Ramona Todoca reflects on her search for answers
Written by Colleen Miller, Image courtesy of IQuads
Graduating in 2011 from SCAD with a degree in graphic design, Ramona Todoca is known for her creative designs and professional success from a young age. As an alumni mentor for the 2018-2019 year, Todoca met with students, reviewed portfolios and most recently spoke at the O House Ballroom May 15.
Todoca’s professional success began shortly after graduating SCAD when she was hired as an art director for Ogilvy and Mather. Since graduation, she has worked for four companies as well as collaborated with fine artists. Currently, she is the senior art director for Droga5. These personal and professional pursuits, as well as collaborative projects, help Todoca remain engaged with her passions.
In the O House Ballroom, Todoca presented her engaging story, unlike most traditional guest speakers, inviting the audience to direct message their questions for her to answer on Instagram. Interspersing the answers throughout the dialogue, Todoca took a refreshingly honest approach to the many questions. When responding to one, she fearlessly acknowledged her uncertainties. “By no means do I claim to have all the answers,” said Todoca.
As a SCAD graduate, Todoca has an interesting perspective to share. Like many students, her biggest question following graduation was, “Is my work good enough?” This question still surfaces when Todoca designs but now helps fuel her process. Her advice for students with this same question ranged from encouraging bold experimentation to becoming more fully present in the world. “You cannot design for a world you don’t know,” said Todoca. “I know the world feels like this huge concept, and probably in your mind’s eye you see this google earth rotating, but that’s not what I mean. I mean you cannot design for a world you don’t read about. You cannot respond to a thing if you don’t act and exist in the world, if you don’t walk in the world as a designer and look at everything through that lens.”
Even as Todoca has become more accomplished, her definition of success is constantly evolving. She still believes there is much to learn, and that all designers should continuously grow. This can be made possible by asking a few simple questions: What does it truly mean to be a designer? Can designers be a catalyst for change? What kind of work could I do if no one as watching?
“I think each of us has so many questions. When I was a student, I had this running list of questions, and with everyone I would meet, I would try to ask them to find that answer. They never had the answer I was looking for because the answer was here,” said Todoca gesturing to herself.
