Like any creative studio worth its salt, the Murmur team is composed of a diverse spectrum of colorful individuals whose talents and perspectives enrich our work and expand our horizons. As part of a burgeoning series of short interviews, we’ve decided to showcase our people and their perspectives to celebrate their contributions and share their insights.
Tell us a little bit about your career up to the present. What drew you into the world of design?
I have been drawing, and painting since I was a child, so a career in design was a natural progression. I was lucky enough to do my BFA at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) where I was exposed to so many different fields of art and design. That’s where I found my way to graphic design. I have always had a fascination with hand-drawn letters and words, so lettering has always played a big role in my work. I have had quite an eclectic career so far, I have worked as a product designer for O’Neill, as a design director in advertising, and as a freelancer specializing in lettering and illustration.
What aspects of being an art director do you find the most fulfilling?
I enjoy the creative process. I really like thinking about the big picture and marrying strategy with design. My favorite type of project is one where there is a story to tell, where design extends past the logo into the visual expression of the brand. I also really enjoy working as a part of a team and seeing what the designers come up with. It’s inspiring to work with talented people.
What about being an art director is challenging?
Helping clients understand the creative vision for a project before the designs are fully developed. As a designer, I can always see so many ideas in my head and the challenge is in convincing the client to see a direction’s potential without creating a million supporting assets.
It is also challenging to narrow down the options in a project. We all wish we had infinite time to explore and experiment with ideas, but the reality is that we have to be mindful of the process and focus on a couple of strong ideas.
What trends or movements in design are you most excited about?
I’m excited about motion design. I love seeing how you can bring a brand’s visual language to life with motion. Social media has made brands very accessible to a wide audience of people. The constant need for content has created this fun space for brands to tell stories and engage on a regular basis. A lot of this content is told through video and motion design. I get excited to see how a 2D logo can move and change to help communicate the concept behind the logo. I love how the colors and style of a brand’s visual language can be transformed into illustrated stories that show off the brand’s personality. It makes for a much richer brand experience.
What advice would you give to young designers looking to get into the industry?
Focus on projects that you enjoy doing. This is how you will make your best work. There is a lot of pressure out there to follow trends, or work in certain areas of design, but ultimately your best work is going to be the work that you enjoy working on. Try everything, but pay attention to your talents and your passions because that is where you will be the most successful. Also, your portfolio is everything, so spend the time to present your work beautifully.
Besides directing amazing work for Murmur clients, how do you spend your free time?
I’m a mom of 2 wild little children, so we try to spend our free time outdoors: skiing, adventuring, or going to the beach. I’m also doing a ceramics class at the moment which I am loving. It’s great to be making things with my hands again and learning a new creative skill.
