This edition of From Our Eyes highlights the Margo Pawel Design Symposium, written by Anna Richardson (’28 Political Science and Communication Studies; Dance Studies minor). Richardson shares what she learned from Dr. Grace Hawthorne, who offered helpful tools and strategies for overcoming the things that can keep us from getting started or getting things done. Hawthorne also introduced a few simple exercises designed to help build creativity in our brains.
I am a naturally curious person. I have so many interests that two majors and a minor cannot cover on their own, so attending this design lecture has helped me bring those interests into my college experience. The Margo Pawel Design Symposium was a wonderful opportunity in which Dr. Grace Hawthorne (Stanford University) used quotes and short, memorable phrases to get the audience thinking about what keeps individuals from getting things done. Her use of inspirational, memorable phrases provided me with the opportunity to engage with her ideas on a personal level.
Hawthorne began by explaining that “the power of design” is everywhere, from what to cook for dinner to a fine art masterpiece. She emphasized that “you are a creator” regardless of your field of study, explaining how political science debates are as creative as a design project. Hawthorne also used a ball-of-string analogy to encourage us to grab a string and pull, reminding us, “your future is yours for the making.” Creativity is so much more than just throwing words on a page; it is a state of being and an ability to synthesize novel connections. Creativity explains the idea that “everything starts as a concept, the goal is to put it out in the world.” Further, creativity is a muscle that needs to be worked and strengthened like any other, growing with us.
To work our creative muscles, Hawthorne led the audience through a series of exercises that reflect the four major concepts of her book Make Possibilities Happen.
The first exercise was aimed at bypassing our brains, exercising the direct connection between our hands and our eyes; to “see” and “hold everything you know lightly.” Despite feeling the anxiety of needing to produce perfection, I looked across the table to my friend with a sharpie on a piece of paper, and without looking down or lifting the pen from the paper, I drew my friend’s face. A minute later, this yielded a collection of Picasso-esque faces that looked utterly insane.
The second exercise we did was to start by counting “1-2-3” with a partner, alternating who spoke, then replace “1” with a clap and later “2” with a snap. By the end, everyone was constantly messing up and yelling “YAY” as loudly as we could because failure is a part of life, but also a willingness to try new things, and we need to celebrate failing to grow.
The third exercise was designed to help us understand how to “do” and design for what truly needs attention. Using only my hands, I shaped a paper lunch bag to represent the word “infatuation.” I created a crumpled-up heart, while my peers came up with completely different designs using their bags to represent the same word. This exercise showed how people can interpret and express the same idea in very different ways.
The final exercise was to show that there is no true “finish” to a design. I made a mask out of a sheet of paper that worked for only my face. When I suddenly had to pass my mask to someone else, I realized I had to design for everyone, not just for myself.
The exercises drilled Hawthorne’s key points – seeing, starting, doing, and finishing – into me in a way that class has not in a long time. My many interests in graphic design brought me to the Design Symposium, so now I get to see where the Symposium takes my never-finished designs.
(Pictured in header: Students attending the fall 2026 Margo Pawel Design Symposium show their work after an exercise taught by Dr. Grace Hawthorne (Stanford University). Photo by Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor).
