Welcome to 2022! Putting all global, political, and environmental issues aside for a minute, how did it feel making the transition into a new year? Did you stop for a second and take stock of your personal life and creative journey? Did you reflect on what you would like to hold on to and what you would rather leave behind?

If you did, you’re likely looking to add something new to your life, and the best way to do that is through experimentation. As creatives we’re fortunate enough for the opportunity to experiment all the time—every new project, every little doodle in our sketchbook, every prospect of a new collaboration is a chance to try something new and different.

Experimentation as a way of life

What does it mean though, to experiment as a creative? For Verònica Fuerte—founder and creative director of Hey Studio in Barcelona—experimentation is much more than an idea, it’s a way of life. “Having an attitude of playfulness and experimentation was part of my identity since the beginning of my creative career, back when I was in school. When I started working for other studios I felt as though I couldn’t fully express myself in that way. So when I founded Hey studio, experimentation was a core value for me. At Hey, the freedom to experiment is a core value in everything we do—from the projects we work on, the techniques we choose, how we spend our free time and create our side projects, even who we hire. The people who work in the team are aligned with that same way of thinking. As a result, the style of our studios reflect these values and we attract clients who come to us because they want that playfulness and exploration.”

Create your own opportunities

The first step in exploring is defining what exactly experimentation means to you.

“Experimentation for me is about going somewhere I've never been before”