Behind the Design: The Creative Mind Behind Our 5 Year Anniversary Merch Collection
Hey, Well Read Baddies!
Back in July, we celebrated She Well Read’s 5 Year Anniversary with a special merch drop that was all about capturing the heart and soul of our podcast journey. It was such a special moment for us, and now that we’re gearing up to launch some exciting new merch this month, we wanted to take a look back at the designs that marked this major milestone.
To help you reminisce with us (and to give you a sneak peek behind the creative curtain), we’re chatting with the talented graphic designer behind the 5 Year Anniversary collection, Mae Lawhon. From the inspiration behind the designs to the creative process, she’s spilling all the details on what went into crafting those iconic pieces. Plus, she shares some amazing advice for any of you baddies out there looking to start your own creative projects!
Let’s dive into our interview with the designer who helped us bring the 5 Year Anniversary Collection to life!
Tell us a little about yourself! What drew you to graphic design?
As is the case with many, many artists, I'm concerned with aesthetics. I've been drawing all my life, and I had the notion that I wanted to grow up to be an "artist," whatever that means, for pretty much as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, we live under capitalism, and when it's time to think about a career, folks will tell you that pursuing art isn't worth your time since it's not always lucrative.
So, like so many other kids heading off to college, I thought graphic design would be some sort of compromise that would let me be creative and still land some cushy, corporate, salaried job—y'know, like they say you're supposed to. So, at first, I was apprehensive. I worried that what I was choosing to study would stifle my creativity.
But once I dove into it, I was fascinated, and I realized a world of possibility. So much of what you can learn through design isn't strictly about branding and advertising and packaging, but about visual language in general. There's so much power in being able to creative effective design work; not only do popular brands utilize this skillset, but so do non-profits, small businesses, content creators, musicians, artists, the venues they visit, clubs, teams, and communities themselves. Graphic design is the other side of the coin that is the visual arts, and it can do so much social good with the right hands behind it. I aim to be a designer that puts herself behind meaningful causes; if the world is going to be full of advertising, we might as well make it cute, inclusive, and pushing for change.
So yeah, nowadays, I'm in this beautiful place where my design knowledge informs my artworks, and my artistic voice influences my design work—and I couldn't be happier about it.
How did you get involved with She Well Read?
If I remember correctly, the first time I was asked to be involved in any way was in 2021, when I joined Samra on the Pride Month episode. I was so pumped about it! We had a lovely conversation, and I remember feeling so very empowered after having shared my narrative and perspective with the She Well Read audience. Later, I actually got a couple of messages from old friends who had listened to the episode, and they both found it inspiring and expressed their love and support. It was really, really touching. It goes to show just how important media like this is in connecting and uplifting folks.
Anyway, I had been aware of Samra and Lana and She Well Read in the time leading up to that episode—and had spent a little time with Samra already when I was first in Birmingham—but what's funny is that it wasn't long before then that I had read the Bham Now article that covered Samra. That is, there was an article, in 2020 I believe, listing off the most fashion-forward folks in Birmingham and their projects and accomplishments, and Samra made the top of the list. So, having just found out about even more of the ways she's been changing the scene in Birmingham, I was starstruck when she asked me to be on the show!
What was your creative process for designing the 5 Year Anniversary collection?
The very first thing I focused on was in the illustration of Samra and Lana mid-podcast: specifically, the renderings of the two of them. I figured if I could accurately capture their energies in a streamlined way—through the shapes, linework, and level of detail—then everything else would follow suit. And it did! Often, I find that the most important thing when designing for any kind of project or brand is to focus on the people behind it. If you can capture the people, then it follows that you can capture what they do.
Were there any challenges in translating the podcast’s personality into wearable art?
I wish I could say more on this, but I find that my art style is already pretty well aligned with She Well Read’s whole vibe. There was an amount of dialing it in—with the colors and overall imagery since my personal work can get a lil' freaky—that I had to do to make sure it spoke to the brand itself, but I think that's a given with almost any client work.
Between the books and the fashionable people behind the show, I felt like the printed, graphic but also reminiscent-of-street-art aesthetic I usually go for would be a good fit for She Well Read and their mission. I suppose I would say the biggest challenge was keeping the designs simple enough to be utilized in multiple ways for several different pieces and products. I tend to be a maximalist and drum up an insane amount of detail; when designing something that goes on, say, a hat, I have to be a little more reserved in that department.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to start their own creative projects?
Personally, my biggest hurdle in getting through a project is perfectionism: it stops me from starting, and it stops me from finishing. From talking to other artists, I know I’m not alone in that.
So my therapist taught me this: there's an important difference between perfection and excellence, and excellence is the only one worth striving for. I'm the kind of person who gets a bit obsessed about how the finished work ought to look, and if I give in to that fixation, then I miss out on the joy of the process. When it's like that, I stop looking at what I'm creating and start looking for things to destroy—to edit out, correct, or remake. Sometimes, I hesitate to make even a single mark for fear that it won't be perfect! I mean, how can you find the guts to begin something that mandates no mistakes whatsoever?
On the other hand, to do something excellent, all you have to do is see the process through, however rough it is. Seriously, think of all the creative projects in all the world that’ve been canned before being shared with the world; so, to call something done is to excel.
With that in mind, try to simply appreciate the marks you've made, respond to them, and keep on doin' stuff—that’s all that matters!
Of course, there are moments in which you have to consider your direction and make changes, especially when working with clients, but even then, don't throw anything out: something you've done but counted out may find its way back into your work at a later stage in the process.
Where can people find your work and connect with you?
Lately, I'm most active on Instagram and Threads, and my artist page is @plucky4u. As well, I recently launched my Ko-fi page, where you can see some of my latest pieces and even buy me a coffee! That's at https://ko-fi.com/plucky4u. You can also go there to find my shop where I'm selling prints of my favorite artworks I've done.
We hope you loved taking this little trip down memory lane! The 5 Year Anniversary collection will always be a special part of our journey, and we’re so thankful to the talented designer who helped us bring those memories to life.
And guess what? We’re about to drop even more brand-new merch this month, so make sure you stay tuned! Be sure to let us know which designs from the anniversary collection were your fave, and keep your eyes peeled for what's coming next.
XOXO,
Lana and Sam
