Lucas Niemi
I am a visual artist and writer, passionate about creating high-quality creative work for people and businesses. I believe strongly in the value of creative ideas that authentically connect people and brands in an enriching partnership. In a world of increasing attempts to grab our attention, I believe in honest storytelling that stands out from the slop.
My Creative Story
I completed two years of school at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the Advertising and Branding program and am now completing a Marketing degree from the University of Louisville. Originally from Northern Kentucky, I moved to Savannah in search of a school to enhance my creative pursuits. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to move back home and take some time away from school. This decision was driven by the school moving online, and SCAD being quite an expensive school, so I felt best to take some time away. After working for a year and a half, I transferred to the University of Louisville to pursue a degree in marketing, at a school closer to home and about a fifth of the cost compared to SCAD.
I began my artistic career as a photographer when I was 15. I was inspired by the way Youtuber Casey Neistat told stories. I admired the way he could masterfully communicate an idea through videos and wanted to learn how to communicate that way myself. My passion for visual art and communicating ideas had begun, and I began to work to get better at my craft. After working for a year, I was accepted into the Governor’s School for the Arts in Kentucky for Film and Photography. As one of 12 applicants selected out of 200, this was a huge honor and a big opportunity to develop my creative talent.
At GSA, I developed my artistic vision and reached a level of quality where I could begin to be paid for my work. I began freelancing as a photographer and small-scale filmmaker. I did this for a year until I decided to graduate high school a year early and attend SCAD to push my work further.
At SCAD, I developed my artistic skills in other areas such as graphic design, 3d design, and digital art. I. became proficient at the creative cloud suite, mastering the tools I needed to communicate my ideas through digital mediums. I learned a lot about the creative process, and how to come up with 100s of ideas. Everyone says to “think outside the box”, and thanks to one of my favorite professors Luke Sullivan, I can now produce ideas on command through a process, not waiting around hoping for divine inspiration.
At Louisville, I developed my business, writing, and consumer psychology skills to pair with my creative background. I learned research and analytical skills that helped me put myself in the shoes of the target market - what does a typical day look like for them? What do they want out of the world, how does our brand help them, and how can I best communicate that benefit? I believe that my combination of a strong creative background, with a deep understanding of consumer psychology, makes me a perfect fit to work in the advertising industry.
My main focus remains advertising and branding, learning skills as a copywriter and art director. I hope to combine my wide array of skills into a successful advertising career. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read about my story and I look forward to meeting you some day.