Inspiration in Action with Ryan Kough

This inspiration in action series is all about what designers, artists, illustrators are making. But also what got them to this spot in their career.

Who inspires you? Maybe it is a writer or psychologist, or maybe a trip or hike. We all have a lot of inputs happening everyday it’s neat to think about which ones we breathe in and affect our lives and work.

I love seeing where some of my favorite creatives are garnering their fuel and how their process changes over time. This week I get to introduce you to a new face. Ryan Kough believes in design as a tool for social activism. And we’ll talk about being creative under pressure. She created a show on this topic last year.

Driven by the power of personal conversation and interaction, she imagines every association within a community as part of the Community Design Ecosystem. A system where all stakeholders have an equal say in the conversation and work collaboratively.

Ryan’s passion lies in creating situations for community members and designers to become involved on a personal level to create sustainable, long-term design solutions.

This is where her commitment to design and her passion for the community connected to create a local nonprofit focused on community revitalization. ReInvision Huntingdon was started in 2015 in her hometown of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania with the goal of making space for all members to bring ideas.

Ryan is an associate professor and runs the IMA Studio, an interdisciplinary studio focused on community engaged learning at Juniata College.

I hope you will join us for this LIVE show Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 7:30pm GMT / 2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT / 8:30am in Hawaii. All you have to do to get the live link sent to your inbox 30 min before the show is to sign up to get the link at https://creativesignite.com/signup

Episode 469 aired live on May, 8, 2024.

The Questions

1. Ryan, can you give everybody a little background about your art/design and what you do? 
   
2. How has your work changed and evolved over the years?
   
3. Can you see a direct correlation to what you make from who or what experiences inspires you? in terms of materials? style? process? or is it more subject matter? How do the experimental community workshops play into your creative process and lead to future experiments?
   
4. What have you made and what inspired those things, can you show us a link between a person or event or thing that started the spark? I am excited for you to talk about your process of getting ideas and executing on them in ways that are new to you. Do you regularly try out new technologies or new materials?
   
5. If you could tell someone how much their life or work has inspired you (dead or alive) who would that be and what would you tell them or ask them about? Or was there an experience that really you can point to that was pivotal in your life?

Listen here

Connect with Ryan

Website: https://ryankough.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan.kough/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankough/

Transcript

[00:00:00] diane: Hey everybody. Welcome to another episode of, I was about to say design recharge. I should just change it back. No, I’m just kidding. I’m not. We’re going forward with creatives Ignite. Um, but it used to be called design recharge. And a lot of times we have a lot of designers, a lot of illustrators, a lot of people who are creatives, but it’s not just designers.

[00:00:29] And [00:00:30] Ryan is one of those. She teaches design. She is a designer, but she’s also, I maybe you would even, um. Say more of you’re an artist and you’re a printmaker, and there’s all these, these other things. And I, I think that we aren’t just one thing. That’s what makes, that’s what brings us to design that we can do a lot of other things.

[00:00:48] So Ryan Co is here and I am excited to have you on. It’s been a long time coming and you’re part of the series, which we’re doing during this month, and we’re doing it a couple other months [00:01:00] during the year, but this month we’re doing the inspiration series. We did some in February. I think what I like about this is that I have people who I really like their work and or, um, you know, what they’re about.

[00:01:13] And then they’re telling me what ki what has kind of shaped them. It could be an experience. So I think all of us could do this exercise. I think this would be a pretty powerful exercise for everybody. And Ryan, you’ve even, you were telling me about. You had done this, you’d been putting images [00:01:30] together every year, like what was the big thing this year?

[00:01:33] And I think that’s a really neat way to think about doing an exercise like this. Um, why did you pull things together like that? And then I want you to tell me who you are, where you are and what you do. But why did you start collecting images like that? So first of all, thank you for having me. Um, I’m excited to get to talk to you and to also talk to those that are joining [00:02:00] us today, um, and hopefully inspire everyone.

[00:02:03] Ryan Kough: Um, I have started documenting. I’m known, uh, anyone that knows me. I take a lot of photos. I take photos of the food that I’m eating. I take photos of friends. I, from the first day of my teaching career, I have taken photos of teaching and students in, in the classroom. Um, I have photos of my last day of class from [00:02:30] every class I’ve ever taught over the last three institutions that I’ve been at.

[00:02:35] Um, so I, I tell my students one day I’m gonna print them all and they’re all going to look very young, and I’m going to slowly get older as I, as I go because it’s, it’s now been, I’ve been at my current institution for 10 years, um, and at, at Purdue and Penn State prior. So, um, over the years, I’m, I’m gonna keep getting older and they’re gonna keep getting younger.

[00:02:58] Um, [00:03:00] but yeah, I think the documentation of life is such an important thing that I. Our photos live in our phones now. They’re not, we don’t sit in our living rooms and flip through photo albums anymore. Um, I think that we’ve lost this feeling of nostalgia and also our ability to sit down and experience and reflect, um, to really have the opportunity to pause and [00:03:30] reflect and really be excited about what we’ve been able to accomplish.

[00:03:35] diane: So. All right. So then tell ’em a little bit about who you are and your kind of history of your, like, design career or your creative career. Like what brought you into design and then what brought you into teaching. Yeah, so my name’s Ryan Co. I’m currently joining you from Huntington, Pennsylvania. Uh, actually my hometown.

[00:03:58] Ryan Kough: I grew up in [00:04:00] this area and at the time, junior outta college did not have a design program or even the integrated media arts program that I currently oversee. And I went to college, um, at a two year program in Pittsburgh, did my associate’s degree, worked for a couple of years, um, moved a bunch of different places.

[00:04:23] Ended up doing my Bachelor of Fine Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design. Um, while I was in [00:04:30] Savannah, I spent a couple of years doing publishing and um, was working in, I would say tourism and publishing. So magazines that were focused on visit Savannah, um, visit Hilton Head Bluffton, um, menus, circulations that would encourage people to eat at local restaurants.

[00:04:52] Um, I would say that was the beginning of my design work that I really learned the importance of working in a team [00:05:00] environment, in a team setting. Um, and then after that I did my Master’s of Fine Arts at Purdue University. Why did, why did you decide to go do your masters? So, while I was in my undergraduate program, I had several teachers that I loved.

[00:05:19] Um, several of them have remained lifelong friends, you know, and, and I’ve stayed in touch with them. Some of them are still in the academic world and some of [00:05:30] them are now working at other types of businesses and institutions. But I think I was inspired by some of the experiences that I had as a student and, um, during my time.

[00:05:44] So once I graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design, um, I got the position that I told all of my professors I wanted was my first job and I got it. Um, and so I started working as the art director, uh, the Purdue Alumni [00:06:00] Association. And um, I actually have this in my slides that I’m gonna share today.

[00:06:04] So I’ll give you a preview through, through verbal, but um, I am gonna share some images from this. But it was a really big step. You know, I told my professors in one of my final portfolio classes, um, John Waters was my professor and I. He said to everyone, what do you, what job do you want when you graduate?

[00:06:24] And everyone was like, oh, I wanna do this, I wanna do that. And I said, I wanna be an art director. And I [00:06:30] just had this moment of like, I’m gonna say it and it may never happen. Um, the internal doubt, right? The reality that we sometimes wish for things and don’t know how are we gonna get there? Um, well, and sometimes we don’t even know what it means to be.

[00:06:46] diane: Yeah. So what was being the art director, what did that mean to you? Yeah, so I think I was inspired by this idea of not only working on the publications, but also having a team of people to support me [00:07:00] and to be working in a creative environment. Some of the magazines that I worked for in Savannah, um, south Magazine, top of the line, excellent publication, very well designed.

[00:07:11] Ryan Kough: Um, they’ve done a great job over the years of hiring students. I worked with them for a short period of time while I was a student. I think that environment really pushed me to consider what I could do if I were to continue working either in publishing or in a design [00:07:30] environment. And so I was really inspired by this idea of not only doing the design work, but somehow facilitating and implementing deadlines and Right.

[00:07:40] The more, um, the business side. Right. And it wasn’t all alone. ’cause so, so many of us, we love the interaction in the classroom Yeah. And getting feedback and it’s like you’re brainstorming and you’re doing that, but then you go to work and you’re like, I’m alone. So I have, I have lots of slides and I think I should, um, share.

[00:07:59] So, well [00:08:00] let me ask you this one question then. Yes. So yes, go ahead. Uh, because, because we’re gonna talk about two things, but, um, one thing I wanna touch on before we get into your slides, and then I wanna ask you one other question, but, um, yeah, what, how in this ’cause it, I don’t know if there were some events that happened.

[00:08:17] diane: Um, ’cause really this, this. Inspiration in action. It, there’s an in and then a space, and then action. Not inaction, like no spaces. Yeah. Anyway. But, um, [00:08:30] in that, when, what happened or, and maybe this you can be like, this is in the slide, but what happened to help you want to, to start thinking of design as, um, for social activism, right?

[00:08:45] Yes. What, so is it in the slides? That’s definitely in the slides, yes. Alright, so then go ahead with good visuals because we’re visual. But yeah, so yeah, it’s in the slide, so I don’t wanna Okay, well then [00:09:00] let me, let me ask you this then the other thing Okay, go. We’re gonna talk about was about being creative.

[00:09:06] And I think this is everywhere. I know Amy is a lonely only at a marketing team in North Carolina. She does everything and there’s all of this pressure of being a creative, but also having to juggle the business stuff, having to know this, having to be an illustrator and make her illustrations better.

[00:09:24] And now she needs to make it look retro and now she needs to do be great with typography and now [00:09:30] it’s social me, it’s everything. Um, and I, I wanna just make sure that you have a, a, at least an entry, maybe this is a good entry into the thing, but what is being creative under pressure mean to you, and how do you avoid burning out?

[00:09:48] Ryan Kough: Yeah, so I think a lot of what you just asked is, it’s in the slides, but it’s also part of this conversation that. I have been actively having over the last four years. [00:10:00] Um, so burnout, grind, culture. Um, my job as art director at the Alumni Association, I was the only, ah, lonely only. And when I interviewed, I didn’t ask the right questions.

[00:10:14] I had a great experience at that job. I still am in contact with some of my colleagues that I worked with there. Um, but as creatives, right? I wasn’t in an environment that I was working with lots of other folks. [00:10:30] And so we had an editor, we had some writers, but design-wise, wise and visual content wise, um, I was the only, and so the challenge that I faced in that environment was there is a lack of understanding of how much time it takes to do something.

[00:10:48] Um, and I believe that we all have our own understanding of what we want, something to look like. So it was really challenging, um, towards the end of my [00:11:00] time there to leave a position that I really wanted to be at, but also to decide I really wanted to investigate teaching. Um, and so that’s the segue I will share in the slides.

[00:11:12] Okay. Um, alright, so I have a question for everyone today, and I did share this with Diane in advance. Um, but one of the things that I’ve thought a lot about recently is this act of being patient and the reality that it’s really hard, [00:11:30] um, especially now that we’re used to things getting to us that day, things being delivered, something showing up immediately.

[00:11:37] Like everything, um, is very different. And so many of the things that I will share with you today are purposeful decisions in my life to slow down. Um, and so I want to ask everyone, where’s your patients? Um, I shared with Diane, I have two children and this is something that I [00:12:00] very commonly and frequently ask my children.

[00:12:03] Um, are we there yet? Are we there yet? And so this now, not only as a parent, as a teacher, as an educator, as a professional, I think is something that’s become really important in my life. Um, and so we’re gonna start out. I’m sure you can guess, uh, the only redhead in this image is me. I think I know which one is you.

[00:12:25] And so this was not to h myself. Um, [00:12:30] this was my second grade classroom that is now. This is a full circle patience moment. It is now the Juta College ceramic studio. So the college that I’m now teaching at has purchased my class. My, uh, classroom has purchased, um, my elementary school and has turned it into a business incubator and a whole bunch of other cool things.

[00:12:52] And so this image is a good example. And then the next, I’m gonna skip through a bunch of stuff ’cause I wanna get us through, through the story. [00:13:00] Um, but the reason I share this is that inner child, so during this time and in the years following this, my report cards, which I recently found, one would frequently say, Ryan is daydreaming.

[00:13:14] Ryan is distracted. Ryan is unable to focus on what we’re doing. Um, and so I look back at that and think. That was a sign, right? Like I wasn’t engaged with the content. Um, and [00:13:30] so as a parent now, I have lots of questions about what, what was happening at that time. But, um, I also think that some of those things we don’t fully understand until we are patient and we look back and think.

[00:13:43] And so do you think that that that is a negative though? ’cause now I’m like, wow, what a great, like since second grade you’ve been Yes. Like that’s on your resume. Like she’s. Yes. So now I’m a professional daydreamer and I get paid to [00:14:00] daydream professionally, and I would encourage you all to do that with me.

[00:14:03] Um, so we’re gonna skip some pivotal stuff and I’m gonna try to run through this pretty quickly. Um, these are some of the layouts from my Purdue alumni Time. Super great experience. I got the title of Art Director. It’s exactly what I wanted to do. Um, I learned a lot during that position and now many of my classes that I teach are focused on encouraging my students to ask the right questions when they’re interviewing.

[00:14:28] Um, [00:14:30] 2011, I was invited to participate in a weekend printing experience at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum. If you ever get a chance to go, please go. Um, this was the beginning of me learning to play, also the beginning of me starting graduate school. So I was working full-time, doing graduate classes, part-time.

[00:14:50] Um, some of the work that was done during that time was. Very experimental. This is actually a print of everyone’s ghost print. [00:15:00] So everyone was done printing and I ran through the studio and printed a copy of everybody else’s text. Um, which beautiful is now inspiring much of the work that I’m currently doing.

[00:15:10] So it’s pretty cool to, as I mentioned at the beginning, to look back, um, I went back in 2012 for two weeks, uh, to do a residency, to print specimen sheets and to help, um, kind of archive the typography that was in the cases. Uh, I thought I was gonna get through a whole room. I [00:15:30] think I got through maybe five or six cases out of one entire cabinet.

[00:15:35] So it was a, it’s a very long process. Um, in 2012, and this is part of what has inspired my teaching. I was a camper at Campfire Belly, um, which is at the Fire Belly Design Studios in Chicago. And that experience was super pivotal. Um. We worked on a few projects with local nonprofits and [00:16:00] worked on design materials for, this was a zine that was part of a gallery installation.

[00:16:06] Um, these were all team projects. My experience in work was, was that, uh, something you had to apply for, like, it was also like a residency thing? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Now you’re not in grad school yet? This, you’re still working and you’re just applying? I, no, I was in grad school at this point. Okay, so you’re, okay, great.

[00:16:23] Yeah. Um, and so I’m in grad school. I’m applying, I attend Campfire Belly. Um, [00:16:30] we work on stuff with Matthew Hoffman and the Euro beautiful group. Um, this is all team driven, but everyone made a letter. We did, we did some design work, um, jump ahead. Later that year, I went back to scad, but this time as a participant in a conference.

[00:16:50] And, um, the fun thing about this, I. I was able to engage with people that do [00:17:00] design, social design and really amazing forms of design at a really high level. Um, but as a stakeholder in the process of this creative conversation. So this was a really important, um, this definitely these two experiences shaped everything that I’m currently doing.

[00:17:18] Um, and so going out into the community, um, at that experience was a big part of it. We do that now in my classroom environment. Uh, jump ahead. This is some [00:17:30] grad work. So, fun thing, um, about my own work when I am told no. Or when I have access to something, but I don’t have access to all of it, that’s when I make my best work.

[00:17:44] And so, um, this project, this concept of use, what you have, um, I was in a graduate program. We did have a letterpress on campus. I was not allowed to use it. Oh. And so I ended up doing laser cut [00:18:00] wood type, laser cut, um, typography on cardboard. And I went to the printmaking studio. And that professor was very supportive.

[00:18:10] I ended up making a whole bunch of really cool prints. I. Um, this was the wood type. So say what you mean, mean what you say. Um, the industrial design faculty were really excited about the work that I was doing, and so this was the beginning of me shaping this sense of community in different places.

[00:18:28] Meaning not only [00:18:30] am I here for visual communication design, but I’m gonna go out and have conversations with folks in other departments and areas. Um, I also branched out and did some graduate research. I frequently rode my bike to campus and there were several folks that were hit either by cars, vehicles, um, city bus, um, even while they were riding in spaces that were meant to be safe, bicycle lanes.

[00:18:59] And so I [00:19:00] worked on this, had no idea if anybody would ever actually pick this up. I did have conversations at that time with public safety and different offices and jump ahead. Um. Martin, who was a colleague of mine in one of my experiences on campus when I was working full-time, as the art director tweeted and said, um, I think you made a difference.

[00:19:22] They’re now painting the lines that you write. Like this project that I had gone to them and had these conversations, had no idea if [00:19:30] anything would come out of it. And so this was the beginning of me realizing sometimes if you speak people do hear you. And so not being scared to go in and have these conversations.

[00:19:41] diane: Hmm. Um, I joined in 2013. I traveled to, uh, a IGA West Michigan and participated in a weekend blitz. Uh, super amazing experience because I was working with other design professionals. Um, I was a full-time graduate student [00:20:00] at the time, also expecting my first child. And so this experience of working Friday, Saturday and then presenting on Sunday, um, doing something quick that felt important was a really good experience.

[00:20:14] Ryan Kough: Um, and then some of my graduate research, so I shared this primarily because I think we all have the power based on our own experiences to understand that sometimes things are not, um, [00:20:30] things don’t exist the way that they should or could. Hmm. And so while I was expecting my daughter, I quickly realized, um, all of these things that I’m accessing are because I have a cell phone and internet, but what about people that don’t have a cell phone and internet?

[00:20:45] And so I worked on the Well Baby toolkit, um, and. Worked with the IRB, interviewed patients and doctors and had, what is I rrb, the Institutional Review [00:21:00] board. Oh. Um, so if you’re working, depending on who you’re interviewing, you have to get special approval and make sure that you’re doing proper practices.

[00:21:09] And so it was a very long and tedious process. Um, it took, I believe about a year and a half for me to get approval to do the work and then actually con Condu, you know, went through and completed the work. Um, and then after working on this project, I moved back to [00:21:30] Pennsylvania, Penn. So, um, I had a baby, moved to Pennsylvania, came back to my hometown, um, had a bit of a shift.

[00:21:42] Right. Not knowing exactly what would be coming next. And I was just talking to you this morning about this idea of like, uh, driving and the radio station goes out of range. Mm-Hmm. And there’s a period of time where you’re not exactly sure what’s coming next, but you check the next station [00:22:00] and you go to the next thing.

[00:22:00] Mm-Hmm. So that idea for me of the patience that it took during this time, but also the reality that the importance and the power of community was already here. Um, so I joined the Huntington Arts Council. I served on the board. Um, I started doing design work for them and also had a gallery show of work that no one in Huntington County had ever seen.

[00:22:25] And so I shared some of the work that I did while I was away. Um, [00:22:30] I worked on this exhibition welcome packet. I really, as an artist that was showing my work, had a lot of questions. And there I. Um, were too many emails and phone calls and conversations to get those questions answered, and so I. This was something that I could contribute to this organization that would support other professional artists coming in.

[00:22:52] That sounds like an awesome tool. Yes, it was fun. And also, you know, now as a, as an artist that is [00:23:00] showing work in other places, it’s also helped me think about questions that I might have. Um, I started doing local revitalization work and community work, which ended up becoming a fully functioning 5 0 1 C3.

[00:23:14] So I founded Reenvision Huntington. Um, much of the work that I was doing when visiting Savannah for the Dnce when going to Chicago for Campfire Belly, um, when going to West Michigan really inspired the work [00:23:30] that I started doing whenever I came back to my community. And the super fun thing was that my daughter was now old enough to come and participate and to get the paperwork in the mail, like we are a 5 0 1 C3.

[00:23:42] We can now, um, accept donations and do some really cool and important work. Uh, the first year that we were in place, we started a community food garden. Um, we were recognized as the top women owned businesses [00:24:00] to follow. And this wasn’t even my full-time work. So I, at the time I was teaching at Penn State and at Julian College, um, I was doing a lot of things and I mentioned to you before we started recording that.

[00:24:12] Putting these slides together really genuinely has made me think how. Did I actually accomplish all of this, um, in a very short amount of time. And how, how, again, this is that being creative under pressure to some extent is how did you find time to get with these other women and say, Hey, let’s do [00:24:30] this. I do see the art director coming in like, Hey, we need to do this.

[00:24:33] diane: We’re, I can’t do it alone. Yeah. Um, so these, um, this article was actually other women within my community that were highlighted as, uh, Robin is a local attorney and Angie runs a candle company. And so yes, this, this sense of community and, um, going through these experiences, I think really pushed me to keep doing things that were exciting and [00:25:00] inspiring.

[00:25:00] Ryan Kough: Um, during that time. This is a really fun, really big pivot. Uh, I was contacted by a local business owner that is, I. Umpteenth generation owner of the local newspaper, and he said, Hey, I understand that you’re into doing letterpress. I have this press and would you be interested in purchasing it from me? I just need it out of my garage.

[00:25:29] And immediately [00:25:30] I’m like, yes, this is in Huntington. So if any of you are not aware, um, a Vander Cook, letterpress, weighs, I don’t know, somewhere around a thousand pounds. They’re very heavy, they’re very expensive to move, and it’s really hard to find people with equipment to move them. And so, um, I happen to be living at the time on a farm, uh, with lots of storage space.

[00:25:53] I had access to a skid loader and pallets and all of the things. And so this [00:26:00] reality that. Um, go back to the gallery show. Someone realizes I’m in the paper, I’m doing this work, I’m sharing my work locally. Um, it was in disarray. I will say, from this image to the next couple, you’ll see, um, it took a lot of work.

[00:26:15] And from 2016 to 2022 it sat. And so I did have it, but it wasn’t being used. Um, and this is where the patience comes in. So when I got the press, um, the paper that was [00:26:30] on the cylinder was beautiful. You could see all of these great things that were printed at the newspaper. Um, the handle that you used to turn the cylinder was broken.

[00:26:41] Hmm. Um, part of the press was in really bad shape. And so I started to communicate with people that I knew that had access to tools or might know, um, the letterpress story that could help me to figure out what’s missing. At that time I was still doing these public workshops [00:27:00] and engaging with the community, um, on campus.

[00:27:03] Were they doing, I was researching the workshops. Were on all different kinds of things or were they Yeah. Okay. So the workshops, um, were printmaking and were usually focused on really easy methods that you could do at home. And so, um, some of the work that I’m currently doing, uh, with letterpress and printmaking workshops is really similar to what I was doing back then.

[00:27:27] Um, but the fun thing about this, many [00:27:30] of these conversations with the folks that are blurry, um, ended up really inspiring me to keep doing some of the things that I’m doing now. And this is five to 10 years ago. Wow. So, wait, I have a question. So you’re doing these, you’re, this is your 5 0 1 3 C that you’re doing these workshops with?

[00:27:50] diane: No. So that was the garden? No, this is at the. This is at the Arts Council. So, um, I’m still serving on the local board and doing these workshops. [00:28:00] Um, and the great thing about them were I would host the workshops and then it would become a donation to the Arts Council so that they could do awards for local youth to get awards for their artwork.

[00:28:11] Ryan Kough: So it was this really great, um, it was a great experience for me as an artist coming back to Huntington, but also a really important, you know, leading up to our pandemic years. Mm-Hmm. Which we all know about. Um, this was the kind of the fuel that I needed to get me [00:28:30] through some of these next couple of years.

[00:28:31] The patient years and what, what else were you doing at the time? So you’re still running the 5 0 1 3 C, the gardening or the gar? Yes. Uh, and then you’re also teaching at two institutions. At this time I was only teaching at Juta. Okay. So, um, in, uh, but you’re building a program. So in 2014, I started teaching at Tata, um, adjunct.

[00:28:54] And then I started here what we call full-time, part-time, um, which [00:29:00] full-time teaching, but part-time benefits. Mm-Hmm. Um, and then I, at this point I was teaching full-time in 2017. Um, and then I’m sharing the research because this for me, I think has been really interesting now that I’m putting all of the puzzle pieces together.

[00:29:19] Not only was I doing the work in the community, a lot of work in the community, but I was also focusing my curriculum on civically driven curriculum in this sustainable [00:29:30] community partnerships. So the idea that I wanted my students not to design, um, a brochure for some band that doesn’t exist. I did all of those things and, and nothing against doing that, but I really wanted them from their first year of their college experience to be in the community.

[00:29:49] And so, um, I’m gonna keep going. Do you think you were driven because you were from there to make, um, to give some of those students a [00:30:00] chance to have something that you didn’t have? So I don’t know that I was driven because of being from here. I think coming back here with all of this knowledge and not using it felt like a disservice to my community.

[00:30:14] So like that, that idea of, I know all of these things and I want to talk to all of the people and figure out who’s in charge of this thing and who’s doing this, and why is this, um, vacant lot run [00:30:30] down? Can we give money for someone to revitalize this space? And much of the work that we have done with the nonprofit.

[00:30:38] With the board and with the folks that have volunteered, has been raising money and directly giving a hundred percent of the money that we’ve raised back to doing revitalization. And so, um, the work that I was doing, both at Juta at the time and through the nonprofit, was really focused on the community.

[00:30:56] Not only Huntington, but um, outside surrounding [00:31:00] communities. And so this is another part of this patience that I think, you know, I started to present at conferences and I was very intimidated. Um, not that I didn’t think that the work was important, but I think that I was concerned that what I came to share wasn’t as important as something that someone else was there to share.

[00:31:20] And so I started presenting about the sustainability and community partnerships. I, as I started to talk with other design academics, I [00:31:30] realized I. This is a small group of faculty. It’s a very hard thing to do, and I’m well aware of that. I’m the only design educator on campus at Giata. Um, and so then I submitted my stuff for tenure and this was a big, uh, in opening 2019.

[00:31:48] In 2019. Okay. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So I had been at the college, um, from 2014 to 2019. Some of those years counted towards my tenure. Some of them [00:32:00] were, uh, fixed term and adjunct years. And so this was a big year that I kind of had to pause and I. Evaluate what have I done? And kind of for those that work in an academic setting, um, am I worthy of receiving tenure or is this gonna be the year that I figure out I need to be doing something else?

[00:32:20] diane: And what is full-time teaching there? ’cause we talked about this a little bit before. Like how many classes are you teaching? Sometimes private schools, you have to have, I know Wills [00:32:30] here. Yes. He taught at a private school in Nebraska, it’s like 18 classes. Yeah. Or it feels like it that how many were, yeah.

[00:32:36] Are are you typically teaching a semester? So at Giata we are a teaching institution. I have been at two R one research institutions, Penn State and Purdue. Um, and I’ve also attended a private art school that was NASA accredited. Right. All of the, all of the separate things. So Juliana, we have a Bachelor of arts.

[00:32:59] Ryan Kough: And [00:33:00] we, um, when I started here, the integrated media arts program was interdisciplinary between it, communication, English studio, art, uh, art history, and then a couple other areas that would contribute as needed. And so, uh, jump ahead to 2018, they did a national search for a tenure track position. Um, at that time I was teaching five classes in the fall and five classes in the spring.

[00:33:27] Um, and these are my second time studio classes, [00:33:30] so they’re two, these are studio classes. These are six hours a week. You’re in class for each of those classes? Yes. And so, um. I don’t wanna miss a big part of this discussion, but, um, I don’t have him in these slides, but somewhere between here and here. Um, I interviewed for my national search position, right?

[00:33:51] The position that I was currently in, um, but was also interviewing for, I wrote an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about being an inside [00:34:00] candidate. Um, for those of you that might go through that experience, it is very challenging. I, at the time was also expecting my second child, um, and chose to keep that private for as long as I possibly could.

[00:34:14] Um, just out of the reality that I didn’t want to have any stress of being an expectant mother, starting in the tenure track. Sure. Um, unfortunate reality of, of the world that we still live in. Um, and so in [00:34:30] 2019, I was still doing a lot of research about, um. Demystifying this concept of collaboration, working in the community, submitting my tenure stuff.

[00:34:39] Um, and then in 2020 I chose not to put images on this slide. Um, primarily because some of the things that took place during that year for me, outside of what we all experienced together in this world, um, there were some very big transitions during this particular year. Um, I had a medical [00:35:00] emergency and was life flight.

[00:35:02] I spent 10 weeks on bedrest while I was teaching on Zoom for the final few weeks of our spring semester. Um, there were some things during this year that really, I think, tested my patients in ways that most of us, um, don’t come back from. And so I wanna share just a few more slides that highlight, um, that resiliency, right?

[00:35:29] Like the [00:35:30] reality that. These are examples. These are my seniors from the class of 2020, and we all know what happened that year. Um, they graduated on Zoom. Uh, this is one of my seniors, Vinny, who shared his final thesis work. And, um, during that time, we’re all excited. We’re thumbs uping and cheersing and let’s, uh, have our coffee together.

[00:35:53] And right. So the reality that, that year was really challenging. And I think this, [00:36:00] this slide and the next couple of slides I think are the, the part of me that I’ve realized, right, the importance of documenting what we’re doing and looking back. Um, so in the fall of 2020, we were back in person. Uh, we taught in person that fall semester with a lot of protocols and practices in place.

[00:36:21] Obviously masking, obviously social distancing, but some of my best work. As an educator, [00:36:30] as a mentor to students, some of the best work that I have ever had the opportunity to create was created during that fall semester. Hmm. Um, and so like Diane, don’t make me cry. Um, this semester we were invited to participate in publishing a book, and I got to the East Broad top Railroad with these three students, Ashley Tatum, and Hailey.

[00:36:56] And I quickly realized I’ve worked in publishing. [00:37:00] We can’t publish a book if the content is not written, if all of the photos and images aren’t ready. And so that fall semester, I said to the students, look at this local history. Look at all of this amazing visual content. Right. So from this image, um, this is Josh.

[00:37:19] He was there working and volunteering that day. Um, the students started capturing images. We were there with. A history class. So a colleague of mine, Jim [00:37:30] Toten, who’s a professor in history, um, his students were working on the writing and he recruited students from geology and art history and all of these different backgrounds at our small liberal arts college to do the writing.

[00:37:43] And then I had this team of students that was interested in doing the design, but I think was more interested because of their own passions in doing the video. And so, um, jump ahead, um, towards the end of that year, uh, [00:38:00] Tatum was also producing a thesis film. Um, and I’m happy to share links of all of this stuff, if any of I know we’re jumping through a lot of really cool stuff.

[00:38:10] Mm-Hmm. And you might wanna see it later, so I will share links. Um, but Tatum was producing a very personal story called Color Me In, um, it was a thesis project that really, um, it started out as a passion project. We did tie dye shirts on campus and everyone got to color in their own colors. But then Tatum [00:38:30] ended up, um, coming in.

[00:38:32] I purchased a home that year, so in the spring of that year, I purchased a home, um, in the spring of 21. And so during the process of Tatum working on this project and starting to develop the work, um, I had a lot of transition in my life and also was supporting my students to create spaces that we didn’t have access to on campus at the time.

[00:38:55] Um, this, the image on the right is Ashley Purvis decided to [00:39:00] produce a novel, a short novel, and, um, did the illustrations and the layout. Um, she was also one of the students on this project. And so to look back at this now and think about all of the things that we were all going through at that time and the reality, how did we do this work?

[00:39:16] I’m still asking myself that question. Um, I also was publishing. Wow. So I was working with a, a colleague, um, who I met through Zoom [00:39:30] through one of the many A IGA design educators groups. Mm-Hmm. Which talk about community. Um, that was one of the most important parts of community that I experienced during the 2020 and 21 academic year.

[00:39:44] Um, and so we published an article about UN grading and the importance of really opening our classrooms to all types of learners and not to be evaluating with letter grades and how important and impactful it’s been for us to do this. [00:40:00] Um, I also started doing research with a colleague of mine here at Giata, Hannah Bel.

[00:40:05] And she was mentoring some of my thesis students that were on the, the former slides. Um, and I was co-mentoring some of her students that were doing writing. Um, we ended up presenting this work at several other institutions and at different conferences nationally. Hmm. And this, right, like this concept of campus community, public community, um, the intentionality that we created to [00:40:30] collaborate, right?

[00:40:30] We have no expectation to work together in this capacity. Um, but my colleague, Jim Tut and I right, have done all of these cool things because we’ve chosen to create that space for our students. Um, then I had to apply for tenure again, right? So at this point, um, I had gone through the three year review.

[00:40:50] My six year review was in 2022. Um, lots of work, lots of documentation. I. Also lots of [00:41:00] additional publishing, lots of additional presenting at conferences. Um, I started at this time not only talking about un grading, but talking about dialogues on motherhood and the reality of how stressful it is to be a mother in an academic setting.

[00:41:15] Um, how hard it is to be a mother, a single mother in many places, right? Like the, the work environment that we all work and live in, um, is a constant give and take of what am I missing today so [00:41:30] that I can mother or what am I missing tomorrow so that I can keep my job? Hmm. And, and so I spend a good amount of time, um, during 22 focusing on grind culture.

[00:41:41] Um, this concept of how do we teach our students not to fall into grind culture? Um, how do we not stay in grind culture because it does exist? Um. Then Mina’s gonna kill me for sharing this photo, but it’s so good. Um, so that [00:42:00] year, um, Mina and a, a handful of us had talked throughout, um, some Zoom sessions about we really want to talk about grind culture.

[00:42:11] And we ended up being accepted. Kay Farley, um, had submitted the proposal and said, Hey, um, sent out a message on Slack and said, who wants to participate? I’m like, I, this is a calling from the universe. Um, I am in the midst of a, a lot of grind culture in all the aspects of my life, and I would really [00:42:30] like the opportunity to have a conversation.

[00:42:32] And so, um, this was October of 22. Jump ahead. I’m ski. I’m gonna skip a whole bunch of stuff because these are highlights. So I’m, I’m, I’m only sharing this highlight reel, but the letterpress is now moved. I moved the letterpress into my home, not the intention that I had originally. I really wanted this to live and exist in a public space, but I had this space and it had the room and it’s a [00:43:00] concrete floor and all of the amenities for me to make this work were there.

[00:43:04] And so these are my children. Um, this slide is like really, to me, it’s such an important piece. Um, I told myself I wouldn’t cry today, but it’s okay. It’s a safe place. Yes. So the reason that this is so good is this, so [00:43:30] this letter press sat vacant. You all saw the sides from 2016 to 2022, and. I think part of me felt guilty, right?

[00:43:39] Mm. This the patient’s part. I felt guilty. I have this press. It needs to be used. I want to do all of these things. How do I make all of these things happen? And I really had struggled to identify what does this need to look like? And this is not what I thought it would look like, but in reality, [00:44:00] um, the day that Charlie and I made the first impression, and after many years of working with local welders and people on the internet that were sharing information with me, and, um, driving to see John Barton to pick up letterpress stuff, um, and teaching my son how to measure and teaching my daughter how to play.

[00:44:23] Um, the great thing that came out of this particular time was these voices at [00:44:30] this conversation really inspired me to stop worrying about. All of the things that we all worry about and to start focusing on the things that brought joy. Hmm. And so that’s why I love this photo and me not, I’m sorry, but I shared it.

[00:44:46] Um, and this, I don’t have this in the slides, but um, the poster that my daughter’s holding, um, we entered that into an international comp competition and several of the prints that we made [00:45:00] were accepted into the Kels type trail in Ireland. Oh, cool. Um, and so some really cool stuff came out of those first couple of months of us working together, um, of me spending dedicated time in the studio space that was in my home.

[00:45:15] Right. Like merging these separate communities that I had into one space. Um, and then Charlie, the reason that I shared this slide, um, the excitement and joy of. Sharing the things that we’re [00:45:30] passionate about with those around us. And in, in this particular slide, it’s my son. Um, but in many circumstances it is the community that I live in and it is my campus community.

[00:45:42] Um, but he won the first place ribbon at the Huntington County Fair. And they sent him a check, I think it was for $15. And you would think Diane, right? The excitement for weeks. I mean, he still talks about it when people come to the studio to see the [00:46:00] press. That’s the first thing he wants to share. Um, that’s so cool.

[00:46:04] I think, I think that on top of finding out later that spring that I did in fact receive tenure, right? So, um, from here and I talked about the patience piece. Mm-Hmm. This was submitted in June of 22. I did not get this letter until April of the following year. Mm-Hmm. Um, [00:46:30] and I think, you know, there’s a lot that goes into this.

[00:46:32] Our ability to pause and wait and do other things that keep us distracted, but still excited. Um, and so I got my letter, I was recommended four out of four faculty that were on the review committee. Um, I was looking back when I was making these slides and thinking about the reality that the year that I was interviewing for my position, my daughter would frequently fall [00:47:00] asleep and I would frequently have my laptop and I was very pregnant at the time.

[00:47:04] Right. And jump ahead to, now that I have a five and 10-year-old, um, as of this year, um, soon to be six and 11, and our life looks very different than it did. Um. Back in 2018, but we’re doing a lot of really fun and important and passionate work. Um, and so this fall, this past fall, [00:47:30] um, and I’m almost through all of my slides, I promise.

[00:47:32] Um, this past fall we, um, during the A IGA conference, I had a discussion with a friend turned mentor that was at the A RGA conference. And they had said to me, Ryan, you’re making work. Why are you not contacting galleries? You go to these galleries and you’re inspired by the work at the galleries. Why aren’t you calling the galleries and asking, can I show my work?

[00:47:57] And so I took a leap of faith. I was scared to [00:48:00] death to do it, but I reached out to a gallery at Penn State, someone local and close and said, Hey, um, I’m doing this type of creative work. Are there any openings? Could I show my work? And. We had many discussions. Um, we also had a discussion that I would only show work if I could do some workshops.

[00:48:21] And so this, this particular slide shows from September to November of last year. Um, we went and did these [00:48:30] participatory workshops. I took my children with me because they actually, um, are part of the reason that I am so good at the play part, right? It’s the reality that. Um, as adults we’re usually reserved about certain things.

[00:48:43] We don’t wanna make a mess, we don’t wanna mess up. We want everything to be perfect. Um, and so this experience was a really important thing for me. Um, this gallery exhibition was titled Under Pressure and the workshops were about finding creative [00:49:00] joy in slow creative practices, um, printing with objects that are considered trash.

[00:49:06] Um, and so not only were my children there, my senior research student last year, Katie Mace, uh, was part of this experience. She was doing letter press research in my home studio, um, and was also experiencing this joy. And then jump ahead. Um, much of the final work that I made towards the end of 2023. [00:49:30] Was collaborative.

[00:49:31] So these are prints that I was making, um, both in my home environment or traveling and visiting friends and colleagues and mentors and making and creating. Um, many of these prints were first time prints with the folks that I was working with. And so the fun thing for me is making with people that have never had this opportunity and facilitating a space where they have the [00:50:00] opportunity to experience the joy that I experience.

[00:50:03] Um, this was actually an object that was used to make many of these prints and this subject became the cover artwork, um, for the gallery show that is now at the Penn State Wasco Gallery. Um, and then I just wanna jump through a few more. So, um, making on my own was something that I previously just never made the time to do.

[00:50:27] I would only make the time to do it if. [00:50:30] There were others that were making at the same time. Um, and so I started this practice of making, and um, also fall of 23, we finally published the book. So this is Jim Tootin, um, my colleague that we went to the East Broad top in the fall of 2020. Um, jump ahead three years.

[00:50:53] We have the written content. We finally have a team of students in my practicum class. We designed the book, [00:51:00] um, later that, so this was spring of 23 that we were finalizing the design layouts. And that went to print, I believe, in August of 2023. Um, and then this is beginning of 2024. Um, my daughter insisted she went with me.

[00:51:18] We had a 6:00 AM installation. Whoa. I don’t know any 10-year-old that wants to get up at 6:00 AM for any good reason. She, look how proud she is of you, her arms around you. I love that. [00:51:30] Yeah. So, um, much of the work that I created for that show was created in collaboration. Um, the prints on the wall were created with my partner.

[00:51:40] The work that’s hanging and suspended from the ceiling has to do with insomnia. And those of you that are creative and might experience insomnia, um, it was printed on pillow cases Oh wow. And is meant to be viewed from the ground. And so I think this slide, [00:52:00] you can see, um, when you’re in the gallery, there’s actual stools that you can, or kind of platforms that you can lay down.

[00:52:07] And I also printed on pillowcases, um, the actual pillowcase that you could lay on. But yeah, I think the big moral of all of the things that I’m sharing is just this idea of. Continuing to make and continuing to be patient with the things that you are making. Um, because 10 years ago I had no idea, right?

[00:52:29] [00:52:30] My daughter was a year old. I was starting a nonprofit. I had no idea that any of this was going to happen. Um, and just recently, I did just mention this to you, Diane. I was asked to go to Edinburgh University. Um, Penn West has a design program and I was asked to do a portfolio review. My agreement was, I’ll come do this, this part on the left, if you’ll let me do the part on the right the night before.

[00:52:57] And so I printed with some of [00:53:00] the colleagues, uh, the design colleagues that were there, um, and many of their students had a great experience, gave a lecture the next day, and then, um, worked to review their portfolios. And it was a really inspiring experience, both for me and I think for the students to get to make some stuff right before they were doing their finals.

[00:53:20] Um, and so before I end, um, in the process of me setting up all of these slides, I shared this with Diana as we were checking [00:53:30] our internet connection. And I mentioned, you know, I think putting all of our, uh, even a period of your life into a document, whether it’s a book, um, a zine and Mina talks about the drawn daily.

[00:53:43] I think it’s so important for us to do these passion projects. Um, I’m fortunate that I’ve been asked in the last two to three weeks to do several of these experiences where I’m either presenting to a public audience or I am working, um, to present something [00:54:00] in a campus environment. And so I have had to come to terms with some of these things like, what do I know?

[00:54:07] Why are you all asking me to come and talk? What, what do I know that is important to share? And so I’ll share them quickly. I’ll read through them. I’m not gonna pause, but I, I know passion brings the most intense purpose. Find your passion. Life is actually really short, so just say yes, like this reality that we say no all the time.[00:54:30] 

[00:54:30] Sometimes it’s important just to say yes. Um, your mental health matters much more than your followers on social media. Um, nothing changes if nothing changes. This was shared with me recently, but also at a time where I’m going through all of this change, and change is so hard. Um, but to me, these slides show you change is worth, it’s worth it.

[00:54:51] You just have to be patient. Um, making things with people that you don’t know. Many of my most inspiring [00:55:00] creations have happened with the least expensive materials in an environment that is not even made to be creating. And so making things with people that you don’t know. Get inspired by things that scare you.

[00:55:15] I was scared to death to do the gallery show. I was scared to participate in many of these public things, but I’ve done them and I’m still here and I’m talking to you about it. Um, find ways to create joy in the world and if you can make a career out of it, [00:55:30] talk to everyone that drives everybody nuts.

[00:55:33] That knows me. I do talk to everyone, people at the grocery store. Um, good things come from conversation. Mm-Hmm. And then don’t forget to play. Don’t forget to play. It’s so important. It’s something that as adults, uh, whether or not you have children, we frequently forget to play. And I think it’s a really important part of our creative process.

[00:55:55] And then last thing, sit in the front row, right At the conference that I went to [00:56:00] last year and the year before, I was so timid. Like I don’t, those are seats for someone else. I have started sitting in the front row. And that to me has been such an important, um, transition in my own way of walking into a space.

[00:56:17] Um, and I think all of us deserve to sit in the front row. I know there’s only so many seats, but we deserve it. Um, and so last thing I have is find your patience. And for the students that I have shared with [00:56:30] recently, um, stay for the Extra Credit, there is this reality that much of life, if you’re there and you’re patient enough to see it in some capacity, life shares extra credit.

[00:56:43] Right? These projects that I’ve gotten a chance to do and collaborate on, um, they are so enriching to my own work, not only to the work that I’m doing, but to my students and to the local community, um, that I would argue those are the extra, those are the extra [00:57:00] credits of life, right? Mm-Hmm. I like that, of just not doing the minimum.

[00:57:06] diane: Sometimes it’s worth making, doing the extra and making somebody feel so worth it and important Yes. To be able to have those conversations or just, I mean, I even think how you did that with the students that you were reviewing, you were like, well, I’ll review them if you let me do this one thing before.

[00:57:28] Yeah. Um, ’cause then [00:57:30] they had a relationship with you and they were maybe less nervous it going in their Mm-Hmm. So there’s a lot of other things that you were, you’ve done a ton in 12 years. Holy moly. Yeah. And I know I shared this with you before. There’s so many things that are not even on these slides.

[00:57:47] Ryan Kough: These are just the ones that I feel like these are those pivotal important. Um, I didn’t think I could accomplish this and I decided I was gonna try and I did and it [00:58:00] worked. Then it opened the door to the next thing. And the conversation that I had with this person at lunch that I never knew opened the door to these other things.

[00:58:11] Um, and so I think the power of community and the power of conversation, um, also the power of asking a lot of questions. That’s what I was about to say. Being curious and just, yeah, because you got, ask the questions. You learned so much about the garden [00:58:30] or having the, the press things you didn’t know. You didn’t feel pressured to get it done in 2016.

[00:58:38] diane: Um, yeah. But you said, okay, I’m gonna keep it, I’m gonna. I’m still gonna make this investment, even though if I can’t. But you, it was that you brought people in, you weren’t afraid to ask questions. You’re not afraid to sit in the front row. You’re fo able to focusing in, uh, Jesse says, I resonated so much with this.

[00:58:57] Thank you. So I agree. Yes. This was [00:59:00] awesome. It was a lot of eye candy for sure. And well, that’s what we do. We gotta run with the visuals. Right. But it is really nice, as I was thinking about the things that were, the, the, the thin red line that goes through all of it, I definitely, yeah. Said asking questions.

[00:59:18] Um, and I, I love the fact that you’re willing to go in instead of saying, I’ve gotta do this. You actually brought your family with you instead of saying, yeah, I’ve [00:59:30] gotta go. Like, you went all in and you bring them along for the ride. So, yeah. Yes. I think a lot of our discussion at the Grind culture, um.

[00:59:40] Ryan Kough: That panel, which unfortunately was not recorded, but we did later get back together. We’ve got the band back together and we recorded on Zoom y uh, maybe a year later. Um, that discussion really was inspiring to me as a mother, right? Mina had talked about seeing faculty [01:00:00] bringing their children and realizing, okay, it’s okay for me to do this.

[01:00:04] And the reality that many of us work in environments or have worked in environments that don’t have that atmosphere and in certain situations. Um, and Diane, I’ve, I’ve disclosed to you that I was a late, um, A-D-H-D-I did not know I had a DHD until I was nearly 40. Um, and right like. Learning that we are in [01:00:30] environments with people like us Mm-Hmm.

[01:00:32] And having conversations and saying, are there other mothers here? Are there other neurodivergent folks in this room that I can say like, do you understand what we’re doing? And, um, I think learning to have those conversations and learning to ask questions is so important. For sure. It’s uncomfortable and it’s part of, you know, for me anyway, I, um, for a lot of my life, I think would kind of follow [01:01:00] the lead of the loudest voice in the room.

[01:01:02] And I’ve now realized that I can also be a voice in the room. Right. And I think everybody, um, finding your voice and finding the things that you’re passionate about and sharing them with other people, um, for me it has been a huge. Really what keeps me going, right? It’s the, the inspiration of doing work with other people.

[01:01:25] Um, the gallery had asked me, the Penn State Wasco Gallery had asked me to [01:01:30] focus the work on mental health. And immediately I was just thinking, um, this is a really hard time as a designer to talk about mental health, right? I, um, we design with words and visuals and I kept thinking, how am I filling this true story gallery space with words and visuals focused on mental health?

[01:01:51] And then I immediately, I, I paused, right? The radio station went out of range Mm-Hmm. Had a, a week or two where I was like, I am not pulling this [01:02:00] off. Um, and then I remembered play and I remembered those things that I started doing in 20 13, 20 14, the community. And I started making with others, and I realized this sense of joy, um.

[01:02:17] Right. All of those things. The gallery didn’t have to be texts and images. That’s traditionally how I would choose to design, but it didn’t have to be that. And I think, [01:02:30] um, sometimes just our ability to be patient is really the most important thing that we can give. That’s the grace that we give ourselves, is just pausing and reevaluating and coming back and having conversations and coming back.

[01:02:48] And I don’t know about you all, but I have sheets of paper everywhere. Um, to the outside world, my life looks very chaotic. But that’s, um, that’s how I remember things and how I bring them [01:03:00] all back together. You’re with your people promise. Yes. Yeah. There is a lot of mess. All my post-it notes. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

[01:03:10] diane: I have piles on, on the two little spots on your computer, you know, that I think are supposed to be for something else. That’s where I think they intended post-it notes. ’cause it’s the perfect size for the Yeah, that’s where three three square. Um, I want everybody to be able to connect with you and I just Thank you so much, Ryan.

[01:03:27] This was awesome. And it’s very [01:03:30] inspiring to me to think, okay, what can I do instead of being scared or what can I do in my community? How can I make something better? Um, you know, where else could I share or give or what do I need to be making? How do I need to use my time? It’s like the sitting in the front row instead of Yeah, you use it, you use those things.

[01:03:52] It’s like, Nope, I need to use those things. Yeah. Or I need to be. Doing some making. So maybe there’s some ways that that [01:04:00] resonates with some other people too. But I wanna make sure everybody can connect with you and all these things. If you’re listening on wherever you get your podcasts, um, it’s right at the top.

[01:04:09] Her links are right at the top, and then the show links are right underneath that. And, and then it is, you go ahead and say it. I can also, but just spell it for everybody if you don’t mind. Yeah, so my name is Ryan Co. Um, some people think it’s cough, but, um, I have provided Diane with links and then I [01:04:30] also, because I’m sure some of you that are joining today are designers.

[01:04:33] Ryan Kough: Um, I will also share, uh, the typefaces that I used for the slides. But if you’d like to get in touch, my email is just hello@ryanko.com. R-Y-A-N-K-O-U-G-H. Um, you can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn. I would be happy to connect with you all. Um, I love the power of community, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

[01:04:57] Awesome. That’s awesome. Thank you so much, [01:05:00] Ryan. I so appreciate it. On Instagram, she’s Ryan, RYAN, dot K-O-U-G-H, just so you know. Yep. So everywhere else it’s just Ryan Ko. K-O-U-G-H. Yep. Dot com. But anyway, I just wanna make sure everybody knows, but thank you. Cannot thank you enough. I, my brain is just going, I wanna ask you one last question.

[01:05:22] diane: Do you think, this is not on the sheet, do you, have you always been reflective? So in second grade, your teacher said that you were a [01:05:30] daydreamer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you were a reflective, you were just thinking and, and imaginative was being, ’cause with a DHD re reflection is not easy for me and I think it’s ’cause it’s uncomfortable, but I don’t know.

[01:05:45] Is that something that’s easy for you? I think I’ve always been an observer. Mm-Hmm. Um, I’m a middle child. I have an older sister and a younger sister, so I’ve always observed everything. And when I started doing the [01:06:00] research on community engaged learning and designated my classes on local engagement and community engaged learning, um, the best practices to teach the way that I teach is a lot of reflection.

[01:06:15] Ryan Kough: And so I think, um, you know, the research that I was doing plus the work that I was doing in the community, all of those things, all of the stars aligning at the same time. Um, yes, I don’t know that I was reflective growing up or even in my [01:06:30] own college years, but I think as a mother, as an educator, as someone that really focuses on these reciprocal and sustainable partnerships.

[01:06:41] It’s part of the best practices of what we do in education. Um, and, and also on grading, right? So, um, the way that I evaluate my students through alternative forms of assessment, there’s a lot of reflection that goes into that. Um, and right, me evaluating students not on the [01:07:00] design that they’re making, but what was their experience and how did they engage in the process?

[01:07:07] Um, it’s such an important part because I don’t necessarily need to know that illustrator stopped working and you couldn’t install the most recent update. I need to know how are you coming to the final discussion with what you hope to implement, um, and how can you talk about it? Not in a negative way, but in, these are the challenges that I [01:07:30] faced and here is how I plan to overcome.

[01:07:32] diane: Hmm. Um, so that’s been a really important part. And I love that you’re thinking about other people, even in the, the Hello Baby thing. Like, is my baby making markers, you know, like hitting these things. If I don’t have the app, how would I, so I think that that’s, it’s, you have a very community focused head and heart, and I just love that.

[01:07:53] And Paul says, I find that reflection is where the real design strength comes from. Kudos to sharing this point. I agree. I [01:08:00] think that, I mean, your research is like, from the beginning you’re like the data, you’re coming in, people are having conversations and it just, uh, helps us who are in those situations maybe to take time after, to write down some of those things.

[01:08:16] Or if you record it to go back through the transcript or something. So, yeah. Anyway, super inspiring for me. Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you all. Thank you for, for being here. And next week we’re [01:08:30] taking off, but then on the 22nd, I believe, and that’s, uh, Marius will be there, uh, for that. So Marius, I’m glad you’re here.

[01:08:38] You get to, you get a cheat to see what we’re gonna be and you have to follow this Marius. So, um, I will be glad to see all of y’all. And Joey, it’s good to see you. I’m glad, um, your son graduated from, I don’t know, from bootcamp or from whatever I, but he looks awesome and he was doing awesome. It’s great to see everybody [01:09:00] on, um, social media too.

[01:09:01] I appreciate it. And Jeremy, I swear I wrote it on my thing. You’re now on my thing again. I have it. I know who I keep. Um. It’s ’cause you both come in as blue. I don’t know why. Maybe that’s it. Um, but his last name starts with a K also. So anyway, I’m gonna be, it, it’s gonna be, I’m gonna get it one day. Um, Ryan, thank you so much and Thank you.

[01:09:25] I’m gonna hit stop and I’ll see y’all next [01:09:30] day.