Lea

Lea

Artist & Designer in Brooklyn, NY, They/She

About

I am a climate-conscious, queer, feminist, Taoist, anti-zionist Jewish artist and designer living in Lenapehoking, or Brooklyn, New York. Say hey! <3

Work Experience

2014 — Now
Brooklyn, NY

I am an artist and designer living, working, and creating in Brooklyn, New York. As an artist, I am focused on themes of self-expansion as a path to collectivism through a deep connection to nature, ancestry, and community. My practice and mediums are ever-evolving. Across different seasons, I have made work through drawing, painting, photography, digital art, collecting, printmaking, natural dyeing, and gardening. I have recently been making work through ceramics, collage, multi-media sculpture, quilting, and cooking.

2019 — 2024
Boulder, CO & Remote

As a Senior Designer at Interact Brands, I work primarily on Brand Identity & Systems and Packaging. I am responsible for conceptual & strategic thinking, developing brand & packaging systems, leading designers, and presenting to clients. I am a proud member of Interact’s Sustainability Committee, led by Valerie Hawks, which focuses on educating our clients and consumers on the possibilities of sustainable packaging. I love thoughtfully crafted typography, intentional brand identities, and category-pushing packaging. I am well-versed in the Adobe Creative Suite.

2019 — 2019
New York, NY

Complied design boards, assisted in concepting
and rethinking brand architecture.

2018 — 2018
Boulder, CO

I participated in strategy workshops, built pitch presentations, worked on design concepts, listened in on client presentations, and gained skills that advanced my design-thinking capabilities.

Education

2023 — 2023
Virtual

A 4-week non-traditional, continued education course focused on "anti-perfectionism" and improvisational quilting practices hosted and taught by Cody Cook-Parrott.

2021 — 2021
Cedar, MI

This workshop was taught by Kayla Powers and hosted by Cedar North in Cedar, MI. This was a non-traditional education experience to broaden my artistic practice. We learned how to harness natural materials to dye with and turn dye baths into lake pigment & watercolor.

2018 — 2018
Global Perspectives in Packaging Design at Fashion Institute of Technology
London & Amsterdam

Design-focused study abroad intensive in
London & Amsterdam. Focusing on understanding global trends & processes in London-based branding agencies, including JKR, Bluemarlin, Pearlfisher, Design Bridge, Bulletproof, and Elmwood.

Speaking

2023
Denver, CO

Presented on behalf of Interact Brands at the Under Considerations annual First Round Conference. A presentation recording can be provided upon request.

2017

Commercial - Print / Graphic / Illustration

2017

Commercial - Packaging Design

Projects

2024

As a CPG-focused branding agency whose packaging work often ends up in the landfill, we wrestle with the waste we inherently help create. So we took a hard look in the mirror and examined the reality of our impact on waste and what we can do to be more sustainable. We rolled up our sleeves and got into the nitty gritty, led by Val Hawks, Interact's Director of Sustainability, to create an eye-catching book of sustainability talking points. What would we call our book? We put the best minds to work on the puzzle (our entire agency team). Our title, “Good Riddance,” is an ode to our trash-talking and the relief of finding a better way to get rid of things.

Volunteering

2024 — Now
Kensington/Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
2022 — 2022
Grafton, New York

Community Work & Learn days are for learning about some of Soul Fire Farm's many sustainable farming practices while supporting their work and getting your hands on the land. On the day I volunteered, I assisted in prepping beds for planting, clearing, and securing space for inoculated shiitake logs, weeding beds, and inoculating blueberry beds with mushroom spores.

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2022 — 2022
Empire, CO

Kitchen Volunteer at their Community Retreat in Colorado. Our lead chef and kitchen team provide brain-healthy meals each day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Our nutrition team also provides education about recipes, meals, and ingredients.

2020 — 2022
Garden Member/Voluenteer at Birch Community Garden
Broomfield, CO

The Birch Community Garden is located on Broomfield Salvation Army property in a quaint residential setting. The Garden contains 18 individual plots and three large food donation plots, which provided over 1000 lbs of donated produce to local organizations in need last year. The Birch Garden partners with Birch Elementary and other local organizations to offer children and the community garden-based educational opportunities.