What office do you work in?
I work for the Portland office, but work and live in Los Angeles.
How long have you worked at W+K and where did you work before this?
A little over a year! This is my first full time design job out of school and it’s been really fun.
Did you always want to work in advertising? How did you end up here?
Coming out of school I was open to any experience! W+K had always felt like a bit of a reach to me so I was really surprised when a recruiter contacted me. Although it didn’t work out at first, we kept in touch and now I am here! Thank you Stephanie!
What do you like best about your job?
I really enjoy the freedom and chance to be able to create things. I also really love working with my team. Everyone is super supportive, inspiring, and fun… so it has been great!
What are some client-facing projects you’ve worked on recently?
Hewlett-Packard
What’s some of your favorite work you’ve made for a client?
HP’s new Vis ID system! It’s been slowly rolling out in the world… It’s been rewarding to see it from exploration to execution. I think the brand guidelines came out to be like 700 pages or something?
What’s your favorite part of the design process?
My favorite part is probably the beginning! I love research- I think it’s really fun to dig into the story of anything and see what cool connections can be made. Finding that special something and exploring in all different ways always has me excited to create more.
How would you describe your personal design aesthetic?
I don’t know if I have a personal design aesthetic because I think aesthetics can change depending on the project, mood, time, place, etc… but I think it’s important that there is meaning or a strong story behind the work I create.
Where do you find inspiration?
Daydreaming… my camera roll, and going outside! I think lately a lot of inspiration comes from personal culture nostalgia as well.
What are some design projects out there in the world that you think are really fucking cool?
I think Japanese mascots are great haha… @MondoMascots on twitter is my daily source for mascot fun.
Any advice for aspiring designers?
I feel like I’m still pretty new and am still figuring things out, but I do think it is important to trust your gut and follow what you believe in.
I also have found it helpful to create things outside of graphic design like drawing, sewing, etc… Being able to take a break from the computer and make things with my hands always feels like a nice reset.
Anything else you want to tell me about creativity, process, what you ate for breakfast … ?
I ate… chocolate cake for breakfast hahaha
