Six Questions for Esmeralda Hopwood

Get to know Esmeralda Hopwood, BatesMeron’s new Designer! Her lifelong passion for all things art and design makes her a perfect fit for our team.

I interviewed Esmeralda as part of our 6 Questions feature: a series of one-on-one interviews with people we work with who make us proud. Sometimes we like to turn the tables and put our staffers in the hot seat, so you get to meet them, and see just how special our team is.

1. We Like to Kick These Interviews Off with a Little Spill the Bees. From a Card Drawn Randomly: If You Could Ask Your Pet Three Questions, What Would They Be?

Why are you always sighing? My dog sighs very loudly and very dramatically from the other side of the house and I’d love to know why.

Since you’re banned from the dog park due to your bullying, what other activities would you like to do to help keep you stimulated?

Do you really prefer Jordan (my husband) over me even though I’m the one who gives you literally everything? I feel like I could be falling off a cliff and Milo would still run to Jordan.

2. As One of Our New Designers, Tell Us About the Journey That Led You to BatesMeron.

I feel like I started my career a little backwards compared to most other designers. I started off as freelancer and then became an in-house designer and then transitioned into an agency. I chose to join BatesMeron because I wanted a place where I could collaborate with other creatives and be able to grow my skillset. The benefit of the career path I chose is that I’ve become a jack of all trades—I’ve literally had to learn how to do every role.

3. If You Weren’t a Designer, What Would You Be Doing?

I would love to be a props manager or stage manager and work as part of a crew for a theatre company. I LOVED working in the theatre!

The energy, the late nights, the comradery, the blood, sweat and tears that go into every production—there is just something about working crew that makes me feel alive.

4. What Are Some of Your Top Sources for Creative Inspiration?

I like following other illustrators on Instagram. Some of my favorites are:

Tommy Perez @t_rez – His work is really fun and vibrant, and I love his use of paper crafting and photography.
Sarah Graley @sarahgraley – She has a great sense of humor and is a really great storyteller. She is one of my favorite comic artists.
Maggie Enterrios @littlepatterns – She is an extremely beautiful and elevated illustrator. I aspire to bring my own illustration to her level of detail.

I also really like people and neighborhood watching. I get inspired by street art like the murals, stickers and posters I find around the neighborhoods. Seeing how people act or what they are wearing also informs a lot of my work.

5. You’ve Mentioned Your Enjoyment for Listening to True Crime, Do You Have A Favorite True Crime Podcast?

Last Podcast on The Left is my absolute favorite. I also really like paranormal true crime, so I listen to Let’s Get Haunted. And although not true crime related, I recommend everyone listen to Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Why Won’t You Date Me—they are both amazing!

6. Since We’re a Branding Agency, We Have to Ask: What Are Your Top Three Favorite Brands and Why?

Dark Matter Coffee – They’ve done a really good job of incorporating beautiful illustration into their package and cafe design. They’ve also made a huge effort to stay involved within their community by working with local artists. Plus, their coffee is delicious.

Jeni’s Ice Cream – Their photography paired with fun typography and beautiful pints make me crave their ice cream even more than normal.

Function of Beauty – Their designed a really good system for customers to be able to self-select what they need for their hair without having to go online and fill out a quiz. Their packaging is easy to understand and beautiful.