A Bit About Me
Welcome to my portfolio page! I've gathered up some of my most loved pieces as a showcase of my artistic and professional abilities. I have been honing my craft for nearly two decades, dabbling in various types of art while gaining experience through personal, volunteer, and hire work. From paper crafts to social media posts, I look to capture a bit of life in everything I create, finding purpose and inspiration through connection with the world around me. I'm currently attending UWM for a Bachelor's in Digital Art and Culture with a Minor in Philosophy. I am fascinated by the how and why of design in all media and I strive to get the details just right. Many of my volunteer experiences center around event planning, project management, and creative work, while my professional experience in the service industry has given me insight into how people interact with design and each other in their everyday life. I have skills in many areas - graphic design, social media, photography, podcast creation, digital and analog art, event planning, customer service, communication - and am keen to learn and absorb new skills and perspectives. I'm continuing to build my experience in various design realms, with a focus on publishing and events.
Heart & Soul - My Favorite Works
Graphic Design
Here is a collection of various graphic designs I've created, from personal joy projects to hired brand designs. When working with a business, I study the style guide they provide to understand how their images, logos, and preferred fonts and colors work together. I generally have been given creative freedom, with minimal guidance, adjusting to what the client likes most as I present options. My personal work is often inspired by an event, a conversation, or an interaction. I see an idea in my head and then work through different angles to bring it to life. When creating new pieces I love to use little details to draw in the observer and add depth to my work.
Photography
I love using my phone camera to capture everyday photos, and have also enjoyed photographing events, locations, and items. My favorite approach is to capture moments in time, using light and shadow to emphasize framing, getting both close up and wide shots, and documenting important as well as mundane happenings. (Which often turn out to have deep significance.) I’ll be taking photography courses during my time at UWM and will be expanding my ability with DLSR cameras.
Social Media Work
I have experience with managing social media - as part of a team, for personal pages, and as volunteer work. I generally work with a page’s established idea, style, and brand guidelines to create engaging material that continues to represent their vibe. I have worked with Facebook and Instagram the most, but do have experience with other platforms and can quickly adapt. I have created a mix of still photos and video posts or stories, along with flyers that double as digital and printable designs.
College Work - University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
I am on track to graduate from UWM in 2029, and made the Dean's Honors List for Fall 2025. I have completed a variety of projects so far, across the areas of writing, photography, digital art, and event planning. I have met my deadlines with quality work and consistently receive praise from my instructors, especially in regards to being able to hear and incorporate feedback which improves my creations.
I worked with a faculty partner to plan and accomplish a dinner and conversation event as part of UWM'S At The Table pilot program. I was in charge of coming up with a theme, topic, and detailed itinerary of the evening. I was also part of coordinating a location, catering menu, and marketing. I designed the flyer to use for advertising the event. My event evening was held on April 24th, 2026. We hosted a dinner for 11 people and had a guided conversation around community - what makes us feel connected, what barriers we face in accessing community, and tangible actions for being more intentional about connecting with the people around us. The evening was filled with laughter and deep conversation, and many of the attendees exchanged information and made connections with each other.
Where can you find me?
I’ve added alt text to the images on this page to increase accessibility. Please let me know if there are additional options you’d like to see added. It’s important to me that all information - whether social media posts or great works of art - is available to all.
Credits:
Designs and photos by Maelan Stanford, cc-by-nc-sa