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

Charlotte, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I had a bit of a rocky start to getting into the arts as a career. I knew I wanted to pursue an art degree but I was discouraged to do so in high school so instead I took a year off, moved 1000 miles away from my hometown to a town in Colorado, and worked odd jobs in the food service industry until I figured out what I wanted to do. Over the course of that year, I found myself drawn closer to art and design than ever before. I chose to apply to a handful of art colleges all over the country and landed on the School of Visual Arts. I knew it would be a risk and a lot of hard work–– my portfolio was really rough sketchbook pages and painted jeans and I had a lot to learn. But the first time I ever visited NYC was the day that I moved here and it was the best decision I made. I’ve gained so much from being here and not a day goes by that I am not thankful I made the choices I did even though they were really difficult to make in the beginning. That being said, I’ve only just begun my journey here and I have so much more to learn.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Charlotte Grimm, I’m a New York based designer, illustrator, and 2D animator. I am a recent grad from the School of Visual Arts where I pursued graphic design and motion graphics. Although I can adapt to what is needed for a project, I am at my happiest when I can bring my weird and lively flair to a project. I currently work at FSG as a junior designer, but I’ve had the great pleasure of working with Brian Rhea, SVA x The Lion King on Broadway, and Rodrigo Corral Design Studio, among others. I also freelance mostly in music with merch and cover art design. I’m currently the designer for Spitting Image, a indie punk band out of Denver, CO. I’ve always had a strong passion for music and hope to be able to continue growing my freelance portfolio with projects ranging from cover art to stage and music video animation. I always make sure to have a long list of personal projects going as well–– currently I am working on my sixth annual pair of custom sneakers, silkscreened posters, and a frame by frame animation project.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is getting the opportunity to connect with people. I’m truly at my happiest when others reach out to me and tell me how meaningful my work has been for them. This mostly happens in my personal illustration/animation works, but on any project there’s space to reach people and make them feel seen or even just bring them joy in some capacity. Being able to do art professionally is special and so personal. As you put yourself and your work out there you are giving people the opportunity to connect with you. I think that’s why I am so drawn to music because that is a pillar in their work, and to be able to visualize that and bring it to life is something very magical.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The only thing I can stress is to reach out to people. Community is everything!! The arts is such a wonderful community filled with inspiration and knowledge and a lot of it you wouldn’t learn in school. Finding time to meet up with the creatives more established than you is a great experience because not only will you walk away with a handful of knowledge but you create friendships. It doesn’t have to be anyone super well off, it can even be a peer of yours you admire. Creating these bonds will further your career and be beneficial for both parties. In a few words, networking is key. Be friendly and open!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chargrimm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chargrimm/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/char-grimm/
• Other: Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/chargrimm