I just returned from the most influential, inspiring 4 days I’ve experienced in all of my career. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the Adobe MAX Creativity Conference in Los Angeles October 6-8, 2014.
On a busy summer day in July, my boss and I were running all over the north side of Indianapolis in an attempt to acquire 14 identical 27″ monitors for the AACC Clinical Lab Expo trade show. While stuck in traffic on I-465, I was checking email on my phone as my boss navigated the sea of cars. I received an email from Adobe advertising their annual Creativity Conference. Interested, I clicked to learn more. In passing, I mentioned to my boss how awesome it would be to attend. That was a tuesday and the rest of the week, I was out of the office for my grandfather’s funeral. On Monday when I returned, I received an email from my boss telling me that he got approval for me and 3 colleagues to attend the Adobe MAX conference. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that I was really getting a chance to go to the conference where some of the most creative minds on the planet gather to share ideas and inspiration. I was beside myself.
I graduated college with my bachelor’s degree in Media Arts and Science in 2009. In the five years since, my career has blossomed, but my mind has stayed dormant. While in college, I constantly felt invigorated and inspired. I was always on the cutting edge, learning the latest techniques with the most recent software applications available. After you leave college and obtain a job, that constant stream of learning slowly turns to a dirt road to nowhere. I began to understand that unless I continued to invest in the asphalt to pave the road, my road was going to become overgrown, with no travelers at all. Late last year I realized this full force. I had hit a creative rut. I couldn’t get inspired for anything. I couldn’t come up with anything new and innovative in terms of design. I was stuck. At that time, I decided I would try to obtain my Masters degree in Media Arts and Science. In an effort to not completely implode with stress, I decided to wait a year until my husband completed his Masters Degree, so that we both weren’t attempting it at the same time, all while trying to work and raise 4 kids.
During the height of my creative black hole, the opportunity crosses my path to attend Adobe MAX. God sure does have a way of working things out for me.
I walked into the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles for the keynote address at Adobe MAX in complete awe. The opening session blew my mind. The video graphics used to introduce the conference humbled me, and gave me hope that this was my chance to break through my creative hurdle that I’d been straddling for two years. During the keynote, one message rang true to me. I’m important. My career is important. This was evident because “good design is good business”.
After 4 days of sitting in labs of 100+ computers with the latest and greatest tools from Adobe, learning programs I had never even had the nerve to open, meeting developers and other designers from all walks of life, I can honestly say that I not only cleared that design hurdle I’d been straddling, I kicked it down and left it in the dust.
The word “grateful” cannot even begin to describe how I feel after returning from the creativity conference. I am more inspired and invigorated now than I ever have been. Now more than ever, I aim to make the world my canvas.
