“Treat your time studying like you would if you were a professional…”

– JACK FLANAGAN

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

Since leaving NM TAFE I have designed work for a number of different companies in various industries including Furniture, Interior, conveyors, Medical and Mining. I now run my own design business in Perth mainly focusing on furniture, 3D art and manufacturing.

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

I got my first design job out of the TAFE graduation show. However my first design work for my own business stemmed from repeatedly entering my designs in various design exhibitions around Australia and some overseas.

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

Treat your time studying like you would if you were a professional. Do the best work you can, not just the level of work that will get you to pass. Practice and keep learning in your own time too.

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

The biggest thing to support designers in WA is to encourage Manufacturing in WA. Manufacturers need designers.

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

Ideally a designer will have the capability to balance the wild ideas with manufacturing knowledge, spatial awareness, aesthetics and a way to transform these ideas from pen and paper to fully detailed computer models with associated technical drawings (in our case Solidworks). For a bit more security of work, a high level of manufacturing and Solidworks knowledge is very useful.