Celina Coppetti
Art Director / Graphic Designer / Fine Artist
Portland, OR
www.celinacoppetti.com
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Q What do you do?
“I’m a freelance brand strategist and graphic designer, and moonlight as a fine artist.”
My work is inspired by rituals, nature, travel, our quest for personal growth and freedom, and how we create personal meaning and a sense of connection and belonging to the greater whole.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Growing up, I spent my days drawing, painting, and building clay sculptures. I started painting portraits and still lifes, and my parents immediately nurtured my talents by helping submit my work in juried exhibitions.
I graduated with a BA in Fine Art and took additional courses in art history, photography, and sculpture to help shape different approaches to my work. I thought being a fine artist was all I ever wanted to do until I discovered graphic design. I immediately dove into this brand new medium for me and began experimenting with ways to connect to audiences and brands alike. This led me to pursue a MA in Collaborative Design, also referred to as service design or human-centered design, where I was able to combine my creativity with problem-solving and UX/UI design.
This culmination of different aspects of art and design heavily influences my work today and allows me to do what I love most! Getting to know “the why” of a product, service, brand, etc. is so important to me, and connecting people with brands (and visa versa) is even more rewarding. I think people choose a brand/product because it feels like an extension of who they are - and who doesn’t want to feel seen?
Q How do you stand out in your field?
By being curious, honest, and purposeful. I have two very distinct sides of my personality that I balance (Libra Life): one being a very child-like, playful approach to life and the other being very determined as asking the right questions in order to know how to approach a project. I need to see a project from every angle to know how to solve “the problem” and the purpose of “the ask”, or “the why”. That ability to view something from a high level allows me to put myself in the shoes of both the client and the customer.
Q What are you working on right now?
Right now I’m sowing seeds and preparing my garden for Spring, learning how to embroider because I saw a really cool tablecloth on Pinterest and I thought, “I could totally make that,” sketching up my next painting series, and developing a new brand identity for a winery based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Q What’s your style?
My work is quite varied, but I'd generally describe my style as bold, imaginative, and thoughtful. I love using strong colors, expressive typography, and illustrations to create unique brands that people feel a sense of connection to.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Art Direction / Design / Fine Art
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I’m constantly exploring and wanting to learn a new skill. The most frustrating thing about that is finding the time to do everything I want to do: travel, learn a new language, cook my way through a cookbook, pick up a new hobby…
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I like to grow my own food and started replacing the lawn in my backyard with meadowscapes. I would happily pay someone $20/hr to make sure the grass stops coming back.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
It’s okay to be messy and not have everything figured out all of the time.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I’d love to know how the female artists that inspire me (i.e. Louise Bourgeois, Frida Khalo, Elain de Kooning) overcame their own adversities, and how they dealt with imposter syndrome and creative blocks.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I specialize in brand design and strategy and work with companies & individuals in food and beverage, and hospitality. Some dream clients that I'd love to work with include: wellness brands, womxn-owned food and beverage brands, herbal tea and kombucha brands, AirBnbs, or boutique hotels. I would love to work with natural beauty, lifestyle, and outdoor companies.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Working with businesses that are passionate about what they do, value empathy, and understand the impact and value of purposeful design. I'm dedicated to creating stand-out brands that are meaningful and rooted in strategy, and it's great when clients appreciate and seek these qualities as well. It makes for an enjoyable process when clients can trust me, my process, and be open to exploring new ideas.
Q: What is your rate?
Every project is unique, just like the clients I work with. All projects will begin with a design questionnaire, and complimentary initial consultation so that we may determine the best possible way to create for my clients. After the consultation, they will receive an estimated quote for the project. Some projects are billed at my hourly rate of $125/h and others are billed by project scope. For example, a complete brand identity, copy, and web design start at $6,000. Fine art and illustrations depend on the size and scope of the piece.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
My preferred method of communication is via email - along with a scope of your project, a little bit about you, and why you're passionate about your project!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Jenna Gribbon painting style is beyond this world. She's able to capture her subjects in a completely raw, romantic, and at times hilarious way.
Kelsey Curtis of One Haus Creative, her photography is insanely beautiful and I can't stop myself from running across her work all over town.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Hot tubs, road trips, morning walks with my dog, doodling for fun, reading, and hanging with the people I love.
This member profile was originally published in January 2022.