AMY GRAVER
ELEMENTS

After a stint as a photojournalist for one of the nation's largest newspapers and many years as a graphic designer in big city shops, Amy Graver founded Elements in early 1999. Since then, the New Haven CT-based business has grown from a one-person, dining-room-table operation to a respected and award-winning graphics, web design and marketing communications firm. Fueled by the belief that making a difference is more important than merely being different, Elements has captured an impressive and diverse roster of regional, national and international clients, including PEZ Candy and Save the Children.

What talents do you wish you possessed?

Some sort of rudimentary understanding of math would be cool.

When you have a deadline, do you start right away, wait until the last minute or switch back and forth between projects?

Ideally, right away. But in reality, staying a few steps ahead of chaos is a worthy goal.

Which project in your portfolio are you most proud of?

Projects that I'm proud of fall into two categories. First, there is the work for clients that truly and measurably brings them closer to their goals. Next, there is the work that, in one way or another, moves people to positive action or elicits a strong emotion. The best projects fall into both of those categories.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

Chocolate, of course.

What is your worst habit?

Chocolate, of course.

What role does "green design" play in your work?

Green design does more than play an important role in the creation of our projects; it is one of the cornerstones on which the firm is built. We are determined to take a leadership position on environmentally sound practices within the design community. That is to say, we do more than employ green practices; we do our best to seek out the latest eco-friendly products and techniques. We also take every possible opportunity to educate our clients, contemporaries and other key audiences as to the newest and best practices and products. In fact, an essay I wrote on eco-friendly practices, "Let's Be Green," was the basis for a guest editorial in the October 06 issue of GDUSA and is posted on our website, www.elementsdesign.com.

Should graphic design be an instrument for positive social change?

The first and most important step toward positive social change is the communication of ideas. In it's purest form, that's exactly what graphic design does. Therefore, I truly believe that we have an obligation to use our skills to help wherever and whenever we can. For me, that means doing pro bono work or offering reduced rates to non-profits whenever possible. In addition to the pro bono, every year my firm takes it a step further by designing, implementing and using the full weight of our talents, to orchestrate a fully integrated campaign to support an organization doing good work within our community. Our effort for 2006, Bundles for Babies, gathered infant essentials for first-time families in need.

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