Jenny Beorkrem works for herself designing posters such as the one above, from home, in her bare feet.
What she misses about her 9-5?
Absolutely nothing...designers that may not get to escape the cube very often for meetings, long lunches or professional development, cannot be creative in there. Providing the right resources, freedoms and work/life balance to your employees, even if it costs more money or time, is an investment in better solutions for your clients. Oh, of course I miss having designers or someone around to bounce ideas off of besides my dog… although she usually agrees with me, which is nice.
I've experienced both and seen the quality of the companies who invest in feeding their creatives spark make amazing work. So what inspires you? One of the the biggest problems I find by working by myself, besides the way too comfortable work attire, is the absence of someone to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes even, if the partnering is healthy and there's no macheesmo, you can even be inspired to do brilliant work (thanks, Sean T). I'll occasionally email idea samples to my graphic designer sister in Baltimore and she almost always has an honest comment which I appreciate. She helps me help myself to be a better designer and thank goodness for that. Mr. Owen Fluoride, the bunny who sits at my feet is silent.
With artists, there's almost always that arrogant attitude that comes with having to self promote, self promote, self promote. I encounter the bad form a lot with artists from all media; from photography, programming and painting, to cooks in the kitchen. I'm guilty myself, having had a fit last night over a friends suggestion I add an ingredient to my perfect pie recipe. It's not their/our fault really, to believe in our creations. But I swear there is a balance of generosity and tact when promoting oneself, delivering criticism and even accepting criticism.
Designers who inspire other designers can be angels. Back to Jenny Beorkrem who often get's compared to Paula Scher. How to be a good business person and not a self promoting jerk? Jenny says "A core belief of Ork Posters is keeping the designs original to you and your environment. Someday I may wonder, 'What was I thinking?' but we don't license or permit the design to be used for any external, promotional purposes. We've turned down big companies like Urban Outfitters, Macy's and art distributors because I don't want to just sell, sell, sell, that's easy. The challenge is to build a business - offer great products, collect a customer base, and build a brand that people can relate to. Because we'll inevitably have more ideas and products come along in the future, and I want to make sure that Ork has a connection with YOU, so you'll be around for it - as cheesey as it may sound."
And it's working for her. Her artwork is seen everywhere from movies, tv shows, magazines to Jimmy Kimmel's apartment. And I find this attitude inspiring. Kudos to you Jenny! Buy her super cool type heavy prints here: Ork Posters.
