Passionate about design. Practical about making it work.
My story
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I was raised in an incredibly creative and crafty home. My parents were both artistic in their hobbies, and we were happiest when we were making things. My interest in graphic design began with an assignment to make posters for a fundraiser at school — when I was just eight years old! I obsessed over every detail (I still remember drawing that elaborate bowl of spaghetti) and though I didn't know it at the time, I got a taste of page-layout, typography and design that would feed a larger passion later.
I began working as a desktop publisher when I graduated from college in the late 1980s. At that time there weren’t a lot of us, and schools weren’t offering classes for digital graphic design. I was put in front of a Macintosh loaded with Quark Xpress, Illustrator, and MacPaint and told to figure it out. And I did. I read books, and talked to designers and printers, and learned as much as I could so I could serve the needs of my first employer, a small software company. After the birth of my first child, I began my freelancing business. The years I spent raising my children, volunteering in their schools, and building my business were exciting. Throughout it all I took seminars and online courses to refine my abilities — especially for the Adobe Creative Suite line of products, and I never stopped learning. Now, with my children grown, I am looking for new challenges and opportunities to use my talents and experience. |
Qualifications |
Print design is my primary area of expertise. I create flawless files that fly through the printing process, whether they are 4-color, 2-color, or RGB/online — I know what to do to keep costs down and make everything look great. After over 20+ years of experience I don’t think there is a type of design project I haven’t worked on — branding, logos and identity, social media campaigns, brochures, catalogs, newsletters, postcards, invitations, signs and posters, magazine and newspaper ads, Photoshop editing — I do all this and more.
In addition to print design work, I have created websites for small businesses and non-profit organizations.
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Experience |
2015 – Present:
Classical Up Close, Communications and Marketing Manager, seasonal/part-time: 2019 Re-designed logo, website, and all branded collateral to improve public understanding of this fun and relaxed classical music festival. Ran committee meetings with stakeholders, and managed online correspondence through three months of discussions to finalize brand design. Ongoing duties include: website maintenance, printed marketing material design, t-shirt design, develop and execute e-mail campaigns, social media marketing, and writing radio ad copy. 1990 - Present: Freelance and Contract Graphic Designer/Production Designer Partial list of clients:
2017 Assistant photographer for "That Way Madness Lies…" a feature-length documentary. http://www.madnessthemovie.com 1999 - 2002 Production Artist: Digitype Design; Portland, Oregon Responsibilities included: original design (stationary, logos, posters, newsletters, national magazine ads, forms, etc.), production design, scanning, color correction, computer troubleshooting, file management, pre-press operations (including film output), large format file preparation, large format printing, laminating, and sign making and installation. 1995 – Present: Pro bono/volunteer experience Designed and produced posters, websites, programs, brochures, branding and more for public schools, non-profit music institutions, and local cultural institutions including: Portland Public Schools, Classical Up Close, Portland Youth Philharmonic, and the Portland Highland Dance Association. |
Education |
B.A. Arts and Letters, Portland State University. Portland, Oregon
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