WRITER: Canvas Rebel
PUBLISHED: May 20, 2024
We were lucky to catch up with Rachele Liba recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rachele, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Music and art was foundational with my upbringing, so entering the industry was no question. I began my journey writing music reviews, then eventually entered the world of PR, where I gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of the music business. Simultaneously, I worked on my art portfolio, which ended up landing me some client work. Although PR was never a career dream, I learned the realities of artist marketing and development.
Once beloved Covid kicked in, my partner and I then decided to make a career pivot and start Off Trail Studios. The struggles of starting a business are daunting, especially when there aren’t many graphic designers in this industry. It’s the type of career where you’re constantly learning new business skills, design techniques, programs, trends, etc. Honestly, you end up becoming a “jack-of-all-trades” because people expect that you can do everything… But that’s the best part! I spend my days working on a variety of projects so it seldom gets boring. In the end, developing an understanding on how much work is involved in every service places a deeper appreciation in the artistry everyone ultimately has to offer.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hey, I’m a music industry Graphic Designer and the co-founder of Off Trail Studios. We’re an LA-based music and art house dedicated to providing musicians with the essentials needed to bring their artistry to life. Handling the visuals, I offer services including: cover art, branding, cd/vinyl/cassette packages, merchandise, web design, event flyers, etc. My partner Harrison is the master of audio and provides: producing, mixing, and engineering. Our mission is to shine our artists in the best light as they pursue their musical endeavors.
The most rewarding aspect of my career is watching my clients develop their sound and identity throughout the years. Nothing makes me happier than seeing them proudly rep their music with visuals that paint them in the best light. Some clients have gifted me with full creative direction which is an intensely awesome experience. As they grow, I grow too. So this is a thank YOU for everyone I’ve had the trust and privilege of working with!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
One huge lesson I learned, thanks to my life drawing teacher, was to “loosen up” and dissolve the need for perfection. He was looking at this charcoal drawing I did of a sewing machine and claimed it was too “rigid.” If it were a machine, how could it be too rigid?! But really, what he was saying was that it lacked passion, or almost even emotion.
This stemmed from the competitive nature and standards of perfection I had with myself. I used to set extremely high expectations for what I should be capable of, and if something wasn’t perfect, cool, or different enough- I assumed that I was lacking in skill or creativity. In return, it created a limited sense of confidence and the will to push past the norm.
Looking back, I realized that I missed out on a lot of excitement by being rigid. Not only in my art but also in my life endeavors. If anything, it just means a lot more “goodness” in the world to catch up on. In all of my projects, I now aim to embrace unique concepts and focus on personal objectives as opposed to just what the “industry” wants. And if things don’t turn out the way I expected, it’s not a failure. But a learning experience to build off of.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I first confessed my career path to my family, it wasn’t met with the most support. Being a first-gen, it was almost an embarrassing feeling that I chose an artistic direction as opposed to a “money-maker.” Not to mention, it caused a good amount of shame to my immigrant parents for only having certification as opposed to a traditional 4-year degree. I had to do some mental gymnastics to eventually realize that it’s up to me to decide how I want to live my life and what truly makes me happy. Ultimately, choosing to become a freelancer has not been the easiest. But the ability to set your own goals and strive for your actual dreams is all worth it. Not to mention that working with musicians has been a dream. Present day, my family is incredibly supportive- despite them not fully understanding what I do haha! And as for the college degree, I’ve learned more online/real-world projects than I ever did in school.
Comments