March 2009

Richard Poulin Particpates in University of Arts Annual Workshop and Lecture Series

Richard Poulin has been invited to participate in this year's University of Arts' (UArts) workshop and lecture series. Each participating designer conducts a week long workshop with approximately 15 junior level students, as well as an evening lecture open to the UArts, AIGA Chapter, and Philadelphia design communities.

Richard's workshop, entitled Visual Storytelling and Narrative Form, provides students with a deeper appreciation for the written word. The workshop challenges them to explore the critical relationships between narrative form, visual interpretation, and effective, meaningful, and timeless solutions in visual communications.

Richard's lecture entitled "are you ready to jump?" is literally a "call" to all students to reconsider their own definition of design and designer. It is based on his 30-year career and reveals the chances, risks, successes, and failures that have come his way. In his introduction he states: "To jump you first have to believe in yourself. Then courage and determination are right there for the taking. You have to take risks. You also have to be somewhat of a lunatic! You have to absolutely love what you are doing. No, let me take that back. It has to be more than love. It has to be more than passion. It has to be more than a drug; an addiction. I don't know if I can give it a name, but I know it's palatable. It's in your soul. It's like nothing you have ever experienced before. And then, at that point you become one with yourself. It's all there; even the questions. All the answers you're ever going to want, already exist in the world. You just have to figure out the right questions to ask. You have to do the inevitable."

The UArts annual workshop and lecture series was established in 1977 as a part of the junior class graphic design curriculum. Educators and designers locally and abroad are invited with the intent of exposing students to different points of view, as well as provide students with the opportunity to connect with influential experts in specific ares of design. Previous participants in the program include Katherine McCoy, Massimo Vignelli, Chermayeff & Geismar, April Greiman, Skolos Wedell, Wolfgang Weingart, Rosemarie Tissi, and Philippe Apeloig, among others.