Alumni Interview: Amanda Ricciardi
DIVA Visual Communications Career Alumnae
http://www.amandaricciardi.com/
Interview by Lauren Fromin
We caught up with Visual Communications Career Program Alumnae Amanda Ricciardi, who has continued her impressive visual design work from abroad, building her own freelance company.
What was your goal when enrolling in DIVA's Visual Communications Career program?
When applying to the program my goal was to ultimately grow in my creative skill set in video and graphic design in order to expand the services I planned on offering as a professional. Having a wide variety of skills (in addition to my BFA in photography) is something that has always been important to me. Although photography was my first love, I prefer working with a variety of creative fields. I saw the pursuit of this program as the perfect opportunity to obtain this goal.
What are you working on now?
Shortly after graduating from FUA I worked on branding a business enterprise in North Cyprus. After this job was completed I moved to Malmö, Sweden where I am currently freelancing in both photography and graphic design. The current project I am working on is branding an online vintage clothing store.
How did FUA's DIVA Career Program prepare you for what you are doing now?
FUA gave me working knowledge of what it’s like to be a creative professional. Through the intensive program, I was able to quickly gain these skills and subsequently apply them in a professional working environment. This was the best thing about FUA’s program. Having had this work experience prior to looking for jobs gave me the confidence I was lacking after previously graduating with a bachelor's degree. I was able to dive into the working world with a smooth, anxiety-free transition.
What are the most valuable skills you acquired through the Visual Communications Career program?
The most valuable skill I acquired was definitely the ability to create a brand. This skill has gotten me the most work. There are so many small businesses out there that have no clue about proper branding. Being able to help small businesses grow is something really rewarding for me, so this skill has been especially important when it comes to working with what I am passionate about.
Tell us about your time in Italy, what were some of your favorite experiences?
Simply walking to and from class everyday was my favorite part about living in Florence. This gave me an opportunity to personally know this beautiful city, breathing in its air, noticing the details of a building as I passed by, observing the people who reside there. There is so much to notice and take in. The discoveries are infinite. Florence truly is an inspiring city.
What advice do you have for future FUA students?
Work hard. I know it’s easy to get swept up in the study abroad experience and fall into the routine of wanting to travel or go out rather than studying or working. My advice would be to use the city as an inspiration to work hard and be innovative and creative with what you do. If you allow the city to be that place for you, you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of your work.
What was your favorite project during the program?
My favorite project was definitely the Genius Loci videos we created for the Galileo conference hosted at FUA. Although this necessarily wasn’t my best work coming out of the program, it was my favorite to work on. This project gave us the opportunity to get to know Florence in a more intimate way while allowing us to be as creative as we wanted to be.
Check out Amanda's work at http://www.amandaricciardi.com/
*DIVA is the Digital Imaging and Visual Arts division of Florence University of the Arts
