Alumni
Alumna Designs Edible Art for Christian Louboutin and Lauren Conrad
Liz Joy graduated in 2005 with her degree in Graphic Design. She started out her career as an art director in Hollywood before she started her own business, Inspired To Taste, where she designs one-of-a-kind edible art for Christian Louboutin, Sugar Bear Hair, Tori Spelling, and more.
Tell us a little about yourself and your company, Inspired To Taste: I'm a former art director turned accidental baker. At Inspired to Taste, I design one-of-a-kind edible art for events and content creation.
How did you become a sugar artist? After graduating from FIDM, I worked as a brand manager, then graphic designer, then as an art director for a Hollywood agency for nearly a decade. About four years ago I got really sick and had to take a leave of absence (and eventually resign) from my AD job in order to focus on my health. I was stuck at home worried about losing my creative edge, so decided to learn to bake to pass the time. I chronicled my efforts on Instagram and a couple of my first sets of decorated cookies were reposted by high profile accounts (@vladamua and @moschino). Within a week of the IG features, I started receiving inquiries from companies like Urban Decay and Sugar Bear Hair. Since then I've had the pleasure of creating custom treats for Christian Louboutin, Sephora, laurenconrad.com, Tori Spelling, KISS Beauty, and more.
What are some of your favorite projects? Getting to design custom cookies for a Christian Louboutin event, catering treats for a party at Tori Spelling's house, and organizing a custom dessert spread for a Coachella party hosted by Sugar Bear Hair (which included portrait cookies for Halsey, Millie Bobby Brown and Vanessa Hudgens) are all stand-outs. I've recently been spending more time developing my pie art skills, which is turning out to be incredibly fun. My very favorite cookie design to date is an edible wedding gown I got to create for Modern Luxury Weddings magazine.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? My creative career 100% began with FIDM. It was my first foray into the world of visual editing (something I've fallen more and more in love with). FIDM also taught me how to think outside of the box, brainstorm more creatively, and successfully organize and execute my ideas. I never imagined I'd bring those abilities to the world of baking, but they're definitely all skills that have helped me create truly unique pieces and presentations that stand out in a pretty competitive market.
Any advice for current FIDM Students? Do the work and push yourself. FIDM is a competitive environment, so use that to your advantage. Learn from each other's successes and failures, and try to continually improve your work and your understanding of the creative process. And don't get discouraged. Always make a concerted effort to learn from your mistakes, and just work to do better next time. Strive for improvement rather than perfection, and that will help you manage any overwhelm.
What is your biggest goal right now? I'm planning to begin teaching in 2019, and am super excited about it. I also keep a list of dream clients and would like to check off a few more names =)
Anything else you’d like to share? One of the biggest lessons I've learned from my recent experience of (accidentally) starting my career over is to stay open to opportunities. This means finding a balance between confidence and humbleness. Learn to let go of a little control, but never stop believing you'll succeed. I guarantee there are so many opportunities out there you can't even begin to imagine. Try things that interest you just to see if they stick. Say yes to the opportunities that excite you, even if they also scare you. Push yourself and think outside the box.
Keep up with Liz Joy at inspiredtotaste.com and on Instagram @inspiredtotaste.
Categories: Graphic Design Alumni
