Welcome to the Guild

Mar 11

What inspired the creation of The Guild: Uncommon Creative, and what does it mean to me?

This passion project dates back to 20-year-old Monika, who wholeheartedly loved editorial design. In fact, it was what made me fall in love with graphic design in the first place. As a young student back then, I had to make a choice: pursue my dreams and move to NYC or LA to break into the industry, or stay here and forge my own trail. Although the opportunity was there with Elle magazine, I simply wasn’t courageous enough to go off on my own, and I chose to stay. Perhaps it was fate, for I could never mold my character to fit what I needed to become in order to make it in the industry. You’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada, right?

Fast forward to around 2014, when I was in my last years of school, deeply craving to create a magazine. I shared my dream idea with my favorite professor, but it was shut down very quickly. It just wasn’t what you did back then. The power of social media & the entrepreneurial spirit we celebrate today wasn’t born yet. So, naturally as an impressionable young designer, I listened and put the pencil down.

And here we are, friends! The time has come to give life to the big dreams I kept tucked inside my heart! The Guild: An Uncommon Creative is born—an online reading journal that revolves around the world of creativity. I wanted to create a space where I could not only express my deepest thoughts, desires, and conversations but also delve into the minds of those who challenge the status quo—those who explore unconventional approaches to art, design, writing, and just about any industry in a creative way. In this digital era, it takes being a true creative to shine through the noise. Or, as I’d like to call it, “creatives are the new athletes.”

What can you expect to read on The Guild?

Each article will highlight and tell the story of someone in our boundless creative community who thinks differently, embraces their own unique perspective, and creates fearlessly, no matter what industry they are in. Whether they are an artist, writer, entrepreneur, or simply someone who loves innovative ideas, we all have a pretty good story to tell.

What is an Uncommon Creative?

After being in this industry for over 10 years now I think there is one thing in particular that people tend to misunderstand. What a creative actually is. I believe that gone are the days when you needed a degree in a creative field to be considered a creative. The road to creativity is no longer that narrow. However, I am a firm believer in discipline and commitment, and those who possess these qualities are the ones who are doing it right. The Uncommon Creative! You can be anything from a writer to a realtor now and showcase your talents on the internet in truly beautiful ways — I want to sit down with those who do this and do it well.

What I hope you will take away from The Guild — Uncommon Creative.

I’ve been blessed to have met oh so many different creatives over the years, and it’s a circle I wholeheartedly treasure!
Through The Guild I want to genuinely capture a conversation from a moment in time that is worth hearing. I think there’s nothing more wholesome than getting to know the people in our community better, both near and far, who stand behind those Instagram accounts we follow—the folks who are doing things their own way. As they share their journey, I believe that every story turns into a potential stepping stone to help someone else feel a spark and thus embrace their own unique flair. I hope that you will be inspired, laugh a little, and ultimately join in on celebrating the joy of creativity in all its wild, wonderful forms.