Meet Janae Newman | Creative Director & Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janae Newman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janae, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance is a continuous struggle for me. I say yes a lot – not out of obligation, but because I genuinely love work AND life. YES to designing that new logo, YES to a 10 mile hike, YES to that road trip. I used to think the only way for me to make it was to work non-stop hours. I still sometimes burn the midnight oil, but on my own terms. Over time I’ve re-learned the importance of play.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My first graphic design gig out of college was an entry-level job designing print catalogs for a pet supply company. I loved it. I remember thinking, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this.” I still feel that way. I’ve learned a lot since that first entry level job. Through Janae Newman Design, LLC, I get to work with clients in a variety of industries.

I’ve always had this unique doodle style. I’d draw in the margins of notebooks and even sharpied a wooden table from Kmart once. In 2018 I turned my doodle style into a set of coloring books. I wanted to design something for myself – no client, just me. I created two intricate coloring books and launched a successful Kickstarter. I still sell them on Etsy, but mostly I keep busy with client work.

For any aspiring designers out there, here are some lessons I have learned:

1) Ask your clients a ton of questions. Don’t assume they know what you need to know in order to deliver.

2) Don’t undercharge and be wary of design contests. Restaurants wouldn’t let you try their food and only pay if you like theirs best.

3) Don’t be afraid to say no. (I’m still working on this one).

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’ll be eating the jalapeno popper pizza from McKinners in Littleton at least twice. Meow Wolf is a must. We’ll catch live music at Red Rocks. Lunch and a cocktail (cannibal corpse reviver) at the Brutal Poodle followed by shopping along Broadway for used books and vinyl. We’re sampling craft beer at Living the Dream and wine at Carboy. We’re having Colombian food from La Chiva. We’ll hike a new trail every day. We’ll get Rockies tickets and watch the sun set from the stadium. We’re having a drink at Mario’s Double Daughter’s Salotto because it reminds me of the art in Beetlejuice. We’ll float down the Platte River (if there’s water), take a swim at Chatfield and get our fill of nostalgia at Fifty-Two 80s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe a large portion of my career to the Multimedia program at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (circa 01-05). The major merged graphic design, videography, journalism and coding. I had excellent professors who grew and changed the curriculum as-needed. We built web sites, produced our own short films and animations, wrote copy for the ads we designed, etc. My video skills ended up being a huge differentiator for me in a sea of graphic designers. My shoutout goes out to Dr. Nanette Hogg and Dr. Keith Terry. Thank you for your mentorship and for genuinely having an open-door policy.

Website: janaenewmandesign.com

Instagram: @janaenewmandesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janaenewman/

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JanaeNewmanDesign