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Hi, I'm Jagna

And I’m glad to see you here

I’m a designer, a dog lover and a coffee drinker.

And I am passionate about the things that I’m doing.

my a-z

Architecture

I have my master’s degree in architecture, and for quite some years I worked as an architect in Poland, and later in Belgium. I had quite a career, and then I realized that it was almost my perfect cup of tea… The ‘almost’ did make the difference…

Books

I love to read and I cannot imagine my home without books. I guess I might be slightly old fashioned here, but to me swiping is nothing like turning pages, and I like the smell of a new book. Plus, some things just look better on paper.

Coffee

Something I cannot do without. Good coffee is a must, even though I spoil it with both milk and sweetener.
Coffee makes my world go round (and swing).

Da Vinci

The guy I would really love to meet and have a chat with about his flying machines. I am a huge fan of Leonardo’s machines, and not so crazy about the Mona Lisa. I hope this can be forgiven.

Experiments

Experiments make things more fun, they are also the best way of learning and discovering new possibilities. Sometimes the experiments don’t work, like the scrambled eggs with chocolate, but that is no reason to stop experimenting, is it?

Form & Function

My nightmare for a very long time when I couldn’t decide which one was more important. Until I realized they are equals, and must be considered together at all times. They are two sides of one coin, and any of them cannot successfully exist without the other.

Goldens

My best companions, falling under the category of things that I can’t do without.
Someone said that being a golden retriever owner is a state of mind – I think they actually might be quite right.

Home

I feel at home wherever I feel comfortable and relaxed, where there is coffee in the morning, and a private bathroom.
But my real home is not a place, it is the feelings, emotions and memories that I carry around wherever I go.

Inspiration

Inspiration can be found in many things, often quite unexpectedly. It’s all about being aware and having one’s eyes and mind open.
If there is someone who can find inspiration in my work, or my life, then what I’m doing makes sense.

Jewelry

After giving up architecture I got into jewelry design (and making). It was fun, I learned new skills, won a couple of jewelry design contests, and realized I was missing working with people, discussing projects…
Now making jewelry is just one of my hobbies.

Kids

Two young people I am extremely proud of, and who also let me be quite proud of myself… Someone has brought them up, after all.

Learning

I love to learn new things – and I believe that the best way to learn something is by actually doing it. I never say I can’t do something before I give it a try – and hardly ever after I have.
My number 1 rule for learning is to always learn from the best.

Music

The sort of noise that does not bother me. On the contrary, I very much enjoy it, especially when it’s made by Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads or Steely Dan. Or Leonard Cohen, when I want to keep things more quiet.

Nature

Yet another item on my ‘can’t do without’ list. The more wild, the better, but my own garden with my favorite (and huge) birch tree and raspberry bushes is also a place I like to spend time in.

Ornament

Maybe I wouldn’t agree with A. Loos on ornament being crime, but I definitely take Mies van der Rohe’s statement ‘less is more’ as mine. I believe that too much decoration distracts from the message, in all situations, also in life. 

Paper & Pen

I might forget to throw a lip gloss into my bag (and I usually do), but I always do have a pen and some paper handy. I like to sketch ideas and make notes, and I prefer to do it on paper than on my phone.

Kids

Two young people I am extremely proud of, and who also let me be quite proud of myself… Someone has brought them up, after all.

Learning

I love to learn new things – and I believe that the best way to learn something is by actually doing it. I never say I can’t do something before I give it a try – and hardly ever after I have.
My number 1 rule for learning is to always learn from the best.

Music

The sort of noise that does not bother me. On the contrary, I very much enjoy it, especially when it’s made by Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads or Steely Dan. Or Leonard Cohen, when I want to keep things more quiet.

Nature

Yet another item on my ‘can’t do without’ list. The more wild, the better, but my own garden with my favorite (and huge) birch tree and raspberry bushes is also a place I like to spend time in.

Ornament

Maybe I wouldn’t agree with A. Loos on ornament being crime, but I definitely take Mies van der Rohe’s statement ‘less is more’ as mine. I believe that too much decoration distracts from the message, in all situations, also in life. 

Paper & Pen

I might forget to throw a lip gloss into my bag (and I usually do), but I always do have a pen and some paper handy. I like to sketch ideas and make notes, and I prefer to do it on paper than on my phone.

Questions

I believe that questions are more important than the answers. The questions fuel the thinking process, while the answers end it.

Rebel

This is what I’ve always been, in the sense that I don’t blindly follow paths only because most of the people do so. I follow paths that I believe in – and that applies both to my work and to my life.

Stories

There is a story to tell about everything, and it is their stories that make ordinary things meaningful and precious.
I like to discover those stories and later tell them to others.

Travelling

Travelling is the best way of learning about the world and getting to know new people, new places and new cultures. When I cannot travel for real, books and documentaries do the job.

Understanding

Knowing how to do something is one cool thing, and understanding why is even better. Understanding how and why things work lets me see more possibilities, and possibilities are what I like a lot.

Volleyball

My favorite sport, one that I practiced for years. It is about much more than just hitting a ball – it is about being a part of a team, working together and sharing both wins and losses.

Questions

I believe that questions are more important than the answers. The questions fuel the thinking process, while the answers end it.

Rebel

This is what I’ve always been, in the sense that I don’t blindly follow paths only because most of the people do so. I follow paths that I believe in – and that applies both to my work and to my life.

Stories

There is a story to tell about everything, and it is their stories that make ordinary things meaningful and precious.
I like to discover those stories and later tell them to others.

Travelling

Travelling is the best way of learning about the world and getting to know new people, new places and new cultures. When I cannot travel for real, books and documentaries do the job.

Understanding

Knowing how to do something is one cool thing, and understanding why is even better. Understanding how and why things work lets me see more possibilities, and possibilities are what I like a lot.

Volleyball

My favorite sport, one that I practiced for years. It is about much more than just hitting a ball – it is about being a part of a team, working together and sharing both wins and losses.

Web Design

Something that I have been doing for a very long time, even when I was making my living somewhere else. I designed websites for myself, for my friends, and for their friends. Nothing big, but I learned a lot.

X

The coolest letter of them all, one that can stand for anything or anyone. Where there is an X, there is a puzzle to be solved or a mystery to be uncovered. 

You

Like in the question: ‘What can I do for you?’

Zebra

Because why not?
But it could be “zen”.

... and some quick facts

My home town:
Bielsko-Biała, Poland

Education:
Master of Architecture at Technical University of Cracow (Poland)
I also took 2 years of ceramic art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp (Belgium),
lots of online courses in design and coding, and read a ton of books and tutorials.

Languages:
I’m fluent in English and Polish (which is my native tongue).
I also can communicate in Dutch (if the other party is patient enough).

My first website:
Somewhere around 1998. If I’m not too proud of the design, I’m very proud of the fact that I didn’t even wonder if that was a thing I could do. I bought a book on HTML and did it.

My experience in design:
A lot of buildings and interiors, of course, but also furniture and interior accessories.
And some jewelry.
Then a lot of designs for print, logotypes, and quite a few websites over the years.

My favorite tools:
Pen or pencil, paper, Photoshop, and WordPress *.
Ah, and my old Canon 7D.

*before WordPress: DHTML and DHTML

My motto:

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo da Vinci
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