Hannah Raye Wenrick
Q What do you do?
“I’m a graphic designer and illustrator with a background in marketing and brand strategy.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
My background is pretty diverse. I've been a visual artist since I could hold a pencil, but mainly kept sketching and painting as a hobby. When I started working in the music industry after college I found myself drawn to the visual aspect of marketing campaigns. From there I started to teach myself the basics of graphic design and took on some freelance clients as a social media manager and brand strategist. This allowed me to transition to working as a freelance designer the more I learned and eventually I landed a job working as an in-house designer for a clothing company. Now I'm doing freelance work, focusing on branding, logo design and apparel.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I can adapt to many different styles and visual languages. I have an in depth knowledge of marketing strategy and keep that in mind even if I'm pulling from more esoteric references. I also excel when working with limited resources and context - I love a challenge.
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm really excited about a short documentary about mountain biking called Uphill that I was able to be part of as a creative director. Working with a small team, we're currently pitching the film to brands to sponsor and potential investors to fund a longer form project. I made the title cards, pitch deck, and even named the film.
Q What’s your style?
I would describe my style as bold and nostalgic. I want to bring elements that exist in time and space outside of the digital world into my projects, whether that means delving into art history, finding a forgotten font on an old roadside sign or collecting color palette inspiration while on a hike. I see it as my job to catalog disparate references and sources and bring them all together to create something fresh and impactful.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would really love to focus on painting and drawing for purely creative purposes. For a long time I never had enough space to keep art supplies but I finally have a dedicated space where I can paint and store my stuff. Give me a cold brew and an open Sunday and see what happens.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Keeping track of finances as a freelancer is hard. Even thinking about doing my taxes is giving me a stomach ache.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Pitching new clients and handling the admin around contracting/invoicing. Also running my personal instagram- working as a social media manager for years has made me averse to my own socials.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
When I was younger I bought into the idea that artistic pursuits were meant to be hobbies, despite being extremely nerdy and passionate about art. I wish I could tell myself to go for it. I'm happy to have a background I do but I definitely anguished over the decision to fully pursue design more than I needed to.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would love to talk to a someone who has founded their own design studio or branding agency about their career path and things they've learned along the way.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'm open to any new projects or positions right now! Ideally a full time position because I miss collaborating with a team long term but I'm also open to freelance work. I would love to work on more film projects and always love apparel work.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal client is decisive but open to my sometimes bold ideas. I love a client who isn't afraid to give feedback and doesn't hold back their opinions.
Q What is your rate?
Because the work I do varies so much, it depends on the project but my hourly rate starts at $40. Logo/branding packages typically start at $1000.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
You can email me at hello@hannahraye.com, with info about your project/position and budget.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Not necessarily a designer but one of my favorite sources for inspiration and education is Evan Collins and everyone at CARI (cari.institute). They catalog consumer facing design aesthetics of the past and present and work on describing even the most niche of movements. I find it endlessly fascinating to browse the artifacts they've collected and see how tastes evolve and react over time.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Museums, getting outside, friends and road trips.
This member profile was originally published in September 2022.