Hero Image provided by Adobe Event page.
Good Evening Seattle!
On Monday, August 18, I joined a sold-out crowd of designers, artists, and creative minds for Create Now Seattle, an event hosted by Adobe in partnership with the Seattle Design Festival. It was a full house—standing-room-only inspiration.
The evening featured Adobe pros showing off the latest in Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe Express, Firefly, and more. But what really stuck with me were the local design plugs, especially from artists in Seattle and Tacoma. Having grown up close to Tacoma, hearing from a Tacoma-based artist felt like a little slice of home woven into the event. It was a nice reminder that creativity isn’t just coming out of global studios—it’s thriving right here in the neighborhoods we know.
The Designer’s Dilemma: Networking
Now, let’s talk about networking. Picture a room buzzing with conversations, handshakes, and business card swaps. Then picture me… hovering somewhere between the snack table and the exit sign, trying to summon the courage to strike up a conversation.
I did manage to connect with a local photographer and content creator (success!), but I still left joking with my coworkers that I should design a shirt with a giant QR code on the back.
The caption? “For Introverted Designers.”
That way, people could just scan me like I’m a new Adobe feature, and—boom—they’d land on my portfolio or About Me page. Networking solved.
The caption? “For Introverted Designers.”
That way, people could just scan me like I’m a new Adobe feature, and—boom—they’d land on my portfolio or About Me page. Networking solved.
Takeaways
Networking hurdles aside, Create Now Seattle was packed with inspiration. From Adobe’s evangelists to our local artists, the evening reminded me that design is not just about pixels on a screen—it’s about people, places, and communities that fuel the work we do.
I walked away with new tools, fresh ideas, and a deeper appreciation for the creative community here in the Pacific Northwest. And who knows—maybe next time you’ll actually see me sporting that QR code shirt.
Local Plugs
Local Artists
Demo & Adobe Highlights