Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Berry.
Hi Annie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I always gravitated towards doing anything visually creative that I could. Whether it was hot gluing together a new dress for my Barbie or creating a drawing for my school’s yearbook cover, I loved the process of brainstorming and bringing something to life that didn’t exist before. With creativity always being a central point for me, it felt natural and fitting for me to pursue a creative career, so I went to Pacific University of Oregon to get my Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design and Art and graduated in 2024.
After graduating, I didn’t plan to become a full-time freelancer, but as I was looking for a full-time graphic design job, I started working on freelance projects. In 2025, I got a part-time job as a graphic designer at a start-up Amazon agency, but I figured eventually I would find another full-time job in graphic design that felt like a strong fit. As time went on though, I started loving freelancing more and more… and now a year later, I’m very proud to be full-time freelancing. Of course, there are some major downsides to freelancing (…lacking health insurance and self-employment tax being a couple big ones), but the flexibility, variety of work, and creative freedom that comes with it are invaluable. It also has allowed me to take risks that otherwise would have been extremely difficult. This August I made the decision to move from the Pacific Northwest where I’ve lived my whole life to Chicago. I feel so grateful to have a creative career where I can continue to work with clients and agencies remotely wherever I go, so that I can fully lean into this new stage of my life and try living and exploring an area completely new to me.
I am also so grateful to have connected and built relationships with a few amazing design agencies including Averson Creative, Terra Cotta Designs, Maker+Made, and Perspektiiv, which have been incredible resources. I’ve been able to learn and grow as a young designer working with these agencies which are all women-owned. It’s incredibly inspiring to see these women navigate an industry where design leadership is predominately male. I’m able to look up to these women and see the type of creative career I can build for myself.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In January of 2026, the start-up Amazon agency I worked for as a part-time graphic designer dissolved, and I had to make a decision on whether I should look for another job or fully dive into freelancing full-time. The loss of the stability and consistency of my work scared me and wasn’t a decision I took lightly. But I chose to dive into freelancing full-time, and I’m so glad I did because in the past 6 months I’ve had some incredible opportunities come my way. I got to do my first mural project, design an illustrative street banner in Spokane, and have worked on projects with an agency I’ve admired for years: Perspektiiv.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a freelance graphic designer who creates thoughtful, hand-crafted designs and illustrations that help businesses and communities thrive. I love working with non-profits and community-focused businesses who are trying to do some good in the world and using my creativity and design skills to make a positive impact.
One of my favorite things about freelancing is being able to work such a wide variety of projects; I can be working on branding project for an environmental organization one day and the next day working on an email newsletter for an interior designer… or even a mural project. While I specialize in branding design and illustration, I recently completed my first mural project. The mural is on a wall that is typically a place for Gonzaga students to graffiti and paint about clubs and events throughout the school year, but during the summer, they hire a creative professional to paint it. I was honored when they reached out to ask me to be the mural artist this past summer. I decided to paint a mix of whimsical animals, nature elements, and some Spokane icons on colorful tiled blobs with “WE ARE GU” in the center. My hope was for people walking by the mural to smile and find joy in the silliness and whimsy. I’m really proud of this project and would love to do more murals in the future.
No matter what project I’m working on, I bring a balance of strategy and creative artistry that sets me apart from others. I’m highly organized, communicative, and reliable, but I am also very creative, know how to think outside the box, and have a distinct illustration style that is whimsical, organic, and warm.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Working on projects where my creativity is valued, and I’m able to have a positive impact through my work makes me happy! One of my first branding projects was for Pink Spoon, a local frozen yogurt shop in my college town, Forest Grove, Oregon. It’s a beloved local business, and the owner trusted me with rebranding the business when I was a senior at Pacific University. I am so grateful the new branding I created was well-received by the community and owner of Pink Spoon and to still have ongoing work with the business.
Outside of my creative work, running is also something that make me happy. I ran cross country and track in college and have continued to love running and racing competitively. Running is something that has brought me so many long-lasting friendships and allows me to keep creating, healthily and happily.
Pricing:
- Branding Packages Start at $2k
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.annieberrydesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annieberrydesigns/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-berry-/
