We’re nearing that time at the end of the year when everyone seems preoccupied with their plans and dreams for 2023. But before we jump ahead with intentions for the upcoming year, it might be nice to sit back and take stock of everything that’s happened these past 12 months. After all, if we want to learn about ourselves and plan for a better future, it’s important to reflect a bit on the experiences of our past.
So take a seat, grab a cup of tea, and think back to the beginning of the year and what it has brought to your life. Maybe scroll a bit through the older photos on your phone, and reflect on funny moments you might have forgotten about. Here at the Wix Playground HQ, our scrolling brings us a review of the articles we shared here on our blog—a reflection of what this year has been to us and our community. Activities, events, topics, ideas, and inspirations—it’s all here in our Year in Review.
January
We started the year with an optimistic bang. In our article Bring on the fun: cultivating experimentation in design, we talked with Verònica Fuerte, founder, and creative director of Hey Studio in Barcelona. Verònica gave us some insight into how trying new things—playing with different techniques and exploring uncharted territories—are vital to any creative process.
February
In this winter month of cold and grey (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), we took the opportunity to discover The power of rest. We all know that time off is vital for our creative process, yet so many of us struggle to actually do it. We spoke to Ngaio Parr, a Los Angeles- based designer, author, artist, and curator, and Jill Senft, a Berlin-based illustrator, and painter, on what rest means to them and how it plays a role in their creativity.
March
In line with International Women’s Day, we sat down for an in-depth interview - Designed to Lead - with Hagit Kaufman, Wix’s VP of Design and Brand. Speaking with inspiring confidence and a strong belief in what she brings to the table, Hagit talks about leadership, design, career paths, and the ever-changing landscape of the digital industry.
April
With the energizing promise of spring just around the corner, we discussed how to use your creativity to make an impact in Design for Good. In this article we met the Vienna-based Process Studio and its two directors, Moritz Resl and Martin Grödl as well as illustrator, activist and creative Meg Garrod, to discuss how to harness the power of design and the responsibilities we have as creatives.
May
May means that graduation is just around the corner, with many students about to enter uncharted territory. New beginnings mean new challenges, so we focused on keeping our mental health in check. This month we learned how to deal with rejection and turn negative experiences into creative growth. Emotional alchemy: Change your experience of creative rejection is all about the challenging experiences we face as creatives and how we can reframe them in a more positive light.
June
Summer’s coming and we are celebrating our successful partnership with OFFF Barcelona. In our article Meet the winners of ‘On the Rise’ 2022 Design Awards, we cover the exciting OFFF Barcelona Festival, where our winners got to show their winning projects on the main stage. You can read all about their excitement, stage-fright and experience some of the best moments and highlights of their journey.
July
As the academic year comes to its end, everyone is thinking the same thing—what’s next? We were joined by two industry-insiders—Dafna Sharabi from our very own Wix Playground Academy, and Alec Dudson , founder of Intern Mag—for the article, The graduate’s way. We discussed what it’s like graduating in 2022 as they offer their words of wisdom for students, graduates, and any creative person curious about their next steps.
August
In the height of summer, we took the time to examine 4 cultural trends affecting creatives. The creative industry has always been closely influenced by current events and worldwide developments, and as designers, we both participate in and respond to those events. In this article we take a look at the world and what it has in store for us as we think about the future—both as designers and as humans.
September
This month we were all about our much-anticipated collaboration with Porto Rocha - Design Threads. We celebrated the opening of the Design Threads exhibition, and then turned our attention to the Design Threads report, exploring The Current State of Design. To gain more insights into the report’s findings, we had an in-depth conversation with two emerging creatives and Wix Playground alumni—Shani Adi and Mertcan Seker.
October
Another month, another brilliant opportunity for the Wix Playground community! Stage Ready marks the end of our Take the Big Stage 2022 competition in partnership with Forward Festival. We get to meet the winners (and check out their projects) who got to showcase their work on stage and gain some well-deserved recognition from the international creative community.
November
With the end of the year looming, it feels as though we were experiencing a sort of collective rut. What do you do when stuck in the midst of a creative drought? We offered 5 Ways to get over an inspirational rut. Where we present some ideas about how to approach this feeling, change your perception towards it, and maybe even sway its direction and get those creative juices flowing again.
December
After a long and eventful year, we’re finally here—December! To celebrate the end of the year, we took the opportunity to get to know our community better. 2022 and You: Reflections on your year as a creative is our Instagram poll where we invited our followers to answer a set of questions to help them reflect on their experiences over the last year. Stay tuned for the results!
