FINDING ART EVERYWHERE: DANIELLE (PHELPS) KISAMORE (WC ’09)

Kisamore puts her artistic self to work as a graphic designer

When she was a student at Worthington Christian School, Danielle (Phelps) Kisamore (WC ’09) made sure her school schedule always included a healthy amount of time in the school’s art rooms.

“I think I took almost every art class that was offered all the way up to Advanced Placement Art,” she said. “It helped my mind to expand by completing different projects instead of just sticking with drawing.

“Taking classes with Mrs. (Beth) Heisey let me work with different mediums from acrylic to charcoal to pencils. Ceramics classes with Mrs. (Carole) Galbraith taught me how to create something with my hands. Lastly, photography with Mrs. (Jessica) Heath taught me how to compose a picture and how to bring the pictures to life in the dark room.”

Kisamore puts all those skills she learned and more to use as a graphic designer for Magnum Press, based in Columbus. While the job title says “graphic designer,” she wears a number of different hats during a given day.

At times, Kisamore is an artist, creating logos, business brochures or packaging designs for a company. Other times, she’s working in the back-production with mailing and packing Magnum Press’s designs to ship out.

However, the hat that fits Kisamore the best is the one that reads “helping others find their right look.”

“It fills me with joy knowing that I help people achieve their dreams,” she said. “Right now, I’m working with a mother and daughter who are starting their own makeup business. It’s a great feeling knowing that I am helping their dreams become a reality.

“I am thankful that I’m able to use my artistic ability. It is always a great feeling to create something and take a step back to see what came from your mind.”

Kisamore’s art can be found on a variety of different mediums, designing everything from business cards to brochures, fold-over cards to embroidered tote bags. One of her favorite jobs was creating a brochure for Cats Only Veterinary Clinic where she was able to include a picture of Sophie, her Siamese cat.

“How could I resist?” she said. “I remember creating a logo for a home contractor. He told me the elements he’d like to see in his logo. From there I came up with a lot of different options and he picked his favorite for his business cards and a rear window car graphic.”

Kisamore said it’s often hard to turn off her creative process. She finds inspiration everywhere. Ideas come to her when she is out hiking and taking nature photographs or when she is flipping through a magazine.

“Looking at other graphic designers’ work and seeing how their mind formed their work is always inspirational as well,” she said. “Art is an element that we see every day, and I think to myself how I could make a positive impact on the world with it.”