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Learn from designers with industry expertise.

The great thing about being a designer is that you can work anywhere in the world.

 

Graphic Design Teacher
Sydney/Warrang

Olivia Chen

Taiwanese-born designer, Olivia Chen, started her career in advertising for two years in The Big Apple, working with big-name clients such as NYU Shanghai, Rolling Stone and American Express. She then moved to Hong Kong and worked in boutique branding firms such as Tommy Li Design Workshop and Substance. She then moved to Melbourne and worked for Yoke and BrandWorks while building up her own studio Studio Chenchen as a side hustle.

Now living in Sydney, Olivia focuses on her own studio and using both interior and branding skills that she has learned, and her network of talented people with various cultural backgrounds and skill-sets to help clients achieve strong brand presence and multi-sensory branding experience.

What do you love about design?

That I am always learning something new. It is constantly evolving and it is so intertwined with anthropology and cultures. I love to learn new things outside of design, random facts, and foreign cultures and being a designer exposes me to clients from all walks of life.

Why do you teach?

As far as I can remember I have always told people that I wanted to be a teacher when I grow up, forcing my baby sister and my younger cousins to sit in my “class” after school and assigning them “homework” that I made up.

I am naturally giving, love sharing my passion for design with people who are equally passionate. I have a natural motherly instinct and love to see people thrive.

For the past few years, I have been learning so much through some of the younger designers I have worked with and I want to learn more from people who are from different backgrounds than me, and who are with fresh eyes.

Tell us about your design career outside of Shillington.

I started my career 7 years ago in advertising in NYC, but my turning point was when I moved to Hong Kong and worked in a boutique branding firm called Substance, mostly for hospitality and fashion, I realized that branding is my passion and small studios environment is where I work best.

I moved to Melbourne three years ago and was working as a design director in a small studio called BrandWorks, and now I am based in Sydney as a freelance designer with my own studio on the side.

What or who are you loving right now?

John William Waterhouse (P.R.B. painter), DEUTSCHE & JAPANER studio, Roanne AdamsEric Hu (this guy is everything), Alessandro Michele (Gucci’s new CD), cause Minimalism is DEAD!

If you were a typeface, what would you be?

Saol Display

What’s your favourite blog?

The Design Files, Yellow Trace, Eye on DesignBpando. I also love print magazines such as Apartamento and Idea Magazine from Japan. I am a podcast nerd so I listen to a lot of podcasts while working. Design related or not: 99 Percent Invisible (bite-size episode, great podcast about everything design, architecture, fun history), Philosophize This (better than my uni philosophy class), Beyond this Point, Design Matters (Debbie Millman as host, in-depth interview with designers, artists, author or creatives), and This American Life (Real life stories that are better than TV).

 

 

 

Andrew Shillington
Founder, Global

Anthony Wood
CEO, Global

Clare Terry
Director, Australia

Natalia Zuluaga
Director of Operations, Global

John Palowski
Head of Course Content, Global

Chris Norman
Head, Online

Cathy Sison
Head, New York

Jack Trotman
Head, United Kingdom

Sara Mazzoni
Head of Marketing & Communications, Global

Laura Carrick
Marketing & Communications Specialist, Global

Clay Allison
Head of Experience, Global

Nick Smith
Course Content Creator, Global

Shrenik Ganatra
Course Content Creator & Teacher, New York

Nicki Vleisides
Lead Course Advisor, Global

Dina Shirin
Course Advisor, Global

Oli Stevenson
Marketing & Copywriting Lead, Global

Tia Ajala
Marketing & Communications Assistant, Global

Alex Daley
Experience Lead, Northern Hemisphere

Andy Dion
Experience Assistant, New York

Kim Melvin
Lead Teacher, New York

Tessa Canon
Graphic Design Teacher, New York

Justin Carey
Graphic Design Teacher, New York

Laura Moore
Graphic Design Teacher, New York

Anna Meyer
Graphic Design Teacher, New York

Sam Jacobs
Graphic Design Teacher, New York

Meg Bathard
Experience Assistant, London

Kym Rohman
Lead Teacher, London

George Simkin
Lead Teacher, London

Dan Wilson
Teacher & Special Projects, London

Mags Straatman
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Céline Bouichou
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Tina Victoria Afshar
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Rich Tucker
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Alessia Mazzarella
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Marco Invernizzi
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Claudia Rivera
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Ben Anthony
Graphic Design Teacher, London

Ella Shillington
Experience Lead, Southern Hemisphere

Jaimee-Lee Field
Graphic Design Teacher, Sydney/Warrang

Michelle Smalley
Graphic Design Teacher, Sydney/Warrang

Olivia Chen
Graphic Design Teacher, Sydney/Warrang

Micke Lindebergh
Graphic Design Teacher, Sydney/Warrang

Nathan Millard
Graphic Design Teacher, Melbourne/Naarm

Thiago Eichner
Lead Teacher, Online

Annette Dennis
Lead Teacher, Online

Elena Passeggi
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Dave Bird
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Amy Prus
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Hilary Archer
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Femi Coppi
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Emily Comfort
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Dahlia Ishak
Lead Teacher, Online

Sarah Napier
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Andrea Osojnik
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Lucy Kirkwood
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Spencer Harrison
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

Nick Bailey
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Adam Busby
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Mitch Reyes
Graphic Design Teacher, Online

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