One of Riverworks Newest Designers

Our strong design team is the reason Riverworks is to provide such strong and custom solutions to our varied client base. One of our newest designers, Amanda Jean Sprague, has been an incredible addition to that team. She brings a fresh perspective and verve to each project that crosses her desk.

Amanda completed her formal education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, obtaining her BFA with a concentration in graphic design. Her love for design took root during her high school years, during which she studied graphic communications and helped run her school’s screen printing shop. Not only does Amanda excel at creating beautifully designed materials for both print and web, but she also has a knack for ensuring a great user experience for those who encounter her designs.

She has a passion for the problem-solving and psychological aspects of design which can be witnessed in the perfect blend of art and functionality of her creative work. Her favorite part of design thinking is the empathy aspect that helps drive the artwork.

“I love putting myself in the mindset of the observer,” Amanda said, “imagining how my designs will be perceived in the real world, not just as pixels on a screen.”

She also loves the idea that at its core, graphic design is about problem solving. “If you aren’t creating with an objective in mind, you’re making art, not design,” Amanda said. “Design is utilitarian by nature, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Paul Rand summed it up best when he said, ‘Design can be art. Design can be simple. That’s why it’s so complicated.’”

Assimilating into the team atmosphere at Riverworks has been a part of her role she’s really enjoyed, and she described the work environment as the most collaborative she’s ever been a part of thus far in her career as a creative.

“I love that about RWM, and it’s something I knew I’d been missing, I just didn’t realize how much.”

Working collaboratively with the team at RWM has been a source of inspiration for Amanda as a designer. She said she feels as though she’s already grown and learned so much in her short time on staff, and she enjoys the energy boost that comes with the fast pace the team keeps.

In her time away from work, Amanda enjoys celebrating her big love for craft beer, improv podcasts (which she enjoys basically every spare moment of the day), and her two precious pups– Bradley and Joker. She loves supporting the local comedy scene, attending shows whenever possible (pre COVID). Also, when she’s off the clock, Amanda likes to flex her creative muscles creating tongue-in-cheek stickers, buttons, and the like for her Etsy shop.