A speaker stands on stage next to a large screen displaying the word DUBLIN in bold, blue and red letters, under purple lighting at an indoor event or conference.

15 Apr, 2019

Blue Stag’s OFFSET Odyssey

By Rhi Leedam, Senior Marketing Manager

When this was published, we were Blue Stag. Today we’re Everglow ✨ Read the rebrand story

The Blue Stag team set off to Ireland for the incredible OFFSET Dublin on April.

OFFSET Dublin is a 3-day creative conference. Celebrating creativity and bringing together the best in International and Irish creative talent in graphic design, illustration, street and fine art, film, photography, moving image and much, much more. It was tough, but we’ve each chosen our favourite talk from the weekend.

A man with a beard holds a microphone and speaks on stage next to a screen displaying the text Feck Perfection. The screen has abstract art and bold graphics. Several people are seated in the audience.

Seven people stand in a row, smiling at the camera in front of a light pink wall with colourful framed artwork. The group is casually dressed, and the setting appears to be an art gallery or exhibition.

A young man in a grey jumper sits at a wooden table in front of a brick wall, holding a pint of Guinness and looking thoughtful with his hand on his chin.

A person sits on a cushioned stool playing a wooden piano in a sunlit room with large windows, red curtains, and pink walls.

A group of people stand and sit on the ornate balcony of a large brick building covered in ivy, with one person waving from the rooftop and bare trees in the background.

Five people stand and smile on an ornate iron balcony attached to a building covered in ivy. The building features large windows and an upper sunroom; trees and greenery surround the scene.

People walk along a cobblestone riverside path in a city, with modern buildings and a white bridge nearby. The sky is overcast, and the group walks away from the camera, some carrying rucksacks and bags.

View from an aeroplane window showing the wing and engine below, with a blanket of white clouds and a blue sky above.

Nathan’s pick: Eike König

“Be brave, stay curious, do good work”

This talk was a reminder to keep considering the ethical impact of the work we do. I liked how Eike had written a manifesto to keep himself on track. This manifesto placed emphasis on ensuring that Eike works on meaningful projects, enjoys the work he does and has fun at the same time. Lastly, he advised, “don’t work ‘for’ people: work ‘with’ people”, to create meaningful and long-lasting relationships. We sometimes forget that design is about people and communication. So we should try to spend more time with people than sitting at a computer.

A modern art gallery with white walls displays various framed text-based artworks featuring bold, playful typography and questions. The floor is dark wood, and a colourful rug is visible in the adjoining room.

Kirsty’s pick: Ailbhe Keane from Izzy Wheels

“If you can’t stand up, stand out!”

The most inspiring talk for me was Ailbhe from Izzy Wheels. Ailbhe’s idea started as a college project to design and customise wheel covers for wheelchair users. Izzy Wheels’ designs went viral! They now collaborate with various artists to create amazing designs for wheelchairs. Izzy Wheels are literally changing people’s lives through design. One amazing example she showed was how she designed wheels for a bride to match her wedding dress, which I thought was brilliant!

A woman in bright clothing smiles whilst sitting in a wheelchair with colourful, geometric designs on the wheels, in front of a vibrant mural with black, purple, orange, and yellow patterns.

Rhi’s pick: Victo Ngai

“Make the limitations an asset”

Victo said there is no such thing as a boring brief, only a boring solution. If a brief is restrictive, take advantage of those restrictions and use them to your advantage. It’s not a question of getting fun briefs and projects. But instead, how to make projects or briefs fun – it’s up to you to make it an interesting enjoyable project. This is an idea I found inspiring and something I want to champion. Also, her work is absolutely beautiful!

A whimsical, colourful illustration featuring reindeer pulling a sleigh, astronauts on a fantastical structure, and large eyes in the sky with swirling patterns, stars, and candy cane-like arches in a dreamy winter scene.

Amy’s picks: Edel Rodriguez and James Victore’s Q&A session

“You can’t escape an image”

Edel Rodriguez is a political illustrator and some of his most famous pieces depict Donald Trump. He has a lovely unapologetic stance about his work and uses his work to fight for what he believes in. His work is graphic and honest and I love that. He’s not afraid about offending/upsetting people because you’re always going to upset someone. He does his work his way, unapologetically.

James Victore did a Q&A and a lot of what he said resonated with me. Inspiring me to push my work more and re-write briefs to get a better solution for a client. I bought his book which he wrote to inspire people, optimise creativity and encourage people to create their best selves.

A person is painting a black, sketch-like illustration and stylised text onto a white surfboard. The drawing includes a portrait, a skull and crossbones, and various handwritten words. Papers and paint are on the table.

Dan’s pick: Edel Rodriguez

“I make images that can be understood by someone with a PhD degree, as well as someone like my grandfather who does not speak English”

Edel’s work is incredible, earning him the mantle of ‘The preeminent illustrator of the Trump era’. I loved hearing his story of growing up in Cuba and coming over to Miami in the 1980s to flee the violence. I felt this tale was both a humbling and exciting one. It was also fascinating to learn that Cuban movie posters from the ’80s influenced his work!

I admire how Edel uses his skill as an illustrator to create brilliant, precise, indelible moments of social commentary.