Takeover Tuesday with Phoenix Owens
Q&A with Phoenix Owens, an LA-based Motion Designer, Illustrator, and self-dubbed GIF Master.
Q&A with Phoenix Owens
Read time: 10min
Madison Caprara:
Hey, Phoenix! Why don’t you give us a little introduction to yourself and your work? How would you describe your style?
Phoenix Owens:
Hi, y'all! Thank you so much for having me. My name is Phoenix Owens, I’m an Illustrator, Designer, and occasional Animator. I am originally from a small town in Georgia called Kennesaw but now reside in Los Angeles. I exchanged the yellow pollen for the sunny skies and am loving it!
I graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in 2016, majoring in Digital Media with a focus in Motion Graphics. Now post-graduation, I’ve been working in the design industry for the past five years. I would describe my style as a happy accident that came about by a lot of trial and error. Within my pieces, you will find elongated and curvy body proportions which is a common characteristic that is found in Black excellence, beauty, and acceptance. Additionally, I showcase powerful women. This is a nod to being raised by two remarkable women: my Japanese grandmother, and biracial mother.
Madison Caprara:
I definitely noticed those themes in your personal, illustrative work. It’s great to get a little background on that!
Having graduated from Otis College of Art and Design, what are your thoughts on pursuing a formal education within this industry? Necessary or not?
Phoenix Owens:
I think each person has to answer that question for themselves. Personally, going to art school was necessary to awaken my creative potential. I liken it to those martial arts movies like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin where the protagonist enters the Shaolin training facility to become a better martial artist; I had to do that for myself. I knew if I tried it out on my own, I would find an excuse to give up.
Going to Otis helped me develop the artistic discipline necessary to become successful. Art school is expensive, but it was a worthwhile investment for me. Now I know people who didn’t attend college and are doing great in the industry. My advice is to determine your path and be devoted to your journey no matter what others say.
Madison Caprara:
Other than gaining discipline, was there anything you believe you would not have gained on your own if you had chosen to forgo Otis?
Phoenix Owens:
In addition, I needed to build a foundation of art knowledge. Knowledge is definitely power! At the time, I had an understanding and working knowledge of different types of art styles but I didn’t have the language to understand why they worked. By attending Otis, I was pushed to study art history, fundamentals, and current styles. Not gonna lie, I hated doing all of that homework but I’ve experienced the value of knowledge gained during projects that I’ve worked on. Even though I have graduated, I am an avid learner and I feel once you stop learning you die creatively.
Madison Caprara:
So, you graduated college and landed a full-time gig with PopTV. How did that come about? What kind of work were you doing?
Phoenix Owens:
Wow! You’re really taking me down memory lane with this question. The time of my graduation was very stressful. While I was in college, I was working three on-campus jobs to pay rent and other expenses. Upon graduation, I didn’t have those jobs anymore. To make rent I had to sell some of my possessions. It was a ‘do or move’ situation, meaning if I couldn’t find a job then I would have to move back to Georgia with my family. I decided that my current job was to apply for work every single day, morning to evening. I came upon the PopTV opening while looking on a job board. It was listed as a Motion Designer position.
I applied at 9:00 am and got an immediate response asking for a meeting that same day. Nervously, I took the interview and thinking back on it, I must have looked like a hot mess. I had straight red hair at the time and wore a dress-up shirt and nice slacks to the interview. Never again. So the meeting was with the Creative Services Manager and the On-Air Design Director. Long story short, they hated my portfolio and critiqued the heck out of it. I left the meeting feeling like an amateur and was 100% positive that I wouldn’t get the job. I went back to my apartment, calmed my nerves with my Buddhist practice, and made the decision that I wouldn’t give up. PopTV was where I was meant to be.
Phoenix Owens:
I started studying different broadcast design effects as well as the type of on-air spots PopTV would use. That night I created a 10-second piece that highlighted one of their shows and sent it to the manager and director the next morning with my thank you email. Three hours later I got a call from the manager who offered me a position, but it wasn’t the position I had originally applied for. It was an opportunity to support the Social Media Department.
While working at PopTV, I learned how an in-house design team functions for a network. I tell people I mostly made GIFs and dubbed myself as a GIF Master. I would have to find spots in each episode to GIF out for live-tweeting. At times, the producers would watch the show and give me timecodes to reference or I would watch the episode myself. This is how I became a fan of Schitt’s Creek. I had to watch the episodes to find moments, naturally, I started liking it. Now, I didn’t only do GIFs (which at times it seemed like I did) but I also got to create other content for social media, like tune-in cards and video memes. Towards the end of my time at PopTV, I became the go-to person for on-air, tune-in messaging. So if you ever watched the station during that time, you saw the graphics I animated telling you what show was coming up next.
Madison Caprara:
Wow, mad props to you for taking that extra initiative and going after what you wanted!
What do you think it is about GIFs that make them such an interesting medium?
Phoenix Owens:
I see them as another language or form of expression. One of my favorite shows is The Office, I especially love seeing so many GIFs made featuring Michael Scott. While I know exactly which episode a Michael Scott GIF comes from, the way it could be used in conversation is an entirely different language. The use of an animated picture takes personal expression to another level of understanding and interpretation when discussing dialogues, plots, and themes. I find them quite fun and enjoy seeing the ones I created out in the wild.
Madison Caprara:
Even more importantly, is it pronounced ‘JIF’ or ‘GIF’?
Phoenix Owens:
JIF is a peanut butter brand that can be bought at your local grocery store. It makes a great snack (pro tip) when working late nights on a project or playing video games. So from this GIF Master, it is pronounced ‘GIF’!
Madison Caprara:
You’ve heard it here from the GIF Master himself. Thank you for settling that debate.
You have some pretty top-notch projects within your portfolio. I know you spoke a little on it before, but I’m definitely fangirling over the Schitt’s Creek work. What has been your favorite project to date?
Phoenix Owens:
Not listed on my portfolio site, but my favorite project is a Juneteenth one that I worked on with Creative Mammals. The client happened to be with Disney, who is on my dream client list! So when Creative Mammals approached me to jump on board I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I was designing and illustrating a Juneteenth piece during a time when it had just become a national holiday. I am proud to have been part of such a historic work.
Madison Caprara:
What about the most challenging project you’ve taken on?
Phoenix Owens:
Honestly, I can’t pick one project that is challenging. I feel each project that I am tasked to do poses its own individual challenges. It isn’t so much about knowing how to do something as it is about me facing my inner doubt. My Imposter Syndrome that surfaces every time I start working. Thoughts of: “They made a mistake by hiring me” or “I’m not qualified to be in this position” race around my mind and are quite frustrating. I keep this Buddhist quote close to my heart “Become the master of your mind rather than let your mind master you.” I’m learning to trust myself and my abilities more as I continue to grow as an artist. There is always a solution to any art project.
Madison Caprara:
I have yet to meet a single person, creative or not, who hasn’t experienced Imposter Syndrome to some degree. That in itself is a little comforting. We’re all just out here doing our best.
Now, you’ve pivoted over to freelance work, correct? Have there been any significant hurdles with that career change?
Phoenix Owens:
Becoming a freelancer wasn’t by design. I was working at PopTV when the company became a part of the ViacomCBS merger, and I was one of the people who got laid off in February 2020. I was terrified. In the midst of the layoff, we saw the whole world shut down because of the COVID-pandemic in early March of that year. I was directionless for months as I watched how things were unfolding in the world. Like a lot of people, the unknown was scary for me but I decided to make good use of my time. I started drawing more and taking online classes to expand my knowledge. I saw my time spent learning as training for a battle in the future. I did struggle within my studies, as I have a habit of comparing my work to others. I’m sure a lot of people know this is the fastest way to discourage yourself.
The biggest challenge of starting off as a freelancer for me was that I didn’t see people who looked like me in the industry. When I looked at the landscape of the motion design industry, I didn’t see any Black artists. I felt I was at a disadvantage and that I wouldn’t be hired because it isn’t the norm to see a Black person in the motion design industry. With the tragic passing of George Floyd, reigniting the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement, everything changed for me. It was like an emotional alarm clock that woke up the world. Every industry had to look at itself, and what became apparent was the lack of BIPOC. Because of that, I feel a lot of opportunities are now being given to BIPOC. I even had a studio specifically say they were focused on hiring a Black designer because of their lack of diversity. Personally, it felt disingenuous but I guess at least they were being honest. Now that I have been successfully freelancing for one year, I hope I’m known for my hard work and skillset and not as a diversity hire.
Madison Caprara:
It’s sad that it took a tragic, completely avoidable event to channel that lens inward. Something that now needs to be the focus of these companies, is making sure that they’re not just making these diversity hires for the sake of reaching a certain demographic percentage. The solution requires more depth. Companies need to prioritize educating themselves on this country’s long-standing history of systematic racism as a whole. It’s not enough to WANT to create change, you need to truly understand WHY it’s necessary in the first place.
Pivoting back to your freelance experience, I recently read a study on how out of every professional industry, creative freelancers were hit the hardest by this pandemic. I’ve gotten some pretty mixed reviews on that statement. Some are saying that the emphasis on remote work has significantly opened their client pool. Does this ring true for you?
Phoenix Owens:
I started freelancing during the pandemic. Because of that, I don’t have the same experiences as some of my friends who had to go in-person to studios before everything went remote. For me, I am enjoying this remote working life. I feel it is such a great way to work with companies all around the nation and the world. I never would have believed that I could work for a company in New York or Atlanta while still living in Los Angeles.
Madison Caprara:
I am also a member of Team Remote.
Where do you go for inspiration?
Phoenix Owens:
I don’t have a set place for inspiration, but I know that it comes to me once I stop working and step away from the computer. At times, it feels like I'm always attached to my computer screen. Inspiration seems to strike me at weird moments. I don’t tend to look for it. Listening to music or going to music festivals, traveling, going to museums, looking at fashion trends, talking to people, or watching anime or shows are my go-to places. When I allow myself to relax and immerse myself in a moment, I tend to be more open to creative thought. A lot of times it is a question of “What if” and I would take a picture, write down the idea, or do a quick sketch on my phone. By creating a log of my inspiration I have a library to go back to when I need it the most.
Madison Caprara:
Is there anything special we can look forward to seeing from you?
Phoenix Owens:
I have an ongoing list of creative goals. A few things I will do by the end of the year are learning 2D animation, coming up with a new art style, and starting to sell prints and merch of my work. I find that having goals keeps me excited and focused as an artist. I never want to become stagnant as a creator.
Madison Caprara:
Well, I really enjoyed this talk, Phoenix. Wrapping up, do you have a final piece of advice or closing point you’d like to end on?
Phoenix Owens:
I want everyone to know that it’s okay to be scared, but don’t let that fear hinder you from going after what makes you happy. For me, I don’t want to look back and have regrets that I didn’t do something because it wasn’t worth the challenge. Pursuing your passion and doing what you love isn’t easy. It will challenge you mentally and physically, but those pains aren’t forever. When they pass, you’ll look back on them as needed obstacles for growth.
Be sure to do things outside of work. It helps to have a balanced lifestyle to refuel you creatively. Whether it is playing video games or hiking, taking time away from the screen is therapeutic.
Phoenix Owens:
Oh and one last thing, remember to drink water!
