The iCLA Memorabilia Contest held from September 10 to October 4 saw many wonderful submissions with creative renditions of the iCLA logo from the iCLA community. The contest featured an opportunity to have the winning design made into iCLA merchandise which is sold in the semesterly sale.
The winning design of this year’s Memorabilia Contest was created by iCLA student Shwe Sin! Shwe Sin’s design was chosen based criteria such as feasibility, quality, and pertinence to iCLA. Her beautiful design is featured on tote bags which was available for purchase in the Fall 2024 iCLA Memorabilia Sale.
We interviewed Shwe Sin about her inspiration for the design.
Can you tell me about yourself and also about your artistic background?
Shwe Sin: Where I come from in my country, it’s hard to get art materials. So, I always have to be innovative about my creative process. Along the way, I picked up different creative skills. I learned to sew. I can embroider. I do a bit of traditional art. But these days I mainly do digital art because you don’t need to get materials. I don’t really see myself as a graphic designer, but more of an illustrator. I don’t have much experience with designing logos, but I wanted to challenge myself.
How long have you been creating art?
Shwe Sin: I’ve been doing art since I was a kid. I just never stopped, basically.
What was your motivation for submitting a design to this year’s contest?
Shwe Sin: I always wanted to participate in the contest, but I didn’t know what to draw because I don’t really do graphic design. Last year, there was a winning design by Hannah, and I realized, “Oh! I could do something like this.” So, I got inspiration from that. It’s thanks to her that I got to participate this year.
What was the inspiration for your design?
Shwe Sin: One of the criteria of the contest was diversity, so I was trying to think of different ways to represent it in a logo. I thought of flowers because every country, every culture, has some kind of flower motif. So that’s what I decided on and I took inspiration from different flower motifs from cultures around the world and tried to make it into one whole design.
What is the significance behind the flowers and colors that you chose to put into your design?
Shwe Sin: Well, the colors are neutral colors, so that was more of a technical decision. But for the flowers, for example, each section of the logo is from a different culture. The “i” section is like lace from western or European countries. The “C” section is Sakura or cherry blossoms, like a design on a kimono. And then the “L” section is like batik from Indonesia. Then the “A” section, this is a kind of flower motif you can see in South and Southeast Asian countries like in India, Myanmar where I’m from, and maybe Thai.
The outer layer are flower designs inspired from etching, something that’s used in printing in the early days of the industrial age. And actually, in the juncture of the vines there are little flowers, and they are actually national flowers from different countries. We have the rose from the US, cherry blossom from Japan, and the King Protea flower from South Africa.
I tried to think about how to balance all the cultures together.
Was there a specific artist that inspired you to draw the way you did?
Shwe Sin: Because the flower motifs are from different cultures, I wouldn’t say there’s one single artist, but I was introduced to William Morris during a past class with Professor Sam Stocker. I was inspired by the designs of artists like that who focus on shape and flow.
People will be carrying merchandise with your design on it. Did that factor into what you wanted to create?
Shwe Sin: Diversity is an important thing. I tried to make sure that everyone can feel represented. I couldn’t put in every country, but I tried to think of all the corners of the world when I made it.
Do you have a message for those people who are considering to buy your tote bag or maybe already bought it?
Shwe Sin: First of all, thank you! Thank you for choosing to buy my design. I hope more people will support this so there can be more contests and other people can participate. I want to see more designs by other wonderful artists in iCLA.