Uncrated stopped by the design office and caught up with Becca Winti, Senior Graphic Designer, to learn more about her role here at the DMA. Rumor has it that she can do a perfect goat impression . . .
Describe your job in fifty words or less.
I provide design for print, environmental, and web-based communications for the Museum. Projects consist of brochures, invitations, ads, store product, way-finding signage, banners, billboards, DART bus graphics, and more. I carry the brand across all of the departments of the Museum to create a visual culture.
What might an average day entail?
I’m usually juggling anywhere from thirty to sixty jobs at one time, so my average day consists of a lot of multi-tasking! I go from working on a logo for a special exhibition to working on a vinyl “No Smoking” sign for our glass doors. Since I design print projects, I also attend many press checks. I work in a room with two other designers and an editor, which results in a lot of laughing and listening to music throughout the day. Never a dull moment!
How would you describe the best part of your job and its biggest challenges?
The best part of my job is that ART is my client! I also enjoy working with the different types of people that Museum life is filled with. Working as an in-house designer and creating collateral for different departments in the Museum that looks the same but feels different can be tricky. Each department wants to stand out. So the challenge is how to make them stand out but fit into our over-arching brand umbrella.
Growing up, what type of career did you envision yourself in? Did you think you’d work in an art museum?
I originally went to school to study architecture but soon realized that there is a lot of math and physics involved and that wasn’t going to work for me. So I made the migration to design communications. I didn’t realize that I could work for an art museum until I was about to graduate from college and saw representatives from the DMA at a student portfolio show that I attended. I worked for a design agency for a year or so straight out of school and then wanted to move on. I decided I would only stay in Dallas if I could work at the Dallas Museum of Art–and look what happened! I got my dream job and I‘ve been here for almost seven years.
What is your favorite work in the DMA’s collection?
It’s hard to have one favorite work. So I have a few. The first work that stands out in my mind is Buildings by Charles Demuth. I like anything that is architectural, and I love how vibrant the red is. I also really enjoy The Gentleman by Andrew Wyeth. The light that is captured is breathtaking. The work is dramatic but peaceful at the same time. Another favorite is Emma-O. He is so terrifying but that is what I love about him. The artist was successful in creating the King of Hells and evoking the emotion that you get from looking at him.
Is there a past exhibition that stands out in your mind as a favorite, or is there a particular upcoming show you’re looking forward to seeing?
Past exhibitions that have stood out for me (of course there isn’t just one) are Phil Collins: the world won’t listen, Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson, Mark Bradford, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, and Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec and His Contemporaries.