Caitlin Hatfield

What defines a hat?
Is a hat just an accessory, or can it be something more? How far can one distort the structure of a hat? For this semester I want to explore the make up of a hat. Some hats allow the wearer to blend in and others allow the wearer to stand out. I have always held this accessory dear to me. I’m not sure where my fascination of hats came from but I have decided for my seminar project I want to focus on reconstructing the form of a hat and the wearer’s interaction with it. I want to leave how the hat sits and attaches to the wearer open ended; this will allow each wearer to put his/her own spin on it.

Info-Graphics
Last semester I wanted to explore something new. I was sick of the computer and only producing digital work; this lead me to being lost for a month then finally realizing I wanted to work with hats, and how they are viewed and worn. It felt like I was in a good place for a while, up until my final review; one of the questions that was asked, “How was your schooling for the last three-year playing a part?” This took me back because truthfully all I could think of was composition. This caused me to do a lot of thinking on this project. Is it really what I want to do? Is this going to help me in the future? And yes it will give my portfolio a different flare than others but truthfully I didn’t spend the last three years learning about sculpting, 3d design, or even fashion. During my final review it was clear that people wanted me to make these hats be the next “fashion” statement. After all was said and done I realized I just wanted to be “home” doing what I love to do and being at a place that I love; I wanted to be back on the computer designing again. It was nice to explore new territory; it opened my mind to new processes and most of all it truly ensured me that I did pick the right career path. So finally, what I'm doing this semester! I want to explore graphs and all the beautiful ways they can be displayed. I found my love of graphs when I first did the annual report. My first project is to research a hand full of info-graphic designers and what subjects that they work with, my second part is to come up with some topics (or does the topic not matter? Is it all about making the perfect graph). Can the topic be fun? Does it have to be something related to business or me? I do however want to start making graphs as soon as possible.