Nneka, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Originally from New York, I grew up in a very artistic and musical household. Literally, day to day, someone in our household was drawing, painting, building, playing an instrument, creating music, dancing, singing, rapping or sewing. I was surrounded 24/7.
My mother is the fashion designer in the family, but as a young girl I always remembered following behind my two uncles and listening to them in their studio thinking when I get older, I want to be like them, make music and play the drums. Back then it wasn’t any Pioneer sets but the real deal scratching albums and making the crowd go wild. I wanted to be involved with music somehow. Between my two uncles, one was a rapper, and the other was a sound engineer, I would always watch, play around with the keyboards and piano. Could never master the drums but I tried.
I was so interested that they even included me in a few of there songs that were on the radio… at the young age of five. If it wasn’t music, I was designing and sewing my own doll clothes. As I got a little older, I started seeing my surroundings differently through colors and shapes and styles. I started to watch one of my uncle’s draw graffiti in his sketch pad, and he made it look so easy. Usually, in NY, you see that passing through the city streets, so cool and beautiful I knew I wanted to draw and create pretty things like what he was sketching.
There was a time that my aunt even tried to teach me to paint, and I wasn’t catching on but now its mostly what I do, lol. I was surrounded by such adversity and beauty within my family and in the outside world growing up in New York, I don’t see how art couldn’t be a part of my life. Not until I moved to Texas I realized how much I really loved Art and was actually great at it. Through high school I experimented with sports, marching band, athletic training, etc. but art was always my thing. I actually won state competitions with creations or drawings my junior and senior year in High School.
Any class that was associated with art, I took it and soon decided to pursue a career in the field. Around the time I was graduating, computers were the future, and graphic design was the perfect combination for me. Now deciding to be a professional in the life of art wasn’t very easy. Living amongst so many artistic entities that knew the struggles and hardships “Starving Artist” I was told to really think about it. From family, teachers to advisors I was continuously asked, “Are you sure?” I answered yes and kept moving forward.
Unsure of the next step for the best career path, I went to Stephen F. Austin State University to at least get my liberals and basics out of the way. When I chose my college of choice, Pratt Institute, I was asked again by school advisors “Are you sure that school?… it’s hard to get in.” Again, I said “Yes.” I didn’t know the significance of the school itself, but I knew it was good for my major, visual communication, and New York was where the heart was. I was persuaded to choose other majors, but I took a chance despite how many times I heard… “Are you sure?”
In mid-December of 1999, I applied to Pratt Institute located in Brooklyn, New York for the following 2000 Fall Semester. I had to get professional pictures taken of all my current works and just do it. I had no expectations, just new I had a dream. After my mother and I went through the application process plus gearing up for Christmas, within a week or so there appears a letter from Pratt. Scared to open it and confused as we weren’t expecting anything so soon, I was accepted for Spring of January 2000. Yes, Spring!
We were in shock, I was also given a couple of grants and had less than two weeks to prepare to make a life decision. Leave it all behind and keep on going. It’s a hard decision leaving family and friends, but hard decisions is one of the ways we progress in life. After graduation in 2003, I freelanced a lot with local rappers in Queens, Brooklyn, and Spanish Harlem designing CD covers and doing their photoshoots. I tried to jump into the music scene head-on, but you have to crawl before you walk. After a few years, I decided to move back to Texas and continue on my path as an artist.
I am a very visual person, if I can see it in my head, I can produce it and make it come to life. Within weeks of my arrival I was designing and building Festival/Carnival photo prop stands for the city of Duncanville. The next month, I’m working with a local college designing materials for the Disney Institute. After that project was done, I found a more permanent graphic design position for the next seven years at a franchise company. In that job itself, I had so many opportunities, working with WNBA players, singers, actors, models, fortune 500 companies and more.
But even with all of that, I felt that I wasn’t able to be my true creative self or anywhere near creatively satisfied. I was limited on what I can do and decided the only way to use my creativity to its capacity was to start my own business. When you are working a great job with great pay plus a young child, trying to find the right time to move on is always a challenge, but there’s never a right time. I left my job of seven years with two reoccurring clients but somehow with God, persistence, faith, and support of loved ones I was able to stay on my path.
Shortly after my leap of faith I became involved heavily into the Caribbean community in Dallas as their lead Graphic Designer. Made complete sense as my roots and my family are from Trinidad and Tobago. Within a couple of years, I soon had clientele in Houston, then NY, Phoenix, Las Vegas to overseas. In five years, I went from being the freshman in the community at the age of 33 to one of the most in-demand designers, and it’s beyond a blessing. There isn’t a day that I don’t give thanks to be able to live a life as a creative visionary and have it be perceived and accepted by my peers and the world.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would say yes and no. I have learned so much the past five years as a person and an artist. My main clientele is pretty much the entertainment industry. I am surrounded by lots of promoters, DJs, Performing Artist, etc. Pretty much a woman in a “man’s” world. It’s not as easy to gain the respect as a woman or as an equal. For one, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard. You created this? You did this? This is you? but you are a girl.
One thing I strive for in every project is for the viewer to look at the design and not know if it was a woman or a man that designed it. If you look at my work, you should not be able to tell the difference. If you can, then I have work to do! So I would say the respect as a woman isn’t always there. Also as a freelancer, clients have the tendency to think you are only their designer solely working for them. Imagine that thought x100 (clients).
So you try your best to make sure everyone is covered, deadlines are met, and they love their product either as much or more than you do. Five years can sound long, but it’s not. I was fresh with new ideas and a different look from the rest of the designers so my business grew very quickly. Plus still learning entrepreneurship and the business all together there were a lot of obstacles, but nothing that I couldn’t overcome.
You had other designers not wanting to collaborate with you or people trying to diminish your value, but that’s all apart of the process not just in business but in life. Another issue is payment. I’ve had trouble with getting paid my worth or shortage of payment.
One of the sayings my old boss would preach to clients and to us is that you can not go to Walmart or any grocery store and say, “Can I have my groceries and pay you later?” I get that same question, “… can I pay later?” or “I got you” often lol, but you stand firm because if you don’t, they will never take you seriously and will always get…. “Can I get the moon and stars for the price of a nickel” (LOL). I have been told that I am way too nice which I agree to an extent, but that doesn’t give the reasoning to be treated unfairly.
No matter what you do in life there will always be a few who will try to block your path, but because of me being “too” nice, along with experiences, and a huge support system I am where I am today and wouldn’t change any obstacles along the way. You learn from the lack of knowledge, you learn from your mistakes, you learn from those around you. Whether in business or in life, in general, you have to go through these things to get to exactly where you should be. It can be a hard road and plenty of lessons to learn, but what’s at the finish line makes it all worth it.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with NYO Designs – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My company is NYO Designs, which is all freelance based. I am the only designer under my company at the moment. I specialize in any and everything that is art but mainly Graphic Design services, such as; logos, websites, event flyers, business cards, brochures, billboards, packaging design and more. My fine arts also fall under the same brand as I am known as, N.Y.O. to most of my clients and peers. You know its real when you are no longer referred to by your first name but N.Y.O.
I think one or two people in my life actually call me Nneka, everyone else its either N.Y.O., Nyo or Neeks and it doesn’t bother me one bit. N.Y.O. is short, but it means a tremendous deal to me. I used to function under the name N2Graphics (two for the two N’s in my name) which was before I took that leap and started my own business. I wanted a change and something simple but meaningful. So there are a couple of meanings…
1. N.Y.O (New York Original) and 2. “Nyo” is actually tied to my daughter’s name Nya aka the CEO of the company. She’s 8 and my number one fan and audience. She holds nothing back, whether she loves what I am working on or not, she will let it be known, lol. I would say I am known for my vision. These days anyone can design anything whether you went to school for it or not. There are many who want to design or decide to do it themselves to save time and money.
Designing to me isn’t just a job or something I just do. I put a lot of effort and thought into my work and am emotionally connected. It can be the simplest project… ex: a flyer can be for a 50th birthday party. What I do is tap into what the manner of the event is. I may play a song that connects or play back the convo I had with the client constantly in my head, so I am as in tune as possible with what I am working on. I do this to make sure you as the client is getting exactly what you expected or more from me. My work represents me, but also my client and their happiness is most important.
When you get your final product, you should be able to not only see your information in a beautiful or cool way, but you are to feel something emotionally and want to be a part of or attend the event. That’s what I strive for. Also, my designs come out as artwork as well. Instead of a client saying, “hey I need a flyer,” instead I get “hey I need one of your artworks.” I think that is so interesting but its true, the flyers I design do come out like a work of art, and that’s what sets me apart. I am also personable, a peoples person.
Though, I am very very very quiet as I am always thinking and creating. I do love and appreciate all of my clients and supporters and do my best to connect with them so I can be sure they get the best and most creative work out of me every time, but I am pretty quiet as well. I can’t imagine not being able to create, so to be able to do this on a daily basis is so fulfilling and a blessing.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
One of my plans/goals for 2018 was to prepare myself to be more involved with the “Artist” in me. Life as a graphic designer is very fast past with deadlines galore. Until recently I was averaging two-three drawings a year due to time. Fine arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) is where it all began and where the heart and peace is. Even though I find so much beauty in my everyday routine of design, there is something more authentic when I’m in “Artist” mode.
A few months ago, a great opportunity was presented to me… my very own Art Show in Brooklyn, New York which is happening on May 4th of this year. After sharing the news, a Houston show was scheduled for the following month June 9th, with a few other possibilities in other states. Other ventures that are in progress are appearances as an artist producing live paintings and paint and sip style classes. Its very surreal to have your dreams unfolded in front of you right before your eyes, but with hard work, you can achieve anything. It’s a lot of work and dedication.
I hear all the time, “We don’t see you, where have you been” but I’m still here just creating and pushing forward. When I first decided to have my business I told myself I want to show the world my art, and I can say I did so on some levels; but to actually show my Paintings and Drawings, what I can really do, is on a level on its on. Not only will I be known internationally as NYO the designer but also the Artist. I tell any and everyone never to limit yourself.
If you can see it, if you feel it in your heart you can achieve it. It may not go exactly how you planned, and there are days when you want to throw in the towel, but you can not give up. All the hard work and obstacles along the way will come out all worth it at the end. I can testify to that first hand. Whatever you want to do in life… believe as much or more in yourself. Do something everyday that contributes to your forward path and keep pushing no matter what.
Have belief, faith and strive towards your vision and passion. Trust me, all the hard work definitely pays off at the end. Lastly, one way or another… I WILL STILL learn how to DJ, scratching records and make the crowd go wild.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nyo.graphics
- Phone: 972.213.8886
- Email: nyodesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
theartistnyo - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/NyoDesigns/ - Twitter: https://www.twitter.
com/nyodesigns - Other: www.nyo.graphics/art
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Joe Ownbey
January 9, 2019 at 5:23 pm
I am fortunate to be a client and friend of Nneka Roberts for several years. She is extremely talented, creative, funny and easy to work with. LOVE HER! It’s fantastic seeing this article, a tribute to her success.
Derwin
January 10, 2019 at 11:07 am
She is very very talented!!!!