Erika Park: Inspired by a Cultural Mosaic
Design Director @Two by Four
by Elizabeth Lavis
|24 Apr 2024
Erika Park, Design Director and Resident Foodie of Chicago-based Two by Four draws her inspiration from the wellspring of different influences and cultures she experienced in her younger years. “My family is from South Korea, but I was born and ra ised in Buenos Aires, Argentina,” she says. “A big part of my identity is not having one singular culture that I feel connected to; it’s a mosaic of bits and pieces from different cultures.” Park credits her formative experiences and cultural exposures with giving her broad perspectives and open-mindedness, two critical factors for developing inspired design.
Her love for design is also deep-rooted. “I was immediately drawn to creating from the moment I was taught how to hold a pencil as a kid,” Park says. Growing up, I was always the ‘art kid’ in my class, and I knew deep down that I’d pursue something in art and design. Before I even knew what design was, I’d find myself observing signage, ads, and packaging designs on everyday items like candy wrappers and toys.”
In addition to her natural aptitude and drive to design, Park’s formal education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and multiple internships during her collegiate years give her a robust foundation from which to create impressive work. “My education taught me the technical skills I need, while my internships allowed me to immerse myself in the real, professional world,” she says.
Vulcania Restaurant Brand Identity, Two by Four
Today, Park’s work at Two by Four exposes her to different projects and ongoing challenges that she meets with eagerness and optimism. She expertly balances several tasks at once without getting burned out. “I thrive when handling several different projects,” she says. Working on several clients in different industries makes my job exciting and can even give me a chance to step away from the project for a bit and come back to it with fresh eyes.”
She also gives herself free rein to explore plenty of different ideas before formally embarking on a design. “At Two by Four, we are big advocates of sketching our ideas on paper before doing anything on the screen,” she says. “Doing this allows us to document as many ideas as we can and explore all possible avenues first.” This preliminary sketch session also fosters collaboration and bouncing ideas off one another, allowing designers to get valuable feedback on their initial thoughts.
When it comes to the heart of design itself, Park believes that strategy and design need to coexist harmoniously to create a positive final product. “Strategy and design are not opposing forces,” she says. The strategy allows the design to be more intentional. The design is more than just choosing a pretty typeface or an interesting color palette; it’s about problem-solving with intention.”
Park also makes time for her guilty pleasures, like binging “Love is Blind.” “ I also love Jeni’s Ice Cream, Jimmy John’s sandwiches, sleeping in, and a good, cheesy pizza,” she says.
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