Students of Design

Wendy Carnegie – Working at Pentagram, Creative Community, and Women in Design – Ep7

Episode Summary

Wendy is an Owner and Creative Director of Lewis Carnegie, a multi-discipline design studio in Austin, TX. She's created work for The University of Texas, The Harry Ransom Center, Home Slice Pizza, Austin Batcave, and many others. She's also recognized as a FELLOW by AIGA Austin and served as vice president for the chapter. Wendy and her husband (Sean) are pillars of the creative community in Austin, and Lewis Carnegie has a long history of hosting fantastic design events—and that is exactly where we met. Tune in for a talk about making yourself valuable, getting involved in the creative community, and women in design.

Episode Notes

Wendy is an Owner and Creative Director of Lewis Carnegie, a multi-discipline design studio in Austin, TX. She's created work for The University of Texas, The Harry Ransom Center, Home Slice Pizza, Austin Batcave, and many others. She's also recognized as a FELLOW by AIGA Austin and served as vice president for the chapter. Wendy and her husband (Sean) are pillars of the creative community in Austin, and Lewis Carnegie has a long history of hosting fantastic design events—and that is exactly where we met. Tune in for a talk about making yourself valuable, getting involved in the creative community, and women in design. You can find samples of Wendy's work at lewiscarnegie.com.

Questions for this interview.

• (Listener Question) How do you know when the project you're working on is complete?
• You met your partner Sean in Maine—how did you end up there?
• What are some of the big takeaways from working at Pentagram?
• Ideally, what do your relationships with clients look like, and what do you care about most when choosing to work with someone?
• Why is it important to you for Lewis Carnegie to host events for the design community and welcome people with open arms?
• What do you think students and young professionals can do to feel like they belong to the design community?
• Do you have any advice for someone struggling to combine typefaces successfully?
• What are the essential skills you're looking for when you hire someone?
• How do you think the design industry has changed for women since the late 1990s?
• Are there any areas where you won't compromise or allow yourself to settle for something less than a specific standard?