We recently connected with Sophie Graefenhain and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sophie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

Katrina was the absolute best mentor I have ever had. She took a chance on me by recognizing my potential in the design world, and by hiring me onto her team she gave me an opportunity I will always be grateful for. Katrina had the ability to critique, collaborate, encourage, and be creative in a way that was inspiring. If you have ever had someone see the spark in you, when you could not see it in yourself, I am sure you can relate to how powerful it is to be given the chance to shine.

Sophie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I am Sophie Graefenhain and I am an Integrated Design and Branding Specialist with experience in Brand Strategy, Development & Design, Placemaking, Environmental Design, Copywriting, Web & App Design, Page Layout & Presentation Design, Illustration, and Promotional Collateral.

In addition to my fresh approach to the digital world, I am a fine artist with a diverse skill set including oil painting, tattoo design, drawing, and sketch illustration. I enjoy investigating all mediums through portraiture, wildlife, and organic studies.

Growing up in the Chicagoland area, my parents put an emphasis on creativity, getting outside, and using our imaginations to get through long winters and hot summers. Art was a constant in our home…My mom is an amazing artist and business owner of Graefenhain Designs, and my dad is a talented marketing guru, bread baker, and knower of all things health and fitness. Observing my parents in their prospective fields led to my love of all art forms.
From a young age, I turned anything into something. Whether it was cooking, baking, painting, sewing, etc…I was always making something out of whatever I could find. This trickled into my high school years – concentrating on certain subjects was impossible so I would draw intricate designs and scenes on my arms related to each class. It was my way of taking notes (which eventually led to my tattooing hobby).

Once I navigated my way out of high school and through college, where I graduated with a Fine Arts degree, I didn’t have a clue what to do, so I moved to Kentucky where I began working as a barista. My love of light roast beans, latte art, and learning the world of coffee followed me when I moved back to Chicago and began teaching my espresso skills. This job led me to Boulder, where I taught latte art classes and roasted beans.

During my time in the coffee world, I began teaching myself different computer software on the side. Once I built up a humble design portfolio, I felt confident enough to make the leap. I started a job as an apparel designer for the outdoor clothing industry here in Colorado! As time passed, I continued to learn and grow in the design world and now work as a graphic designer for architecture and planning firm in Denver. With many years of hard work, I finally landed in a creative realm I never knew I would love so much.

All the while, I kept my fine art business going. Painting kept me afloat through every life change, and I owe a bit of my ability to find balance in chaos to oil painting. Portraiture, wildlife, landscape, still life, and impressionistic abstract are a few of my favorite subjects.

In addition to my passion for painting, I find peace in baking, cooking, designing, and any medium I can get my hands on. I feel as though my childhood love of ‘making’ has come full circle to where I am in life today.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being an artist means being vulnerable. Every time I create something, it feels intimate… like someone can inside your brain. The chance to show your thoughts, ideas, and creations in front of an audience makes your confidence and resilience grow. Sharing my art means risking opening myself up to judgment, but when it brings joy, sentimentality, and happiness to someone the reward is so great!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I would say at this point in my life I am an expert at pivoting. I have had many things thrown into my life that have ignited the need to switch careers, living locations, and the motivation to start my creative services business. An example would be when I first made the leap from being a barista to being a graphic designer. I had reached the ceiling of growth in the coffee world, and I knew I had to put in the work to make a career change. The last year or so of working in coffee I began teaching myself all of the Adobe Suite software, and built a humble portfolio. The first chance I got I accepted a position as a graphic artist in the outdoor apparel industry! The worlds were different, but I took with me ever lesson learned.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sophiegraefenhain.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophie_graefenhain/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiagraefenhain/

Image Credits
Kimberly Mitiska Photography