Meet Loana Hernandez | Graphic Designer & Visual Artist

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

Hi Loana, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. A colorful city full of culture. Without a doubt, my educational background has a high impact on who I am today at a professional level. I studied Graphic Design and Fine Arts at the University of Zulia. I was fortunate to have very academically prepared professors, who taught me and welcomed me as a colleague during and after finishing my degree. I got to work with many of them after I graduated, and I still thank them all for teaching me so much. Undoubtedly, my educational career and the relationships that emerged from that stage, built my path to become the professional I am today.

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.
My professional life has been full of very authentic and unusual projects. I think this is the part that is most difficult for me to define when I have had to start again in another place. There are some factors that have undoubtedly allowed me to achieve many of my goals during my professional career. I would mention the approach without losing perspective of reality, the patience in which I constantly work because I am very impatient, and the passion and excellence with which I develop any project in which I am involved. These three factors, mixed with my authenticity to approach creative solutions, have been fundamental, all of them accompanied by the great capacity that I have to relate to people, and my interest in other languages, my openness to other cultures and my thirst for learning that never goes out.

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.
I would definitely take them to the Houston museum district. I am one of the people who thinks that museums give you a perspective of the country, the city or even the town where you are. The first thing I visited when I arrived in Houston was the Museum District thanks to a good friend who took me there. Discovery Green will be the next spot to visit to check the Dubuffet piece there, and then for sure we will eat something at the Asian Town in Katy, near to where I live. I love going to the asian town and visit the Kinokuniya book store and then have an ice cream or some dessert around the area.There are many places to pick from!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people and companies that have supported me in different ways during my career as a graphic designer. I could mention my first boss, Feolla Chastanet, who became a mentor in tourism marketing in a way, and with each new idea she had for Coco Palm Hotel, she brought a new challenge for me to complete. To Herena Cao, who in life was CEO of Rainforest Adventures, a park based on different Caribbean islands, who with her passion and love for nature coupled with her frankness, taught me sensitivity and strength. To Chef Bobo Bergström for making me a part of all his projects in St Lucia, W.I. To Peter Byrne for making me a fundamental part of the marketing done for Carnival Sailing for so many years. To William Rivera, my husband, who blindly entrusted me with the digital marketing of his tourism company in Venezuela Ayapaina Tours for many years, and allowed me to form a team of talented people trusting my design criteria. To my teachers: Elsy Zavarce, Alaisa Pirela, María Margarita Fermín Henriquez, Hilda Benchetrit, Beto Frangieh, Edison Parra and Raúl López

(just to mention a few). To the Museum of Contemporary Art of Zulia (MACZUL) and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama (MAC PANAMÁ), for allowing me to develop projects related to art in my career as a designer. I dedicated my shoutout to all of them.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lhdesignstudio_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loanahernandez/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lhdesignstudiotx

Image Credits
Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama. Freedom Museum, Panama