A funny thing happened to Gwen Laine when she was putting together a website to showcase her art.
HyperText Markup Language spoke to her, Cascading Style Sheets flowed through her mind, and she realized that she’d found a path to her next career.
“To me, programming is really a creative endeavor,” says Laine, who taught herself HTML and CSS when creating her site, . “Yes, you have to follow the conventions of the program, but that’s art to me. I’ll never stop making art. Now I’m ready to work for an organization.”
Her dream job is an entry-level position at a company that offers the possibility for advancement into Web design, says the 54-year-old as she heads down to the studio in her Wheat Ridge home.
“I’m looking into taking classes to learn more, and ideally, I’d like to work while doing that,” says Laine, who has bachelor of fine arts degree in photography and a bachelor of arts degree in communication from the University of Colorado Denver. “I really feel like that would help direct my education.”
She passes a long table lined with photos as she leads the way to her office.
“I’m just playing with those,” she says. “I’m a photo-based artist. My art has evolved into installation work, which to me means work that consumes three-dimensional space but transforms that space somehow.”
The fact that the book “Web Site the Right Way” shares space on her bookshelf with art books from some of the great artists of the Renaissance makes perfect sense to Laine.
“I was making art when creating my site,” she says, gazing at several orchids that are thriving in her office. “To me, everything is about art. It might sound strange, but I really believe the day is a work of art. You’re as productive as possible, and at the end of that day, you’ve created something, whatever it is you do. You’ve created a work of art.”
Capucine Chapman, who has known Laine since they were in college together 14 years ago, has no doubt her friend will succeed in any field.
“I tease her all the time and call her a genius,” says Chapman, the fine-arts coordinator for Denver Public Schools. “I’m not really kidding, though. She’s amazing. She’s multitalented, and has the endurance and intelligence to figure out how things work. Plus, she has a basic goodness in her. She strives to do what’s right and good.”
The fact that Laine graduated summa cum laude and with a degree of distinction from CU Denver backs up Chapman’s statement. And the fact that her artwork has been lauded in major metro papers, as well as art magazines and journals across the state and nationally, reveals her talent.
Laine says she thought long and hard before backing off from a long-term relationship with a Denver art gallery, where she showed her work for years.
“The new owners had a different area of expertise, and I realized my interest in the art world isn’t in print-making.”
Her husband, Jory, is her biggest supporter, she says.
“Very few people make a living being an artist,” says Laine. “He’s always told me that I’m talented.
To those who would question the skills of an artist, Laine rolls her blue eyes and laughs.
“I think people have the idea that artists are sort of dingy,” she says with a grin. “The truth is that over the years, I’ve had to learn how to plan, research, design and test. I have to market and manage a budget.”
Initiative, unpaid stint at nonprofit could help success
Corwin Lacert, senior designer at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (), and Kent Hollrah, core faculty of the graphic design and interactive media department at the school, offer these tips to people interested in Web design:
Work on your portfolio: “To me it’s not just about a beautiful website, it’s about the purpose of the site,” says Lacert. “What’s the point of the site? It could look great, but a good graphic designer makes sure that there’s also clear communication. You want to convey a message, whether through typography or photography. A site must be easy to read and there must be contextual relevance.”
Be passionate: “The first thing I’d look for is someone who loves what they do,” Hollrah says. “If she’s already taught herself, that shows enthusiasm, and that will show in her portfolio.”
Build a road: “Finding a job is an art,” Hollrah says. “While there are jobs you can find online, be wary of applying to all of them. Everyone and their dog can see those jobs. Instead, get out there. Work for a nonprofit for free for a while, and build your portfolio. You’ll meet people who will judge you for what they’ve seen you do.”
Artistic advantage: Laine has the advantage of having a background in the arts, Lacert says. “Design is just another branch of the art world. If you have a creative spirit, that’s a big bonus.”
Personality plus: “As with many companies, we work together closely,” Lacert says. “We’d want to hire someone who’s personable, who communicates well, and is able to ask questions and solve problems. If you’re shy, it’s going to be a tough road.”
