“If something really excites you, then that’s the right path for you…”

– CINZIA DONÀ

Tell us a little about your experiences since. Where have you worked? Where do you work now?

After graduating I worked at a few key positions, which taught me different aspects of the design industry:

Mechanical designer for and engineering company, where I learnt a lot about functional design, Solidworks, welding and 3D printing. Product manager for a consumer electronic brand, where I learnt about mass production, managing the whole process from design to manufacture, packaging, quality & control procedures, and import/export. Salesperson at a high end furniture store, where I learnt about sales, logistic and client management.

This journey finally led me to starting my design studio, ARTETRA, with Vladimir Mitrovic, another product design alumni! :)

How did you get your first design job or solo exhibition?

LinkedIn. After graduating I sent my resume and portfolio to EVERY design position advertised and EVERY design company I could find, even if they didn’t have open positions. I believe what really worked for me was timing: majority of positions and projects start at the end of January. Be ready for it and apply for positions in advance (November, December, January).

What advice would you give to current Art & Design students studying at NM TAFE right now?

Follow your dreams. Have a clear vision of where you want to be in 10 years from now. If something really excites you, then that's the right path for you.

What can Perth and Western Australia do to support graduating diverse range of Art & Design students more?

There so much that needs to be done in Perth... Educating people to art and design, increasing the population to drive more commerce, supporting small businesses and local manufacturers,… Unfortunately, there is still a LONG way to go!

What do you think are the most important qualities in an emerging designer or artist?

Mindset. Ultimately, any technical skill can be learnt and performed by anyone. However, you cannot replace the individual's creative thinking.

Please list some awesome new developments happening right now in the Art & Design industry that you are excited by.

AI. At ARTETRA, we are absolutely excited and 100% embracing AI into our practice. Exploring our contribution to the metaverse and Web 3.0 are also part of our current roadmap. A very exciting future ahead!