I Am Ready.

     What I experience in my Digital Portfolio class is beyond what words can explain. Today is my final presentation and I am not nervous about presenting like I usually am. I usually clam up and have anxiety like no other; the worst thing is that I go blank when I am put on the spot but not this time. I think the reason I am not nervous is because I believe this class was developed for the students to understand their outlook on interior design and convey their feelings on what is going on in the field during this time and hopefully continue their expression in a professional manner in their future careers.  What I have to present, is my own words and feelings, during this class I have grown to understand my own passion and outlook on interior design. I know at this time majority of the people do not understand what an interior designer does, most think we just decorate a room and that is that, also we are not looked at as an important element in design. But all that is clearly wrong, we can’t completely blame it on those individuals but on the lack of education that they receive from television shows. This class has prepared me for that one day, or days I am approached by those who are not well education in our field and explain to them the importance of an interior design and be able to express my full passion I have for my work. I am ready to share my experience with anyone that is willing to listen.

It's Not All Shows and Games.

           So many people these days that watch the “design shows” on television thinks that is what interior design is really all about. From my knowledge those shows are far from the truth. On the shows they show the easy and quick way to do get the projects done but they always seem to be missing the key factor of following the codes that get project past and the process is put in.

            It is not as simple as building a house in seven days; it takes time and a lot of work to get a complete fully functional design.  

We All Are Not Prepared for Our Future.

We all don’t dream of going to school, getting your degree in interior design and going out into the field to design a prison, a half-way house or a homeless shelter. In all reality we might get asked to do that, we might get asked to give our services to those that do not always get the attention that they deserve and need. Designing any of these building never crossed my mind until it was brought up in class and honestly it took me a few minutes to respond. I had to think of all that I have learned, as a designer we put our own emotions aside to design a fully functional, safe space for all that occupy it. I believe that everyone deserves that privilege, even if it does come down to design a prison that has the death penalty, I know if this challenge were given to me I would have to design that room.

            Also the possibility of designing an abortion clinic was talked about in class and I would have to treat them all with complete profession. I know I would have to put my emotions and options aside to put my whole effort into designing the best space for every individual. There are so many places and people that do not get an equal amount of attention as those that have the money to buy the services they desire or need. I feel that if I am approached at anytime in my career to take on anyone of these challenges, I will do it because of how strongly I believe that everyone should be treated equally.

One Day, Everyone Will Understand.

Fighting for others to understand Interior Design is difficult, most people know it as decorating.  I came to this crossroad many times but the most recent was during my English class one night.

While talking to my teacher and the rest of the class about my major brought up several questions, such as, “aren’t you just decorating?” and “is it really that difficult to be a designer?”

            I answered and explained what a designer does and what it takes to become an interior designer. First off, no it is not just decorating. It takes several different elements, one being psychology. It is one of the most important factors in becoming a interior designer because a designer is constantly working with other people and meeting new people almost on a daily basis. Psychology helps read and understand your future clients so when designing for them you will be able to know exactly what they need and want even when they are not completely sure themselves. Also psychology helps a designer understand how individuals will act in different space and to what is in those spaces. For example, color choices and lighting arraignment all effects people differently. Such as the color red one person may find this color exhilarating and passionate and another my find it terrerifying by comparing it to blood or hate. Without out light there can not be any color, lighting is key factor in a space not only allowing ability to see but also giving the sense of safety and warmth.

            There are also codes to follow by for every inch of a space, to the placement of the flooring; to each step of the stairs; up to the ceiling plans. Every space has to be functional and safe for every individual that enters the area. To be able to complete a deign it has to be up to code in which every state is different because it depends on the elements that are around the space that is being designed.

            Each licensed interior designer has to have a degree; min of two years of internship and has to pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications also known as the NCIDQ exam. This is to make sure that every interior designer is fully equipped to design a complete and functioning space.

Piecing It All Together

   I have not always known what I wanted to do in my life. I have gone back in forth with some ideas since I have been asked that lovely question, “ what do you want to e when you grow up”.  Jokingly I have always responded I am not going to grow up or I plan to travel the world going to job to job and just be happy wherever I am.

  One day it hit me that I couldn’t do that forever. I knew what I was good at and tried to piece it all together and putting in the factor that I wanted to travel, the outcome came to architecture, both my aunt and uncle is an architects and it seemed like a good fit for me.  Looking around for a school to go to, I found The Art Institute of Tampa and that they offered a degree in interior design. I figured that it would be good to learn the knowledge need to be able to design a building from the inside out.

So being a senior in the Art Institute of Tampa, I am closer to my dreams coming true. 

My Start. My Future.

      My name is Ryiah Wishart and I am a student at The Art Institute of Tampa.  I started attending in the spring of 2009, and I intend on graduating by 2013 with my Bachelor of Fine Arts. I plan on continuing my education by getting my masters degree in Architecture, hopefully studying abroad during that time.

My interest in the program first started when I was young and my family encouraged my talent for art and math. As I got older I gained a great respect for psychology and studied the subject throughout my high school classes. By continuing doing something I love I learned a little more about interior design and thought that would be a great way to start my education off, by learning from the inside to out in spaces.  Starting this program I knew I would face challenges I would have to push myself further than I ever had and I was correct, plus more.  Being in this department I have learned that interior design is more than a room, it is a space. Even further more learning that the space can be broken down into different areas such as centers and nodes.

The space is designed not decorated, to be a designer you have to study several different elements such as psychology and light and know how it is going to react to the client and every person that is going to enter that space.

I have so much respect for each designer and what they do, I have also learned so much in my time here and I am ready to learn more in the coming years of my education and in my future career.