I enjoy trying new things, and as a result I tend to collect hobbies. Knitting, quilting, drawing, playing musical instruments, martial arts and outdoor adventure sports are all examples of activities that have caught my attention enough to dabble in. I never really quit a hobby, but there are some I keep coming back to, that become part of who I am and how I design. This is a list of those hobbies, along with my thoughts on how they help me cultivate my skill as a designer.

A pen and gouache hand-drawn illustration of a purple coneflower

Botanic Illustration

The ability to create a recognizable likeness of things in the physical world in a two-dimensional space is a great asset for any designer. I believe with practice and guidance, such skill can be aquired by anyone. The desire to do so, however, is perhaps a bit more innate, or at least self-directed. I find great inspiration in botanic illustration, and enjoy learning and teaching about plants, and especially trees. I enjoy practicing my drawing and sketching whenever I remember to make the time to do so. The purple coneflower illustration featured here was drawn by hand from a living, uprooted specimine from my own yard. I sketched in pencil, traced the outline using a felt pen, and completed it by painting with gouache.

Photography

I believe enthusiasm is the most important key for success in any endeavor, so I am proud to call myself a photography enthusiast. I am not after the perfect picture, and I do not aspire to sell my photos as works of art. I am interested in the thought process, techniques, and skill that goes into taking a photo, and the usefulness of the photograph once taken.

A close up of the delecate purple flowers of the clary sage plant.

Clary Sage

Gardening

In addition to providing a reason to interact directly with the earth, which I find therapeutic, gardening also is a wonderful metaphor for design. A design cannot truly live until it is planted, it thrives only under the right conditions, and some designs require ongoing care, while other thrive with neglect and work best when they fade into the background. I am enjoying learning what will grow best in what conditions, and which plants best meet my needs in this place.

Knitting

I enjoy creating objects that can bring joy and meaning to the recipient. Projects are completed when I start to get excited about the next project I will cast on.

a close up photograph of sourdough rolls Sarah baked

Baking

I have recently acquired some sourdough starter from a friend, and have been enjoying learning how to care for and bake with it. Cooking with sourdough starter requires a bit more time and patience than recipes using only commercial yeast, but the life-like behavior of the starter and the extra care required make the process more fulfilling to me. Like many crafts, I begin by following instructions and looking for recipes, which I follow as closely as possible at first. As I become more experienced, I find the confidence to improvize, combining techniques to create something more my own. Design is like this as well; at first following recipes closely, and with experience creating recipes and tools of our own.

Music

I enjoy playing the piano and flute. There is something about listening to and playing music that I find both soothing and stimulating. It is a tool I turn to often.

Calligraphy

I find the act of reading and writing to be rather magical. Using a sequence of lines, we can communicate across time and space, reading works by authors long gone from this world, written in a place we may never visit. To be able to hear the stories of people we will never meet is fascinating to me. Through the practice of calligraphy I can reflect on and explore this etherial connection with the past while myself creating a legacy that will last indefinitely into the future. As I learn and hone my calligraphic skills, I gain a greater understanding of the patience and practice required to create extraordinary texts like the Book of Kells. As a craft, the learning process has much in common with design, and I enjoy reflecting on the similarities.

A close up of Sarah's hands in prayer pose.

Yoga

I practice Ashtanga yoga, which focuses on flowing through poses and linking breath with movement. In addition to the physical benefits, I enjoy yoga as an exercise in mental focus, to practice blocking out external and internal distractions.