about.
I can be compared to a round peg in a square hole. I wasn't made to fit comfortably inside a box. I dare to be creative and go against the grain. "What's that?" you say. "I can fit inside a circle?" Well, in that case, at least I'm not spending my days wasting away in an undesigned cubical.
I recently obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Creative Advertising at NABA, Nuova Accademia Di Belle Arti in Milan, Italy, after having already received degrees in Business and Visual Communications from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, CA. The combination of these degrees has allowed me to
analyze the creative side of the industry and think in abstract terms, while maintaining a focus on business strategies. In my eyes, it is not enough to find a solution to a problem, for every problem ultimately has a solution. The magic is in finding a creative solution that fosters curiosity in the viewer’s mind.
Although I grew up in Atlanta, I always had the desire to “taste” the world. My travels have taken me from Atlanta to California, to Europe and Asia. Adapting to new places has allowed me to broaden my vision of design and gain inspiration from unique experiences. It is my philosophy that it doesn’t take a designer to recognize a compelling and impactful design. A good design should evoke some sort of emotion. Whether it’s a tear, a smirk, an eyebrow raise, or a ‘holy shit’ moment. Nobody remembers the mundane.
Overall, I've come to believe that finding one’s calling is not about seeing where you fit, but discovering how you can make yourself fit.
portfolio.
artwork.
With no formal fine arts training, I have drawn upon my love of design and experiences to create abstract pieces of art. My work is inspired by the contours of the human figure, with emphasis on each individual feature, and how they join together as a whole. With the use of color blocking, the painted shapes become lines, taking on different forms and therefore creating their own being. I challenge viewers to tilt their head to the side, grasp imagination by the throat and expand their view of art.
resume.
Designed 2D and 3D graphics, as well as
written tutorial for photo retouching
Designed wedding stationery and accompanying graphics to reflect client vision
JAN. 2017
MASTER OF ARTS: CREATIVE ADVERTISING
NABA/ NUOVA ACCADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI, MlLANO, ITALY
A joint initiative with Media Design School in Auckland, New Zealand.
Media Design School is New Zealand's most nationally & internationally awarded private higher education institute for the creative industries.
FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER
JAN 2017 - OCT 2018
MARCH 2015
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
FIDM/ FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING, LOS ANGELES, CA
Magna Cum Laude
Nominated for Business Management award
MARCH 2016 - AUG 2016
ADVERTISING AGENCY DESIGN INTERNSHIP
RBA DESIGN, MILANO, ITALY
Assisted the design team in the production and marketing of products to create a strong, recognizable brand identity
Participated in building out proposals for campaigns
Translated Italian copy into English in order to serve international campaigns
SEP. 2013
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS: VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS
FIDM/ FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING, LOS ANGELES, CA
Summa Cum Laude
Nominated for VisuaI Communications award
APRIL 2014 - JUNE 2015
GRAPHIC ARTIST
LOS ANGELES REGIONAL SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC)
Designed a variety of print and digital projects including: signage, web and print advertisements, printed collateral and promotional materials
Collaborated with Marketing Coordinator on implementing strategic marketing campaigns for multimedia usage
Conceptualized, researched, and mocked up design ideas for new collateraI materials
Single-handedly developed a complete
style guide for the eight locations in the
Los Angeles Region