10 May Meet #TeamENA: Claire, Vice President, Creative Services
No ENA project is complete until it’s had Claire’s magic touch. Inside her beautiful brain, both strategy and creativity have equal real estate, making her an invaluable asset to the team. Check out her interview below to learn what ideas and experiences have shaped this artist (and businesswoman).
Q: Q: What is your personal creative manifesto?
A: Creativity and strategic thinking are at the heart of what we do at ENA every day. We strive to create every visible expression of a brand or organization—offline and online. This involves thinking about the business environment, its strategy, how it communicates, its branding and processes, and the audience of each organization or product.
Design and thinking go hand in hand. The reasons and strategic thinking behind each mark or icon—from selecting a certain picture, choosing a specific color palette, and the way we speak or write about a brand—have equal value. The most important thing for me is to allow a company or brand to create and maintain connections with their audiences. Personal relationships, resonance, impact, integrity, and actions are what we ultimately strive to develop with each project.
Q: Describe what it’s like working at ENA in three words. Ready, set, go?
A: Creative. Dynamic. Familial.
Creative because that is what drives us. Dynamic because each day brings a new opportunity or problem to solve. Familial because we work in a family-run business, and the team members treat each other like a family.
Q: Where is the best place you’ve traveled and why?
A: I have been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit for both work and play. My favorite spot to relax is the Out Islands of the Bahamas. They are the most serene, untouched, quiet places I have ever been—where water, sand, wind, and the sun guide the day’s activities. My favorite moments are disconnecting from stress and reconnecting with my family, while allowing myself to just be quiet.
Q: Who is your favorite fine artist?
A: I studied fine art at Syracuse University. I switched majors many times: from illustration, to painting, and finally choosing print design. The curriculum included many hours studying art history with a focus on modern art of the 20th century. My favorite painter has always been Helen Frankenthaler. She was among the leading artists of the mid-20th century. Frankenthaler was influenced by abstract expressionist painting (which I also love!), but she developed her own distinct approach to the style. She invented what they call the soak-stain technique in which she poured turpentine-thinned paint onto a canvas, producing luminous color washes that appeared to merge with the canvas. While working in New York City in the 1990s, I belonged to the Museum of Modern Art and was thrilled to see a show of her larger-than-life paintings. I also had the chance to meet Frankenthaler when she published a book of prints a few years later and was doing a book signing at Rizzoli Bookstore. I swear, it was better than meeting a rock star!
