Mission
Design Assembly seeks to celebrate, grow and challenge the New Zealand graphic design community through online conversation, events and workshops, to build a strong, supportive profession.
Design Assembly strives to
– Create a place to belong to
– Celebrate, nurture and grow New Zealand graphic design
– Connect New Zealand graphic designers with each other and to the world
– Challenge the industry
– Provoke discussion and debate
– Love and value New Zealand graphic design
I believe in the creative process, mark-making and community. I am a mum to two young girls, a partner to Daniel and a big dreamer and doer. Professionally I’ve been working as a graphic designer for over 17 years.
In August 2008 with a desire for events and a community for graphic designers in Auckland, I founded Design Assembly. My vision for Design Assembly is to be the community for New Zealand graphic designers, committed to sharing ideas, information and inspiration. It consists of events in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton, a website of fresh regular content and an annual workshop series.
Louise Kellerman
– Inspiration is the drawing in of air.
louise@designassembly.org.nz | 027 360 5090
Lana Lopesi is a critic of art and culture based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Lana is the Editor-in-Chief for The Pantograph Punch, Editor for Design Assembly and was Founding Editor of #500words. Lana has held residencies in Taipei, Taiwan and Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Lana’s writing has featured in a number of publications in print and online including New Zealand publications Paperboy, Art New Zealand, HOME Magazine, Aotearotica, Bulletin and The Spinoff; Australian publications Un Magazine, Broadsheet Journal and Runway; and international publications such as GARAGE Magazine, VICE. Lana is currently working on her first manuscript The False Divides, to be published by Bridget Williams Books late 2018.
Marine is originally from Paris and has been in the capital for 4 years. She is helping the design community by organizing Design Assembly events and workshops in Wellington.
Marine believes in design for good and is helping ethical businesses with design and digital. She is also a digital designer at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand creating games and experiences for students as a way of learning. She loves to craft and upcycle anything around her. She plays with new technologies and MR for making the world a better place. She is amazed about planting, harvesting and eating her own veggie in her Welly garden.
Hollie is the founder, creative director and designer at her studio, Black and White Studios. Originally from England, Hollie now calls New Zealand home and has been a part of the Wellington creative community for over 6 years, attending and hosting workshops, meetups and events all over the capital and New Zealand.
With a super-nerdy obsession with letterforms, Hollie specializes in typography, lettering and branding across a variety of different mediums. Hollie also teaches typography at Massey University, runs hand lettering workshops, writes and creates videos about typography & lettering, and is a member of the International Society of Typographic Design.
Nicola works with a team of amazing designers in Christchurch to help deliver the annual program of Design Assembly events and workshops locally.
Nicola originally trained as a graphic designer in the 1990s, when iPhones were still a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye, Nicola has been involved in both print-based and interactive media since her time studying at Wanganui School of Design. Owner of design studio Tanker Creative, founded in 2003, Nicola is an avid follower of new technology in strategy, marketing, design and communications. She has an interest in cultural and gender diversity, as well as collaborative practice between creatives from spheres such as photography, fine art and writing.