Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sasha Krause. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Sasha, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I identify as Non-Binary, I use the/them/theirs pronouns, and I present in a masculine, androgynous style. With living in, going to school in, and working in a small town, I am often one of the only visibly queer people in a room. This can sometimes hinder my ability to achieve what I wanted to do in a space because of the unwanted attention I can draw from close-minded people. But the more I grow into myself and my identity, the more I learn to be excited about my identity and presentation and to embody it wherever I am. When I began transitioning in 2021 from a more feminine presentation to a more masculine one, I felt nervous and scared, and I think that came from a place of being worried others would discriminate against me for my being visibly queer. Sometimes, that does happen and it can be hard to take. Because of this I have learned that people are going to have their opinions, and it’s not my responsibility to change them or entertain them. I have as much ownership of the space as the next person, no matter how we identify, and we all deserve a chance to be effective/successful in what we came to do. Understanding this has led me to be more confident in myself no matter how others may try to subjectively critique me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a graphic designer, illustrator, and an all around creative. I consider myself to be a jack of all trades, and I’m interested in working on all kinds of creative projects. A niche in my artwork is vintage, bold, and colorful design, I love to make pieces that have that retro feel and bend the rules a bit! I figure if I’m making art, I want it to be inventive and exciting, but I also want to use my design research to create something truly pleasing to the eye.
Currently, I am in the home stretch of college, gearing up for my career in graphic design and creative work. I have been studying to receive my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from The University of Northern Colorado, and I graduate this May after four years of hard work! I am excited for what’s next and plan to apply for a job in graphic design as an in-house designer, while doing freelance creative work as well. You can connect with me on Linkedin (Sasha Krause), Instagram (@raynesthings), or on my website (sashakrause.myportfolio.com).
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My three most important qualities, skills, and area(s) of knowledge:
1. Graphic Design/Illustration skill – This one is obvious but necessary to mention. Without my studies and practice of graphic design, I would not be able to call myself a graphic designer. I have learned many programs to benefit my career like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe XD, Procreate, and I keep learning each day to help me expand that list. I can also know the programs through and through and have nothing to put in them, so I have made it a priority to learn everything I can about the fundamentals of graphic design like composition, typography, iconography, etc, and how to expand upon those with doing trend research and trying new things!
2. Communication skill – Communication is essential in any field, but in graphic design, client-designer relationship is essential. Often times designers work in teams of artists as well and it’s important everyone is on the same page to focus on creating something wonderful for the client. Finally, it’s so important to be a kind and empathetic person often because you never know what someone else is experiencing. Kindness allows others to feel safe and it allows your conversations to reach new heights.
3. Ambitious quality – I am a very ambitious person, if I want something I am going to do everything I can to get it. Growing as a person is so important to me, and I am more than willing to fall on my face and learn something new in the pursuit of getting to what is going to fulfill me as a person.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I found this question very intriguing because I feel like it’s a constant struggle as an artist to decide on this topic. As I said I am graduating and entering the workforce in May 2024, and I am getting so much mixed advice for my portfolio. Do I showcase the work I want to keep doing, or do I show work from all sectors of the work that I have experimented in? I am still grappling with it because, If I lean into what I love to do which is vintage, bold, rule-bending, unique graphics, it may not be the most “marketable” because it’s not the work that is usually tied to large, well-paying jobs, but I believe I will have the most fun and feel the most fulfilled doing this work. If I lean towards showing all of my work and expanding a diverse portfolio then it will make me more “marketable”, but I will have to put a lot of energy and effort into making artwork that I feel doesn’t represent my artistic passion, and will ultimately fulfill me less, but will hopefully provide more monetary support.
In a different way of thinking, focusing on my strengths would be very exciting and fulfilling, but may make me close-minded to other ways of being creative, and that would be disappointing. Though I would be strong in one area, I may wish to be a more well-rounded artist at the end of it. Focusing on being a well-rounded artist would allow me to try new things each day and maybe not be extraordinary in each field right away, but to become stronger in every field over time. The longevity of each option is intriguing and I think it may take a while for me to decide. But that is ok, because I’ve got time, and so does everyone else. I think there is a huge pressure in everyday life to make decisions and it’s ok to take your time making large decisions like this, time will go by and you will learn more about yourself over time and that will ultimately lead to you knowing more about yourself and being able to make a confident decision easier.
I’m looking forward to going out and experiencing my artistic career, and learning about what makes me feel fulfilled as an artist. I feel lucky to be able to have a career in the arts and to have to opportunity to go experience working in this field. I’m ready to learn, succeed, fail, try, and live! I hope the more I do that, the more confident I feel in making these tough decisions.
Contact Info:
- Website: sashakrause.myportfolio.com
- Email: sashakrausedesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/raynesthings
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-krause-design
