Meet Grace van Meurer

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Grace van Meurer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Finding my purpose within the broad umbrella of graphic design has taken years of trial and error. I began my career working in-house before gaining agency experience where I had exposure to a wide range of clients across nearly every industry. I learned a lot at those early jobs—most importantly that my introverted personality would not be a good fit at a typical office job.

In 2018 I left the agency I was working for in Chicago and moved across the country to Houston for my husband’s work. I took this as an opportunity to try doing my own thing and pieced together a freelance client roster from making wedding invitations for friends, picking up temp positions, and working for remote agencies. It took another three years before my workload was consistently full, but I kept myself busy while I was building my portfolio.

When I wasn’t working for clients, I was working on a blog and Instagram account about renovating my house. The work that I did on my blog initially filled my time while I was building my freelance business, but grew to propel my career forward. My blog was a space where I had freedom to experiment and move beyond the usual scope of a graphic designer. I honed my photography, copywriting and storytelling skills, and also taught myself how to develop WordPress websites. This extracurricular work is specifically where I found my purpose.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In 2022, I had more than a full time workload and officially started Studio van M alongside my husband, Michael. Studio van M merges the skills I’ve honed over years of practicing graphic design and experimental work with Michael’s business acumen.

Rather than niching down in one particular medium of design, our niche is our client base. We utilize all of our skills to best serve designers, ateliers, content creators, and luxury hospitality groups. We’ve found that we can create a highly considered system at every touchpoint when we can collaborate with a client through designing the branding, launching a website, and providing ongoing support with all additional collateral.

The work we’ve done for Four Seasons New York Downtown is a great example of this multi-disciplinary approach to working with a client. We recently launched an In-Room Shopping Experience for guests to browse and purchase a curated selection of products as an extension of the bespoke blog we designed and developed for the property. The launch included The Art of NYC Game, a two-in-one memory and Go Fish card game which is inspired by the art and culture of New York City. The game serves as both a keepsake and an immersive experience, guiding players through the iconic landmarks and attractions of the city both figuratively and literally.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey have been curiosity, empathy, and tenacity. My best advice to anyone early in their journey is to make it a point to try new things, work to understand your clients perspectives, and know that success does not happen overnight—or even over a year.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I’ve struggled at times with feeling like the work I do as a graphic designer in the luxury space is vain and frivolous. I recently read The Creative Pragmatist by Amy Smilovic and didn’t realize how much I needed to hear this until I did:

…but my true aim here is to help you figure out how to problem-solve and think about style. I stand behind the notion that to know your style is to know yourself, and that helps give you order in life. It allows you to let beauty in, however you define beauty. For me, it uplifts the spirit to be surrounded by an environment that enriches me mentally and stimulates me visually. Style is not frivolous; it can feed the soul. And a full soul is a really good thing.
Amy Smilovic, The Creative Pragmatist

I return to this quote when I need a reminder of why I do what I do—it’s so much more than just making our clients look good. Our practice is inspired by the feeling of stepping in to a well designed space—and that feeling is well worth pursuing.