This month's limited edition poster features an interactive element. Draw 'What is home to you' on the poster and then tweet a pic of your poster #whatishome. Looking forward to seeing you there!


Recap by Ayanna Estelle

I didn't know much about Willie other than his last name was tacked to the end of a Dallas advertising agency. I was expecting a presentation about the pros and cons of agency life and some words of wisdom on how to make it in the industry. Willie is more than that these days, as DSVC President Andy Slipher pointed out in his intro of Willie, He inspires us by his designs, and now he inspires us by what he does now.

"Love it - keep it fearless"
– Cameron C.

What he does now is something unexpected. When he is not teaching at SMU, or drawing, he collects homeless people's cardboard signs. While everyone else rolls up their windows at a stoplight, he's poking his head out asking how much they want for their sign.

"His realness inspires me and he actually gave me hope"
– Jasmine, Design Student

The going rate varies, but the most he's ever paid for a sign is $50. He has collected up to 1,000 signs and the project has taken him across the country collecting more and hearing people's stories.

What is home? This is the question that has been on Willie?s mind for years, and his presentation encouraged us to think long and hard, as we made our way to our homes at the end of the night, maybe we are among the homeless.


"'Home is knowing yourself' Willie is a fantastic speaker and his entire talk was to emotive and thought provoking.
- Preston, Grad Student
 

When he asked his SMU students to think about the question he received some colorful responses, like, ?Home is where I?m not ashamed of my farts.? And even the cliché, ?Home is where the heart is.?

Willie's not all tattered signs and street corners. He also collects pictures of his morning hair, belly buttons, nipples, hairballs and scars. He's also fascinated with pornographic spam emails. The ones that go automatically to your spam inbox – he collects those. He had his female friends read the headlines and videotaped them in a project titled, "Spam." It sounds sexy, but really it was humorous and a little uncomfortable.

 

So what is home? Willie's answer was a quote from The Wiz: "If we know ourselves, we're always home, anywhere."

 

"Very cool. Unexpected and inspiring."
? Price, Student
 

 

AUDIENCE SPEAKER SUGGESTIONS

  1. Frank Warren
  2. Mathew Moore
  3. Kate Nash