Paladin

Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: City Style

Media Credit: Christian Millan [Click to enlarge]

Three years ago, Sherry Snodgrass, 36, returned to college enrolling at LBCC to focus on the interior design program. Today, she is a Designer Assistant for design firm HFSConcept4, Inc.

Snodgrass has been interested in interior design since high school. She studied photography at Santa Monica College and applied her creative design skills on Hollywood sets as art director for the mainstream, award winning, Tortilla Soup, as well as many independent films.

Since LBCC already was a part of her community, it was easy for her to decide to enroll in interior design classes (I.D.) and obtain her associate's degree.

In Fundamentals of Interior Design, (I.D. 1) taught by instructor Juliana Edlund, she experienced a first semester that many students can relate to, dealing with the hectic process of registration and insecurity. Snodgrass made a career change from Hollywood set designing to interior design and was grateful the environment in the class was welcoming enough for her to forget her timidity.

As Snodgrass began to dominate her presentation, she developed her creativity and pursued her goal. "After my first presentation I began fine tuning, I knew I would ultimately be selling my graphics," Snodgrass said.

Snodgrass didn't find pride in her work until she received her very first critiques.

Snodgrass says, "They're professional judges, people who represent the industry."

After time she became accustomed to the process behind designing and realized that presentation was a big part of the business.

The in-class learning experience, provided by Edlund, consisted of continuous presentations from professional interior designers and the industry.

"The entire staff is devoted to the students, everyone is very open and they provide the knowledge you require," Snodgrass said.

She also acknowledges that the several field trips organized by the department were helpful and essential to form contacts and business networking.

On one trip to Long Beach-based design firm HFS/Concept4, Snodgrass said to her instructor, "I want to work for this firm." Late in her second semester, she started an internship at HFSConcept4 Inc. and was hired six months later.

Being exposed to the basic functions of the firm broadened her perception as she continued her courses at LBCC.

Since then, Snodgrass has worked on various projects assisting a designer with whom she has developed a good chemistry. Snodgrass started her own business, along with another LBCC I.D. students, called 2D Designs, which focuses on residential projects.

Snodgrass' latest achievement is her recent contribution in a revised Lowe's home decoration book. Snodgrass contributed a color board demonstrating how a color can be a tool while decorating.

Now only a semester away from achieving her goal Snodgrass says, "I still love the intensity of working with deadlines and seeing a project take shape."

Snodgrass was elected president of the Interior Design Club at its first meeting, and encourages students interested in design to join the club for its second meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 1 to 2 p.m.

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