Elizabeth P. Ball

PRESIDENT/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, TFI ENVISION, INC., NORWALK CT

Elizabeth P. Ball (Liz) joined the TFI Envision team in 1983 and has helped to grow the business into a multi-disciplinary design and marketing firm for leading brands such as Dove, Vaseline, Unilever, Energizer, All, American Express, SMP, Honeywell and Xerox. She is an award-winning designer and entrepreneur with experience in multiple categories including branding, digital, corporate communications, direct marketing, promotion and packaging. As President/Creative Director, she leads cross-functional teams to create designs that are grounded in insights and support the marketing strategies and positioning of brands/products/ services. Liz has a passion for giving back, serving on the Board of Keystone House; Partners Council of Angel Flight NE; Visual Communications Advisory Board at Norwalk Community College; Communications Advisor for Living with Elephants Foundation, based in Botswana; and Collection Advisor for the Fowler Collection at the deYoung Museum. Liz and her dog Honey are a certified animal assisted therapy team, visiting patients in a local hospital. Liz is also Director of the Pierce Ball Gallery, the exclusive gallery for paintings by 2 African elephants that live in the Okavango Delta. She was instrumental in getting the elephants to start painting during a visit out in the bush with them.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?

Come in with an open mind, ready to learn. Ask questions. Listen carefully. Take notes and briefly restate what you believe the project is with whomever you are working with to ensure that you are both in agreement before getting started. Talk face-to-face whenever possible.

HOW DOES WHERE YOU WERE BORN, GREW UP OR LIVE NOW EFFECT YOUR DESIGN SENSIBILITY OR STYLE?

I was born and raised in Stamford CT just outside of NYC. I am surrounded by both amazing wealth and abject poverty, and everything in between. It helps to keep me grounded and aware that you always have to remember who/what you are designing for.

FAVORITE COLOR?
Pantone 485 Red because it radiates such energy

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
Typefaces that have full families

FAVORITE APP?
“Words with Friends” keeps me connected with friends around the globe (and calm when I have to wait in line)

FAVORITE WEBSITES?
Lynda.com to keep up-to-date on new applications and Google for search

FAVORITE TV SHOW?
CBS Sunday Morning, consistently great stories since 1979

FAVORITE BOOKS?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death, and Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived

FAVORITE MOVIES?
Harold and Maude, Casablanca and Out of Africa

FAVORITE MUSICIANS OR BANDS?
One Republic to Luciano Pavarotti and everything in between

FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS?
Richard Serra (minimalist sculptor), George Arluk (Inuit sculptor), Betty Ball (painter, print maker)

GREATEST STRENGTH AS A DESIGNER?
The ability to ‘hit the nail on the head’ in the first phase of a design project

WEAKNESS?
Chocolate

TALENT YOU WISHED YOU POSSESSED?
The ability to speak many different languages

IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
A pilot, dog trainer, elephant caretaker or full time philanthropist

A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
It’s often more rewarding to climb over the fence than to go through the gate

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