About
Manda Szewczyk
Hello, my name is Manda Szewczyk (formerly Manda Satkoski) and I have worked in the design industry for over 12 years. In that time, I have worked as a print designer, a web designer, an illustrator, and an instructor. I’ve taught everything from basic drawing to advanced Flash. I still have a lot of passion for design and for the industry. There is always so much to learn, and everything is always changing so fast, there is never any time to get bored.
I took a leap two years ago and started my own small design studio: Hyper Pony Studio. I’m loving it so far. I’ve been blessed with fantastic clients and fun projects.
I am happily married with two dogs, two cats, and two horses. For those of you who know me, I’m sure you’ve seen tons of photos of each of them — and have heard more cute dog stories than you can stand. Other than my design work, I pretend I’m a runner and enter a half-marathon or two each year. I’ve managed to drag myself across the finish line each time, but barely. I also love hanging out on my parents’ farm and riding — and I’m finally learning how to play the guitar.
All in all, I’m quite a nerd — but I try to enjoy life as much as I can.
If you want to find out more about me and my thoughts on design, check out my interview with Erika Martinez from MonaEve Design Farm: In Blog Form.
Creative Opera
Creative Opera is a blog for new designers, aspiring designers, and anyone who has a passion for design. I want Creative Opera to be a site full of useful information, creative inspiration, career and professional advice, and lively discussion. Because I come from a teaching background, many of my posts are targeted toward students and new designers, but I love it when experienced designers stop by to share their own experiences and advice.
Why did I decide to start a blog? Well, I think it’s mostly because I miss teaching. I used to teach college design classes, and it was a lot of fun to share new design sites that I found, help put together a portfolio or critique a resume, give career advice, and discuss design news. I loved knowing that I was doing something positive for other people. After I went back to designing full-time, I missed it. I’ve found that this way — with an online blog — I can be helpful in a different way. So far, I’m loving it! And, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate those of you who visit, comment, and come back for more.
