Artist Statement

I was not always an artist. It took several years for me to figure out my true calling—my true purpose for my life and my happiness. My first career was in the field of teaching. After having my own children, I made the decision to change my career to something that would better suit my talents and interests. My aspiration has always been to have a job that I am not only good at, but also actually like and am motivated to always do my best. I have finally found that in the field of graphic design and love it.

My experiences to date have had great impact on my design… how I make decisions and go about the process of designing a fantastic piece of work. Graphic designers are taught design “rules,” but I like the notion that these rules can be broken—when appropriate. Knowing these rules of design gives me great insight as to how I can give myself permission to break out of the mold in order to come up with something new and wonderful. Every aspect of my work, the materials and techniques, is influenced greatly by the subject or theme. I do not settle on something right away. It takes much research in order to select the best materials, colors, textures and techniques to suit the project and its purpose. I also pride myself on craftsmanship. When putting myself in a client’s shoes, I realize that no client would want to pay good money for a design that is sloppy—no matter how good the actual design or concept is.

From 2008–09, I worked part-time at a small web design company in Montgomery, Alabama. I am currently open to new and exciting opportunities where I can branch out beyond just website design and graphics editing. I am teaching myself a lot about website development, plus have lots of experience in print production, too. I was honored in February of 2008 to win an ADDY award, while still a student at Auburn University Montgomery, for my work in editorial design. I have every intention of creating more award-winning designs—in print and in web.