin..

I've drawn stuff about make up before…Same cover up, same Dols, same Clowns, same Girls...

...Cover up> Foundation

EROTIC ART WEEK 2010

2010-07-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again, Erotic Art Week.

And once again I missed my opportunity to take part
and submit any artwork (being a designer is very time consuming)

But I again have several talented friends exhibiting this year, Alicia Milne, Luis Vasquez and Arnaldo J and I am particularly excited to see what they have to offer.

But EAW did not forget us procrastinators and decided to give us a chance to 'play' anyway by do something funky and sexy in the white space.. and repost it to the EAW group and also make it your FACEBOOK profile for the week july 21st - 31st.

Below is my try at playtime.

Now it's your turn!

http://artzpub.blogspot.com/2010/07/this-is-your-chance-to-play.html

JUST THE GIRL

2010-06-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is just my ego and the brush,

Black and white, some shades of grey and gold,

This is just the girl

DESIGN: RED EARTH ECO-FESTIVAL 2010

2010-05-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I was asked to be the designer for the Red Earth Eco-Festival.

I accepted the project, very excited about the theme, “Running Water” and what I could possibly do with it.

The budget for the project was very small, which created limitations, but luckily I have an amazing resource of intelligent and talented friends to call on if intrigued enough by an idea.

I started doodling with lines and sketches that flowed, joining letters. Carefully avoiding splashy water marks or anything too contrived and overdone.

I wanted to do something that felt natural and if possible I wanted to include nature in it’s creation.

So on a early Sunday morning, Marlon, Indra, Damian and myself took a drive to the North Coast with a promise of beers and attempted to dig out the words “Running Water” in the sand by the shore and and full the dug out letters with water so Damian could shoot the water flowing throw the text......

Unfortunately, stagnant water in a hole isn’t really very ‘flowly’ and mother nature had plans of here own so after several attempts the alternative suggestion of going closer to the water’s edge and writing in the sand over and over again as the tide raised and washed it away proved to be the far better and more beautiful solution...

Damian took many stunning shoots of the sites at Blanchisseuse.
I myself was amazed at how beautiful the North Coast is, with all it’s little treasures past Maracas and I used these shoots as the base for the ad layouts to show off our nature at it’s best.

See more photos of Blanchisseuse sites below.

And the graphic for the t-shirt.

WHY I STILL DRAW

2010-05-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

When I was in John D studying Visual Communication Design we didn't have the amazing Macs and the up to date software.

Actually I spent the first two years no where near a computer and got my Associate Degree with just enough understanding of the working of Illustrator and Photoshop made very little sense to me.

What I learnt a lot was how to think. How to conceptualize. How to create solutions and thumbnail and doodle pages and pages and pages of ideas, until you found your most distilled solution.

I drew more then than I did in my secondary school art classes and I absorbed and understood far more about Art and visualization then.- My doodling habit started here..

We did Figure Drawing and Photography and Art History and I enjoyed these classes far more than my software classes.

I'm not the most techie person.- My current Directors are always driving me crazy by nagging me about 'keyboard short-cuts' and I get it, it makes life faster, it makes life easier, it makes taking my ideas and doodles to finished product better.- And It does...

But it doesn't make me think faster, or create faster or be any smarter or be better a designer. AND- I'm stubborn and i hate it, but I'm trying...

Drawing clears my brain of all the thoughts and ideas, helps me solves things.

I'm not the best at drawing or painting either and I wouldn't even call it my hobby. I love to do it the way I love to design.

I'm in love with process of figuring out a painting or drawing as it develops as I am with the process of creating a design.

I never know what either is going to look like till the end and I love that… That mentality is probably also why I have such a hard time telling people what my plan is or what I want to do with my life…. I'm doing it, I want to do more of it and I wan to be better at it and I want to be more successful with it but either way I'm enjoying the process.

(current sketches, notes for work, doodles, doodles in meetings, visual notes for designs and drawings in my sketchbook)

MY WEBSITE.. A Work in Progress

2010-05-26T09:15:00.001-07:00

http://www.tanyamariewilliams.com/ ...coming soonish

Dol..2010-2011

2010-05-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

You can only fuck me if I'm drunk,
You can only fuck me if I'm drunk,
It's not about you, it never is,
You can only fuck me if I'm drunk...

Let's draw some Dols

8am ON A SATURDAY MORNING

2010-05-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

My room gets A LOT Of light coming in in the morning...

The computer has been on all night….
Now it's just to get back to it…

My room is very BRIGHT…
I said that before right?

(open windows)

I made my own bruschetta this morning because
I saw what 8am looks like on a Saturday and I liked it… :)

Now - work.
I have a lot of projects to get to...

Abovegroup's SHOW and TELL

2010-05-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last week (Friday, May 4th) launched the debut of the identity I designed for The “Show & Tell “event Series that the Branding and Design agency I work at – (Abovegroup), puts on ever so monthlyish..

developmentals

I”ve been laboring over this logo for what seems like forever. And finally the event that just held it’s 8th showing finally found its brand identity!

The Show and Tell Identity

Every “Show and Tell” Alicia Milne (our resident Maker) creates lovely creative installations to represent each guest and theme. And at this event she along with the help of my other co-workers painted the logo on the wall in a design for the Michael Deibert, Haiti Special.

Show+Tell tonight-'Haiti' Abovegroup's Show&Tell now has a logo and this is the first wall piece with the identity incorporated which was done by our very invaluable Maker Alicia Milne with help from Khafra Rudder for our last event, journalist Michael Deibert, on Haiti.

Signs posted at various points at the Fernandes Industrial Centre, Laventille, where the event took place on Friday.

WATCH the Wall Art Stop Motion Animation done for Show & Tell, Michael Deibert Special done by Khafra Rudder. HERE

See Event Photos Here!

Abovegroup - Show & Tell is a monthly(ish) event hosted by Abovegroup at our studio in Building 7, Fernandes Industrial Centre. Each event features a short presentation each session by at least one group or individual on a point of interest in any of the following disciplines: Graphic Design / Photography / Advertising / Branding / Writing / Poetry / Illustration / Architecture / Interior Design / Furniture Design / Landscape Architecture / Urban Planning / Typography / Identity / Chocolate Blending / Spirit Blending / Publishing / Fashion Design / Retail Design / Jewellery / Sculpture / Music / Film / Animation / Fine Arts /Pottery / just about anything else. Work can be commercial, non-commercial, published, conceptual, personal, whatever. Admission is free and the atmosphere is easy.

A Day..

2010-04-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

It's a Sunday evening and I'm not on the beach.

Maybe I should clean my dressing table mirror?

Yellow, Yellow, She Kissed a Fellow.

2010-04-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

An Incomplete yellow painting....

"How many kisses did she give?
Enough to wish for more.
Enough to wish she never did."

Let's blame it on the Easter Season but this Yellow Lady with bleached white hair in a short boy cut completely describes my moment.

If I am religious I am to believe that Easter is a season of transformation after a season of sacrifice.

I didn't sacrifice much of anything this season. If anything I drank more than I did at carnival.

But other things did happen in my little quite world of silent excitement, not short of 'girlish fun' and lady-like trouble. And my Yellow Lady is the first to be resurrected from it.

Old Sex

2010-03-01T20:01:00.000-08:00

These illustrations are at least 5 years old.

Four year old work...
Every once in a while I'll go through old work or something now will make me remember something gone and I like that I can dig it up again...

Though maybe some things should stay gone?

HERE COME THE CLOWNS - "Blue"

2010-03-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Plz note: She's a bit fragile so handle her with care.

Slept all Weekend, Painted Blue Clowns

2010-02-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

Here Come The Blue Clowns (digital art)

Blue Clowns, painting in progress_picking accessories

Blue Clowns, painting in progress

Intimate

2010-02-18T19:48:00.001-08:00

I'm sharing a space with you.

I want you to get to know me better.

It's not a video but it's intimate enough.

I want you to get to know me.

I want you to figure me out.

It's intimate.

Get to know me.

Clowns and more foolishness continue...

(an incomplete Clown)

Peppermint Dol

2010-01-26T17:50:00.001-08:00

'Peppermint Dol'
She's like ... Minty
I want she to be my friend, with her inky black eyeliner self

She look like she mother is a baddiss and she is the horn child with the rich man
And the father mine she and so she not really a baddiss

(written by Indra)

Today for Tomorrow's Clowns-In Progress...

2010-01-23T17:39:00.001-08:00

Drawings...There's a lot of things on my mind.

I really should finish the things I start. But i think sometimes the amount of time you spend on something, the amount of energy you give to some projects, places, spaces, people are all that you need to give to move on to what's next.

That may seem selfish to what you left but not really. It was equally enriching. If you want more I am sorry but that's just selfish...

Home

2010-01-19T11:27:00.001-08:00

I FEBREZED MY DOG.. 'Just because my story keeps changing, doesn’t mean I’m not telling the truth.'

2010-01-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

Cover Design : Marlon Darbeau
Cover Photography : Damian Libert
Editorial Design: Tanya Marie Williams

Short stories by Trinidad and Tobago copywriter, Dwight Nickolai Campbell.

In my last year working at CMB Advertising I met one more amazingly talented and brilliant mind to add to the amazing group of people I met there - A copy writer with a BA in Psychology from a University in Pennsylvania who was actually in CMB a while ago doing something else but went unnoticed till Mark White (Creative Director of CMB) came across his blog and thought Wow, you're in the wrong space!

When i met him I thought Dwight had the oddest, most dry sarcastic of personalities which I either thought was interesting and kept my mind running or I just wanted to slap him for mistaking him as insulting! (or at least I hoped it was a mistake)

While the one project I worked on with him at CMB made me quickly want to replace him! The writing on his blog made me excited and I couldn't have been more please when Marlon Darbeau who did the cover for his book, (a few years later) asked me if I'd help and do the editorial design (ie. ALL THE FREAKING PAGES OF THE ACTUAL BOOK!) and said cheerliy in a phone conversation one night while I sat in a KFC drive thru line at Movant Junction after 8pm, just leaving work, "Aye Tanya, Dwight need the book finished tomorrow eh, He wants to go New York with it!"

While I wanted to cuss the Darbeau, I enjoyed laying out the book because Dwight's style of writing reminds me of two of my favourite writers, Malcolm Gladwell and Augusten Burroughs. And still manages to be so very surprisingly trini and global.

I'm definitely going to buy this so I can say I own his first, Because I am sure there is more to come!

"Just Because my story keeps changing doesn't mean I'm not telling the truth." - I Febrezed My Dog

You can purchase I FEBREZED MY DOG at:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/i-febrezed-my-dog/8143579

And learn more and read excerpts on the facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Febrezed-My-Dog/268119370311?ref=nf

A Great Read. Enjoy!

SMILE... a YMCA Project

2010-01-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

"Smile" was my last Abovegroup Project in 2009 and it was one of my favourites and came with it's fair share of stress! But the results were more than worth it!

It's a Poster/ Calendar- One side is a full poster image, the other is the calendar side and there two designs with two sets of images. All the images are shot by the boys themselves. Several photography workshops were conducted by Michele Jorsling.

I was beautifully assisted in this design and image selection by Andrea Pavlovic and Khafra Rudder.

"Smiling has become difficult for boys and men, so difficult that the time has come to make this facial expression of pleasure, favor, or amusement cool again. SMILE is theme chosen for the Shoot2Live project of the YMCA’s non-violence programme, Mentouring. The project is an exploration of non-violence in the lives of boys and men, and it give the boys, who choose to participate in the interactive learning experience a chance to express themselves about challenges of boyhood as they know it, in the hope of popularizing a new boyhood and manhood characterized by non-violence. Boys and Men can smile! For more information about how you can get involved in this non-violence project, call the YMCA at 1(868) 627-7835 or 1 (868) 625-9622, www.ymcatt.org, MenTouring c/o YMCA Benbow Road Off Wrightson Road PoS email: mentouring@gmail.com."

(text from poster. written by Svenn Grant)

HERE COME THE CLOWNS - "The Unfinished Ladies"

2009-12-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

HERE COME THE CLOWNS_'The Unfinished Ladies'

2009-12-28T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's too late for her Wedding,
It's too early for her funeral.
I don't know what to do...

SKETCHBOOK_my doings...

2009-12-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Been trying to make myself draw and illustrate more lately and paint less for a while.
It's been forcing me to focus and try and find some form of disciple, consistency and patience.
(three things I admittedly lack)

'Snow White'

Revisiting old styles and forming new lines. Still 'having fun' with the paint and the process and scribbling with the pen and ink and colour pencils.

'Fancy Yellow Lady' 'White'

(I LIKE COLOUR PENCILS… More what a pretty piece the make on my desk against my newly green walls than the actual use of them but either way I like them..)

Pretty Things,
Fancy Clown,
An obsession with colour,
Fancy Things,
Shiny Things,
Decorative Things,
Fake things,
Things...

CHOGM Fashion Booklet

2009-12-09T05:20:00.000-08:00

The Client request: 'Another Summit Fashion Booklet' but with Bamboo.
WE added some diversity to it!

The cover is a die cut and embossed cover.
I did a bold two colour graphic using the rough shapes of the bamboo leaves.

We got a Chinese bamboo brush that Alicia used to make a wide range of brush strokes with ink and I used these to create the graphic background.

The inside layout maintained the same clean editorial look, but in exciting full colour to complement the fashion and the energy in our Caribbean aesthetic and style!

Company: Abovegroup
Photography: Wyatt Gallery

Painting or Illustration?

2009-12-08T06:15:00.001-08:00

WORK- 'FREELANCE' or NOT.. Illustrations for CHOGM

2009-12-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

'Temple drawing for CHOGM Performance'
I used to hate doing freelance work.

My co-workers at the Ad agency used to do a lot and I'd stay away from it like the plague!

I dreaded dealing with clients, coming home to have to do 'more work' and running down people for money was never my cup of tea.

Now my feelings on freelance and even it's title has changed.

Personal Projects are becoming the only work I get to do and JUST DO.

It's me and the work and whether I spend just four intense hrs on it or days or weeks, I am giving it my all and it's untainted by too many comments, someone else's style being shoved down my throat or someone straight up telling me WHAT TO DO or what to copy and me wanting to scream…

Whether it's an identity for someone, Guest designing a Draconian Switch Editorial or Illustrations for a project or even if I am working with other people and it's true collaboration going on I'm in love with it.

And it gives me a chance to explore this idea of what 'Caribbean Design' is and not some watered down American or European version of it.

I'm glad I did the CHOGM job. It was colourful and energetic and it was in my opinion 'Trini' and I hope I did the dancers and the style justice.

Ad Agency, Design Studio, Personal work, Freelance Work- It's all WORK. But the process of some make you naturally give more even if you are not sure you'll be compensated or get recognition.

It's about the process for me and what the results from it becomes.

Hopefully it's beautiful and both you and your clients are happy and the message is sent.

NOW BACK TO PAINTING SOME CLOWNS! :)

CHOGM PERFORMANCES ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHOGM

2009-12-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

I did some illustrations that were animated by Anderson Mitchell for one of the Performances for the show for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting CHOGM. It was an adaptation of the Hindu epic The Ramayana as performed by one of the great village troupes, Ravi Ji’s Prachar Kendra. The entire cast was made up of children.

I decided to do something simple but colorful illustrations to have that 'child-like' appeal yet still have some of that texture and hand done energy that is natural to me.

See my illustrations below and the link to the guardian article by Rubadiri Victor.

http://guardian.co.tt/features/life/2009/12/02/chogm-people-s-forum-success