Check Out Tiffany Prater’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Prater.

Hi Tiffany, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Getting to where I am now has been entirely unexpected. I came here as an international student where I originally planned to pursue a business degree at a community college before transferring over to Eastern Illinois University. Around that time, my sister and her husband started a new dance studio and had asked me to design their business logo. That was where I first experienced my first graphic design project – I was curious about the letterforms, icons, and color. It was where I decided to switch to an art degree, and I applied to the graphic design program at Eastern Illinois University.

After earning my BFA degree, I worked as a freelance designer for a year before I decided to attend Indiana University Bloomington to earn my Master of Fine Arts. Upon graduation in 2017, I got a job offer as a Limited-term faculty at the University of North Georgia. From there on, I became a Lecturer in my second year, and then finally an Assistant Professor of Art in the third year onwards. I also oversee the graphic design program and guide the BFA design students. While I teach during the day, I work with clients in the afternoons. I also became one of the board members at the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) of the Atlanta chapter and became their Communications chair.

Making the bold move to switch careers allowed me to find my passion for teaching, working with students, and continue being a creator and problem-solver.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Coming from an Asian background, pursuing a business degree was not my choice, but it temporarily pleased my parents. I know I wanted to do something in the arts but obviously couldn’t fully pursue it as my parents believed in the myth that ‘art can’t bring you money.’ Surrounding myself with creatives, artists and designers gave me some valuable insights. While discovering what art can bring, the times convincing my parents were overwhelming. Not to mention that I switched my degrees without my parents’ knowledge and only told them once I applied to the graphic design program at Eastern Illinois University. It was hard for my parents, but they were happy with my perseverance and couldn’t believe I had become an educator. As a graduate student, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to teach full-time or run my design practice, but eventually, I fell in love with both. In addition, I enjoyed problem-solving, working on the letterpress, and seeing students discover their ‘aha’ moments in my classes.

Sometimes I enjoy my job, but there were days that I felt drained to create some new work. I’m sure that any art educator will tell you that counseling students is taxing and that teaching can take over your free time. The overload of classes was daunting, but it paid off in the end, so I could have my design practice and spend time with my husband and two dogs. Despite my endeavors, I feel that I’m always looking for the next thing, and I just haven’t figured out that part yet. With that said, graphic designers always look for the next thing, but in the meantime, I’ll continue to guide my students and work as a freelance designer until I find it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As I mentioned earlier, I freelance and have a design practice. I enjoy my work so much that it’s hard to pinpoint what I’m most proud to have accomplished in my freelance job, research, and creative works. After discovering what ‘good design’ meant, I find joy as a freelance graphic designer in helping promote social causes. If I were to guess what sets me apart from others, I’d say I’m passionate about organizations achieving their goals.

When I was not working with clients, I got interested in learning more about typography in my Filipino culture. I’m proud to have recently presented my culture and my research on the Baybayin script at the TypeCon conference. I gave an overview of one of the Filipino dead scripts and how it has influenced contemporary Filipino artists.
Similarly, I find joy in random projects that don’t have a particular deadline. The most exciting creative project I’ve completed was the Filthy clean posters, which were a response to the pandemic changes. Seeing folks who didn’t believe in the changes gave me some impulse desire to create these messages and share them with those who share similar feelings about it. I’m happy to announce that this random project placed ‘Honorable mention’ at the Graphis competition.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I have two important lessons that I now live by throughout my career, which I hope my design colleagues or anyone reading this will learn from them. Firstly, ‘design block’ is a thing, which is pretty much the same as a creative block. It’s great to seek our design opportunities and find inspiration, but always find time for yourself and rest. Lastly, self-gaslighting exists, so always be humble and grateful for opportunities in your career path.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tiffanyjoyprater.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tjiprater/

Image Credits
Profile photo by Cortland West Photography; Will Kurucz, The Human Version of Mayonnaise – artwork on catalog; Sentrik Events, Wedding Planner – artwork on catalog; Wes Beeler artwork, Casual Conversation – artwork on postcard.