Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Alford.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Roanoke, Virginia but grew up in Destin, Florida. I commonly joke that my heart is equally at home in both the mountains and on the coast. I was that kid with an “art studio” in the laundry room who was constantly drawing, painting, and creating. After a brief detour in college that would have led down a path to a medical career, I changed my major to Fine Art in a moment of panic and self-realization and never looked back. In 2009, I moved to Saint Augustine, Florida to attend Flagler College’s Graphic Design program. It was there that my eyes were truly opened to the world of design, illustration, printmaking and all the possibilities that held. Thankfully, living on the Atlantic side of the sunshine state also opened my eyes to surfing waves that lasted longer than 3 seconds. Many beach days, late nights in both the studio and in various restaurants jobs later, I had my BFA in Graphic Design and was excited to put it to use. After a brief internship in the creative department of the PGA TOUR (thank goodness they never asked me to hit a golf ball, it would have been terribly embarrassing), I started applying across the country for a “big kid job” in my new field. Atlanta, Ga was the first to bite and I loaded up and headed north. While the landlocked city was not necessarily first on my list, it was smack dab in the center between the panhandle of Florida, and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Atlanta has grown on me more than I ever thought it would and I’m happy to call it home for now!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! And it’s still bumpy. Making that initial decision to change my major in college was terrifying. Everyone told me I’d be a “starving artist” and that it was a terrible idea. I was determined to prove them wrong, but there was definitely that nagging voice in the back of my head trying to tell me I was making a huge mistake. Both now and when I was a young woman, I find it’s helpful to seek out those who are doing similar things to what you want to be doing and try to learn from them and their experiences. There are many talented designers and illustrators I’ve come across in the Atlanta creative community that I’ve had the opportunity to meet and get to know. Seeing them work hard and succeed is incredibly inspiring for me and keeps me going!
Please tell us about your business.
These days I’m a Packaging Designer by day, an instructor by night (I teach a class on packaging design history and techniques) and an illustrator by whenever I can find the time to work on my many side projects! I’m currently working hard to get ready to launch a Kickstarter for my Pasta Playing Cards project. It’s a hand-drawn 52 card deck comprised of pasta illustrations that double as flashcards. The 4 main ingredients for pasta make up the face cards, and it’s completed by 2 classic Italian dessert jokers. I’m also working on a series of illustrations inspired by road trips through the south and the roadside stand treats found on those journeys.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
The Atlanta creative community is full of opportunities to find inspiration and mingle. I attend Creative Mornings as much as possible, and I also enjoy AIGA ATL’s Drink and Draw nights and Buzz happy hours. The best advice I can give it to get out there and nerd out with like-minded individuals over the things you find cool. Networking can be scary and weird, or just feel flat out forced, but it is important and has its place. My approach to it is to find events that I will genuinely enjoy and use them as a natural icebreaker.
Contact Info:
- Website: Chelseajoalford.com
- Phone: 850 855 8766
- Email: chelseajoalford.com
- Instagram: jocharlie
Image Credit:
Chelsea Alford 2019
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