Consumer Advertising
I was fortunate to work on some of the world's most iconic brands early in my career. From global to medium-sized agencies and design studios, I cut my teeth as a production artist, finalizing mechanicals, color correcting artwork, and designing New Business presentations. I graduated into working closely with creative directors at boutique agencies represented here where I had the opportunity to work on end-to-end campaigns and collateral, including the nuts and bolts of redesigning ads for various publications and developing a deep appreciation for brand voices.
Social Justice Work
Some of my final work in New York was this eye-catching subway campaign for Planned Parenthood of New York which blended a clear ask for the focus on the organization's abortion services with its general women's health services. We considered a variety of approaches before finally settling on one that used the NYC subway map and an unmistakable headline.
In the second campaign shown here, my communications studio at VCU received a two-year grant to produce a series of posters educating students on specific dangers of second-hand smoke. With a battle over smoking in restaurants brewing, we opted to shoot in a location known for both its food and the murkiness of its air. A related campaign was later adapted for use by other state agencies.
Information Matters
The self-described chief curator and provocateur Andy Stefanovich branched out from his work with Prophet in 2011 with the release of Look At More, a best-seller that built on his growing reputation as a consultant and speaker. I was tapped to design these promotional infographics to align with the content and design of the book and which could be delivered as both print and online pieces.
Publication Design
Multi-page publications ranging from brochures to books and catalogs have been a core of my design and production work since the days of scale wheels and blue lines. I love the tactile aspects of speccing paper and going on press, but what I most love is the ability to dig into everything from working with photographers and writers to finding a balance between creative and functional in order to meet a client's needs. The Fairfax County Public Schools Foundation report shown here, and produced in conjunction with Capital One, is a prime example of work that hit the right notes for both the internal (C1) and external clients.
Digital Work
Dominion Harvest came to Top Dead Center Design for whom I was freelancing to redesign their website and collateral. The original branding had been done by another designer, but we worked with it to extend it out through a robust, member-focused site and print collateral.
MCR (now Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.) brought a complete site redesign, complete with content development and restructuring of a site with hundreds of pages that had to fit their needs as a major government contractor.
Central Western Maine Development Board's site was built in Wordpress to meet the needs of a quasi-governmental organization that needed to serve both public stakeholders and government regulators.
While most of my Capital One work was lost in a botched switch to a new computer, these banners represent a small-but-important fraction of my work there. In particular, the Heroes campaign required a deep dive into speaking to a military audience while the Best People campaign involved both photographing the subjects and crafting a diversity hiring campaign that was well ahead of its time.
Business Development
I began working with two partners in 2010 to develop Ardent Craft Ales. We spent four years piloting recipes, writing a business plan, and cultivating investors for a successful launch in 2014. While my partners focused on beer development and infrastructure planning, I focused on grassroots promotion through social media and partnerships with local organizations for beer dinners and fundraisers. When we shifted from planning to execution, I developed the brand identity, including collateral and original website, and partnered with an interior designer to ensure that the tap room and beer garden mirrored our brand identity. While I left the business in 2016 to address health and family concerns, Ardent remains one of the stalwarts of Richmond's lively beer scene.
Final Words
If you've made it this far, you might be curious about the gaps in my resume. Beginning in 2016, I dealt with a series of serious health conditions which made it increasingly difficult to work. That changed in 2019 when I made my health my job and found a new purpose in wellness and photography. I began coaching others in life changes and volunteered as a running and recovery coach in Maine before moving to Boston to be close to family. While I explored turning fitness and mental health counseling into a new professional chapter, the creative life called me back. If you're interested in talking, shoot me a line!