Hooray for spring and more light!

Don’t you love it when the sun’s angles start to change? I love to watch how light enters my living spaces and how different the shadows are when I come and go from my office. New buds forming on the trees, and contractors digging into thawed earth. It is invigorating, and I need it! 

When I was in Basic Design at the University of Utah, I have a clear memory of learning about sun angles and color principles. After building light study models and taking classes on color theory with hours of looking at color-aid comparisons in the studio, I walked outside to deeper shadows, greener greens, and more vibrant yellows with depth and variety that I had never noticed before. It was a transformative revelation to a 19-year-old. It connected me to formal concepts through the experience of doing the work. 

I have to say — there is a parallel when volunteering for AIA Utah. It has been invigorating for me. It has provided my daily work pattern with some extra light and color. I recently had an opportunity to get to know and spend time with our new Executive Director, Angie Harris Roberts, and AIA President-Elect, Chamonix Larson. In February, we were able to go to Washington, D.C. and enhance our membership knowledge. We met with our national leaders and peers and discussed topics to help our chapter run smoothly and effectively and to understand where to find national support. During this time, I was very proud to represent AIA Utah for our members. It was an enlightening moment — a reminder that we have a national voice and a forum to use it in. AIA is a resource to the construction and design communities and is available for discussions with our local leaders to provide expert insight on very important issues that shape our environment — now and for generations to come.

Architecture creates the negative space that builds walls and roofs around us and influences all parts of our daily lives. We know this is so important that it motivates most of us to put our shoulder to the wheel and get the hard work done. We all work hard because this is a rewarding experience to be part of shaping our environment. It can also be very rewarding to look up from time to time and celebrate the fact that your neighbor is doing that hard work too, and recognize that we are shaping each other’s lives. AIA enables members to enhance their careers with the relationships gained and community experiences they participate in.

I want to hear more from you … What revelations have you had lately? Was it a connective and impressionable experience? Is this something you could share and celebrate with your peers? We all belong to the same architectural community. Let’s get together and talk about it. Let’s work together to enlighten each other — focus our lens — see new space and color.