Amanda Salamone

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."

- Jamie Paolinetti

Earning my Bachelors degree in Interior design at the University of New Haven was just one of the great building blocks to my career in design. Starting my classes with strictly hand drafting and hand rendering I was able to learn the skills and background knowledge that I would later need when moving to the computers. Being tied to a drafting board I was able to learn the discipline and the importance of a tight deadline. After two years of hand drafting, moving to AutoCAD and Revit I was able to fully understand how the pieces come together without loosing the basic importance done by hand.
 
Being located in such a great area with access to many different design recourses, our classes took full advantage of these opportunities. Visiting many different design firms, museums, walking tours of the breathtaking architecture from Yale and the surrounding buildings, I was able to learn a great deal outside the classroom. Overall I feel that my degree I earned at the University of New Haven has given me the power, knowledge and discipline to succeed in design. 

I was very blessed to have the opportunity to learn the in’s and out’s of design from such a remarkable designer such as Arlene Angard. I worked closely with Arlene in her showroom tending to costumers, furniture care and the recourse library. With the furniture in the showroom I was responsible for the sales and product description published on the 1stdibs website. Inside the showroom there were paintings, sculptures, drapery, sustainable furniture, and newly refurbished furniture from a variety of different time periods such as the art deco era.
 
Aside from the showroom, I was working on a variety of different residential projects. Meeting with clients, visiting showrooms and taking site measurements to complete the AutoCAD plans, I was fully engaged in the design process. I was able to see how a true design project worked. Speaking with the contractors and venders to make sure projects ran smoothly and on time was major in the projects progress. Finally being able to use what I learned in the classroom and use it the field was a remarkable learning experience. 

 
Study Abroad in Aix-en Provence, France was an eye opening experience that has changed the way I look at life. Living in a Roman city surround by architecture that I had studied throughout my college career has really strengthened my knowledge in design. Living with a host mother who spoke not a word of English pushed me to dive into the culture. Also becoming close friends with local students really showed me the way of life in Aix and the surrounding communities. I was not only in France to learn about the French culture but I was there to embrace the designs. Having a studio design project, which was a public library in Aix, was a bit of a challenge because I had to learn how to design for the French culture.  My group member and I conducted research throughout Aix to see the patterns of the local community, and inside the public libraries. We were able to see what was missing from their libraries and what could enhance their overall experience.
 
When I say I changed the way I look at life, I also have changed the way I look at art. Being apart of the Marchutz School of Fine Arts, I surrounded my self with a variety of students, artists and professors who taught me the essence of art. The school being in close proximity to the Chateaunoir and Sainte Victoire provided me inspiration and tranquility but most importantly I thrived from the strong curriculum.  A week of intensive landscape painting was a challenging but rewarding outcome. Also being able to paint Mont St. Victoire, the same mountain that Cezanne once painted was a once and a lifetime experience. Not only did I paint and draw at the Marchutz school but I also studied famous works of art. We took long day trips around the south of France and went to the exact locations where Vincent van Gogh painted many of his famous works. Studying the paintings directly in front of the landscape was he best way to fully see what the paintings were telling you. One of the most rewarding trips was our week trip to Paris where we spent open to close in many of the museums. We sat down and fully discussed the work of art until we were able to really see the true story it told.
 
Visiting a variety of different countries such as Ireland, Spain, London, and Amsterdam I was able to get a mix of different cultures in such a short period of time. Seeing a wide range of famous architecture has truly inspired me to see more of what Europe can offer. Visiting each of these countries and running into a variety obstacles has really given me the initiative to solve problems in an circumstance.
Although I was in Europe for a short period of time it will forever influence my perspective on life, art and design.