We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angela Navarra. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angela below.

Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

I am confused by this one since it says “We’ll ask you to share a story related to the topic.”

I answered it in the following pages

Angela, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always been a lover of creating things so pursuing the arts was a very obvious decision for me as a career. I loved it all; singing, drawing, building, music – I was in my element when creating! However, the road blocks that I hit were my family. They did not believe that I could be successful in the arts. They were immigrants (from Italy) and had ideas of what I should do and be to fall inline with their American Dream. Especially being a girl, I was not taken seriously when I had an opinion or an idea. My upbringing was very patriarchal. I spent a lot of my time trying to get my parents to see and feel my passion for creating and getting their approval. Well, long story short, I got it when i did not need it anymore. :D From this experience, even though it was hard, I learned how to have faith in myself. That if I wanted something badly enough, I had the tools in my “filing cabinet upstairs” to make it happen. This was something that I used in many aspects of my life. I am great at making “lemonade out of lemons” and I don’t know if I would be without the struggles I have been though. There’s some growth mindset right there! :D

I went to the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and I fell in love with graphic design and advertising. I became OBSESSED with typography. I created it and used it anyway I could. That “forever love of type” I started with still shines through in what I create today. When I graduated college, I worked with advertising agencies at first. However, I quickly came to see that this was not an industry that aligned with my values so I moved onto children’s products. I created style guides for companies such as Nickelodeon and Disney, then I added children’s publishing, branding, and illustration to my work rotation. I was a freelancer for most of my career until 4 years ago.

I am currently an Art Director for Callisto Publishing. I also work on illustration and design projects with other clients. Books are my happy place! I can enter new worlds anywhere I am with a book in hand!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

To show someone, anyone, what something can be. To transport the end user into a place they did not expect to go. That can be via a book, app, how they open a package, the visuals for a brand and the brand itself, and how they perceive a message they have heard many times before in a new way. Ultimately, to open someones mind in a way that is obvious and also recognize the opportunities that are subtle and elegant. I really admire artists that challenge my perceptions when i interact with something they have created.

Also, to observe how someone is receiving something I have created or have had a hand in creating. It is so rewarding not just in the obvious way of someone enjoying it, but also to see what they see. Often times – it something I did not even realize i did or did not do. This informs me, changes and alters how I approach my next projects.

I am a mom to a cerebral 6 year old boy named Maddox. To watch how he absorbs content has really changed how i see things. This is design, it’s life – to be open, to let experiences change how you’ve done things before. I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences i’ve had – they have made me what I am today and that will always evolve.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Many potential clients just see me as a book designer and illustrator and this is something that has been an ongoing and exhausting theme throughout my career. I have a degree in advertising and design. Also, many design disciplines are involved when creating a book such as branding, packaging, typography, user experience, and product design.

Design is not so black and white. Literally! I am a creator and I have created for many mediums throughout my career. My specialties are hand-lettering, branding, book design, and illustration. However, the range of projects I have worked on is broad and extensive; spanning from branding and corporate identity, packaging, posters, digital, and product design. One thing I can say is because I have worked in so many different fields, I bring fresh perspectives to anything I work on. Everything influences everything in my book – My walk to the grocery store has influenced my color choices on a book cover and what I wear for that day. I never wanted to stick to doing one thing because it can become monotonous. However, I know the way I solve problems and create for my clients is a culmination of all the industries that I have had the chance to be apart of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angelanavarra.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signorina_navarra/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-navarra-6b97975/