mcville: Larissa Meek Interview

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Larissa Meek Interview

Jan 24, 08:11 PM by Marko

Larissa Meek Interview

Interview with Larissa Meek at larissameek.com

Marko: Hello Larissa ! For our reader’s could you tell something about yourself? (year old and other stuff):

Larissa: I’m 28 years old and here’s a condensed version.

I’m a senior designer at AgencyNet and I have a personal site at LarissaMeek.com.
My background is in 3D animation and Traditional Art from SAIC.
I competed in the Miss USA ’01 and Miss Teen USA ’97 pageants (representing Missouri). I’m a former model and actress.
BUT... You’ll most likely know me as the girl from NBC’s "Average Joe: Hawaii".
I’m still happily together with the Gil, despite the end of the reality show.

Marko:How are you doing these days?
Larissa: Working long days but loving every moment of it. I’m also developing a redesign of LarissaMeek.com.

Marko:When did you first encounter a keyboard or computer?
Larissa: Going way back to second grade it was DOS. I never understood how to make the turtle move around the screen. Somehow, I don’t think that counts. I think it truley began when I decied to study 3D animation in 1997 and then changed directions to web design in 2001.

Marko:What is your favorite art work /website!?
Larissa: Bear Skin Rug. I could play around with the “Drag ‘N Drop Bear” all day long.

Marko:When you launched larissameek.com were you happy with the result of the site?

Larissa: My personal site has gone through multiple iterations and I like to keep experimenting. I loved the current result especially with the release of WordPress 2.0 but I’m gearing up for something new in 2007!

Marko:What do you do in your spare time (We realize that spare time, in this context)
Larissa: Draw, paint or think about ideas for blog entries.

Marko:Do you have a favorite drink? How much of it do you drink?
Larissa: Coffee, especially Lattes… I also enjoy red wine. I have coffle daily.

Marko:I am always wondering how people such as yourself go about getting work? How do you do it?
Larissa: Working for a renowned company such as AgencyNet is a dream come true. I don’t have to worry about finding work. It allows me to focus on the creative but I believe in all businesses, getting work is about building relationships.

Marko:Would you care to give us a brief overview of what a typical day is like for you ?

Larissa: I have some coffee in the morning while watching the Today Show and I check my email. After a 10 minute drive I arrive at AgencyNet around 10 am. The pace is incredibly fast and demanding but I love the challenge of each new project. The days are full of meetings, deadlines, and joy. At some point we break out in paper ball fights or rubber band wars. We get massages every other Friday. (Nice huh?)

After a long day of web artistry I head back home around 7 – 9pm and turn on my laptop. I’m a night owl. I go to bed between 1am & 3 am.

Marko: Who are some of your biggest influences?
Larissa:

Life: My parents, my boyfriend & his family, and God
Art: Picasso, Walt Disney, Gustav Klimt and many more.
Web: The AgencyNet team, every CSS gallery in existence and The FWA

Marko: Is your background in design? What was the progression into web development and design like?
Larissa: I never thought life would have led me down this path… but here I am! I grew up with asthma as a child, causing me to develop an intense interest in art since I couldn’t participate in sports. I went on to study 3D animation and fine arts the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) .

In early 2001 I competed in Miss USA placing 4th runner up, a month later I was laid off from a St. Louis based design agency. Thus, I turned to the web to promote my art, 3D animation and modeling portfolio. In February of ’02 I moved to LA to pursue modeling and acting resulting in a reality show (Average Joe: Hawaii) where I met Gil. I started a blog to share the experience of Reality TV. In Jan ’05 I moved to Florida to be with Gil and started freelancing full time. Mid 2006 I was invited to become a part of the AgencyNet team… and here I am!

Marko: If you were not a designer what would you be?
Larissa: An artist.

Marko: How do you like our site mcville.net?
Larissa: I love the logic and clean design. The interviews are very thorough and a fantastic resource for anyone interested in web design and development.

Marko: If you could change something on mcville what would it be?
Larissa: I would like to see a different typeface on the logo with a catchy but simple icon.

Marko: What kind of music do you fancy?
Larissa: It depends on what mood I’m in but here’s a peek at my current playlist:: “Weird Al” Yankovic, 30 Seconds to Mars, Panic! At the Disco, Evanescence, Nelly Furtado, The Daylights, and more…

Marko: What’s your favorite food?
Larissa: Sushi!

Marko: Where do you get out on Saturday’s?
Larissa: Sometimes out for dinner and drinks with friends or sometimes just a quiet night in.

some relaxing question to follow

Marko: Chinese or Thai (food)?
Larissa: Thai! I love a little spicy kick.

Marko: Coke or Pepsi?
Larissa: I think I prefer the taste of pepsi… but Coke always has a better website.

Marko: HTML or CSS?
Larissa: Both!!! You can’t love one without the other.

Marko: Do you watch television? If so, do you have a favorite show?
Larissa: Yes… Right now my fav’s are: Nip Tuck, Dirt, The Today Show, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and Jane and the Dragon .

Marko: What OS do you use ?
Larissa: I’m a PC and proud! (Windows XP) I figure I ought to be using what the majority uses to design for the masses. This is also because 3D animation was originally mostly PC based.

Marko: What would we find in your favorites bookmarks-bar?
Larissa: CSS Remix, Tech Crunch, The FWA, You Tube, Think Vitamin, Dev Lounge… and a lot more.

Marko: What inspires you? This doesn’t have to be design related.
Larissa: Color, texture, love, friends, memories, emotions, femininity, fashion, beauty, movies, web sites, photos, people and not being lost.

Marko: Thank you for having this interview Larissa!
Larissa: Thank you for the honor!