Welcome Vehr's new creative director

Please join us in offering a warm welcome to our new creative director, Grace Ring. We’re excited to have Grace as a part of our growing Vehr team, and we can’t wait to see what she’ll be working on in the Vehr Creative Studio.

Get to know Grace, in her own words:

What is your design process?
I most often start a design with pencil and paper, sketching rough layouts and ideas rather than jumping straight onto the computer. It helps me generate concepts quickly without having to focus on minor details.

What role does communication play in graphic design?
Design is an exercise in developing creative work that communicates a message, but design also requires effective communication with clients to ensure that the design meets their needs.

How do you stay on top of current design trends?
I had the opportunity to connect with a number of talented design authors/speakers during my time at HOW, and I still get much of my creative news and inspiration from their social media posts. I also have a list of design blogs that I regularly peruse.

What kind of design projects are you most interested in?
While I frequently work on digital projects, I have a lot of heart for print production. I love collaborating with printers, and I’m always on the lookout for new techniques to try. With the increase in digital communications, a high-quality printed piece can really stand out from the competition.

What are some your favorite activities outside of work?
I’m a serial maker of things, and I’ve always got a handful of projects that I’m working on in my spare time: greeting cards, handmade gifts, DIY home improvement, gardening … the list is never-ending!

What’s your favorite part of Cincinnati?
The Clifton Gaslight District will always be a special place for me. It was my home for over a decade, both during and after college. I loved walking to the Esquire or the IGA, meeting friends at the Cactus Pear and waking up to the sound of zoo animals in the morning.

What is the most recent book you’ve read or film you’ve seen?
I have been working through S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst off and on for years now. It’s a novel within a novel, produced to look like an old library book with notes jotted in the margins and on various items inserted throughout the book. I’ve been fascinated by both the mystery and the meticulous production quality. I can spend hours digging through just a few pages.

Where’d you go to college and what was your major?
I studied graphic design at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning. We co-oped every other quarter as part of the program, which gave me the opportunity to live in Miami Beach and Boston during college as well.

Any other talents we should know about?
I have a reputation for making decadent baked goods and pawning them off on my coworkers. No worries … my brownies have so many eggs in them, they totally count as breakfast!