Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiff B. Nunes.
Hi Tiff, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I come from a strikingly mixed cultural environment where a sense of creative exploration was instilled in me from a young age. The arts held a significant presence in many aspects of my life so everything about choosing design as a career path felt deeply instinctive.
I like to say that I developed into a creative linguist, a multidisciplinary maker fluent in many creative practices that celebrate the human experience. My academic background ranged from Apparel Design to Graphic Design and even Printmaking, helping me master a wide range of skills that allow me to visually communicate with intent.
Nowadays my personal practice of design stems from a desire to spark curiosity and wonder, aiming to create memorable experiences or products and have a blooming good time in the process!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I am a bit of a planner. I’ve been probably planning my life since I was about 5 years old. I went from planning potion-making playdates in the garden to ultimately planning my success in the field of arts and design. Unfortunately much to my disappointment, I’ve come to learn that life is not a linear story. It’s tangled and organic and sometimes hella confusing.
I often think I walk the line with my design identity, finding it hard to connect and relate to specific categories of culture and creative practices. There’s an ongoing conflict that exists between myself and the world that surrounds me. As a multidisciplinary, I’ve questioned my sense of belongingness in the many fields I’ve been able to be a part of. I’ve never quite felt like I wanted to just do one thing. This approach to design, the thing I was most proud of, was at times the thing that got me the “No” from jobs I was interviewing for.
I am a big believer however that you end up where you are supposed to, and for me my path led me to the Levitate Brand team in New England. Joining a highly creative team of amazing people and bringing their vision to life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I vividly remember the moments of creativity that happened in my grandmother’s kitchen. Although I did not necessarily understand what was happening when she was baking, I knew I had to partake in the magic I was witnessing — even if all I ever really did was stand on the sidelines, staring in awe. Her baking process was whimsical, almost a dance-like performance. It felt like walking into a sensory experience. Now, 11 years after her passing, as I hold on to her baking recipes, the compilation of stained scribbled scripts of her performance, I recognize the impact observing her had on my creative practice.
A designer’s treasure lies within the fleeting and visceral experiences of making. With a fingerprint established throughout every step of the process, creatives can make a design experience enchanting, never to be equally replicated. This is how I see my own practice of design. A whimsical ephemeral moment where my hands act like linguists, interpreting feelings and learning through practice.
If there is one thing I am known for, is my documentation of the process. My own personal archive celebrates the messy yet individualistic marks of making. It is paramount to me that we continue to inspire and encourage, new generations of designers to preserve and celebrate the legacy found within their physical processes. This is how we truly make our work felt.
How do you think about happiness?
Flipping through a pack of freshly developed film. Picking up my film camera and documenting without all the concerns that are now attached to images, being open and accepting of quirks like the tip of your finger in the corner of the lens. This brings me such a sense of nostalgia, remembering my mom documenting every step of my life growing up through her lens. Now I get to continue that on documenting the life of my family and friends, building an archive of incredible stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiffanybnunes.com
Image Credits
SCAD (Portrait image) Tiff B.Nunes
