Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Etz.
Kelly, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
It’s weird to think of myself as an artist — I always picture artists covered in paint and chalk and dust and dreams. Instead, on any given day, I’m blearily squinting at a some sorta screen (laptop, desktop, iPad, iPad pro, ack), moving the letter R infinitesimally back and forth until I drop dead… or at least until it feels semi-right.
I didn’t know what the heck I was doing in college — it sounds very ~eighteen~ but I wanted to be Rory Gilmore — reading all day and writing papers and thinking deeply and taking lots of notes. So, naturally, I pulled a Gilmore and went into journalism. Thinking back, it seems a million miles away from who I am now (I’m still ride or die for books 4ever) but it was so essential to the path my career has taken. I ended up working on my college newspaper and getting a (brief) crash course in InDesign — which is really where my obsession with type and layout began.
I worked at a mortgage company my last two year at U of M — they were looking for students who could work odd, nighttime hours and the pay was legit. It was menial work, but my manager was INCREDIBLE, truly one of the best bosses I have ever had. When you work with genuinely good people, it’s such a huge feeling of relief — you recognize they have your back, which I’ve learned is a rare occurrence (soak up and learn everything you can from these people). He took a genuine interest in all of his employees and helped me transition my role into the company’s marketing department, which was closer to my skill set. It was pretty thankless, fill-in-the-box design and writing, but it ended up being such an important job and step for me.
I stayed there two years after college and saved money, built up my design skills, and learned how to work in a corporate environment. At the time, I was bemoaning my lack of a “cool gig” and just generally unhappy with what I was doing. But looking back, I recognize how insanely valuable that time of my life was. It’s oddly funny how soul-sucking something can feel — how creatively deadening — and then, years later, you understand what it was actually doing for you. I didn’t realize how necessary a job that allows you to leave work at home could be — that aspect gave me the space to work on my freelance design and pursue passion projects with an abandon I now envy.
I applied to work at The Everygirl — a website I’d admired for ages and ages — on a whim. I never thought I’d get the job — I had applied to other places with no result and the imposter syndrome was STRONG. When I heard back from The Everygirl, I literally screamed out loud. I immediately called my mom — I walked outside and paced around my office parking lot, steaming with joy and tension and terrified energy. This was the dream. I love looking back because it feels like such a pure moment. A moment where I knew exactly what I wanted and it felt tantalizingly within reach. You have to channel those moments — often, we get caught up in what we’re doing and don’t realize how special it would have felt even a few months ago. Try not to forget those crystallizing moments. They are defining for so many reasons.
I’ve been working at The Everygirl for about a year and a half now — I feel like my mom, but I truly have no idea where the time has gone. I take on as much freelance work as I can these days, because I thrive on the busy. It’s cuckoo bananas, but I love it all the same. And still, I don’t feel like I’ve “made it.” I don’t know if that day ever comes. You just keep on keeping on, getting stronger as you go.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
As a freelancer, I’m wearing 5,000 hats at once. From copywriting to logos to layout design, I thrive on creating cohesive designs and work that feels lived-in, essential, captivating — all the good stuff.
As for why I do this, I honestly couldn’t stop myself if I tried. When you recognize the pull of creative energy — when you fall under its spell and look up and realize you’ve worked on something for five hours without noticing — that is so special. Chase that feeling.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
I so admire the conviction of artists — throughout the centuries and now. For me, creativity has so much to do with questioning, with thinking critically and deeply. It’s also very passionate — I’m at my most creative when I feel excited, turbulent, challenged. My thoughts and beliefs end up in my designs — I design from my soul (bless her feminist af heart) and I would never want to try and blanket that.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I’ve been meaning to get my website in some kind of order for AGES — it’s constantly in the back of my mind. Designing for yourself is a huge challenge — I’m my worst client by far (hey, I own it). All that to say, I’m sharing my work, my process, and my life on my Instagram right now. I’ve found the process of “micro-blogging” through Instagram posts incredibly therapeutic and a great way to help clients connect with my designs in a different way. I also like welcoming people into little slices of my life — I share a lot more than just my work, but it’s all a part of what makes me tick, what makes me passionate and enthralled and curious. And all of that feeds into my work as a designer. You can support me by following along — https://www.instagram.com/kellyetz/.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kellyetz.com/
- Email: kelly@kellyetz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyetz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellyetz
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/kellyetz/
Image Credit:
Voyage-Chicago-Kelly-Etz-Profile-2.png — Please Credit: https://www.instagram.com/maestier/
Voyage-Chicago-Kelly-Etz-Profile-4.png — Please Credit: Katie Kett Photography (http://katiekettphotography.com/)
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