Q&A with Mary Duncan-Sain, Visual Designer at DG+Design

DG+Design is excited to welcome its newest member to the team, Visual Designer Mary Duncan-Sain. Mary works on graphic design, social post creation, branding, and other design work for clients in the cleantech industry. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her cat Tabasco.

We recently sat down with Mary to get to know her. You can read her answers below.

GET TO KNOW MARY

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in Atlanta and I earned my BFA in Graphic Design at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. I’ve always been really into art - I’ve been painting and drawing my entire life. Ever since I was a kid, I knew that it was something I wanted to do for my career, so I chose graphic design so that I could use my creative side - plus, design is everywhere you look, so I figured there will always be a need for designers. During undergrad, I worked as a graphic designer for a university department called Student Unions and Activities, designing branding for all kinds of events on campus, from upcoming concerts and homecoming to activities like yoga with dogs.

I also really like to spend time hiking and camping - all of that outdoorsy stuff. I also really enjoy cooking, going on walks, and reading.

Why did you choose to work at DG+?

I was really attracted to DG+ because of its specialty working with clients in the renewable energy and other sustainability sectors - that was a huge draw for me. I also really like that DG+ is a smaller company, because the culture tends to be more like a family because there’s better communication and more opportunities to get to know people.

Also, speaking as a designer, I really loved DG+’s branding so I felt like it would be a great fit!

What do you hope to accomplish or learn at DG+?

I want to grow as a graphic designer and hopefully learn about web design, video graphics, motion graphics, and more. I also am definitely excited to learn more about solar and other renewable energy technologies through my work - and even ways that I can decrease my own carbon footprint.

How do you hope to have an impact at DG+?

Now that I’m part of the DG+ team, I am really motivated to represent it in the best way I can, by creating high quality work for our clients. I feel strongly that delivering top design work for our clients is really important because it helps them share the value of their eco-friendly work with potential customers and partners.  

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

I’d start my ideal day off by going rock climbing at my local bouldering gym. Then I would go on a nature walk in Piedmont Park, which is a huge park in the middle of Atlanta. If it’s sunny out, I would lay outside and read a book. I would end my day off by making dinner at home.  

Where do you draw inspiration for design?

I draw inspiration from everywhere: fashion, architecture, posters, even furniture design. I also like to browse Behance and other popular graphic design websites where people share their work. Sometimes I’ll even look at old graphic design books to get inspired by different design trends from the 20s or 40s.

Tell us something fun or maybe unexpected about yourself.

I am a huge movie geek and have seen an absurd amount of films. Some of my favorite movies include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Princess Mononoke, True Romance, and the Kill Bill movies. I love any Studio Ghibli movie made by Hayao Miyazaki and Quentin Tarantino ​​is my favorite filmmaker.