2004 - Vol. 1, Issue 1

Congratulations to Annu Sharma, who created the winning design for Breath & Shadow's logo! It has been a joy to work with Annu and we are thrilled to have her logo enhance our new site.

Those of us at Breath & Shadow have been impressed by Annu's graciousness, flexibility, and hard work. I conducted an e-mail interview with her to give our readers a chance to appreciate this unique and principled woman, as well.

Fascination with the World

Annu lives in London, England, and claims her life's ambition to be "travel[ing] around the world [because] I have a deep fascination [with] learning about various cultures." Having already lived in Saudi Arabia and visited Europe, Africa, and India — and able to speak Hindi and French, in addition to English — Annu seems well on her way to her goal.

Part of the Londoner's interest in multiculturalism seems to spring from her spirituality. "I love all the religions and have a firm belief that all religions are good and that all of us are the children of one God," she asserts. "My purpose of life on this earth is to create happiness and become a good person. My parents have taught me that, as human beings, we should strive to live for others. Accordingly, in this vein, I would be happy if the prize money won by me can be donated to AbilityMaine."

The Breath & Shadow Logo Contest

Annu approached the contest with characteristic thoughtfulness. "The first thing that attracted me to the Breath & Shadow logo contest was the concept of the words 'breath and shadow,' which struck me as symbolizing both 'communication' and how communication is so important in this world. For example, 'Breath' symbolizes life, and for us to be alive in this world we must be able to communicate. 'Shadow' symbolizes the reflection of a person's body and how it stays with him/her throughout life.

"For me, the 'breath and shadow' concept became very intense, allowing me to reflect upon the world. It also made me realize that our bodies are not ours but a temporary abode for our spirits, and once our role is finished we leave this world. The most important thing is that we perform good deeds in this life so that 'our breath' and 'our shadow' have a legacy for future generations who can build their own lives from our experiences. Accordingly, having these thoughts at the back of my mind, I became excited and decided to participate in the logo contest. Moreover, I also enjoyed the process of designing the logo because it provided me the opportunity to express my own thoughts artistically.

The Importance of Personality in Web Design

Annu has been a freelance graphic and web designer since 2002. She changed her career path from the study of psychology to that of creating websites because she found it "much more interesting." Beginning in 1999, she learned twenty computer languages and software programs. Currently Annu travels between the UK and India, creating websites for entrepreneurs. She will launch her own website in mid-March.

"I'm a creative problem solver," she says. "I have excellent organizational, multitasking, and interpersonal/communication skills. My name, 'Annu,' means 'unique' in Sanskrit, and because of my name, I tend to do things in a unique way — whether design-wise, food-wise, or clothes-wise."

Learning that she had won the contest was, says Annu, "a splendid start to the New Year — a marvelous gift in the shape of a congratulatory message."

Those who wish to contact Annu for web design services should e-mail annudesigns@yahoo.co.uk.