Jillian Daniels
Industrial Designer | Design Researcher | Artist | Curator
BUFFALO, NEW YORK
Contact: jilldanielsdesign@gmail.com
5 favorite musical artists of all time?
Beyonce
Rina Sawayama
Chloe x Halle
Dance Gavin Dance
Paramore
What inspires you?
I am very much so inspired by Black and Skate culture. Very much so aligned with what works for my very busy lifestyle, so I need it to be comfortable, yet stylish. I'd also describe it as 90's East coast grunge meets 2020 fashion, since I still take a lot of influence from Black baddies such as Justine Skye, Tierra Whack, Tayla Parx, etc.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
It’s okay to like what you like, it doesn't make you any less Black because there is no true way to define Blackness. Be comfortable in the skin you're in. Due to the spaces you're going to be in, ther’re gonna stare, so you might as well give them something to look at. Be yourself, and don't let anyone diminish who you are.
What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?
I've been listening to a lot of design podcasts because they worked best with my busy schedule as a student while helping to develop my skills as a designer. I love the Futur youtube page and podcast, which gives a ton of great info on how to start your journey to becoming a freelance or in-house designer. I've also found Black Freelancer to be an incredible source of information. I've also started two books recently called Data Feminism by Catherine D'Ignazio and Art/Work by Heather Darcy Bhandari. To relax and unwind I love The Read podcast, it's one of my favorites and keeps me up to date on all of the shenanigans in the world with extreme wit and clarity.
What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries?
I think the future is extremely bright. We already have the skill and competency to make extraordinary things happen, it's just getting into the spaces to make it a reality is the roadblock. I want to help create spaces and break down barriers to existing ones that give Creatives of Color unlimited licenses to follow their dreams, and I already see a lot of these movements happening so I am excited to see where it is in 5, 10, 15 years.
“Be yourself, and don’t let anyone diminish who you are.”
What is your dream job?
I would love to have my own design firm, where I not only create materials for productions for creatives (such as stage sets, costumes, etc.) but also invest in the community in a cooperative model of business. I also want to have an inhouse video game and production studio, and so that I can give a working space to other creatives that may not have access to the means to experiment and push the boundaries of what is art, design, and innovation.
What skill(s) would you develop if you had more time?
Coding, front and back end development, curation, design sketching, circuit building, robotics, manufacturing, and materials science.
What is the last thing you learned?
The last thing I learned was about Italian colonialism in the Horn of Africa for an exhibition I was working on by Dawit L. Petros called Spazio Disponibile, which chronicled the effects of colonialism on Eritrea and the Eritrean people.
What are you working on right now?
I am currently a freelance industrial and graphic designer who just wrapped up working with the University at Buffalo Art Galleries as the Student Assistant Curator. During my time at UB, I also completed two degrees in Industrial Design and Studio Art, where I was selected as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar where I completed research in industrial engineering, urban planning, and social design.
If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be? Why?
I would love to talk to Ruth E. Carter because her practice as a costume designer is based on research and lived experience. I would love to talk with her about her process of finding information, how she uses this information to create something new, and how I could apply that to my own practice.
What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?
I would suggest to start seeking out relationships early. It is very difficult to pin down exactly what you want to do in the very broad creative/art industry, so I believe the more exposure you have to your different options the easier it will be to pin down what you like and dislike. And if you don't have access to a network of people, then I would suggest doing a lot of research and iteration on different industries and sectors and professions via the internet and see what skills are necessary to do well in them. Then I would focus on building those skills and focusing on the skills that are transferable across industries.
How do you keep your creative drip going?
I try to make myself do one small creative thing a day. Whether that means making a small drawing or sketch, trying something new in software or medium I'm already familiar with, or learning something new. And some days, I just don't feel like or have the energy to do even that so I challenge myself, to try to make something new to eat, or reading something different. There are many different ways to stay creative and I try not to do one thing too many times in a row because it's good to keep things fresh.
Contact: jilldanielsdesign@gmail.com