This is an image of the Boston Visual Artist Union, Massachusetts Institute of Technology poster designed by Jacqueline Casey in 1973.
I was having a conversation the other day with someone about navigating through my design career. I used an analogy to explain my challenges.
Imagine you’ve been a loyal Volkswagen driver for years. You’ve become so familiar with the brand that you even have a few favorites: the Scirocco Type 2 GTX, the Corrado, the R32, the original and current GTI. After years of dedication and saving, you finally bought your first VW. Over time, you owned four of them. But now, you’re ready to take the leap to a Porsche, a brand you also admire, with your favorites being the 928, the 959, the Carrera GT, and the 911. You know you’re ready to drive a Porsche, but there’s a catch—because you’ve only driven Volkswagens, you’re not allowed. The rule is you need to have owned a Porsche to drive one, and there’s the dilemma. You already know how to handle a manual transmission, you’ve done your research, read reviews, and gathered all the necessary information. You understand the changes needed to handle a more powerful car, but you’re still seen as just a Volkswagen driver. Why would anyone let you drive a Porsche when there are already people who were either able to afford one or had the privilege of being given one?