hi there!

Why don't you tell us a little about your general philosophy:
Weeeeell, overall I strive to be a part of environments where the people believe that hard work and fun are not mutually exclusive. I believe process can be just as gratifying as getting a good end result; exploration is essential to quality, growth and happiness; sometimes taking a leap out of your comfort zone can be a mistake and sometimes it can produce the most incredible results... both these things are good.

I keep myself constantly involved in group projects which aim to improve the livelihoods of other creative people and endeavors that value a sustainable way of life. I'm passionate about the success of small, local business and am always working on projects to support them be it design related, marketing strategies or painting a few walls. What can I say? I get to collaborate with badass people who are doing badass things that began as badass ideas to make the world a generally more badass place for all of us, and they let me be a part of that. I feel very lucky.

 

So we heard you, like, make photos:
You know how every group of friends has that one person they can always count on to be the unofficial event photographer, no matter how insignificant the gathering? That's always been me. I find passion in simple things, humor in the mundane, beauty in the strange, awe in the ordinary. I want to work with all the people that make life worth living, every gender, orientation, age and interest. The nontraditional, the geeks and weirdos, the hippies, the punks, the musicians, the artists, the hicks, and all those that defy definition. I've been an avid phototaker for more than 15 years (avid... obsessive, whatever). I'm in a never- ending state of experimenting, growing, changing, learning.

 

Whoa. Ok, well what about design? you do some of that too, right?
The awesome thing about the general heading of being a 'designer' is that it encompasses so many aspects of creativity and creation which allows me to really indulge in professional dabble-ing. Video production, UX, product design, costume and set building, even event coordination opportunites have all come out of the nebulous nature of that title.

I'm drawn to beautifully minimalist design that doubles as incredibly functional and at the same time love to doodle, scribble, paint, scan, layer, glue, x-acto and digitally manipulate my way through a project.

I secretly love to hole-up in my office for 16 hours to bust out a website or teach myself new techniques via tutorials but nothing beats the feeling of teaming up with other people to plan world domination via sweet, sweet design!

Beautiful typography and interesting letterforms give me goosebumps.

If smart infographics, unique package design and screen printed posters were people. I would marry them.

 

You really love your work. But you know one cannot live on work alone.
What other things do you like?
Oh boy, where to start?
Like a lot of creatives, I have a hard time separating work from fun because they are so intertwined but I guess I could say I'm a pretty serious foodie. I adore food carts and am on a never ending quest for the perfect mac and cheese... even though, weirdly, it's not necessarily my most favorite food. I have an intense love for geek culture. I quite religiously watch the Timbers (soccer) and Rose City Rollers (roller derby). I like cheesy movies and the following wine soaked debates about their social relevance. There's ultimate joy in sipping a hoppy beer outside on a warm afternoon and discussing how one might construct the robot that would lead the overthrow of the human race. I enjoy discovering new bands and recently moved within walking distance of my favorite venue just so I could easily get my fix whenever needed.

If, for some unearthly reason, you'd like to know more (or you think you'd like to work together on a project) Get ahold of me at LetsMakeSweetMusicTogether@BethOlsonCreative.com. We'll get a drink and geek out for while!