2007 KicksGuide
Artist Series
Artist of the Year

Tony Hardman
(Feb 2008)

      Wow. 2007 Artist of the Year?! Now that is one accomplishment that I can truly say I am proud of!

      It's funny though, when I was first inform that I had won, it reminded me of an episode of project runway I had seen recently. One of the designers, Ricky, was standing in front of the judges, awaiting the verdict on his latest design. When they told him how much they liked it, he broke down and began crying.

      "What's your deal?" They asked him, taken back by his reaction.

      "This has just been such a roller coaster. You never know if you're doing good stuff...you don't know if you suck..."

      To which Michael Kors replies, "The feeling never goes away. It just doesn't go away."

      And there I sat on my couch. Laughing at how special and genuine this moment was. And at the same time laughing at how much I could relate to it....and maybe even at how happy I was that I wasn't alone! And it's true. Every time I pick up the pad and pencil, that swarm of thoughts comes buzzing over the horizon:

      "The proportions are off." "Stylize your rendering more." "It looks like (fill in the blank)." "It's too fast!" "It's too slow!" "That's impossible to construct." "You need to push it further." "It would look better in a different color." "The layout overpowers the design." "I love it!" "I hate it!" "Who is the consumer?" "What makes this better than what's out now?" "Would that be affordable?" "Too many points of inspiration" "It's too literal" "It's missing something"....and on it goes.

      You just have to temporarily quiet the swarm, knowing it will inevitably come at the moment you decide to reveal your latest design. But making that series of decisions based on what YOU feel are the right answers is the key to finding your own style. And in the end, it's comforting to know that somebody will always hate it. So keep the rules in mind...but know the right time to break them! Sound like a contradiction? Welcome to the wonderful world of design!

      Though I was able to explore designing some different types of footwear that I hadn't in the past, 2007 will ultimately be a remembered as a series of failures for me. And what could be better than that? In the end, Failure begets experience, which ultimately leads to success. And wasn't it MJ himself who said "I have failed over and over and over again in my career. And that is why ....I succeed."

      That being said, I am honored to have been voted as the 2007 Artist of the Year by such a talented and passionate group of people! Though I am retiring from the monthly competitions, I will definitely be watching with excitement from a distance and enjoying your growth as individuals. Thanks to all who voted for me and congrats to all of the winners in 07!