“I really personally don’t consider myself an artist, I consider myself as a designer that uses art to communicate my ideas”, says Antonio Borja, the Director of the School of Industrial Design.

A bold statement when you look at the high aesthetic value of the work that comes out the department. From automotive, to commercial products, to aerospace to even furniture, the quality of work and craftsmanship students produce is staggering. A unique blend of art and functionality.

In his episode of Creative Mind, Antonio Borja and I discuss his early life in Mexico, his early education in Los Angeles, and his choice to attend Academy of Art University as a student, long before his successful run in Detroit at General Motors.

Cars, fast cars, are of course at the forefront of Antonio’s design pieces, but he is quick to point out that in his role as Director of the School of Industrial Design, he is creating something specific. Antonio says, “We as designers just provide a solution, and we use art to communicate how that is going to be solved.”

Solutions are the driving force behind great industrial design. Antonio and the entire team, along with the students, are creating big picture ideas no matter how small they might be. From a toothbrush to an immersive world for Subaru, the idea is solving for the masses. “The only reason the word industrial is in there is because we tend to mass produce the ideas that we come up with so they make an impact on people’s lives,” he says.

One great design is fun, but something everyone can benefit from is the ultimate goal of an industrial designer. Antonio states, “If I make a one-off, and it’s a wonderful thing, but I can’t share it with the rest of the world, I’m going to make a change in one person’s life and that is going to be great. But if I have the opportunity to changes millions of people’s lives that going to be much more impactful.”

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