A Time for Everything

Graphic Design and Production

2019

New Jersey, United States

In the year 2019, I received a devastating blow to my self-confidence because of the difficulty of applying for valid work authorization in the United State.

I used to be proud of being a designer. During the time I could not take any jobs but stay at home, I went through a lot of doubts and questions toward not only the system but also my professional ability and identity.

While I thought the time was a failure to me and made me in such a depressing moment, the words of God comforting me. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-14, it reminds me that God "has made everything beautiful in its time".

My husband also gave me a lot of supports and encouragement. "You are a good designer, no matter you are working for a corporation or not," he said. With the reminders and reflection, I start learning to appreciate the downtime and rethink what are the most important in my life and how can I connect my work to God's work.

After collecting myself, around the late summer, the idea of making a calendar for the coming year came up because I consider it is a visual representation of time that could be created along with many graphic design elements such as typography and illustrations.

I invited several families to write down a bible verse that they see it brings the most impact in their life in the year 2019. Then I created 12 illustrations, assembled by simple geometric shapes and colors, to echo the meaning of the verse.

It may seem nothing special about putting bible verses and illustrations onto a calendar, however, it is a simplistic way to feature the most important things to me: God's words, family supports, and the pure joy and love of creating beautiful images.

By the end of the year 2019, the calendar has been manufactured to 500 copies and sent to families, friends, and church members across the United States, China, and Taiwan. It fulfilled one of the concepts of designing a calendar, which is at the ending of the project, it is going to be the beginning of a brand new year.

There is a time to finish and a time to start. No matter what kind of situation we are at, everything is beautiful in its time.