Dynamic Decisions
Over the summer, I met with one of my past students, Karlie Schraufnagel, who graduated with an MFA in graphic design this spring. She brilliantly incorporated the opening of her own studio into her graduate thesis, which propelled her right into a post-graduate entrepreneurial venture.
Her shared studio space, where she creates and sells her work, is truly lovely! It’s bursting with earth-toned cut paper collages as well as painterly displays of organically shape-driven compositions. She also has an incredible knack for styling and propping environments, so it was no surprise how aesthetically and professionally everything had come together. See images from the space below.
all images with the exception of the top left and bottom center taken by Malley O’Brien Photography.
She wanted to meet with me, however, to discuss preparing her portfolio to better attract traditional design agencies. I reviewed her book and gave some critique — mainly that she was leading too heavily with a fine art vibe, even though she has amazing graphic design capabilities. As we continued to chat about how to organize and edit her portfolio to be more design-forward, she had — in real time — what felt like an epiphany! I was lucky to witness it!
She said that for the longest time, she, as well those close to her, had expected her to work at a glamorous design agency, especially now that she had acquired her masters. But she was starting to think maybe this wasn’t the direction she wanted to pursue. At least not right now.
As I sat immersed in her studio, it was evident where her passions lay. The heart and soul that goes into her artwork is undeniable, and the care and precision she takes to display it clearly brings joy. These truisms were shouting louder than the idea of working at an agency. AND THAT’S OK.
Just because we’re asked to claim a major, does not mean our majors have to claim us. It also doesn’t mean our majors and educational experiences have been wasted. In fact, they likely feed into and greatly inform our current discipline, giving it unique voice.
My undergrad degree is in journalism. I am not a journalist. But I love talking to and interviewing people, so when I found graphic design in my mid-twenties, it was no surprise that my work had a verbal spin and relied heavily on writing and interviewing. I also thought after grad school I would work in the agency world. I did for a bit, but eventually found a better fit teaching, which allowed me to form one-on-one relationships with people — something I missed.
And here’s the other thing. Nothing is permanent. We are ever-evolving. The industry is ever-evolving. Just because we are not feeling a pull in a direction now, does not mean we can’t or won’t feel it later. You can always shift gears. Opportunities for agency experience and entrepreneurship will continue to be there.
Some sneak peeks of Karlie’s new studio space, Studio Karlor, coming together. Takes some good, old-fashioned elbow grease! Sourced from Karlie’s instagram stories.
In fact, in the past few weeks, Karlie has left her shared studio space, and has since acquired her very own storefront called Studio Karlor in Milton Square in St. Anthony Park. Here, she will continue to make and sell her artwork, while striving to infuse her creations with graphic design to help them expand into product-based deliverables. See! Nothing is going to waste! As a fine artist and designer, being able to implement her design skills into her work gives her competitive edge, even if the design degree isn’t always what’s front and center.
People are multi-faceted. Personally and professionally. And our career steps don’t have to be perfectly linear. Or linear at all. Be open to the gray space. Sometimes that’s where our happiness is hiding!
And be sure to keep in touch with Karlie through her instagram, and visit her new space for the grand opening event on October 16th! In the meantime, check out her etsy store and her website. Enjoy perusing her lovely pieces!
