The Hagerty Advantage – Our People: Graphic Designer Associate Peyton Rack

Helping communities prepare for and recover from disasters requires communicating complex concepts and ideas clearly and concisely. Our consultants have supported communities across the nation, and our consultants are supported by an Operations Team that works out of our Evanston, Illinois headquarters.

After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and working as a freelance graphic designer Peyton Rack came to work for Hagerty as a Graphic Designer Associate. As a member of Hagerty Consulting’s Operations Team, Peyton helps develop visual products that clearly convey complex information for our clients and project stakeholders. We recently spent some time with Peyton after learning that her artwork was selected to be displayed at an art gallery in Florida.

On Discovering Graphic Design:

“I moved from Virginia to Chicago to attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011, and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with a focus in painting. The undergraduate program allowed me to gain experience with different kinds of art-making, so during my time in school I learned about different techniques used for printmaking, sculpture, and continued to explore various approaches in painting and drawing. I would often create digital abstract compositions with Photoshop and then paint them.

I found that Photoshop and Illustrator were very useful tools in that they allowed me to test ideas quickly and efficiently, so that I could invest more time (and paint) in the final work. I also got involved with a local gallery that sold fine art prints and was able to use Photoshop as well as the school’s facilities for print production. Near the end of my time in school, I became interested in design as well as fine art, and I learned how to use a laser-cutter and other forms of digital fabrication.

After I graduated, began working as a freelance graphic designer. I gained experience designing logos, websites, and various promotional material for emerging companies and locally-owned businesses. I made sure to keep up my fine art practices by putting together a home studio and continuing to seek exhibition opportunities.”

Joining Hagerty’s Operations Team:    

“I found out about Hagerty about a year later, and was familiarized with the company online. It was clear to me that this company did a lot of good, and I was impressed with the website design and overall branding.

I joined the team in January of 2016 as a Graphic Designer Associate at Hagerty headquarters in Evanston, Illinois. Since then, I have learned so much about graphic design and emergency management.”

Beautifying Hagerty’s Halls:

“The Hagerty team had identified a potential opportunity to utilize blank wall display space in the lobby of Hagerty headquarters in Evanston. It was great how much creative freedom this project entailed in regards to both content and composition. Several potential mock-ups were made, and the final diptych was printed on larger-than-life vinyl decals and applied to the space. This project was particularly exciting, simply because the end product was physically large, and installed in the building’s lobby (see below).

This project reminded me of a painting from 2013 that was on exhibit in the front window of Art on Armitage Gallery for a month. This is one of the largest paintings I’ve ever made. The Lawn (pictured below) is reminiscent of the Hagerty vinyl designs in that it was also installed in an entry way, and depicts an abstracted landscape.”

Applying Art Theory to Client Deliverables:

“Knowledge of basic color theory is definitely helpful in graphic design. Although clients may have specific branding in mind for a template, adding subtle visual accents with color variation and gradients can really enhance the way that information is presented.

Working within branding guidelines to create templates is similar to the way that I would usually go about making a series of paintings. This is so the final product makes sense together and is visually cohesive. Below is an example of a template created for NEMA (National Emergency Managers Association). When putting together a template, it is helpful to look at the client’s website as well as any other promotional materials that may be available online, and to take that into consideration along with other specific style instructions.

Peyton’s Artblend Exhibits

Peyton’s artwork is currently being featured in Artblend, a gallery located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Two of Peyton’s pieces will be available for viewing as part of the Spring Exhibition, from May 21, 2017 through August 1, 2017.  Peyton also hopes to have her art displayed at an art fair in Miami sponsored by Artblend.

Peyton Rack has exhibited her work in galleries internationally and has a strong local presence in galleries throughout the city of Chicago. She continues her painting practices from her home studio in Edgewater on Chicago’s north side. In addition to gallery representation with Art blend, Peyton is currently working on a new series of work for a solo exhibit at Artifact Gallery in New York City in June of 2018. You can find more of Peyton’s artwork online. 

Hagerty Consulting is always looking for intellectually curious people to join our team. We want to learn more about you. Please visit our career site to view open opportunities and apply.  We encourage you to share your expertise and interest to us by applying under the “Other Qualified Candidates” posting!