Miriam Hiersteiner
Q What do you do?
“On the most basic level, I design elegant and effective digital and print graphics.”
Clients come to me when they need an experienced artistic eye to elevate their project or brand. How do I do this? I immerse myself in the brand and map out the path from current state to realized aspiration. Using typography, color, and photography/illustration, I create stunning visuals, but also accomplish something extra — that unique, indescribable—I hate the word "vibe" but it's unavoidable here—vibe.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I have 10 years of experience in a diversity of fields and formats. I started with a BA minor in Communication Design from Skidmore College and an AAS degree in Graphic Design from Parsons School of Design. I’ve worked as a designer/art director in publishing, e-commerce, fashion, higher education, architecture, finance, the food/beverage industry, and interior design, among other fields.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
Many years of experience, a commitment to innovation, and fruitful collaborative working relationships with clients.
Q What are you working on right now?
Right now I am working on 2 web design/development projects: one for a venture capital firm and one for a biotech startup. I am also designing a suite of food/beverage packaging for a local farm.
Q What’s your style?
Design should be bespoke to each client/project, so I try not to have a personal style. That being said, I lean towards clean, dynamic designs and try to avoid fleeting trends. For example, my design of art exhibition catalogs: the cleanliness of the layouts and strength of the typography accentuates artwork without overpowering.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Oooh that’s a tough one. I love web/UI work and am always looking to exercise my development muscles. Print is close to my heart so I jump at most opportunities to design books/magazines/catalogs/packaging. Extracurricularly I am a big reader and writer, photographer, and cook.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Business development and accounting! I wish I could focus exclusively on design.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Haha, business development and accounting! I would love to have someone crunch the numbers for me, but I would pay them far more than $20/hour.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I would tell my younger self to have more confidence. Starting out in this industry, I lacked the courage to trust my own talent and intuition. I was afraid to fail. Now I know that failure rules — the only way to grow! Young me, take some chances!
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 an expert designer about how they communicate the importance of creative strategy to clients. Projects are infinitely more successful if we take the time at the beginning to determine needs, limitations, and aspirations, and use this information to outline an effective creative strategy. I would like to know how an expert conveys the value of this process.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Though I am open to small, one-off projects, I am primarily looking to develop strong and lasting client relationships. Once a level of trust is achieved, I want to be a go-to: someone who can jump in at any stage and provide beautiful, effective work.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
An ideal job is one where everyone works together, respecting each other’s roles in the process, to knock every deliverable out of the park. The best work comes out of relationships of mutual respect, fruitful collaboration, and confidence.
Q What is your rate?
Oh this really depends: for smaller projects (one off print designs, presentations, etc) I generally work hourly at a rate of $100. For larger projects I use a flat fee: full branding starts around $8000, logos $2-3000, Squarespace website design and development anywhere from $3-10,000 depending on complexity. I offer discounted rates for very small businesses, non-profits, and charities.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
An email should include a little bit about you, a little bit about the company, the project, scope, deliverables, and budget. A follow up zoom or phone call is where we can truly determine compatibility.
miriam@miriamhiersteiner.com
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Marissa Dubin is a crackerjack copywriter and strategist.
Laura Vanessa Gonzalez is a wonderful graphic designer and art director. Just the best of the best.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Reading!
This member profile was originally published in March 2023