We had the good fortune of connecting with Skyler Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Skyler, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Without being too vain, I chose a creative career because I like the act of creating intrigue. Whether it’s to provoke new thoughts or to have someone become enamored with a concept, I have a high respect for people and creations who achieve that feat. I realized in high school that I wanted to be a person who could accomplish that with my work, so I picked the closest university that could teach me about industrial design. It’s a discipline that is broad enough for me to experiment with where I can make a difference.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It’s still early in my career, so I’m still finding my footing in the industry. Toward the end of my time at college, I started to focus on transportation design. My work started to pivot because I felt one of my callings was helping change the American opinion on public transportation. My last two academic projects focused on regional air travel and coach car seats in passenger rail cars. I want my work to be impactful both visually and socially. An industrial designer’s work should be an improvement for the sector it’s in and the people that use it.

The path to get to this point in my life had a lot of obstacles: transfer student culture shock, a pandemic at the end of my first quarter, and a gap year due to financial trouble. The lesson I learned from it all was some things take longer than others. Some things can not be rushed. Some things come easy. If it’s important, what matters is that I give the time that it requires. You truly lose when you stop trying.

What I want the world to know about me is that putting the time in to get things right matters to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d tell a friend visiting Charleston to come have breakfast at Saveurs Du Monde Cafe. The owners opened a new location downtown, and it’s getting great reviews. There are other spots like Folly Beach and Cypress Gardens if they enjoy some sun and nature. Cypress Garden has educational tours about the swamp and its wildlife, so there’s plenty to do to fill a morning/afternoon.

Depending on the season, they can catch a Charleston River Dogs baseball game or a Stingray hockey game.

There’s also Park Circle. It’s shown a lot of growth in the last 3 years. It has numerous restaurants, bars, and attractions in a walkable distance. It is also less busy than downtown Charleston, so it’s a little less loud and very manageable when it comes to navigation. It’s a great time for afternoon and evening leisure.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I give thanks to my parents and my sister for being supportive with resources and emotional support throughout my life. I could always count on my folks to have my back and my sister to be my best friend. I give thanks to my circle of friends that I was fortunate enough to have in adulthood, I give thanks to my teachers through the years for helping foster my better traits. And I give thanks to my coaches through the years for helping me become physically and mentally. Last, but not least, my partner. Having a person like them enter my life has been a blessing, and I’m truly grateful.

Website: https://www.artstation.com/sky_ram

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skyler-harris-081a3a173

Image Credits
Photos taken by myself

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.