Sidney Berry: the FAMU Alumna Who Lives By Her Own Design
Sidney Berry, Class of 2024
Who would’ve thought that one required graphic design course would open up a world of design? Sidney Berry is a brilliant example of you never know where your next interest is gonna come from. Born in the suburbs of Metro, Atlanta, Sidney grew up in a predominantly white area which fueled her desire for the HBCU experience. Her want to be surrounded by other talented and educated black individuals, led her to FAMU. There she was a four year public relations major and recently graduated in May 2024.
The marketing electives offered at her high school introduced her to the creative side of business. Sidney says, “I really enjoyed learning about, career wise, the path I wanted to go down.” Keeping her career options open led to a beginning she didn’t even see coming. However, it wasn’t until her freshman year in the school of journalism at FAMU that she was introduced to the world of graphic design.
During that first class, Sidney discovered not only how much she enjoyed the work, but also her own proficient skill. The tools of Photoshop and Adobe Design cracked open a new avenue of artistic expression that has now doubled as her career. She finds herself constantly pulling inspiration from social media sites such as Pinterest and professional campaigns.
A big influence on her work is the Nike campaign; the brand’s simplistic, eye-catching, and strong statements reflects her own work. Nike is a perfect mirror of her favored aesthetics:simplicity, minimalism, pops of color, and a throw in of other elements. Sidney’s artistic path, however, can come with challenges.
To Sidney, creative blocks are not only discouraging, but can leave one to doubt their skills, as well as how time consuming designing can be. She shares earnestly, “if you’re not feeling inspired by anything, or if you feel as if nothing comes to mind, that can hinder you and set you back. Sometimes, we have thoughts like, ‘maybe I’m not creative enough for graphic design,’ or ‘there are others who are better than me,’” Despite these roadblocks , she’s made her way to the Bloomberg Media Department in New York post-graduation.
When asked to give advice to aspiring creatives, Sidney responds, “Take inspiration from everything, really. Open your mind to trying new things and just practice. . . Put in the extra time to teach yourself new skills, because you can only improve. Don't get discouraged, especially if you're trying to get into a more detailed art form. As long as you take time to practice your craft, you will be fine.”
Sidney is passionate about creating a black business that promotes diversity. When asked her plans for the future, she shares “I’d love to have my own multimedia firm that revolves around graphic design, marketing, creating logos, and doing events.”With so little representation seen in the industry, her determination and joy of the craft brings in a refreshing narrative. Sidney continues to find graphic design a creative outlet that allows her to present the world her very best. So she’s taking her own advice for the future: believing in herself and going to “just go for it.”
After all, it's all up to her design.
Sidney takes commissions and shares her work via her Instagram @cnceptsbyberry. There you can find her breathtaking SKIMS redesign or her clever event graphics.