You’ve probably heard of PRINT’s latest Designer of the Week, New York City–based Leta Sobierajski. She was a PRINT New Visual Artist a few years back; she’s been featured in a multitude of magazines and on design sites aplenty; and she’s spoken at events all over the world, from Canada to Guatemala to Minnesota. As an independent art director and designer, Sobierajski combines the elements of traditional graphic design with photography, art and styling to create some truly stunning work for clients including AIGA, Google and The New York Times. Read on to learn more about her.
photo by Julia Hembree
Name: Leta Sobierajski
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Website: letasobierajski.com
Design school attended: Purchase College
Where do you find inspiration?
Anywhere outside of the computer! Galleries, museums, exhibitions, travel and oftentimes misinterpretations and miscommunications.
Who are some of your favorite designers or artists?
My favorites are those I thankfully can call my friends, all of whom do very different things. My husband, Wade, is a huge inspiration to me and has motivated me into completely new avenues of design. I love the work of my dear friend Scottie Cameron, who is an amazing photographer with an incredible eye, as well as Perrin Drumm, who writes and curates incredible content for AIGA’s Eye on Design blog. Ping Zhu, Aelfie, Alex Daly—the list can go on and on! I’m grateful that my industry has allowed me to connect with so many brilliant minds whose work spans such diverse fields.
[Related: If you want to connect with other brilliant design minds, register by May 1 for the best price on your ticket to HOW Design Live, one of the largest annual gatherings of creative professionals in the world.]
Art Direction/Design: Leta Sobierajski, Wade Jeffree | Photography: Meredith Jenks | Web Development: Human NYC
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Do you have a favorite among all the projects you’ve worked on?
I can’t choose just one favorite!
Our favorite type of project is one that embodies everything that we love: design, typography, art direction and photography all in one package. Some examples have been the work we have done for Likeminds Conference and Le Turtle Restaurant.
Is there a project that stands out to you as having been the biggest challenge of your career so far?
Most of our projects are exciting because they consist of new challenges we previously haven’t experienced. We like to take on new work that requires us to challenge our techniques and complete projects in a new way we haven’t previously attempted. Because of this, each project is a novel challenge.
Art Direction/Design: Leta Sobierajski, Wade Jeffree | Interior Photography: Scottie Cameron | Web Development: XXIX | Typography Development: The Designer’s Foundry
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What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
The biggest motivator for me is to have as much fun as possible, remain in control of my situation, and continue to create weird things that clients actually want.
What’s your best advice for designers today?
Be patient, be persistent and above all, don’t be an asshole. These things take time, and staying humble and curious are the most important qualities to have.
