Vanessa Shimon is a New York–based communication designer and Parsons School of Design graduate whose practice blends printmaking, digital tools, and deeply human curiosity. Trained at Parsons School of Design, Vanessa balances formal education with a largely self-taught approach that began in middle school with nothing more than a phone, an app, and obsession-led curiosity. In this interview, she reflects on learning through making, the enduring value of print and sketchbooks, and her desire to create work that resists automation in favour of empathy, play, and human touch.
Tell us about where you study/studied and some of your highlights and favourite lecturers and if you are self taught, how did you do it?!
I graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Communication Design. The best thing about attending art school is the access you get to knowledge and facilities. I particularly enjoyed my printmaking classes where I got to experiment with screen printing, etching, and lithography. I loved learning from exceptional designers like YuJune Park, Kelly Walters, and Juliette Cezzar.
While school provided the structure and network, I still consider myself largely self-taught. I started in middle school with nothing but PicsArt on my phone. All you really need is curiosity, internet access, and an obsession with a piece of media so intense that the only way to channel it is to create.
Tell us about your tools / what tech, programs, equipment and environment do you do your best work in?
Adobe Suite, Procreate, pen and paper. And when the occasion calls for it, my EPSON ET-2800 printer + scanner. I’m a huge believer in starting with a sketch on paper. Right now, I'm on my fifth Stalogy 365Days notebook!
I work the best in my cozy apartment setup, though I might step out into Copper Mug Cafe in Williamsburg when the weather's nice.
Tell us some of your favourite, creative professionals and inspiring places in your city!
Living in NYC means there’s never a shortage of inspiration.
I absolutely love Byline Magazine’s art direction and design by Madeline Montoya. There’s a sense of play in her work that I aspire to have in mine as well. I’m also constantly inspired by my fellow Parsons alum Christopher Panicker’s experimental designs for Pitchfork. In a world that’s getting increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence, I’m drawn towards work that feels inherently human-made.
I’m also spoiled by the sheer amount of art book fairs happening here. Printed Matter Art Book Fair is the one I look forward to the most every year. And when that’s not happening, you can always count on local bookstores like Spoonbill & Sugartown Books and Secret Riso Club to have just the right things.
What are your biggest hopes and dreams for 2026, both for the world and your career?
I wish for a world with more empathy. With so many things going on in this world we live in, I wish that we all have the capacity to care instead of letting ourselves be desensitized.
As for my creative career, I’m hoping to get more clarity on what I actually want to do. I’m interested in many things and that in itself is reflected in my work experiences so far: interning for a fragrance brand, a video game giant, and working full-time in music. I hope to find something to focus on and just create more work I’m proud of.