StudioA Art & Designaboutinspirationcontact
identityprintwebmediaillustrationphotographyfine art
   

Resume

After a 20-year career as a professional graphic designer and art director,
I am focused on my artistic passion as an educator and illustrator.

Experience

  • Assistant Professor of Graphic Design & Illustration
    The University of Findlay — 2008 to present
    Chowan University — 2007 to 2008
  • Adjunct Professor of Graphic Design & New Media
    East Stroudsburg University — 2003 to 2006
    County College of Morris — 2005 to 2006
  • Adjunct Professor of Art History and Studio Arts
    Sussex County College — 2004 to 2006
  • Art Director, Graphic Designer and Marketing specialist
    Skills include corporate identity, website design and development, print design and production,
    photo retouching, and interactive presentations — 1993 to 2006
  • Illustrator
    Specializing in editorial art using digital and traditional mediums — 1987 to Present

Education

  • MFA in Graphic Design & Illustration — Marywood University — Summa Cum Laude
  • Certificate, Teaching in Higher Education — Levels I and II
  • Graduate Studies in Art Education — Rutgers University
  • BFA in Illustration — The Cleveland Institute of Art
  • Professional Affiliations
  • Member Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI)
  • Member American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
  • Museum Assessment Program Committee Member
    The Mazza Museum: International Art from Picture Books

Awards

  • MarCom Creative Awards — Gold in website design — 2008, 2005, 2004
  • Webby Awards — Outstanding Website — 2000, 1999
  • Impact Awards • Summit Awards — Outstanding Website — 2000

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Design Software Expert —Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, DreamWeaver, Flash, and Quark


Portfolio, Complete Vitae and References available upon request

Artist's Statement

In an industry that is driven by commerce, graphic designers have the difficult job of fulfilling the communication need of their clients, while expressing their own creative vision. Staying true to ones artistic, as well as ethical standards can be difficult in the business world. Further, those who choose the profession face the stresses of demanding deadlines, difficult clients, and long work hours, not to mention the need to master very complex computer applications. Financially unstable, the world of advertising and publishing has the potential to turn artists into automates.


Despite the drawbacks, being a graphic designer has been incredibly rewarding. I have had the opportunity to work with people from vastly diverse backgrounds. My verbal and written skills were honed while dealing with international clients, for clarity is of the essence when dipping into the melting pot of this flattened world. Every project is a learning experience, and it has been fascinating to learn about the workings of everything from the making of perfume, to mental health issues, to plant propagation.
Today, nearly everything designers do involves a computer. There is a great deal of satisfaction in mastering a new digital program, using powerful tools to create stunning images that were impossible to create just a few years ago. As a “right brained” visual learner, as a result technology I have also developed an analytical and systematic method of thinking that had previously been untapped.


It is very rewarding to use one’s talents to help a client achieve their business goals. Unfortunately, in the past, those practicing in the fine arts have denigrated commercial artists as being less than legitimate artists. Unlike the painter or sculptor, the graphic designer’s message is not their own, but the visual creativity and originality of the individual designer must be acknowledged. Artist such as Toulouse Lautrec changed the history of art, and Milton Glaser’s “Dylan” poster is one of the most recognizable images in the world.

Finally, for an artist who is classically trained, such as myself, working in the business sector provides the social and monetary stability to pursue personal artistic goals. My independent work is not simply self-indulgent, however. I donate my time and skills to developing marketing materials to worthy non-profit organizations, and seek to write and illustrate educational materials for children.

I never chose to become an artist—rather it was a calling. I now have the wonderful job of teaching young people so they may also have enjoyable and productive careers as artists.