Sarah Bassett | Bassy
Q What do you do?
“Hi There! My name is Sarah Bassett but people call me Bassy. I am a multi-hyphenate creative human person who finds the very best visual and conceptual solutions for your brand, idea or initiative.”
I'm a classically trained graphic designer, with a background in art direction, motion, illustration, printmaking, bookmaking, painting, sculpture and improv comedy!
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
You know that infinite staircase? The Penrose Stairs? That's how I view my career – an endless cycle of curiosity: unlearning, learning and executing. I've always been creative, originally going to school for Fine Arts with a focus on painting and sculpture at the Art Institute of Boston. I was accidentally enrolled in a Typography I class and realized that I could monetize my neurosis and OCD as a graphic designer. From that moment on I was all-in, transferring to Boston University to pursue a major in Graphic Design with a minor in Printmaking. I scored an incredible internship at Converse HQ in 2014 and worked with them through 2020. I then moved out to Los Angeles and worked for Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine for one year. I then quit on my 29th birthday to pursue a solo career as a freelancer, with the hope of building a multi-hyphenate creative studio in the future. I've been a full-time freelance art director for almost two years and it's the best decision I've ever made. I've collaborated with Nike, Converse, Meta, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Amazon Music, DoorDash, DashMart, Verishop, MKG, Mustache, Solawave, Sassy Jack Chick'n, The Sketchbook Project and more!
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I pride myself in not only developing high quality creative solutions and design executions, but also in my ability to pitch and present a holistic concept. I love taking my clients on a journey with the work I share, ensuring all of my decision-making is grounded in strategy and conceptual thinking.
Q What are you working on right now?
Right now, I am working on the branding for my multi-hyphenate creative studio, a content audit for a 3D printing company, a holiday campaign for Converse, an end-of-year campaign for DoorDash and art direction for a beauty shoot here in Los Angeles. I love variety!
Q What’s your style?
I am a multi-hyphenate creative human person that loves maximalism in color, texture, and pattern. A project that deeply reflects my aesthetic taste is the branding I did alongside Weekday Studio for Converse By You. I selected Weekday Studio as a collaborator to develop a unified branding system applied on Converse dot com and in-situ retail spaces. The concept centers around the idea of infinite creation through endless possibilities and combinations. Contemporary letterforms are combined with pulls from Converse archives to respect our past and move forward. This system can adapt based on application, and can also easily grow and change with the brand. I love the density of the letterforms, the colors pulled from the Converse archives and the idea of leading with a kinetic logo for digital applications. Project available here: https://www.sarahbassy.com/art-direction
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I have a real passion for brand identity and strategy – I think often, big fish clients are looking for studios to do this work rather than individual designers. I'd love to pivot from typical freelance hourly work and transition into some larger scale branding work. I would love to outsource help and become more of a creative director managing a team of likeminded creatives on a project-by-project basis.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Keeping my portfolio up-to-date (*sigh* a tale as old as time). I also have been really avoiding developing some passive income opportunities.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would love to bring someone on to help manage my calendar and consistently perform outreach. I am so busy with clients, that sometimes it's easy to forget to reach out to clients you've worked with previously and keep those relationships open. Thankfully, I have a wonderful financial advisor that balances my books, so I'd really love to add a teammate that can be consumer-facing and a scheduling warrior!
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could go back in time and tell high school Bassy that graphic design isn't "selling out" as an artist. I started my career as a painter and sculptor and had a teacher very close to me tell me to stay away from graphic design as it was perceived as less-than in the art world. I spent so much time trying to remain a purist in my college days, but when I was accidentally placed in a Typography I course, I fell in love. Graphic Design is simply a problem solving mechanism that creatives use to clearly communicate with a curated audience. Design, in my opinion, is the fastest and most rewarding way to get your point of view out in the world, and has so many opportunities for multi-hyphenate artists. YOU'RE NOT SELLING OUT, YOU'RE FULFILLING A NEED.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would love to learn more about NFTs and passive incomes for creatives in this every-changing digital world!
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Brand Identity, Brand Strategy, Content Creation, Packaging, Activation and more!
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I love working to build a brand, activation or packaging execution from the ground-up. While working for Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine, I developed a packaging system for Reese's Book Club. We worked through multiple packaging brand expressions for The Gift of Reading, curated items for inside the box and developed a messaging, branding, packing, and photographic system for the creative. I really value seeing a project through from concept to actualization – having a tactile, physical representation of our designed product was immensely gratifying!
Q What is your rate?
I am available to work at an hourly rate of $100/hr or can work with you to discuss a reasonable all-in fee on a project-by-project basis. I also operate on a sliding scale for small businesses, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ or womxn identifying clients as I believe great art direction and creative strategy should be accessible for all.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Potential clients and collaborators can contact me on my website here www.sarahbassy.com/contact -OR- by emailing me directly hisarahbassy@gmail.com
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Nina Hans, Creative Director & Co-Founder of Weekday Studio. I fell in love with her work on Color Camp, and have the privilege of collaborating with her on Converse By You. She is always so professional, business savvy, and has always been there for me as a mentor. Thank you, Nina!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Stay curious. Solve problems. Drink water.
*Photos are uploaded for the personal portfolio of Sarah Bassett and do not necessarily reflect the views of her former employers and/or clients. Not available for duplication or reproduction. Please visit Sarah's portfolio website to see a full list of all teammates, collaborators and appropriate credits.
This member profile was originally published in December 2022.