Meet Nancy Gao | Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nancy Gao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nancy, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I believe risk is an inherent part of life. From an early age, we learn how to take risks. For example, the first time we learn to walk or ride a bike feels risky because it’s unfamiliar—we lack the experience and are uncertain of the outcome.

As we grow older, risks evolve. Choosing a career that may not align with the expectations of family or society can feel daunting. However, since risks are unavoidable, why not learn to accept and embrace them?

I’ve always believed in myself, which means that if there’s something I truly want to try, I know I would regret not taking the risk. Even if I fail, that’s okay—at least I gave it my best. But if fear holds us back, the regret can last a lifetime. In my experience, once you decide to take a risk, you’re already 60% of the way to success.

In summary, I see risk as a driving force that challenges me to grow. By taking risks, I seize opportunities to level up my capabilities.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I specialize in branding design, using innovative visual language to elevate brands. My process always begins with in-depth research to fully understand the brand’s position and key values for the rebranding. From this foundation, I develop new visual and graphic elements.

While this process is common among branding designers, what sets me apart is the empathy I have for brands. My art background and high sensitivity enable me to understand how audiences perceive visuals and how color palettes can evoke emotions while remaining refreshing and unique.

Additionally, my passion for typefaces and fonts helps me create distinctive visual identities. Crafting customized types for identities has always been exciting for me. The magic of little details making a big difference in fonts fascinates me, and I enjoy the process of modification and refinement.

Besides, I’m still painting and drawing, two of my artworks were collected by the Pasadena Art Alliance last year, my fine art world will be always with me. I think that’s my uniqueness as well.

And it was not a smooth road, school life was quite competitive and challenging. To achieve a great project, I always had to step out of my comfort zone.

Completing a project within one term (14 weeks) required extensive effort, from brainstorming brand positions and key values to applying new branding languages. I had to dedicate all my time to this process. However, whenever I looked back, I always felt that it was a fun and worthwhile experience.

Besides work, taking care of myself was also very important. When I entered ArtCenter, COVID-19 hit, and I had to find activities to balance my mental needs. As a big foodie, I started cooking, which became my “escape.” Overall, it was not a smooth road, but I believe that only challenges can help you grow.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First, I’d definitely recommend starting with the Getty, followed by LACMA and MOCA if they have time. Since Norton Simon is really close to where I live, I’d bring them there too. I’d also take them to Arcana Books on the Arts in Culver City—it’s an incredible bookstore with a fantastic collection of art books.

For restaurants, I’d take them to San Gabriel for authentic Chinese food, then to DTLA and Melrose for a great brunch. Some of my favorite spots include Manuela, République, and Community Goods. We could hang out and explore—Second Street in DTLA is one of my favorite areas.

Lastly, I’d take them on an amazing hike. We could enjoy the sunshine, chat, and explore some trails that lead to beautiful beaches, like those in Malibu and Dana Point, etc.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to ArtCenter College of Design, where I earned my BFA in Graphic Design. I’m deeply grateful to the incredible instructors who helped me learn and grow as a designer. I’d also like to thank my parents for always being there as my emotional support.

Website: https://nancygxx.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaox_xnancy/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-gao-59b0471a0/

Image Credits
Claudia Fung
Jack Li
Charlie Lee