Meet Hannah Obremski | Junior Creative Lead for NASA HQ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Obremski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Navigating the corporate world as a creative has proven challenging at times over the past several years. I’ve noticed that in environments dominated by mathematics, aeronautics, and engineering, some individuals tend to look down on and belittle artists. It often feels as though they do not view art as a legitimate career path. This isn’t a universal sentiment—there are many wonderful colleagues who appreciate my work just as much as they do anyone else’s—the dismissive attitudes of some have taught me a valuable lesson.

In the past, I would often shy away when faced with this type of treatment, but I realized that their behavior would not change if I continued to do so. Once I became more assertive, and communicated the significance of design and my contributions to the project and to the company, I noticed a shift in their responses. Articulating the value of creativity within the broader context of our work, I was able to gain respect and understanding.

In my experience, it’s all too easy for creatives to get caught up in their own thoughts. I often struggle to separate my personal worth from my artistic success, which can be challenging. These experiences taught me the importance of vocalizing my creative perspective and advocating for my contributions. Overall I just think it is important to be empowered and assert my role with confidence while keeping an emotional distance from the work itself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an illustrator and animator, and I’ve worked with NASA throughout my professional career. Currently, I’m a Junior Creative Lead for NASA HQ through a government contractor. In 2018, I interned at NASA GRC as a 3D modeler and animator. After graduating college in 2019, I was offered a full-time position with GRC. After a year and a half with GRC, I was offered a position with NASA Headquarters, and it was too exciting an opportunity for me to pass up. I’ve been working with NASA HQ ever since.

Moving from Cleveland to the DMV area was challenging for my partner and me. We missed Cleveland’s community, especially its arts scene, local bands, and events like Ingenuity. There was nothing in our new lives that offered that outlet and energy, and that dullness affected our lives and dampened my creativity for a couple of years. Fortunately, we returned to Cleveland last year, and I’ve been able to work remotely while reigniting my passion for personal art. I’ve shifted focus at work to more design and public outreach-oriented projects, whereas before, I worked mostly on corporate design tasks.

At both GRC and HQ, my favorite work has always been public outreach, creating materials that inform and engage the public about NASA’s projects. It’s incredibly rewarding to see children’s excitement and curiosity during events. Recently, I had the privilege of serving as creative director, illustrator, and animator on a project aimed at easing the anxieties of children undergoing cancer treatment. Hearing that our work made a positive impact has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career, and I hope to continue exploring projects like this in the future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh man, that’s a tough question—there’s so much fun stuff to do in Cleveland! These are pretty obvious, but they’re musts: I’d definitely take them to the Cleveland Museum of Art and moCa. For cocktails and dinner, we’d hit up Never Say Dive, Happy Dog, The Fairmount, The Haunted House, and Dante. We’d also catch a movie at either The Cinematheque or Cedar Lee Theatre. I love wandering around Lake View Cemetery, so that would be a great spot for a walk. As a roller coaster fan, I couldn’t pass up taking them on a trip to Cedar Point!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my partner Tyler Jasterbowski. He’s supported and continues to support me in any artistic, ambitious leap I want to take. Whether I succeed or fail he’s always encouraging me to continue creating art.

Website: https://hkobremski.myportfolio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannah_k.o/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-obremski-757b94154/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8lVPRXqB4y_-IYJMC4go9w

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user49339522

Image Credits
All images owned by Hannah Obremski or NASA