Alumni Life - Kiara Robinson

Samples of Kiara’s designs can be seen at https://www.instagram.com/kiarastudios_/

Like many of the SHHS alumni, Kiara likes to use her skills for the betterment of others, values that I like to think were consolidated through her attendance at Smith’s Hill High School. Kiara’s designs for AUSLAN sign language are terrific, showing her inherent creativity.

“I still have creative hobbies and love designing for fun. At the moment I’m working on a series of illustrations that teach sign language for common phrases.”

“Most of my work is digital now, but this still includes drawing and typography. I use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and XD. I also use a Wacom “Intuos” for drawing directly into Illustrator as well.

I’ve had a large-scale macrame project taunting me for a while now, which I started during lockdown with the anticipation of lots of free time, but fortunately the digital world didn’t slow down at all and I’ve been as busy as ever.

The pandemic was a crazy time, but I was fortunate to be largely unaffected. eCommerce had a record year with online shopping, which meant I had a busy year keeping the online store (for client Natural Necessity Surf Shop). Additionally, it gave a lot of time for people to reflect and re-evaluate their goals and their jobs, which led to many new businesses popping up that needed logos and branding and websites. With the world becoming increasingly dependent on digital devices and the internet, I can’t think of a better industry to be in!”

“I’m inspired by my clients. Bringing their vision to life is a joyful experience, especially when it’s a design style or brand I’m particularly passionate about. Whether we are conscious of it or not, humans crave and enjoy art, whether it be a commercial or abstract piece, and I enjoy bringing art to life and adding some beauty to the world.

I work freelance from home, but this often requires meeting clients in person (normally over a coffee) to go through design details and get a holistic idea of what they want to achieve. Often, I can get more of an idea of the feel or direction of a project in person than through a written brief. In a regular week I will be juggling three to five clients at a time, so I don’t feel isolated in my work. Occasionally I will meet up with other creatives to bounce ideas and get some feedback before presenting to a client."

To see Kiara’s professional work on Natural Necessity’s website and online store - https://www.naturalnecessity.com.au/

“I’m proud of the range of work I have been able to achieve as a freelancer, the variation between clients will have me working on logos for hairdressers one day and large-scale warfare decals for the Royal Australian Navy the next! I’ve been able to work alongside artists like Gregor Cullen and James Gulliver Hancock for the Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival these past two years, whilst managing an expanding online store.”

Kiara’s experience of Smith’s Hill High School came towards the end of her schooling, but she is generous in her praise for the positive opportunities it afforded her.

“I transferred to Smith’s Hill in the second semester of year 10; it was a big change coming from a smaller private school, and I was so grateful for the flexibility and huge range of electives available at Smith’s Hill. Being able to pursue multiple passions to see which would suit me as a career was extremely beneficial and helpful when deciding how to progress past high school.”

Kiara’s advice from her experience of finding her groove with a career path that suited her talents is particularly resonating:

“Focus on your strengths, remember the habits that bring you joy and don’t compare yourself to others. And, more generally…Don’t accept everything you see online as fact; make it a habit to question everything!”

Sharon Mearing
Visual Arts Teacher (retired)