Anna Karpinski
Website: www.annakarpinskidesign.com
5(ish) Questions for is a chance to discover and learn about St. Louis Creatives, Community Champions, and, well, just interesting people in and around our city. It's a deep dive into what they love and where their passion lies. It's an opportunity for all of us to see our region from a different perspective. This written interview is a peek into their lives and their outlook on St. Louis.
Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in St. Louis and was raised by two creatives -- a graphic designer and an illustrator/professor, which means that going into the design field felt pretty inevitable. I had the fortunate opportunity to meet and learn about a lot of really influential local designers at a young age, and being surrounded by that environment and creativity for my entire life has really allowed me to not only approach things with a unique perspective, but has also forced me to find myself and my own legacy as a creative in St. Louis.
What impact are you making, or hope to make?
I want to see St. Louisans connected everywhere -- there are so many cliques and silos in this city that people don't even realize exist, because it can be hard to break out of what you're comfortable in. There are so many incredible things happening in this city and seeing connections being made and partnerships growing is the most satisfying thing in the world. I love being able to be even a small part of that growing sense of community I know STL is capable of, and I hope that through Design Week and other work I can continue to make that impact.
How is your industry evolving?
Design disciplines have felt more and more interconnected in the past decade. The collaborations have been really exciting to watch, and the expansion of the definition of design has provided the industry and the community with so many more accessible ways to make a difference and to get involved. Working with other graphic designers is always great, but working with designers in other disciplines can be sometimes even more beneficial, when so many different approaches and perspectives are brought to the table. The projects I've been involved in and have enjoyed the most were successful because they were true collaborations where everybody was able to jump in when they wanted and where they could, without the artificial barriers of "discipline" to interrupt an ever-evolving creative culture.
Photo by Bill Bubonic @thebillustriousbill
What inspires you about St. Louis?
St. Louis has so much history. Architecture, designers, innovators, artists...the list goes on. And you can feel it and see it everywhere you look.
I absolutely love the character that each pocket of St. Louis has. The buildings to the community to everything in between feels unique and special, and it makes St. Louis a great city to explore. I've lived here my whole life and I feel like every time I turn around there's something really special that I've never even heard of and I'm constantly blown away.
Because St. Louis feels small, the experimentation and bravery of the creative community is always a surprise to me. There are risks being taken and projects being supported that I don't think would be given a chance somewhere else, but St. Louis's sense of play and scrappiness make it a perfect environment for this, and I absolutely love seeing it all around us.
What is a favorite neighborhood or favorite thing about the place you live or work?
I live in the Holly Hills/Carondelet area and I absolutely love it. I'm minutes from a park and within an easy distance of South Grand. Working from home all the time in my office surrounded by my cats is amazing 70% of the time, but when I have to get out of my house for the other 30% there is an amazing variety of coffee shops in STL that feel relaxing, calm and allow me to do my work. St. Louis as a WFH-er is extremely cozy and welcoming and I've honestly really enjoyed exploring my city as an excuse to get out of my house and be around people every once and a while.
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