I was raised as an artist. As a child, I was surrounded by the intricate compositions of my father’s photographs, and the astounding colors & forms of my uncle’s ceramics. By the time I was 7 years old, I had experimented with drawing accurate one- & two-point perspective without instruction, and I loved exploring any new medium I could get my hands on.

As a young woman, I found it difficult to communicate complex emotions and ideas verbally; however, I found art could communicate everything I could not, and I developed a lifelong love for artistry.

My father, knowing first-hand the perils and pitfalls of a career in art, encouraged me to pursue a STEM oriented career. Alas, I knew in my heart I wasn’t destined for computer science. Instead, I brought my parents to tears by choosing a college major in fine arts, a field I knew would both challenge and fulfill me daily.

Course work in college opened my eyes to new ideas, new mediums, and new influences. I have so many favorite artists & designers. I love…

…Leonardo Da Vinci for proving you can master everything.

…Egon Schiele for his use of color and the human form.

…Paula Scher for her typography and “play”, even on a napkin.

…Paul Rand for his visually appealing conflict.

…Ansel Adams for his organic values.

…Ellen Lupton for her fresh perspectives on communicating principles.

…Meredith Davis for her design education perspectives.

…Massimo Vignelli for his organization and confidence in his own work.

…Armin Hofman for his minimalism and use of sans-serifs.

…Chip Kidd for his visually versatile youthfulness.

…Susan Kare for her big ideas in tiny spaces and digital relevancy.

…Max Miedinger for Helvetica. And so many more.

 

I came into my own, mainly as a portrait artist. The challenge of capturing the human condition: a person’s passion, struggles, and ideals in addition to their simple, yet complex form fascinated me endlessly.

Then I discovered graphic design. All my early work in math and science hadn’t been in vain after all. Graphic design could combine my passion for art with my love of structure & organization, problem framing, and communication of the human condition. I have been a painter, a printmaker, and a photographer. But graphic designer has been the leading field, allowing me to explore not only the art of design, but the thinking and methodologies behind it.

The concepts and theory of design, especially design thinking, touch my life every day. I use design thinking methods while helping my daughter understand her homework or making parenting decisions. I incorporate critical thinking & creative problem solving in my own personal relationships with friends, family, and acquaintances. I view curriculum develop as a design thinking problem to solve, test, improve, and expand instruction goals & methods. I am perusing a Masters of Fine Arts in Design Thinking, to best hone these skills, and more than that, uses these skills to inspire others.

My life as an artist has taught me that true art is not separate from our everyday lives. It isn’t only found in the composition of a photograph or the pattern of a ceramicist’s glaze. I find my art in a perfectly chosen typeface, the harmony of a well-constructed syllabus, the look on the face of an aspiring designer when they found a passion, or the creative solution to an ongoing problem.

I have been an artist all of my life, and no matter the circumstances, I could never be anything else.