Hollis H. Wooley: Don't Be Afraid to Fail
Senior Graphic Designer and unofficial Creative Janitor
by Elizabeth Lavis
|11 Sept 2024
Hollis H. Wooley, Senior Graphic Designer and unofficial Creative Janitor for the Florida Museum of Natural History has a straightforward piece of advice for aspiring designers: never be afraid to fail. "You will fail. You will lose. You will suck," she says. "Someone won't like you just because they don't. Embrace it! It only makes you better."
Additionally, Wooley follows her philosophy of counting to ten before reacting to anything. "It can help you your entire life," she says. Wooley cites 1995's Toy Story as the primary reason she became a designer but notes that she's had plenty of other influences, too, like Ansel Adams, Kate Spade, Amos Kennedy, Aaron Draplin, Paul Rand, and Dale Chihuly.
If she could have dinner with one person, it would be the late designer Kate Spade. "I would want to hear from her, her origin story, her feelings, her thoughts, and what led to her demise," Wooley says.
Wooley, who comes from Montgomery, Alabama, originally dreamt of being a marine biologist. "I wanted to study dolphins and whales," she says. "Now, I work at a natural history museum and get to design those studies with the general public."
"All Things Beautiful", Florida Museum of Natural History In-House Graphics Department
As a designer, education and solid science play a huge part in her vision. "I don't design for multi-million dollar campaigns," Wooley says. I design for museum visitors. I approach each project with the idea that everyone, from toddlers to adults, will see what I create. Reading the science is key; typography is next. Color study comes into play regarding where it will be displayed, but I don't have a set approach. Each project is different."
Aesthetically, color and typography are the driving forces of the design, and each campaign takes roughly six to eight weeks, excluding the exhibit elements. Wooley credits her amazing boss and great in-house design team for keeping the projects on track and staving off burnout. She also turns to college football games, coffee, and chocolate to help restore her creative spark and manage stress.
Wooley starts a project by finding a point of connection with her clients and letting them talk. This foundation of rapport and trust enables the team to do their best work. "Our internal clients give us a lot of leeway and creative control due to the branding we design," she says. "So clients are involved but look to us for overall concept and design."
She also finds inspiration in creative and unexpected spots. "I love store window design during the holidays," Wooley says. "Designing a small exhibit space that makes an adult feel like a kid again takes incredible creativity."
Wooley's personal goals include learning new software, exploring different art mediums, and reading more. She plans to continue inspiring and providing knowledge to the patrons at the Florida Museum of Natural History. "At the museum, we'll continue our design promise to help educate the general public the best way we can," she says.
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