Anna Lawrence
Brand Designer / Graphic Designer / Artist
Colorado Springs, CO / North Carolina
www.annalawrence.design
instagram @annalawrence.design
linkedin
etsy
Q What do you do?
“I’m an artist, surfer, solo traveler, and dedicated brand designer. With thoughtful strategy and detailed craftsmanship, I create designs for print & digital mediums that feel intentional, authentic, and elevated.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I’ve always felt driven by a desire to explore new places and paths in life. I grew up in the coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina and studied Graphic & Experience Design at NC State University. While still in college, I landed a remote role with an international luxury travel company that solidified an emphasis for integrity, intentionality, and exceptional craft in my work. As the only graphic designer at this elite startup, I became skilled with delivering projects independently and collaborating with a multi-cultural team to achieve results at the highest level.
After graduation, I felt determined to explore the world and forge my own career path along the way. I embarked on a solo journey to Australia, found the town of Byron Bay, and began casually freelancing to enjoy a lifestyle of travel, adventure, and surfing (because everyone knows that good waves don't always align with a 9-5).
When it was time to come home, I landed in Colorado Springs to decide my next steps. The freedom and momentum of a long-term travel season kept me inspired to invest in myself and establish my own studio. Now I’m dedicated to my design business full-time, and I’ve continued collaborating with luxury brands, particularly in the hospitality space.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I have a background in visual art that echoes in my hand-drawn logos and illustrations, and my experience working with luxury brands is reflected in my elevated craft and precise attention-to-detail. This brings a lot of depth to my work and enables me to design with a unique balance of organic artistry and sophistication.
Q What are you working on right now?
My focus right now is nurturing my design studio into something that truly embodies my values, inspiration, and goals. What kind of projects really excite me? What do I want to be known for? It involves a lot of time, determination, and patience...but I’m encouraged by the connections and opportunities I’ve found along the way.
Q What’s your style?
I would describe my style as natural and minimal with an organic touch. I love retro typography and earth-inspired color palettes. Most of my art and design work is inspired by nature, though it can manifest in various (sometimes subtle) ways.
One of my favorite projects that embraces this is the brand identity I designed for a Swedish-Japanese restaurant concept, koko-ro. I got to explore many cultural influences and bring them together in the naming, logo design, menu, and architectural setting.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would love to spend more time making art! Printmaking is one of my favorite mediums, but I also enjoy working with conté crayon, gauche, and pen & ink. I also have a bit of an obsession with travel planning (imagine color-coded spreadsheets) and I think I’d really enjoy a side gig creating & organizing itineraries for other people.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Building my online presence. I know my portfolio is solid, my services deliver value, and my clients are delighted to work with me, but being bold enough to gain new exposure is such a challenge. Too often I shy away and my channels operate more like an art gallery…my work is displayed with confidence, but it’s very quiet until somebody walks in the door.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
A digital marketing guru would be so valuable for me. Consistent self-promotion and outreach is daunting as a perfectionist & introvert and it would be great to have someone lead the way.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could tell my high school self about design as I know it now. I was so determined to be a full-time studio artist when I was a teenager because I really didn’t understand what design was or how it could be my job…and I was very resistant to digital tools because I had such a deep love for traditional art mediums. After a semester in design school, I found that my precise art style actually thrived within the systems, principles, and process of design. Sometimes I wonder where I’d be now if I’d discovered that when I was 16.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
As a remote self-employed designer, I often feel like I’m figuring a lot out on my own. I’d love to have more conversations with branding experts and studio founders to learn more about what their journey looked like and gain some insight for building a successful business.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I’m looking for branding opportunities in luxury, hospitality, dining, wellness, lifestyle, and outdoor. My ideal clients are eager to craft an authentic brand identity beyond just a logo and explore lots of ideas along the way. Whether it’s a local coffee shop, a luxury boutique hotel, or a coastal lifestyle brand, I’m excited to collaborate with any business looking for thoughtful, elevated design that tells a story.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Having grown up on the coast of North Carolina, and recently spent time living & working in Australia, I have such a deep love for surfing and the ocean lifestyle. I would love to collaborate with a women’s surf brand or any small business that takes inspiration from coastal origins.
Q: What is your rate?
My essential branding package starts at $2500. I also offer custom packages & services upon request. Depending on availability, I provide hourly contract services starting at $70/hr.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Visit my website to fill out a project form or send me an email! Just be sure to include a quick intro to you & your business, your ideal goals for the project, and your estimated timeline and budget.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Ewelina Olechowska, founder of Studio Domka, is such a talented brand strategist! She’s encouraged me so much on my own branding journey and helped me unearth so many valuable insights about design and business.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Explore new places, make art, and surf (as often as I can).
This member profile was originally published in August 2024, Updated May 2025.