News
Thursday 20th, October, 2011
From Art Class to Design Work—how do I get there?
Web Designers / Developers and Product Designers talk about studying (or not!) for their career and starting their own businesses.
CIARA CANTWELL is Founder & Creative Director of Associate, a Dublin design company specialising in print and web design. Ciara is graduate of Limerick Institute of Technology – School of Art & Design. Her work has been repeatedly awarded at national and international level – including a Gold in the European Design Awards, the Grand Prix at IDI and numerous ICAD bells. She served as Vice President of the ICAD board for 2010 / 2011, and has spent 3 years as the external examiner for Limerick School of Art and Design.
MARK SHEILS founded Form, a Dublin based design company that actively pursues work in the non-profit sector dealing with social issues. Form has worked for clients like The Equality Authority, Special Olympics, Simon Communities, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Dublin Aids Alliance, Axis Arts Centre, and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Their work has included brand development, literature design and nationwide information campaigns. He has studied at Ballyfermot Senior College, Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design and received a Masters in Graphic Design from London College of Communications. He is very interested in the ways that the process for developing design may be used to contribute positively to society. He has applied this approach to work in Ballymun and with teachers, for example.
LOUGHLIN MCSWEENEY is a graduate of the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, Dublin. Former Irish student DJ champion and Red Bull Music Academy alumni Loughlin has always looked to combine computers and music wherever he can. Having worked in the IT sector for 3 years after graduating he co-founded ChoiceCuts with three friends. ChoiceCuts is now an established music promotions, digital and design agency. Loughlin was lead developer on Ireland’s first crowd funding website Fundit.ie and currently consults with Yahoo UK & Ireland on internal intranet design best-practice.
KATE CRONIN is a 2006 graduate of the National College of Art and Design, Dublin with a BDes Honors in Industrial Design She gained experience working as a packaging designer and in 2010 founded Klickity, a product design company specializing in home accessories and giftware products. Now run in partnership with Elizabeth Fingleton, an accountant and entrepreneur, Kickity’s ethos is to produce contemporary affordable products designed and made in Ireland. Set up in 2010, Klickity has attended numerous trade fairs and won best new product award at Showcase 2011 in the tabletop and interiors category. Klickity is retailed in over 30 shops nationwide and is currently trying to break into the UK market. She is currently completing an MA in Design Sustainability in NCAD to create products from recycled materials to be manufactured in a community based setting.