About

I first tried my hand at visual design in high school. Back then, it was technical and architectural drawing. My interest in design became a lifelong passion several years later, when an advisor in the art department at Western Washington University opened my eyes to the importance of the design process. The art of transforming an assignment into a finished product by listening, developing a strategy, and absorbing feedback felt like more than a set of steps to follow. It was a calling.

 

For more than thirty years, I’ve tried to stay true to that principle. As a professional graphic designer, I believe that there are two core components to my my design approach – process and partnership. The work process I’ve developed over the years brings clarity to projects and informs the final design. This concept has helped me serve a wide range of clients across sectors as diverse as action sports, outdoor education, power equipment, construction, catering, and documentary filmmaking. 

 

What do all those businesses have in common? They all shared my belief that the best design work is collaborative. Each of them invited me into their worlds and allowed me to understand their operations, their goals, their challenges, their audiences, and their personalities. Through conversations, questionnaires, and competitive analysis, I looked and listened for cues about what makes their work different, valuable, and memorable. 

 

The exploration and discovery is both the hard part and the fun part. This is where we get acquainted, develop concepts, map our ideas to a strategy and chart a course. Then, I go back to my roots. I sketch. I draw. I design. I translate everything we talked about into a presentation of multiple concepts – because there is never a single answer. Finally, we review, revise, and refine together – as efficiently as possible, because we took the time upfront to plan.

 

As a graphic designer, I live for the moment when the commitment to the process leads to the creative breakthrough and, ultimately, the visual products that help you tell your story, connect with customers, and grow your business. After all, a logo is not just a logo, and a brand foundation is not just a collection of colors, fonts, and shapes. These are the expressions of who you are and your unique way of doing business.

 

In any form, art can be full of great beauty, emotion, and meaning. The same applies to graphic design. With a catch. The most stylish, eye-catching, expertly executed work may look good, but if it doesn’t involve you from the very beginning, then it can’t really be about you in the end. 

 

That’s what I believe. 

 

If you feel the same, let’s work together and create something great.