Meet Julia Gray | Lead Graphic Designer / Content Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julia Gray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julia, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned through my career is to fall in love with the process. While every business owner has goals to where the eventually want to be, it is important to look at what all you have accomplished. If you are always chasing after the next goal, no matter how many milestones you hit, you’ll never feel satisfied. Falling in love with the process helps keep the passion as fiery it was when you first began your business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My story started with a revelation I had while I was a teenager, when I recognized that my passion for graphic design was something I needed to pursue full-time. I realized early on that doing something I love held more value than simply following a financially secure path. This has proven to be true, as my commitment to design has opened many doors and allowed me to grow both personally and professionally.

What sets me apart in the design world is the way I draw inspiration from the world around us. The intricacy of nature—trees, mountains, and the moon—are a constant source of creative energy for me. When I experience creative blocks, I turn to nature to recharge and to seek a fresh perspective.

My design process focuses on using visual communication to transcend language barriers and create experiences that can mean something to somebody. Harnessing color, typography, and composition gives me the opportunity of taking written content, and turning them into visual stories that speak to people on a deeper level.

Through my journey, I’ve had to learn the hard way how to balance my work and life. There has been times that my love for design led me to pour all my time into it, which has resulted in burnout. Over time, I’ve found ways to set boundaries and prioritize self-care to maintain my creative spark.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to fall in love with the process itself. Having gratitude towards the milestones I hit and acknowledging how far I’ve come keeps me grounded and motivated.

In terms of success, my passion for design drives everything I do. It’s what keeps me pushing forward. I take pride in my work ethic and my ability to keep striving for improvement, even during the times in my life that my design work did not take precedent.

Ultimately, my work is a reflection of my deep passion for design and my desire to use my skills to communicate and connect with others. I believe that by staying true to my passions and trusting my intuition, I can continue to create meaningful and impactful work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some things I’d take my best friend the beaches and places to watch the sunset like Sunset Cliffs and Horseshoe beach. San Diego has the best selection of coffee shops and relaxed bars like Cafe Italia, ASA Cafe, The Livingroom Cafe, Part-time Lover, The Lafayette, The Grass Skirt. The we would of course indulge in some of the amazing foo in San Diego like Seneca, Morning Glory, Hane Sushi, and Extraordinary Desserts. I would also love to take her to the pop-up thriftshops and markets!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sanda Katila (Professor at Kent State University, whom taught me my love for typography) John Haller (Professor at Kent State University, whom gave me guidance and advice in the design field, no matter the time of day)
Jerry Young & Rich Burnett (My highschool art teachers, whom provided the environment where the foundation of creativity was curated)
Amanda Florek (My highschool volleyball coach, whom help me develop my work ethic into what is is today)

Website: https://www.grayjulia.design/

Instagram: @grayjuliadesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-gray-600b461a7/

Image Credits
-Greta Bell (with the photo of me in the black top and the photo of my in the gray sweater) -Kent State Marketing Department (with the checkered top and graduation)