Andrea Osojnik
Q What do you do?
“I specialize in making art as a response to the lived experience and design brands that aim to leave the community better than how I found it.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Graphic design happened by accident. I went to art school and fantasized of being on film sets as a stylist or makeup artist. But a graphic design opportunity presented itself in California and I couldn't pass it up. While the job ended up being excruciatingly soul-sucking, it afforded me a Green Card and a ton of corporate experience as a digital artist. From there I dove head-first into the land of boutique agencies in LA and was lucky to be on teams that worked with small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs of all kinds.
The junior design roles I started at quickly graduated into creative strategy positions and eventually as creative director where I managed entire creative teams and strived to be the best leader I could be. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic burned me the heck out and I shifted focus to teaching (and absolutely fell in love with it). Being able to step in as the support system I felt like I didn't have starting out in this industry was a huge motivator. It allowed me to flex my years of experience as well as my compassion for the learning curve.
Most recently, I've been freelancing under my own Studio Lazlow with my biz partner Bonnie, where we can choose the projects we take on and how they come to life. The leap of faith it took to be my own boss comes with some days of uncertainty but the fire it lights under my butt to keep showing up as the artist I want to see in the world is truly unmatched.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My approach is very much based on the lived, human experience. This doesn't mean I don't think theres a time and place for AI, but it's not part of my creative process. A creative block, for instance, is an invitation to step away from my computer screen and go for a walk, pet my dog or flip through an art book instead of prompting a machine to get 'unstuck.' Taking that break might actually lead to the ideas that move a project forward or re-ignite the creative spark I've been waiting for. When this ideology is applied to my design thinking, it allows me to authentically create from a place that feels completely my own without feeling the pressure of constant output.
Q What are you working on right now?
I am wrapping up a custom brand for a therapist's practice in NYC as well as starting to build an identity for a new film festival in Southern Arizona. I love to save time for pro bono work, so I'm also directing a music video for my partner's band and designing all the artwork for their upcoming album launch — what a dream.
Q What’s your style?
Just make it weird. That's kind of my motto for almost everything. When it comes to design, how do we embrace imperfections and stray from the status quo? I do really love to play with tension in my designs and unexpected layouts or colors. Plus I'm a goth at heart, so I sneak in notes from the horror genre when the project allows for it.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Filmmaking used to feel like such a daunting undertaking but I've finally embraced my passion for it. I'm a big DIY'er and I love all things props, sets and makeup; so when I get to create an entire world, set to music and lights, it's like a whole new part of my creative brain fires off. Focusing on music videos gives me an approachable time constraint as well as an established tempo to set the vibe to. I'd love to get more confident with video editing and blending animation with my work; wish me luck.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Anything for my personal brand and studio tends to land on the back burner. Not for lack of interest, but prioritizing client work always feels more comfortable. I have about four different art projects I'm just WAITING to pick back up any minute now.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Having lots of creative ideas and interests is a double-edged sword. I need someone to help me organize them, prioritize them, and keep me accountable to follow through on them!
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
During my time as a creative director of a start-up, I wish I could have told myself to just chill out a bit. The stress of wearing so many hats in that role burned me out FAST and I wish I could have enjoyed the process more. I no longer take things so personally and wish I could have been more pragmatic about the weak spots in the business that could have improved the quality of the experience for our team and our clients.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Self promotion outside of the algorithm!
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Working directly with small business owners, mission-driven orgs and personal brands is my jam. Branding and web design are my most developed expressions but I'd love to expand my portfolio to more video projects and photography to supplement the brand vision.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
We just wrapped a project with a client building a location-centric streaming platform where 85% of subscription fees go directly to the musicians you listen to. We got to explore all the things tech giants like Spotify are lacking and focus on how to bring success metrics back to working artists. Not only were we trusted in our expertise but we got to be playful and novel with the designs, and our client loved seeing her vision come alive through the process. More of this please!
Q: What is your rate?
Because I so often work with small businesses and entrepreneurs, the budget tends to flex to stay approachable for folks just getting things off the ground. We work together to find an appropriate scope for their budget and choose deliverables that best serve where they're currently at in their business.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Just email me!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
@studiodinnerparty is not only my sibling but an incredibly talented chef, food stylist, photographer and recipe developer; all their content is stunning (and delicious).
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Sharing ideas with my friends!
This member profile was originally published in July 2026.