Today we’d like to introduce you to Shari Van Vranken.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shari. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After earning a BFA in painting and drawing and an MA in graphic design and illustration, I started my career in small boutique design firms (4- and 2-person, respectively) where I was given incredible design and business opportunities. Because both firms were so small, I also did billing and bookkeeping and it was a true gift to experience firsthand how the firms were run. I’m super grateful for that operational experience, it enabled me to establish my own business. I always dreamed of being my own boss but was way too freaked out to even consider how to make that happen.
In October 2000, I was RIF’D (reduction in force) from my comfortable corporate in-house art director position along with my beloved boss. The clincher? We had to continue to work for the rest of the month in order to receive our severance packages! Needless to say, that part was less than fun, but fortunately for us, the very same week we were still able to attend the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) design conference in San Francisco we had planned all year. Prior to leaving Dallas, I negotiated to keep doing my corporate job as a contractor since my employer’s plan was to outsource all design work.
My freelance business was born! After the conference ended, I stayed in SF for a few days on a solo vacation. While eating lunch in Chinatown at the Empress of China restaurant, I started sketching logo ideas on a napkin imprinted with the name of the restaurant. The name seemed so perfect! I added the hyphen after the “em” to reference an em space (a typographical unit of measure), the “press” gives a nod to my passion for print design and as the sole female proprietor, I officially became the “empress”! I never would have had the courage to start my own business if I hadn’t been forced to—the RIF was the best thing that ever happened to me professionally.
Almost 18 years later, I‘ve had the privilege of designing for a diverse mix of clients. The variety of projects is a thrill and affords me the opportunity to design for more than one type of business. I love getting to know my clients, hearing their stories and then producing artwork that’s tailor-made for them. Wedding invitations, baby announcements and portrait photography sessions are just a few of my favorite projects.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No way! The economy has been a rollercoaster since 2000 and it’s certainly been lean during the crazy years, but that’s when I’ve had to be super creative. I put my painting degree to use and painted commissioned pet portraits (plus a couple of dogs with their owners) in oil on canvas for a few years in addition to my design and photography jobs. I’m a serious introvert which doesn’t always bode well for networking and getting new business, but I’ve been truly blessed with consistent referrals and repeat business from my wonderful clients.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Em-press Design is a full-service graphic design studio with a passion for photography, typography and old-fashioned print on paper. I work with companies in a variety of industries — from large corporations to small businesses launching into the marketplace. I’m obsessive about detail! My passion is reading between the lines when I meet a new client to get to the heart of who they are and what they’re about so I can convey that in the design of their project, whether it’s a simple marketing mailer or total branding package. Since I started as a fine artist, that thinking has shaped how I approach design. I envision the big picture of a new project in terms of shapes and color when I listen to a client’s needs and then let that trickle down and dictate the direction the design takes.
I picked up my first pro camera in college and I had a tough time putting it down. As a young designer, I was often frustrated with stock photography options and wished I could just shoot projects myself. Since establishing Em-press Design, I’ve incorporated my photography into my design and stationery projects and sometimes I let the shots shine on their own. I’ve photographed everything from products to corporate headshots to lifestyle and more. I love to merge design and photography, especially with wedding suites, baby announcements and custom Christmas and holiday cards. I have loyal clients who have had me design and photograph their family Christmas card every year since 2004. It’s an honor to visit their home where all the cards are framed and on display. I’m currently working on a line of stationery and greeting cards that will be available to purchase on my website soon.
I am most proud of my studio space itself. It was built by my incredibly talented husband, Brad—an aircraft engine mechanic with a philosophy degree who sings Gregorian chant and also happens to be an amazing woodworker. He asked me what I most wanted in an office space and then planned and built it 98% himself (concrete, plumbing and electrical we contracted). He built it in 2009 while I was pregnant with our son, Luke, and it was truly a labor of love. He created custom flat files, bookshelves and a huge drawer unit to house my art supplies and photography equipment. We painted it to match my branding and I contributed by painting a floral mural in the bathroom. It’s an inspiring, comfortable space and my creative refuge. I’m beyond grateful to Brad for all the sacrifices he made and the months of hard work he put into it just for me. It’s also special because it has a rich family history, we live in my paternal grandmother’s house.
What were you like growing up?
I am a native Dallasite from Wilshire Heights, where I still reside. I knew I wanted to be a professional artist from a young age. As a kid, I loved to draw and hand-letter greeting cards and posters. I took Saturday art classes in middle school where I learned to draw large-scale on paper with pastels and charcoal. My dad traveled frequently to Asia and Europe for his job when I was young. He always brought home wonderful treasures for us and would take us out to eat the cuisine he experienced while on his trips when he returned. He and my mom have a great love of art and architecture, so they took us to museums, galleries and antique stores when we were small.
We drove downtown as a family almost every Sunday afternoon to watch the progress of all the new skyscrapers and other construction projects being built in the 70s and early 80s. I didn’t always appreciate those adventures at the time, but they shaped my artistic tastes for sure (and those of my middle brother—he’s an architect). I credit my parents for my love of art history, furnishings and Thai food! I had the opportunity to travel overseas several times before I was married and that has also influenced my design sensibility. I look forward to traveling with my husband and our 8-year-old son to Europe, I’m so ready to show them Italy!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.em-pressdesign.com
- Phone: 214-826-1071
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/em.pressdesign
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmpressDesignInc
- Other: www.sharivanvranken.com
Image Credit:
Emily Alexander
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