about dreaming crow
a letter from lauren
mission
After almost 15 years of advancing my career as a graphic designer, I have come to realize a couple very important things about my work:
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I have a unique skill set that incorporates traditional fine arts, photography, music, and psychology.
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Life is too short to waste that skill set.
The mission of Dreaming Crow is to use my creative expertise in support of my fellow artists, small business owners, conscious women solopreneurs, and my beloved Nashville-based community of independent musicians.
an interdisciplinary artist
My parents were computer software engineers. I was an artist. I loved to sing and draw and write, make things, and dream. However, I was always afraid of becoming a "starving artist." When I learned about graphic design, it seemed like a promising career option for me... a smart way to blend my creative abilities with the evolving modern world of technology. (This turned out to be true!)
I tailored my senior thesis project to album cover graphic design, but technically my degree is in Fine Arts. My professional graphic design work has always been strengthened by these core artistic skills:
Drawing - layout planning, visualizing, spacing, perspective, weight of line, balance, contrast, fine details
Painting - color theory, layering, patience
Illustration - conceptualization, storytelling, stylization, information hierarchy, humor, emotion
Printmaking - negative space, precision, adapting on the fly
Mixed media - physics, 3-dimensional space, environmental context
Photography - composition, mood, light, shadow, personality, tone
Writing - communication, voice, audience, connection
mindful vocation
Some readers will have already recognized the Eldest Daughter™ archetype going on here, but if it hasn't clicked yet, here's a good giveaway: I studied psychology as well! From grade school classes to higher education to on-the-job training within marketing departments to personal development... I've indulged my fascination with cognitive neuroscience to deepen my understanding of human emotion and behavior. I see it as a life-long pursuit.
Creative decision-making rooted in strategy and consumer psychology is much more powerful than something purely aesthetic. It doesn't matter how beautiful graphic design looks if it doesn't work.
clever corvids
A core tenet of my creative process is personalization. It is fundamentally important to me to deliver creative materials that make the client feel seen, understood, uplifted, and accurately represented. A hallmark of my work is the clever, sometimes subtle, incorporation of meaningful detail(s).
In naming my business, I chose the crow to symbolize creativity and intelligence. Crows also have the ability to recognize individual people's faces, and to dream (sometimes they even 'caw!' in their sleep!)
gratitude
It is my soul purpose in this life to offer my creative talents and expertise in service of others: to spark joy, help grow, heal, support, inspire, and connect. Every opportunity to translate a client's vision into tangible reality is deeply meaningful to me. Thank you to everyone who has trusted me to care for your businesses and brands.
Dream big,