March

Visual Female of the Month – March

– Wesley Bird

I came across Wesley’s work when browsing Society6 one day which led me to her website where she showcases a huge array of her diverse work. She mixes typography, illustration and photography to make some interesting pieces that both look cool and have something to say. Her work appears effortless and polished and I really struggled to only choose a few pieces to show here – so you must visit her website and have a proper browse! I love to discover people who use graphic design to make pieces of art in themselves. A lot of people trained in graphic design can end up working in blah jobs and forget to either pursue design for its own sake, or connect design with art. I find Wesley does both of these things well and I certainly wouldn’t mind rocking a tee with one of her designs.

Now for the interview….

When did you start creating, and when and how did you decide to turn this into your career?

I started creating during my junior year of high school, but I didn’t turn it into a career until after my freshman year of college. And I really only started to profit from it two years ago. I always loved all things art. I initially thought I wanted to pursue fashion design, but I changed my mind senior year of high school and decided to focus in on painting. I’m so glad I did, that’s what i majored in at college. It gave me a better understanding of fine art, so that when I started to transition into graphic design, I could approach it more creatively than just being limited to what I could achieve on a computer screen!

What is you favourite area of design?

I love graphic design. I really enjoy painting, but over the past couple of years I have learned that I am very into instant gratification, seeing a finished product produced in a short period of time. Painting is therapeutic for me, but graphic design is more exciting for me because it is so fast paced.

What are your goals/plans for your creative career in the near future?

I am planning a big trip to Australia in May. While there, I am just hoping to gain a ton of inspiration and a renewed sense of excitement for design! After that I hope to move to New York and work with some bigger clients there.

If you somehow hurt your vision, would you choose to wear glasses or contacts?

Haha hmmm…probably both, I like the way glasses look on people but they are kind of annoying to wear for long periods of time. So I would switch off! But then again I’ve never worn contacts so I don’t know if I would even like them.

Excluding sight, what two other senses are your favourites?

Scent and touch.

5 most pleasant things to look at:

Beautiful people, my puppy, the ocean/desert, typography, and art…obviously 🙂

5 least pleasant things to look at:

The pile of clothes that seems to ALWAYS be on my bedroom floor, traffic……..blood. Haha that’s all I can think of.

Who is the most inspiring woman you know and why?

My mom, just because I’m pretty sure she is the MOST perfect human. Beautiful, funny, smart, hard-working, and the strongest person I know.

What is your favourite thing about yourself?

Hmmmm…I have a pretty good poker face. And I am really good at keeping calm under pressure. That’s a good quality to have, I think.

What is on your bedroom walls currently?

5 of Charmaine Oliva’s prints. One of her first paintings, Ophelia, a few of her really old drawings, and one of her newer paintings, Grace. That’s all. I love her older, more detailed work.

Favourite clothing / accessory / product at the moment?

I have a pair of black-coated denim skinnies from Citizens of Humanity that I literally wear all the time. And I NEVER leave the house without cherry chapstick. That is my one and only serious addiction.

And finally, any words of advice for people stepping into the creative sector?

Do what you love. Don’t just do something because it’s trending or because you think it will make you a lot of money. That’s how people end up unhappy.