I sometimes describe myself as a designer on the outside and a writer on the inside. As such, books, magazines, calendars, annual reports, brochures and so on feel like my sweet spot. On more than one occasion, clients have told me how much they appreciate the fact that I actually read and process the content of what I am designing. In our Pinterest-obsessed world, it is easy to forget that good design isn't just about decorating, it's about communicating clearly and effectively.
If you ever want to truly understand something, teach it to someone else. For six years, I taught undergraduates the ins and outs of good logo design. My approach changed from semester to semester as I constantly re-evaluated and redefined what does, indeed, make a good logo. There are, however, some adjectives that remain constant: simple, memorable (preferably with a dash of clever), and versatile. These are a few of my logo designs that I believe hit that mark.
It may seem odd to include a teaching section in a portfolio site, but it is an absolutely integral part of who I am. Teaching undergraduate design students has forced me to think deeply about my fundamental skills as well as my core values as a designer. Teaching is a dialogue and I have learned as much, if not more, from my students over the last few years than they may have from me!
I also had the unique pleasure of teaching K-12 art for a year at a small international school in Xi'an, China. I've included some of their work here, too, because planning these projects was an intense learning process for me. I had to integrate grade-level appropriate teaching/learning objectives into interesting projects all while acquiring the materials in China.
From 2014 to 2016 I worked on my MFA in Graphic Design with the Vermont College of Fine Arts. It was a magical, profound, and life-changing experience. It reminded me, after more than a decade as a designer, that I am also an artist and a writer. These images are from that journey and beyond.
