The Mindful Designer

Jon Kabat Zinn defines mindfulness as the awareness that arises out of intentionally paying attention in an open, kind and non-judgmental way. As designers we tend to find and focus on errors and fix them to make life better, we learn to criticize, to judge, and we tend to have high expectations.

In these fast-paced times, to be able to slow down and re-humanize design, we need to cultivate new habits and patterns of thought. As designers we need to be present and to be able to give attention to our sensations. We need a new set of guidelines.

In this workshop I intend to unite designers who are curious about or already practicing mindfulness and meditation. Designers with third eyes open are also welcome. As we gather and connect as a group, we will start experimenting with some basic meditation and breath-work exercises. We will then try to define mindfulness and why we need it as designers. Afterwards we will focus on creating a set of guidelines to be used by every designer, in other words, statements by which we determine a new course of action. This set of guidelines may even turn into A Guidebook for the Mindful Designer, who knows?

Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan

Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan is a book designer, academician and artist. She studied graphic design at Anadolu University Faculty of Fine Arts and San Diego State University School of Art, Design and Art History. She completed her master’s at Anadolu University, and a Proficiency in Arts degree at Köln University and Anadolu University, The Institute of Social Sciences.

Taşçıoğlu’s printworks have often been exhibited solo and in national and international juried exhibitions. She has written two books, one on book design and one on environmental graphic design, and published many articles on graphic design. She has also self-published a few of her own artist’s books. In addition to her book design practice, she works as a full time Professor at Anadolu University, and currently is the President of International Council of Design (ICoD).