CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE AQUARIO GROUP, NEW YORK NY
Smrita is an award-winning designer at The Aquario Group and a renowned artist at Surmrit Gallery of Art and Design. Her art has been showcased in New York, London, and India. A cultural documentary photographer, her first book, Creating Durga, gained international recognition and a second, an autobiography called Fat Free Samosa, is due for release in 2018. Smrita was the keynote speaker at KADLondon2017, a creativity conference, and has also spoken at Global Status of Women and Girls. She has exhibited at Pratt Institute, Javits Center, Queens Museum, The Juliana Curran Terian Design Center Pavilion, The Arthur M. Berger Art Gallery and The Nehru Center London. As a designer, she has worked with the likes of Wilbur-Ellis, Financial Accounting Foundation, Ernst & Young, WebMD, Manchester Designer Outlets, Google, JDRF, Tyco, Rockefeller Center Collaborative Research Center, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Ministry of Indian Tourism and Supreme Court Museum of India. She has won awards from, among others, GDUSA, Creativity International, Summit International Creative, London International Creative and Design Firms.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
Born and raised in New Delhi, India and currently living in New York City
DID YOU GO TO DESIGN SCHOOL?
Undergrad at Apeejay Institute of Design and an MS in Communications Design from Pratt Institute
LEFTY OR RIGHTY?
Thinking – left, writing – right
MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Depends on the previous day
FICTIONAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTER YOU IDENTIFY WITH?
Alice, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
FAVORITE BOOK?
I’m writing one
FAVORITE MOVIE?
Inside Out, Practical Magic, Mad Max: The Fury Road; reminds me of my sisters and how we fight with each other but they always come back to my rescue no matter what
FAVORITE TV BINGE WATCH?
Friends
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
Instagram
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Georges Seurat
FAVORITE CHARITY?
ASPCA, Animal Aid Unlimited, Friendicoes, Breast Cancer Research Foundation
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY?
Sleeping
COLLECT ANYTHING?
I have an old soul and love to collect antiques and, because I travel a lot, postcards, fridge magnets, jewelry, and currency
COLOR USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN?
Love all colors, at present using a lot of blue
TYPEFACE USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN?
Gotham is the new Helvetica
DOES PRINT HAVE A ROLE IN YOUR DESIGNS?
75% of what I design is print and I love it
DESIGN MENTOR/INSPIRATION/HERO?
Tony Di Spigna, Graham Hanson, and other professors from Pratt, and Tapan Lal Dhar from India
GREATEST STRENGTH/WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER?
Strength is I work hard and with full passion; weakness is if I am working too long on a project, then I get bored, tired and lose interest
ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
Please do not go to an interview and pretend that you have tons of experience. Have the willingness to learn and the courage to say it. It has worked like magic for me.
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
Prime Minister of India, kidding! A vet or someone who works with animals or animal charity groups
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
My father always says, “Never stop learning” and my mother always says “Always stay busy”
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