ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT – Hollis Callas
Designer & Illustrator
#AlumniSpotlight The Creative Circus graduates the most sought after creatives in the industry. Take a moment to read about the lives, careers & personal stories of some of our fantastic alumni.
Hollis Callas – Designer & Illustrator
Design – Spring 2016
What does the Circus mean to you?
The Circus symbolizes growth and new beginnings to me. I was an art educator before I decided to go back to school and study design. I actually heard about the Creative Circus when they came to talk to the students at the high school where I was teaching. After that, I couldn’t stop dreaming about what a more creative career would be like. After much research, sitting in on classes, talking to students and graduates, I decided to apply to the design program and the rest is history. It opened up a whole new path for me and I am very thankful for that.
What advice would you give to our incoming classes making their pathway into the Industry?
You aren’t supposed to know everything. The Circus does a great job of preparing you, but you are inevitably going to encounter new problems to solve as you enter the Industry. Ask questions. Everyone was in your place at one point in time. I would have been lost without my mentors and the people who showed me the ropes. It’s okay to watch tutorials and admit you don’t know how to do something, as long as you have the willingness and hunger to learn. You will find the solution!
Describe a monumental, light bulb moment for yourself while you were at The Circus:
A big lightbulb moment for me was my first week of Slyvia’s “Intro to Graphic Design” class. There were about 16 of us in that first class all filled with energy and enthusiasm to start school. Then she gave us the first assignment… which honestly felt like an impossible task. There was too much to do and it looked as if I was going to have to stay awake for the entire next week. I left the class and hit the ground running, trying my darndest to get the assignment done. When I came back the following week, there were 6 people left. Everyone else had dropped out. I realized in that moment that this was going to be an incredibly hard journey that would consume my next two years. However, I had a deep feeling that it would be worth it.
Favorite project you’ve worked on:
It’s really hard for me to pick favorites! Working on a Metallica album when I first started interning at Turner Duckworth was a pretty cool experience!
What do you wish you knew in school?
I wish I knew that it would all work out. There were really challenging times at the Circus (tight deadlines, all-nighters, etc) and I didn’t know what to expect after I graduated. I wish my future-self could tell my past-self to chill out! It would all work out just as it was supposed to!
How is what you do now different than you thought it would be when at the Circus?
I had no idea I would be running my own business. Once I entered the industry, I was always very curious about the freelance lifestyle. Being able to pick what projects you vibe most and make your own schedule was super appealing to me. I never thought I would have the guts to do it though!
If you had a billboard to post a single message to the world, what would it say?
This is a great question! I think it would say something like: “Everything will work out.” I am a glass-half-full kinda gal.