About Me

01
Bio

Where I started

Where I Grew up

I grew up in the small town of Industry, Pennsylvania. Growing up there, I quickly noticed that it was the kind of place that nobody really leaves and most people are content with working the same job that they did in high school for their whole lives.

Where I decided to go

In high school I realized that I did not want to do the same thing that everyone else was doing for the rest of my life so I decided to go to college about halfway through senior year. I decided to go to Robert Morris University about 30 minutes away. It was far enough that I was able to get away from the redundancy of a small town and try to make something of myself but it was close enough that I could see my family regularly.

Where I have ended up so far

Since starting college I have been able to develop myself further than I ever would have been able to if I had stayed in my hometown. I have been able to refine my skills and get my B.A. in Graphic Design so that I can turn my passion for creating into an actual career that I can support myself with.

02
Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Graphic Design

I am a Graphic Designer who loves to work in product packaging, poster design, typography, and photography. With my work I strive to make people think, ask questions, and engage with my work. I especially enjoy the opportunity to talk with both clients and my audience about my process and why I handled the project the way that I did. 

One of the things that inspire my work is the banality of life. I see people get up, go to work, go home, go to bed and repeat that process everyday. I want to shake people out of that banality. If I can make something that will make their day a little more interesting or shake them out of a boring routine, I’ve done my job as a designer. If someone is going their normal route to work and they see something that I made that catches their attention and makes them smile or think then I accomplished what I set out to do. 

 

The artists that inspire me the most are Barbara Kruger and David Carson. They both do things that really stand out to people and make people think about what they are looking at. When David Carson was doing work for Ray Gun he was doing things that not many people had seen or done before. He was breaking rules by using innovative typography, distressed textures, layered backgrounds, and very distinct layouts. People loved his work because he was doing something different than everybody else. His work really influences how I go about making my workstuff and what my style has evolved into. Barbara Kruger’s work makes people think by using blunt phrases directly addressing cultural constructions and is very in your face. I have always appreciated people that were not afraid to say something and I try to be bold with my work as well.

 

Given who has inspired my work, I believe not everything has to be done by the rules. As a design student, we are taught the fundamentals and principles which shape our visual solutions. A good designer knows and follows the rules well. A savvy designer looks to discern when it is necessary to bend or break those rules. I like to think of myself as savvy, while using project guidelines as both guiderails and obstacles, they keep me on track while giving me opportunity to rethink and challenge what I’ve been taught. 

 

Peers have described my aesthetic as grungy, edgy and experimental. I describe my style as organized chaos. Organized chaos to me means everything that is visible is there for a reason and was carefully considered to communicate a desired message. I enjoy guiding viewers through the chaos by making sure my work has signposts that keep the message organized. I strive for my work to make a statement for each client, and each viewer thinks about the details to remember the client’s message.



03
Tools

What I use

Graphic Design and Product Packaging

For my graphic design work I am usually using my MacBook in conjunction with my iPad. I have found that using both can let me be more creative since I can use different kinds of software that might not be available on my Mac but is available on my iPad, such as Procreate. Most of the software that I use comes from the Adobe suite, such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Dimension. I have also been using Procreate so that I can make digital drawings and use them in my designs.

Photography

For my photography work I like to use my Canon AE-1 film camera or a Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR. I know that film photography is not as popular now but ever since I bought my AE-1 for a black and white photography class, I have been in love ever since. I have always enjoyed the process of developing photos in a dark room but I know that it isn’t always possible so I can also use my digital camera when needed.