Creative South is quickly becoming the premier creative conference in the South, heck probably in the country. More than 500 design professionals, students, and even spouses from all over the world descended upon the quaint city of Columbus, GA. With speakers like Dave & Laura Coleman, Molly Jacques and Brian French, there was no shortage of awesome people on the stage. While the talks were more than valuable, Creative South is more about the in between moments. It is these moments that set this conference apart from the rest.
When you have this many talented and experienced creatives in one place the amount of knowledge dropped can be overwhelming. Just ask the four E3’ers below, how hard it was to narrow the entire conference down to just two key takeaways. While it did prove to be difficult, we believe these keys points below help the non-attendee get a small glimpse into this year’s event.
Drew Hill | Senior Art Director
“Share Your Process With The Client” – Will Gay
With so much available right at our fingertips we often rush straight for the computer with our ideas. However, bringing your clients in earlier in the creative process allows for several things to happen. From a financial standpoint, you are able to weed out the mediocre ideas a lot quicker, saving precious time and money. Most importantly, involving the client allows you to share ownership of the idea, often leading to a better end result.
“Sometimes S*@! Happens” – Tad Carpenter
While it’s hard to swallow, some things just don’t work out as planned. No matter the circumstances, our work can get watered down or killed outright at a moments notice. The important thing is to understand this as a fact of life and learn to let go. Resentment can take us down a path where things become unfun, which is the opposite of why we got into this career in the first place.
Kevin Spahn | Designer
Actual Takeaways
I think the biggest takeaway from my first trip to Creative South was what I literally took away from the conference: enough posters, t-shirts, buttons, pocket notebooks and stickers to lead me to wonder where in the world I will keep it all after I take cool pictures for my Instagram account.All of these quality keepsakes and wear-ables from a three-day trip to Georgia speaks to the nature of Creative South and the designers that love coming back every year. There is so much talent on display in those posters and t-shirts that you can’t help but support the artists that are selling them. By the end of the trip, it felt like I bought one of everything.
Why I’ll Be Back Next Year
That warm feeling you get from the welcoming nature of everyone embracing everyone else’s work must be something like one of those legendary hugs from the big man himself, founder Mike Jones. Disappointingly, I only got a parting handshake from him this year. Which got me thinking, maybe hugs are reserved for Creative South veterans. You got me Mike; I’ll be back next year for my hug!
Jenny Tod | Art Director
“Letting go of what you should be to make room for who you are.” – Meg Robichaud
Comparison is the thief of joy. With so many other talented and successful designers out there, it is easy to think that their path to success is the only way. In reality, what makes us unique is what will help each of us to find our own stride. Finding passion in our work and focusing on the things that bring excitement and joy to our lives help us excel in our careers and make us happier about the work we are producing.
“We get to do this!” – Tad Carpenter
We all have our great days and our not so great ones. Clients are frustrating, budgets are hindering, and some days we just can’t seem to come up with the right solution. But above all else, WE GET TO DO THIS. We get to solve problems creatively, design beautiful things, make art that speaks to people, help clients get their message out to the world, and the list goes on. Some days I need to remember that above all the frustrating crap we deal with, we are incredibly lucky to do what we do.
Bob Ewing | Art Director
Sharing
One overall common theme for Creative South is sharing. The speakers are hand-picked because they love to share. I’m not just talking about sharing their amazing work, I’m talking about sharing the joys and failures, the ups and especially the downs. I was honored to share my process and a bit about my story alongside two of my best friends, Brian French of the French Paper Company and Nick Sambrato of Mama’s Sauce; in a panel discussion called Print Matters. These are two friends I might not have, had I not attended Creative South last year. I learned that I thoroughly enjoy sharing and I look forward to the next opportunity to do so again.
Community
Creative South is community. Wait, no. It’s family. In a world concentrated on social media, likes and followers; there is something so human and refreshing about what happens over these 3 days once a year in Columbus, GA. If you have experienced it, then you get it. If you haven’t, you are probably wondering what is in the water down there. I wish it was that easy to explain. It’s Mike Jones, it’s the volunteers, it’s this amazing small/big city, it’s the speakers and the attendees, it’s community. All I can say is if you have to experience for yourself to truly understand how special this conference is.
I think I speak for all us above when I say we are already planning for Creative South 2016. If you’ve gone once, then you get it and we will see you next year. If you haven’t been before I can’t recommend it enough. But be prepared because like most family gatherings, it will become a tradition.
