Valerie Kieta is the undisputed queen of Production Plus graphics. Her keen eye for detail, artistic sensibility, and grace under hard deadline pressure never fails to amaze and astound. No show is complete without Val's finishing touches. SBD caught up with her for a few moments between projects to find out a few things about life in the art department.

SBD
When did you start doing graphic design?

VK
I’ve only been at Production Plus for four years. I started doing computer backup work, you know, backing up all Production Plus’ information on DVD.  I ended  up getting along really well with the Production Plus designer.  I was offered a job as his assistant.  He just threw me into things, kind of a baptism by fire, gave me jobs trying to figure out how to do things in Photoshop, Illustrator,  and that’s how I fell into it.

But I’ve done print for a long time.  My father owned a graphic arts company.  It was a completely different end of the industry, we made the film that went to the big printing presses, so I had print experience, working with color separations and Pantone colors and that sort of thing.

SBD
Did you study art in high school, or did you have any formal training?

VK
No.  I was a dental assistant before I started doing this.  (Laughs)  Computer design didn’t really exist when I was a kid, so there was no chance to study it.

SBD
Have you found, along the way, that you’ve developed a strong sense of design? Do you have any design philosophy?

VK
I don’t think it’s just a nuts and bolts process.  it’s completely different each day.  Design is subjective.  The first thing you learn is never fall in love with anything you do, because what one person thinks is brilliant another person thinks is … (laughs)

That’s the most fun thing about my job: trying to find the one thing that the client thinks is just excellent.  Once you get a feel for that then you can really start moving.

SBD
Where do you Production Plus projects  going?  Picture your dream project.  Where would you want to take graphics?  Is there anything you’ve seen happening out there that you think is the future for Production Plus?

VK
I think right now there are so many new concepts ,  so many things that I’ve seen recently … there is so much more you can do with trade shows these days, for example.   It’s really departed from “here’s your kiosk, here’s your backdrop …” Like,  a medical supplier client of ours needed a trade show booth,  but we built a whole environment for them, something unique. There were  areas beyond what you might think you’d find at a trade show.  You see it as you approach and think, “what is that?” you go in and it’s like you’re in a completely different world.  I love that; I love making something stand out, something that transforms.

SBD
Not just printing graphics for walls but pulling themoff  the walls?

VK
Yeah … there are so many things you can do now with curved lines, stretchable fabrics, things that are so much more advanced than what was there even three, four years ago … you can create so much more dimension and depth than before, printers are so multi-functional … and so now graphics can be the same way.

SBD
Any other examples of great environmental shows that Pro Plus has done?

VK
The Nike Warehouse was really a cool thing.  That was just an empty warehouse that was totally revised and made a place for Nike Indoor Soccer tournaments.  They came to us and said that they wanted to do this for inner city youth and to promote indoor soccer, as a way to keep kids away from inner city violence.  That was a cool project.  John Archer did a lot of custom painting, I did a lot of custom prints .  That happened in two places in Chicago, one of them right in front of Soldier Field.

Val's graphics in action at the Nike Warehouse.

SBD
Production Plus did that all in house?  Design, build, the whole nine yards?

VK
(Nods) Yeah.  That was a project where they just gave me the elements and I ran with them.

SBD
How would you like to see Production Plus expand?

VK
I think we are expanding.  We’re doing things we’ve never done before: restaurants like Paul’s Pizza and Sloppy Jo’s, even our trade shows.  We’re building more and more of those sorts of things.  Our sales force is bringing in new work from different areas, and we’re rising to the occasion.

We’re also expanding in other ways; our new hardboard printer is online and that is going to allow us to do things in-house that we’ve never done before.  What I’m hoping to do with that is go out and get jobs that are just prints, you know?  But it’s also going to allow us to serve our existing clients better: produce better looking, more durable prints faster.  That’s a lot of expansion. (laughs)

SBD
Did you help pick out the printer?

VK
Yeah.  (Grins) We’ve got a 54” flatbed printer with a roll unit, so we can do in-house prints on Sintra, Gatorboard, do outdoor banners, canvas prints … a lot of the stuff we had to send out of house before we’ll be able to produce right here, which means greater control, accuracy  and a lower price point for our clients.

SBD
What innovations are coming with this printer that Pro Plus has not seen before?

VK
Well, flatbed printing with UV ink.  It’s scratchproof, waterproof, it doesn’t fade.  The ink is hardened by UV lights as soon as it’s laid down– almost like when you get a filling at the dentist now.  So the light scans over the ink and by the time it comes out of the printer it’s dry.  It’s miles ahead of what used to be.

Working at the new printer.

SBD
Is there anything that you’d like to try that you feel you haven’t tried yet, graphic-wise?

VK
I would love to start doing more 3D renderings, getting more into understanding the set design itself.  If I can have a greater understanding of how the set works and the realities of it, how to use compound curves, that sort of thing, it will allow me to push graphics further.

SBD
Where do you feel you’re strongest?

VK
Getting things done.  (Grins) Making deadlines, dealing with the immense flow of work that hits us sometimes.   I can work under pressure, get everything done and turn out a great product.  It can be incredibly demanding sometimes and I’m really good at handling that.  On some shows I end up talking directly to the end client and making sure that they get what they want because the producer is dealing with other stuff.  Producers can be confident in me that I’m looking out for the larger show and keeping them informed and in mind when I talk directly to the client.

SBD
Is there anyone that you work with that inspires you?

VK
(Thinks) I think everybody has his or her own strengths.  Everyone in the Art Department at Production Plus is pretty close knit … you learn something from everyone every day.  Every one of my colleagues inspires me, all the time.

Also, sometimes, even something I’ll see driving home on the side of the road will get me inspired, some random good billboard or something … I didn’t used to notice those things, but now I do and they inform my work.  You look at things that sometimes are so simple and yet so perfect, it really shows you how subtle and important details can be.