Bethany Berndt Shackelford: A.K.A. BZB designer
Q: How did a girl from Kansas end up in L.A.
A: While I was going to college I was hired to do courtroom drawings for the local NBC affiliate in Wichita, KS. I was in the newsroom the day they unpacked the new weather computer. As soon as I picked up the electronic pen and started drawing on the tablet I was hooked. That was way back when you could only use 16 colors at a time. On to Boston to do computer graphics for industrial videos and commercials at a production company. Boston to Phoenix to work for NBC doing on-air graphics for news and promotion. I won my first two Emmys there.
Then onto Los Angeles where the fun really began. I started off freelancing and then went to work for Aurora, a software company that made computer graphics for animation and compoisiting. I traveled all around the world doing demos and training for them. I helped design the software interface and marketing materials. After a couple of years traveling I settled down to a company called VisionArt in Santa Monica, CA. I started doing compoisiting for commercials and movies and loved it. I learned to do 3D textures for moives like “Star Trek:First Contact” and Godzilla”. I was on the Oscar winning special effects team for the movie “Independence Day”. And I won my third Emmy for Star Trek series Deep Space Nine.
On the side I stared my own company called Pingorama with a couple of partners. We designed and manufactured clothes for kids. Before long we were in over 900 stores in the U.S. and Japan. I had finally found a outlet for my whimsical side.
Then came along Mommyhood. Being a mom to Tatum and Teaghan is the best job yet.
Now I’m a work from home Surface Designer, that is “surface” not “surfing” (scary thought). I have an agent who has done a great job licensing my designs. You will see my art pop up at Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, Jo-Ann Fabric, Hobby Lobby, Borders Books, HomeGoods and your local Party, Gift and Card stores… over 10,000 stores across the country.
I like doing small jobs for friends who pay me in Starbucks gift cards.