Meet Gabrielle Parris | Graphic and Motion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabrielle Parris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabrielle, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
One way I determine whether or not to keep going or give up is to ask myself two questions. Is the situation bad? Or is it just hard? There’s no sense in making yourself miserable to prove that you can accomplish something (especially if it doesn’t mean much to you in the first place). On the other hand, when a situation is hard you understand that in order to achieve a goal, it’s going to require hard work. When what you’re achieving is a part of something you enjoy, it doesn’t feel as bad to put forth the effort.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart from others is the type of work I like to do and that I’m a motion designer. I like designing for causes that promote working towards a better future. Specifically, work that targets a younger demographic. I previously worked at a software company that helped keep kids safe from online dangers. Now, I work at a company that wants to further educate adults and kids on financial literacy and the importance of it. Anywhere that I can use my skills to make someone’s future brighter is a good thing. Hard work is a key factor to me being where I am, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of others. When things got hard for me, I leaned on others to help me when I truly couldn’t figure it myself. Whether it was a listening ear or physical help, it’s much more sustainable in the long run to ask for help if you feel stuck or lost. Not being too prideful really helped pave the way to a lot of my successes and allowed me to build meaningful connections, too.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Barbados (where my family is from), I would definitely take them on an Atlantis submarine ride! It’s one of the most popular attractions. On the ride, they would be able to see a shipwreck that sits 150 feet deep. They’ll also be surrounded by the Caribbean sea and an exotic school of fish!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to all my friends and colleagues that I’ve met since I’ve started my career. I’m very fortunate to have met and worked alongside such intelligent and wonderful human beings. In some way, they’ve all taught/influenced me to be the person I am today and I’m very grateful.

Website: https://www.behance.net/gabbyparrisdesign

Instagram: @gabbyaparris