Aaron Rayburn is a Portland-based designer, writer and filmmaker who has worked for clients such as Proctor & Gamble, Wikipedia, Esquire Magazine and the Portland Timbers. Aaron was named one of 12 Most Innovative Designers in America by Esquire Magazine in 2011 and will be a guest speaker at A Conversation with Aaron Rayburn on Monday, October 6 from 6 pm to 9 pm at Tillamook Station, 665 N Tillamook St. Aaron will talk about running a studio practice based on cultural research, design thinking and art direction. Here are some of his picks of various designers and events involved in Design Week Portland:

1. More, More, More: The Art of Kate Bingaman-Burt

Kate is an illustrator and educator who has been making work about consumption since 2002. In this event, Kate will show new works together with eight years of “Obsessive Consumption” – 3,000 drawings centering on everyday objects that we purchase and discard; in the process, encouraging people to be more mindful of what they buy. Her very first Daily Purchase Drawing, which documented the act of filling up her gas tank and featured the BP logo, was featured on the popular NPR show Marketplace. Kate has also illustrated commercially for Chipotle, The Gap and IDEO.

AR: “Kate taught me in college and her take on making a brand what it is and sticking to it has really inspired me. It’s interesting to see how she makes art from impermanent and inexpensive things we purchase everyday. Usually we see art as precious, but her drawings make precious out of the ordinary.”

WHEN:

9 am to 5 pm from Monday, October 6 to Friday, October 10

WHERE:

Liquid Space

910 NW Hoyt St

COST:

Free

2. Stefan Sagmeister: Design and Happiness

New York-based designer and artist Stefan Sagmeister’s unique synthesis of typography, photography and performance art has influenced album covers (the Rolling Stones) and ad campaigns (Levis). In the past few years, Sagmeister’s installation The Happy Show – part personal narrative, part social investigation, using film, print, infographics and interactive installations to explore what makes us happy – has toured worldwide.

AR: “Stefan is innovative with everything that he touches, especially his work in typography and creative thinking. I look up to that because I think it’s a global influence. I want to know what he has to say about design because he is far ahead in the field, and I think he is very insightful.”

WHEN:

Wednesday, October 8

6 pm – 8 pm: Design and Happiness

8 pm – 10 pm: VIP Reception

WHERE:

Portland Art Museum - Whitsell Auditorium

1219 SW Park Ave.

COST:

Standard Tickets: AIGA Member: $35 / AIGA Non-Member: $60

Standard Tickets + VIP Reception (limited): AIGA Member: $65 / AIGA Non-Member: $95

3. WeMake sketchXchange with Lisa Congdon

Artist, illustrator and author Lisa Congdon is best known for her colorful paintings and intricate line drawings and has illustrated for clients including The Museum of Modern Art, Chronicle Books, and Martha Stewart Living Magazine. In this workshop, Lisa will share her path to working with Chronicle Books, writing for the artists and her process behind the work she does. You will also have the opportunity to talk to her in-person and take a look at her daily sketchbooks.

AR: “Lisa’s use of color and contrast excites me. I’ve followed her work for years and I love what she does with color and composition in her illustrations. It has also influenced me since I first started out as a designer.”

WHEN:

Friday, October 10

5:30 pm – 7 pm

WHERE:

The Leftbank Annex

101 North Weidler St 

COST:

$20

4. Ziba Panel Series 05: Future of Product Design

Ziba’s 30th anniversary brings founder Sohrab Vossoughi’s hosting of the fifth installment in the Ziba Panel Series on product design, coupled with an open studio reception. Guest speakers include John Jay, President and Executive Creative Director of GX, Allan Chochinov, Partner at Core 77 and Chair and Co-founder of SVA MFA Products of Design, Aura Oslapas, former Chief Design Officer of Best Buy, and Sohrab Voussoghi, Founder and President of Ziba Design.

AR: “I’m very interested in what John Jay has to say about consumption and product culture. Ziba is also a research-based design firm that is influencing the way people observe work-based products. At this point in the century, designers have the power to make their own products that they love and this panel is going to be a kickstarter to making a future from that.”

WHEN:

Friday, October 10

6:30 pm – 10 pm

WHERE:

Ziba Auditorium 

810 NW Marshall St

COST:

$10

5: #cheetochan – Jason Sturgill

Jason Sturgill is an artist, illustrator and designer with a background in advertising, design and curatorial practice. Sturgill has worked for Wieden+Kennedy, Laika and Nike and has also hosted his own online art gallery. In this show, #cheetochan is about the Sturgill family cat, an orange Scottish Fold named Cheeto. As one of the main inspirations behind Sturgill’s illustration work, Cheeto can be seen in a variety of incarnations in many limited edition Risograph prints that will be on display.

AR: “Jason is a friend of mine, and his cat is also a friend of mine. I’m curious to see how he interprets this fuzzy Internet creature into art and actually put together an entire show of storytelling experience on one creature. I’m a fan of pop art so it’s nice to see how he creates a character arc from something he loves and makes it graphic pop art.”

WHEN:

12 pm – 6 pm on Sunday, October 5

11 am – 7 pm from Monday, October 6 to Saturday, October 11

WHERE:

Compound Gallery
107 NW 5th Ave

COST:

Free