Diana Sokolic

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

Being brought up in an artistic family there was never anything else I wanted to be but an artist myself. Being a professional painter, for me art is the way of living. The same concept is implemented and practised through my painting, lumino-kinetic objects, photography, the space I live at and the things I wear.

What is "design" for you?

Design is an immense field that includes so very different types of artistic creation ( like graphic and industrial design) that it can't be explained in few words. 80 categories of this competition verify that.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

I like to design things I like to wear, use, read or surround me.

When do you feel the most creative?

I create all the time - it has become an inseparable part of my life. New ideas come all the time, but only if a person is completely immersed in art as the way of living and thinking.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

Whenever I am creating something I feel overwhelmed with joy and happiness, I feel belonging to the eternal, and I feel as the part of the Universe itself.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

When I finish my creation , when it becames TACTILE ( no matter is it a graphic design or a product design ) I feel contentment and satisfaction but at the same time I feel the urge to start with a new project, to realize a new idea.

What makes a design successful?

The duration of the design is the proof of its approval and success.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

Function , practicality and then esthetics are the first components I consider when judging a design.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

A designer should design things that will be used and liked for a long time. In that way one would not throw something just because of its looks.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

My last exhibition was in Zagreb, Croatia and in London, in 2015. Any place where a lot of visitors can see the exhibition is a good place to exhibit.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

Whatever I do, from ironing and cooking to teaching, I have creative thoughts in the background of my mind. And then, like in the cartoon, an idea pops up an finds its way in front of everything. Reading, watching movies, going to theatre, travelling, seeing exhibitions, talking to connoisseurs in different fields... all of that feeds my creativity and strengthens it.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

The style of my design is a part of my artistic creation, part of my artistic handwriting, part of my world view.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

I live in Croatia, country rich with cultural heritage and inexhaustible source of inspiration. It can be used as the inspiration in design in many ways but alas , I rarely come in situation to design for a client.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

Chairs are my most favorite design items at home: Stark's Ghost, Le Corbussier's chaise longue LC-4, BKF or Butterfly chair ( my parents had it long before I was born ), than Raul Goldoni's (Croatian artist ) glass ball and the table inspired with the Thonet brothers table that I have recently designed .

Can you describe a day in your life?

Lot of dull but necessary work and some joy acquired by creating.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Since I am not ONLY the designer and I don't have to deal with clients often, for me there are more positive sides than those negative. For me the most positive thing is that I can develop my ideas by myself , without interferences from aside.

What skills are most important for a designer?

The most important skill for the designer is to visualize the finished project.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

Being a painter by profession , my main tool is paper and pencil, PC comes later, when elaborating the idea.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

The most beautiful time in my life is the time when I create. All other things in life are then easier to manage.

What was your most important job experience?

When I said NO to the potentially very well paid job because I didn't want just to draw the client's bad ideas. I never felt sorry because of it.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

I like to design things that I invent and produce by myself (or with help of few connoisseurs).

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

The next thing I want to do is to try to present my designs outside my country.