The idea here is that there are countless avatars and websites and icons and blogs. But every single one of them has a person or people behind them. Get to know the person a little bit and you will be all the more interested and invested in what they have to say and share.

I don’t recall exactly how we started communicating, although I’m sure it was either Twitter or Facebook, but I have recently been enjoying getting to know Beth Daniell of Elizabeth Daniell Graphic Design (EDGD) through a few online conversations and interactions. Beth is a graphic designer who has made the shift to running her own freelance business and using social media to expand her networks and clientele. As we began conversing and sharing thoughts I knew she would be a perfect candidate for my friends and readers to meet, so I asked if she would be interested in participating in this series. She has generously taken the time to answer a few questions and share some insights into who she is. I invite you to get to know her and connect with her yourself so you can go beyond the surface and see who’s Behind The Avatar.

“Over the past 15+ years, I have found the inspiration for my design style through the cities I have lived in, the people I have met along the way and my love for all things unique. My education in various art forms is a concrete foundation for making me the artist I am today.”

Beth’s background is varied. Her search for herself spans many years and many cities, including Savannah, Athens, Orlando, Nashville and New York, but she currently resides in a small town called White, just north of Atlanta, GA. Although she confesses she’s not exactly sure how she ended up there, she claims Georgia will always be her home no matter where she lives.

Beth started out in high school working at a photo lab and somehow ended up in New York City accepted to the School of Visual Arts for photography. She continues:

“After moving up there I thought to myself, ‘What would I actually do with a photography degree?’ A bit culture shocked, I moved back home and this pattern repeated 3 times over the next year. Yep, 3 times. Finally, after many trips by trains, planes and automobiles along the east coast, the theft of my portfolio and sightseeing, I was back in NYC for good (or at least for 4 years). I discovered a great community college, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and an excellent program called Display and Exhibit Design. This was my new love. I ate, slept and drank that program for two years. It was a fabulous time and I learned so much but the jobs that were offered in that field were few and far between. It did however give me a few base classes in exhibit graphics, so in efforts to move forward and onward, I eventually went back to school to become a Graphic Designer.”

She says that even with as many times as she changed her mind, she loves her current profession as a graphic designer. After working in the publishing industry for several years, Beth decided to pursue a freelance business and established EDGD.

“Being my own boss is great. Sure it’s not easy and I still have a lot to learn, but it’s so worth the rewards and freedom of creativity. I love helping start-ups with their identity or helping an existing company refine their logo. I wake up happy everyday and wonder what type of project will come across my path today. It’s almost like getting little presents here and there.”

When I asked her what she is most passionate about, Beth put her family at the top of her list. She says they are all very close and try to get together as often as possible. Next she placed her American Bulldog Rita (Margarita), the biggest love of her life, but then quickly backpedaled and made Rita the second love, since her husband Cody is “technically” first. She is extremely proud of her husband’s service as an Army Ranger (1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment).

“I am also passionate about my ink drawings. I have been doing these probably since the early 90’s.  They started out as random illustrations and over the years have transformed into various shapes or abstract images. It is always fun to see what others think they resemble, similar to how an inkblot is perceived. Over the past year I have experimented in enlarging them on transparencies and then painting them onto canvas. They have really evolved and have become an exciting escape from my computer. I also love most aspects of the fashion industry, creating art with my hands (books, paintings, etc) and most anything vintage.”

When it comes to social networking, Beth says she’s fairly new to it, especially Twitter.

“I have been on Facebook (with a business page) and LinkedIn for about a year now and have gained more resources, information and clients than I thought could come from these types of networking. It really opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking and I have received so much knowledge in my field and related fields from folks that are fresh out of school to Creative Directors and CEO’s. Twitter is a new one for me and so far, to be honest, it is taking me a bit to get used to and its idiosyncrasies. But, I do believe it is a powerful marketing tool as well an excellent platform to connect with peers in related fields and I am becoming more and more comfortable using it. The wealth of information and possibility of connections is unmatched right now.”

As a Twitter user (translated: addict) myself, I couldn’t agree more!

Please take some time to visit Beth’s various websites, portfolios and social media profiles. I encourage you to connect with her in these various arenas and get to know her, the person, as well as the artist and designer. I know you will find it is time well spent.

Elizabeth Daniell Graphic Design

http://www.elizabethdaniell.com
http://www.facebook.com/EDGraphicDesign
http://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethdaniell
@EDGraphicDesign on Twitter

Edan Ink Designs (My Ink Drawings)

http://www.facebook.com/EdanInk
http://www.EdanINK.etsy.com

If you are interested in being interviewed as a part of this series, please let me know in the comments, or send me an email. If you have any questions or comments for Beth, leave a comment below or visit her at one of her websites listed above. Finally, if you are not already, would you consider subscribing to this blog so you don’t miss any future updates? You can either subscribe to the RSS feed in the reader of your choice or you can receive the blog updates in your email inbox by filling out the simple little form at the top right of the page.

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