“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
There’s a Ben Kenobi to every hero’s journey. That wise sage who knows the way and little by little drops the clues that guide us to the places we didn’t know we were destined to travel.
These quietly amazing individuals come in many shapes and sizes. The proud, the humble, the experienced, the fresh faced novices, the young, the old. They bring with them their magic. Brushstrokes of wonder that reflect your own thought process back to you. Make manifest in living colour the things you’re trying to say to the world.
Let me introduce you to one of my heroes. A poet in terms of her design work and artistry. Kim Garbett, a young lady with a talent that quite simply shakes the room.
Bob Garbett and his daughter Kim have been intrinsic in my journey for many years now. Believing in me. Championing me. Helping me however they can to realise my own potential.
And so it is with the most grateful of thanks I pay tribute to Kim Garbett now.
“Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.” - Brian Reed
The journey to achieve all that you feel you were born to achieve can be thorny at best. When I first started out I was in for the shock of a lifetime when I discovered how arduous that journey would be. Life seemed to only want to send the most trying set of circumstances and onerous of challenges as I worked my way along my own person road less travelled.
But something within me told me that it was all a necessary part of my journey. That I needed to be broken down a little before my life, my choices, my journey, would start building me back up.
“Design can be art.
Design can be aesthetics.
Design is so simple, that’s why it’s so complicated.” - Paul Rand
Kim Garbett is that rarest of things. An artist as talented as she is humble. As hard working as she is committed.
She has quite simply turned my world around without realising what it is she has brought to my door.
Her work on my sites, The British Filmmakers Alliance, The World Film Showcase and now The Age of Descent Platform, destined to evolve into The World Writers Showcase, have taken my work from what I wanted it to be to what it is.
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” - Steve Jobs
My little Kimmy is multi-talented, a versatile designer, as at home designing websites, logos, brochures as she is creating original pieces. The pinnacle of her talents can be seen in her astonishing work creating the most breathtakingly beautiful fantasy art. Just take a look at some examples of her work to see what I’m talking about and find yourself transported to other worlds.
I’d originally wanted to do an interview with Kim but know she’s far too sweet and self-effacing to bang her own drum to the world. And so with this article I’ve taken the choice away from her and chosen to bang it for her.
“Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” - Joe Soprano
Design Major is the latest feather in the cap of Bob and Kim’s empire. They have sponsored the Age of Descent platform and The World film showcase and made it possible for me to get something so special off the ground. It’s my privilege that they’ve put their creative stamp all over my work and I can only recommend them to the rest of the world with full gusto.
Kim is a magician. A master painter at a computer. A spirit that was born to do what she does. Hopefully our work with evolve together and reach that special place where storyteller meet artist and the dreams of one are made manifest by the vision of another.
“Art is the only place you can do what you like. That’s freedom.” - Paul Rego
