Christine Park
Lead Designer
General Motors
More from Christine
On women in her industry:
Women have different perspectives; the features that are important to us may not be important to men. Eighty-five percent of car purchases are decided on by women.
On seeing the world:
I love traveling. My goal is to visit all the major cities around the world in my lifetime. As a designer I look to my visual library for inspiration. When I sketch I pull from my experiences and the things I have seen. The more I see, the more I am inspired.
On finding daily inspiration:
I find it from God—I think he is the greatest artist. As I drive home from work, I look at the sky and its purple or red hues when the sun sets. It is like a beautiful painting. I find inspiration knowing that I am being like Him when I create.
On her legacy to girls:
Girls need to believe in themselves. If you do what you are passionate about, you will naturally do well. Do not let anything or anyone discourage you from pursuing your passion. In college, I was either the only woman or one of two women studying car design. I did not let that discourage me, instead I used it as a motivator. I stood out from a classroom full of young men, not because I was a woman, but because of my work. At the end of the day, it’s about staying true to who you are and enjoying life doing what you love to do.
Q&A with Christine
How did your parents encourage you?
The way my parents raised my sister and I has a lot to do with our success. They never limited us because we were women. They emphasized that we could accomplish anything we put our minds to.
How does your background influence your designs?
My Asian heritage brings a sense of delicacy and sensitivity to my designs. It is balanced with boldness that comes from my Korean background. You can see it in our food: it is very spicy or savory, but never mild. That’s the way I approach my designs—I want them to be striking and bold yet delicate.
Who recognized your talent early on?
Most of my teachers encouraged me to pursue my passion in art. I also won numerous awards growing up. In high school, I won a Congressional Art Competition which resulted in my work being displayed in the Capitol Building for an entire year. This is how I began to solidify my path in art.
Did you envision yourself to be where you are today?
I’ve always known I would be an artist, just not a car designer—I was never a gear head. I heard about transportation design from a professor who was teaching at the Art Center College of Design. I prepared a portfolio to go there, and ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Transportation Design. While in college, I received an internship with General Motors. That was my ticket to getting my foot in the door.
Have you considered designing anything else, like clothes?
At the present time I’m focused on designing cars. Cars are such complicated products which encompass all aspects of design. Sometimes I feel like I am designing jewelry, clothing, or even the interior of a modern home when I design cars.
Hold to Your Vision
August 2011
As the Lead Designer for Cadillac, Christine Park brings a sense of delicacy and sensitivity to car design. From sports cars to luxury vehicles to SUV’s, she’s at the top of her game. Her design for Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept made a striking reveal at the North American International Auto Show. “It’s empowering that every time I sketch, it has the potential to become something that I could actually sit in and drive on the road,” says this dynamic artist who has been drawing since the age of two. She shares her strategies for creating a vision and seeing it through:
Produce Unique Results
Design is about innovation. When there is pressure to produce, you may be tempted to stick to old methods rather than taking a risk and being innovative. It’s important to stay focused on your vision and make sure you get the job done right. If you don’t lose sight of your vision, you won’t waver—you’ll carry on with it, even during stressful times.
Know What’s Important
Women are intuitively multi-taskers—sometimes, we become distracted trying to do everything at once. When you prioritize your projects, you give yourself the opportunity to be on point and take the most important project to completion. The job may take longer than you expect, but if you produce unique results, you are likely to be recognized for it.
Trust Your Instincts
When you take on a project, probably your first step is to research the market. Sometimes, your instincts will go against the information you gather. Research can only tell you how people are feeling at the present moment. As a designer, I am trained to imagine how people will react to a product that will be launched in the future, sometimes ten years from now. As a visionary, I need to stay true to what lies ahead while taking into account current trends.
Don’t Let Failure Discourage You
Look at what did and didn’t work in the past and question why. Then focus your time and energy on your successes and build upon them. Also, do not dwell on failure but use it as a way to learn and motivate. In my line of work, every project starts off as a competition—everyone completes a sketch to win that final design. Even if I do not win the competition, I do not let that discourage me. I find other ways to contribute to the final design. If there is zero room for improvement, it means zero growth.
Deal with Feedback
When you receive negative feedback, but feel strongly that it is the correct path, stand firm on your position and build your case in order to convince others of your vision. Communication is the key. As a designer, I use my drawings to visually communicate my ideas. For someone else, it may be a verbal presentation or charts and graphs—whatever medium best sells the idea. But also try to understand the reason for negative feedback, and if it’s on target, keep an open mind and be flexible.
Strategy For Success: Skirt the Boundaries
Strategy For Success: Be True to Yourself
Strategy For Success: Grab the Reins of Power
Strategy For Success: Deal With Resistance