Who are you and where do you currently reside?
Hi, I’m Madeline Wukusick and I live in Bird Rock – a cute neighborhood in La Jolla, CA, with the best coffee roaster in the country.
What are you studying/researching?
I’m the Creative Director of Communiqué, a graphic design studio that specializes in science communication and outreach. That means my childhood dream of being a professional “color-er” has come true! Kidding. In reality, I spend my days strategizing the best way to communicate visually. That is to say, I problem solve through design to make the work of cool organizations like the GCMP engaging and interactive for a broader audience. I create websites, infographics, and other creative products that catch people’s attention and shine a light on my clients’ science, research and outreach initiatives.
How did you get interested in the topic? How did you end up in this field?
I’ve always been an artist and I’ve always been interested in design with purpose. Early on in my graphic design career I started gravitating towards more scientific and educational projects, despite working at a large commercial agency. I found that scientists and other technical thinkers were challenged by the task of making their work more widely accessible – eventually I opened my studio, Communiqué, to address exactly that need for science communication through graphic design.
What is your main goal as a graphic designer? What do you want to achieve through Communiqué?
My main goal as a graphic designer and creative thinker is to translate complicated or complex messages into succinct and engaging visuals.
What is your greatest achievement pertaining to your work?
Starting my own studio and hiring my first employee (Hi Juliette!)
What is the most fascinating component of your work?
The psychology of it. Graphic design is more than just color choices and font sizes; it’s about engaging the human psyche to create aesthetics that are appealing at a very instinctual level. There’s an entire school of psychology called the Gestalt school that studies the way we visually perceive information. I also love learning about all the fascinating work my clients are up to.
Describe your dream.
I’m living it!
What are your hobbies?
Yoga, rock climbing, farmers marketing and yes, I’m still coloring J
Who do you admire and why?
I admire those who continually find joy in their work and who always remember to make time for play.
