Artist Marta Klopf on Discovering Her Passion for Design!

Making a career out of a passion can be a tall order. For digital designer Marta Klopf, making a career out of her passion wasn’t just about creating art, but rather, created specifically for organizations and campaigns she believes in. In the following Interview, Marta discusses some of her most exciting projects, how she got into design, and what she hopes to accomplish moving forward. Can you talk about how you got into graphic design and digital art? I always enjoyed art class in school but didn’t necessarily want to become a painter or an artist. At some point, I found out that there were jobs where people got to design books, and posters, albums, and book covers, and that seemed exciting: it was a creative job that channeled my interest in expressing myself visually, while also largely being about communication and contact with people, clients, and communities. Did you attend an art school? If so, what was your experience like? I did - I attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where I got a BFA in graphic design. Although I believe that people can arrive to design from a variety of different paths, for me, personally, art school was a great experience. Not only because of the skills you acquire but mostly because of the network and the community. You are surrounded by a lot of creative people with a lot of different interests and areas they specialize in, so it’s a very energizing and inspiring environment. Do you ever make art for yourself / just for fun? Yes, I have worked on design projects just for myself, for fun. I also really enjoy photography, especially analog. During the first lockdown, for example, I worked on a personal project that combined both photography and design: a website called reallywhatislife.com where I collect travel photos and stories. It’s a little bit like a digital scrapbook-meets-bucket-list. I had a lot of fun making it and plan on continually expanding it. Design is about communication, and that can mean so many different things: it can be for clients, for brands, for people, but it can also be for yourself or something that you want to communicate or share on a more personal level. What are some of the most exciting projects you've gotten to work on so far? I recently got to work on a website called Let’s Tech, which catered to kids aged 10-18, to teach them about science and engineering through, for example, videos, blog articles, and interviews with professionals, especially women, in the field. I loved working on the project because I felt that it was making an impact: giving young people a platform through which they can learn is an inspiring and exciting endeavor to be a part of. These are the kinds of projects I like to work on the most: ones where design means learning, empowering, or making an impact in a community. I had the chance to work on a few of these projects when I worked in New York, for clients such as the NYC department of health, the center for Urban Pedagogy, and other community-based organizations. What is most fulfilling about your career? Always getting to work on different projects and helping bring people's ideas to life visually. Also, collaboration: working together with other creative people and clients.

Do you have any advice for other aspiring designers/artists? Always remember what you find interesting and fun about design. It’s easy to get swept up in the small day-to-day tasks, but at its core design, it’s about being passionate about communicating and finding new and exciting ways to do so. To learn more about Marta Klopf and her work, please visit: http://www.martaklopf.com/