Creative Problem Solver, emphasis in divergent/convergent thinking | 15+ years experience in design, film, & teaching Higher Ed | Award winning Production Designer | Former Startup C-suite | Designer, Writer, Speaker | Unstoppable Growth trained Coach

 

My love affair with color — and all things fun and whimsical — began long ago, with Peter Pan. It blossomed with Jolly Roger Bradfield books and Raoul Dufy paintings. It called to me from luxurious coffee table books and modern movies of all kinds, classics to contemporary. And it’s wrestled with me in the neutral trends of black, white, grey beige… and the compromise of them all, “griege.”

I love a good story. Well told, with characters wondering through the web of what it means to be human and discovering how Love really does weave it all together for His wondrous ones.

So in college, I began to discover that I’m an artist… designer… writer… and problem solver.  I’ve learned that Artist is how I see the world, Designer is how I approach the world, Writer is how I process the world, and Problem-Solver is how I influence the world.

Simultaneously, I have a heart for people, connecting and encouraging them — watching them learn to fly. I believe cultivating the “artist’s eye” is a magnificent catalyst for personal, professional, and spiritual growth, no matter what your field.

I went to undergrad at Drury University in my hometown of Springfield MO, where I learned color theory in painting class without black paint, how the elements and principles of design apply to any media, and the value of art history to today’s trends and my own work.

I got an MS in Communication Design from Pratt Institute in New York City, where I honed my graphic design craft and learned that people are just people, each with our own set of problems, no matter what the title or income. But we all share the common ground of human experience.

Back in my hometown, I taught a full load as an adjunct instructor at my alma mater Drury University, worked as a photo studio manager, and served as creative director for a couple of young adult ministries. Teaching made me a better designer, as I was challenged to clearly and concisely articulate design elements and principles to majors of all kinds. I learned that college kids are some of my favorite people on the planet; but every year, they stay the same age and experience level, while my counter clicks on, marking another trip around the sun.

I moved to Nashville in 2015, in search of a new challenge and a broader creative culture. I finished my terminal arts degree, an MFA in Film, where I learned the wild and wonderful world of movie making. The sweet spot of production design came naturally with my art and design background, but I also discovered an interest in screenwriting and producing. Set hours make for long days, so I shifted to home staging and decor... just before the pandemic and a Lyme disease diagnosis put a hold on that.

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When a friend asked if I wanted to join his startup C-suite, I jumped at the chance to collaborate on launching a product  with an amazing team. Working remotely allowed me to move to Charleston SC, which was a dream come true. There's nothing more inspiring than the way light hits the sea.