Leyla Kefeli

I took the Squarespace Design Course to expand my multidisciplinary practice as a graphic designer and visual artist. My work often weaves together editorial design and photography, and I wanted to explore how these practices could translate into creating authentic, expressive digital spaces. Taking a step back in my creative process, I was inspired to rebuild my website as a curated environment that reflects my visual aesthetic, process, and the narrative behind each project.

Especially during the custom site building section, I was very excited to reflect on a specific creative direction for my studio, in alignment with all of my research and inspiration. The feedback I received afterwards felt very rewarding, observing the design decisions collectively falling into place. This course has allowed me to explore new areas, skills while continuing on refining details of the visual world I have been building.

Puno’s teaching style and the course materials were beautifully designed, thoughtfully structured, and fun, making coding and website design feel approachable and exciting on a whole new level. I also enjoyed getting a chance to revisit and explore my design work, while receiving wonderful insights. It is really encouraging and inspiring to create in such a space.

One advice for someone about to take the course would be to allow yourself to experiment, explore, and stay curious — creativity comes out best when you give yourself permission to play. Learning a new skill like coding takes patience and openness, so embrace the process. Also the freelance section of this course completely reframed how I view networking — it’s not just about business, but about genuine connection, and shared growth.

The course has given me a great opportunity to build my studio website and the confidence to expand on my creative career. I am also very grateful for the lovely community that I have had the chance to meet through ilovecreatives.