Cut-Click

@cutclick interview #8 with @stina_jones

Tell us a bit about yourself
 
I’m a freelance designer, illustrator and artist as well as Art Director for the West Midlands based design studio, Creative Elements. 
 
Working within the industry from a young age, I trained as an apprentice in 2003 at a busy digital media agency and have been freelancing and contracting ever since. In 2007 I incorporated my own company, Creative Elements, which is a fast growing collective of digital freelancers covering everything from graphic design and web development to illustration and branding.
 
I’ve been privileged enough to have worked with some fantastic national and international clients throughout my career including the 21st Century Leaders Foundation, Boomerang PR, Access to Music, DA Recordings and Scholastic Publishing.
 
Art and Design are my hobbies as well as my professions, when I’m not working on client projects and commissions I’m working on my own Creative Projects in my spare time and take part on local and national creative collaboration projects . Most recently I’ve been raising money for the charity Shelter through my Daily Doodle project and volunteering my time to support my local creative scene through the Arts eZine Creative Boom Stoke. 
 
Who or what inspires you?
 
Music, Pop Culture and the Arts never fail to be a constant source of inspiration to me. By surrounding myself with creativity, I’m never short of ideas. I also have a soft spot for street art, surrealism and dark art which influences my own personal artwork.
 
When working on client design projects, particularly the branding projects, it’s always the client who remains the main source of inspiration to me. Even if they have no ideas about the visual identity themselves, I’ve learned to ask the right questions so I’m able to draw out the clients vision in order to develop just the right look and feel for their commission.
 
Both my friends and colleagues within the creative communities have always been a fantastic source of inspiration to me too, nothing beats bouncing ideas off other talented creatives to build and develop ideas. 
 
What is the Daily Doodle?
 
Daily Doodle is my creative charity art project for 2010, where I will be uploading a new line art illustration to my blog every day for 365 days to raise money for Shelter through donations and art sales. I’m currently half way through the creative marathon and have raised over £300 for one of my favourite charities.
 
I’m actively looking for people to sponsor me by making a donation via my charity fundraising page - www.justgiving.com/DailyDoodle2010
 
What is your role at Creative Boom Stoke?

I am the eZine’s Editor at Creative Boom Stoke. I also help organise the local creative networking events alongside creative practitioner, Grace Han. 
 
What blogs, magazines, books or exhibitions should we check out?
 
Creative Boom - one of my favourite eZines with a fantastic community behind it. Check it out for all the latest creative industry news and my own Daily Doodle contributions.
 
My own exhibitions for 2010/11 are still in their planning stages, but in the meantime, I’m selling limited edition canvas artworks through the online pop art gallery, Art for Urban Spaces.
 
What are your links?
 
My own personal website - www.stinajones.co.uk
Creative Elements Design Studio - www.creativeelements.co.uk
Daily Doodle charity Art project - http://dailydoodle2010.blogspot.com
Twitter @stina_jones