Inspiration
I’ve spent hours in art museums, attended countless design conventions, meditated in Monet’s garden in Giverny, and visited the Louvre on three separate occasions without ever leaving satisfied that I’ve spent enough time there. And yet, inspiration is truly everywhere … even outside conventional realms of art. I am fascinated by all types of image, from newspaper layouts to wedding invitations, tattoos, street graffiti, Nordstrom dressing rooms, restaurant menus, plates of food, watercolors, Starbucks holiday cups, political campaign posters, record covers … the list is endless. My tickler folders are full of Lichtenstein posters, Nike ads, font samples, Vogue covers, and old photos of my grandmother.
For these reasons, I always struggle to answer questions about my personal style. When I’m not working for a client and subscribing to their taste, I tend to design from a place of minimalism, simplicity and cleanliness. I regularly say things like, “if it doesn’t serve a purpose, it doesn’t need to be there.” … But then again, maybe the purpose of some things is to just look good.
See my Pinterest account to learn more about what inspires me.
Left: Me in Monet's garden in Giverny, France. Right: A Christmas photo of my grandmother in the 1940s. Below: Click to view a series of inspirational items.
My Story
I didn't know what to call it at the time ... but I fell in love with graphic design as a seven year old, designing my birthday and halloween party invitations originally with Print Shop Deluxe. Through school I started developing my personal aesthetic and design skills, primarily utilizing Adobe Suites (a bit of a software upgrade from my Print Shop roots).
As a teenager, I won design layout awards and writing competitions. In my sophomore year of high school, I started a school newspaper, In View. I designed the flag and created a style guide that's been used there for the last ten years. In college, I worked for a company creating yearbooks and game-day programs for collegiate and professional sports teams. Even then, I didn't think that working as a full-time designer was a possibility for me. It wasn't "academic" enough (cue my current self's eye roll).
Today, I try not to say 'no' to any project. I most enjoy the challenge of designing outside my comfort zone ... bringing my point of view to industries I've never given previous consideration to. I have future aspirations of establishing my own design firm, providing brand consulting to small businesses, but in the meantime I am looking for more opportunities to build my portfolio.