In our fourth Meet-the-Artist interview, Boston-based graphic designer Maria Lobo answers 20 questions:
1. How would you describe your art?
I run a graphic design studio where I specialize in branding and web design for small businesses and entrepreneurs. I craft visuals to help them convey their who, what, and why, essentially distilling their unique essence, or “secret sauce.” I love working with artists, creators, and alternative folks because I get to infuse their playfulness and personality into the work.
2. Where are you based, and does your location have any influence on your art?
I am currently based in the Boston area, but I’ve lived all over. Growing up, I spent time in Australia, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, and I’ve traveled to over 25 countries. I believe this international upbringing has had a huge impact on my work, as I’ve been exposed to a wide range of design styles and various ways of visually conveying information
3. Did you know you wanted to be an artist as a child, and did you go to art school? If not, how did your art path develop?
I have always been very into the arts, and my parents were very creative, but I did not know that I wanted to pursue art professionally until my senior year of high school, when I realized it’s the thing that comes most naturally and joyfully to me. I went to MassArt in Boston and majored in Graphic Design. From there, I started interning at design studios and freelancing, which led me to found my own studio.
4. Did anyone else greatly influence your art – for example, a relative, another artist, a particular art era or movement, or a muse?
Honestly, yes. I grew up surrounded by a lot of creatives. When I was a kid, we lived in a little hippie town filled with nature, music, and artisans. Each weekend, there was a big market where performers, makers, bakers, and other artisans would come to sell their wares. My family was a huge inspiration too—my grandparents, parents, and siblings are always creating: bookbinding, painting, making music, storytelling, and coming up with new ideas. The artist Lily Yeh, a family friend and my mom’s teacher, has always greatly inspired me with her vibrance, as well as her art and community healing work.
5. What is your perspective on museums and galleries in 2024? Can they be improved, and if so, how? Do you have a favorite museum?
My favorite museum at the moment is probably the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I love the courtyard and the quirky house feel. That being said, I’m not huge on museums. I get way more excited about street art, stickers on traffic poles, painted eclectic boxes—stuff like that. Installations, flyers, and public art where it intersects with people’s day-to-day life really captivate me. I love the organic interaction and the way it changes the energy of a space. I think this is why I went into branding and identity design because I see how impactful surroundings, visuals, stories, and textures can be on someone’s day and mindset.
6. What is your perspective on Artificial Intelligence and whether or not it can be used as a tool for artists. If it can be, how would it be used?
I use AI all the time, but it’s not the same as a human. I think AI is awesome for assisting with and quickly doing things like generating mockups, iterating designs, etc. It works better if you are the brain and you feed it specific tasks. I use GPT for copyediting, but I’ll write the base text, logic, and flow. I also use it for generating hashtags and proofreading emails. I’ve used Midjourney and DALL-E image AI software for a few design projects, including a report cover for MIT, generating things that are futuristic and obviously not artisan-drawn. I also use Adobe’s AI generative fill features when I’m editing photos or images. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it doesn’t, and I just do the task manually. I think it’s important to continue using our human creativity and then use AI as a tool to assist us in actualizing our ideas, rather than the other way around.
7. Knowing it’s impossible to choose a favorite piece (it’s like having to choose a favorite child), what is one of your pieces that you absolutely love?
For me, it’s about the process. It’s interesting being a designer because ultimately, I’m facilitating other people’s success. I have a hand in the work and the creative vision, but it’s not my full responsibility once it’s been created—it’s kind of like being a teacher versus being a parent. Kids come to school and the teacher nurtures them and teaches them, but then they go home to their parents. That’s what I do for businesses. I can set a vision, a standard, and a plan, but if the business owner wants to do something else, I have to release control and let go.
I know I kind of dodged the question, so here are some pieces I absolutely love: I recently did a website for Cornucopia Threads, and I love it because of its whimsical human nature (www.cornucopiathreads.com). I am also really into the branding I did for photographer Foxling. Additionally, I included an image from a digital illustration project Mystery Maps, and I’m quite fond of the smoothie truck design I did for Smoothest.
8. Do you have a favorite artist or one you find inspiring?
I am really inspired by the way creativity manifests differently in each person. I think it’s so cool. So, all humans… can I say that? Looking at my friends and family, there are musicians, tattoo artists, photographers, writers, mathematicians, furniture makers, bookbinders, and teachers. I see everyone living in their own expression of what it means to be an artist.
9. How do you see your work evolving? Do you have any specific goals, or do you follow your inspiration where it leads you?
Both. I really trust the natural flow of not knowing it all before it happens. I think it’s important to have goals, but also to be open to what the universe has planned for you and to ride the unexpected waves because they often take us to the most magical places. I want to continue growing my business and helping other artists and creators find success in their own lanes of genius. I’d like to continue growing my team and show people that they have a lot of control over how they choose to live their lives.
10. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be instead?
People have told me that I’d be really good in therapies, healing, and teaching. I think I have a good presence when I hold physical space, so I could see myself being an event host or running an events management company. I’m skilled in managing a team and delegating tasks, and I love bringing people together. I could also see myself as a homesteader, a shopkeeper, or running a coworking space. Good question. Basically I think I’d be happy as long as I am learning new things and now doing the exact same thing every day. Meeting new people, etc.
11. What is the tough thing about being an artist, and what is the great aspect of it?
The hardest thing to learn, but the greatest gift, is the trust that you need to have in yourself. This is true for the entrepreneurial journey as well. As an artist, it’s about developing your own process, craft, and vibe. You can’t just copy what other people do or solve the problem like a math equation — it’s a real discerning tune-in to your soul, a rawness.
12. What is your schedule as an artist – 9 to 5 or something else?
I run my design studio from 9 to 5 for the most part because I enjoy leisurely mornings and relaxed evenings. I get up early, have a nice breakfast, and ease into my workday. I like to paint and illustrate at night or on weekend mornings. My schedule is flexible and flowy, depending on how I feel that week.
13. How do you market and promote your work?
Thankfully, my community is amazing, so much of my work comes from word-of-mouth. However, I am also working on building my digital presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, and through my website.
14. Do you have any exciting, heartening, disheartening, or alarming customer tales?
Honestly, I’m a pretty good judge of whether I will be a good fit for a client, so no horror stories. The energy of working with someone is really important, and I do my best to set clear boundaries and expectations at the start of each project. The biggest excitement for me is facilitating an identity change or upgrade in the clients I work with. Collaborating with them to create a vision, then sculpting their brand based on it and helping them embody it, is incredibly rewarding.
15. Is it sometimes tough to part with a piece you created because you put so much of yourself in it?
The hard part for me is when I think something looks amazing and would really drive results for my clients, but they don’t see it the same way. You’ve probably heard designers joke about how the client always says, “make the logo bigger.” Sometimes I have clients who have a hard time seeing the brand as one entire ecosystem and are fixated on “the logo” instead of the whole visual identity—tone, visual style, photo styling, the whole vibe. In these moments, I remind myself that not everyone has worked with a designer before, and sometimes I make things too complicated because I’m so excited. I take a deep breath, step back, and think about a more simple way to convey the message.
16. Do you gift loved ones and friends with art, or keep those realms separate and view it strictly as a business?
I definitely do, and I don’t. It depends on the size and scale of the project or gift. I paint and make whimsical illustrations for my family and friends, and I have done some design exchanges with artists for smaller projects. However, it really depends on the situation and if we work out a mutually beneficial exchange. I did it more when I was starting out, but recently I prefer to keep it separate. I think it keeps relationships more harmonious and ensures that nobody feels like there’s an unequal energetic exchange.
17. What do you want to tell readers about the design world?
I think design can have this elusive exclusivity to it, but it’s really all around us. Everything is design. The way we think, interact, and the products we use every day are all influenced by design. Design history explains so much of modern society—people having a need, solving the problem, and then that solution becoming the default for how we move forward. I want people to ask “why” more. This is a fundamental pillar of design: curiosity and inquisitiveness. There’s a concept called ontological design, which I find fascinating. It suggests that as we design the things around us, our surroundings in turn design us, shaping our perceptions and behavior. This concept applies to both the micro and macro aspects of our everyday lives.
18. How did you choose the particular type of art you create over other types of art? Do you go through phases where you’ll try different mediums, sizes, styles of art or do you deep dive into the area you want to fully fathom?
I really like exercising my “creative problem-solving” muscle, so I love diving deep into my client’s business or needs and brainstorming the most effective way to solve their problem. This is the channel from which the design is created. Lots of people don’t know what a brand designer or identity designer does. I work with small businesses and entrepreneurs to dream big, and then distill: What do you want to be known for, and why? How do you want people to feel when interacting with you or your product? Now, how can I help you visually convey that message or vibe? Stylistically, I approach each project with an open mind, do my best to learn and research, and then propose a plan.
19. Where can readers purchase your art?
My website is www.planetlobo.com and my Instagram is @planet_lobo. I’ll probably launch a webshop within the next year or so for illustrations and cute stuff, but that concept is still marinating. I’m available for web design and brand identity projects, and I love to support people who are passionate about existing.
20. Do you have any insightful tips for emerging designers and graphic artists?
Tune into your secret sauce and be unapologetic about who you are. Think about “what problem can I help solve?” and “what am I good at/what is easy for me?” Then put your energy where those answers intersect. As a portfolio reviewer for Adobe, I’ve realized that many emerging designers have a lot of fear—fear of committing to a specific path or job, preferring to be generalists who are okay at everything and a safe, versatile choice. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it depends on the kind of life and clients you want. My advice is to look inward, tune into your “jellies” (a Detective Pikachu reference), and decide what you truly want. Once you know that, everything else becomes easier and will fall into place. This isn’t just advice for designers; it’s what I talk to my clients about too. What kind of clients do you want? How do you want to spend your days? Ok, now let’s build to support that vision.
