MY STORY

CAREER PHILOSOPHY
Graphic design is the bridge between two worlds; production's requirements and the customer's vision. It is our responsibility to bring these two ideas together into a cohesive and visually-pleasing image that communicates a clear message. After 15 years in this industry, I still whole-heartedly stand by this idea.

EDUCATION
I started my education journey at Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia, KS during the fall of 2011. It was here that I developed an appreciation for the production process (screen printing in particular) and a love for creating clean, vector graphics as well as high-quality raster images. In these early years, I learned to ask these three crucial questions when starting a new project.

What is the purpose of this graphic? 

Where is it going? 

What is it trying to communicate?

After completing my associate’s degree in graphic arts at Flint Hills Tech, I transferred to Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS during the fall of 2013.  Here, my education in graphic imaging technology was rounded out and my appreciation for the graphics industry as a whole, flourished. In my final two years of education, I saw how the smallest change in a graphic could elevate the overall image as well as communicate a completely different message. In the spring of 2015, I graduated with my bachelor's degree in graphic imaging technology and set out into the world.

EXPERIENCE
My first internship began in the fall of 2012 at a local sportswear shop in Emporia, KS. This was my first entrance into the world of sportswear and apparel graphics. I spent 8 months designing graphics for numerous types of sportswear and marketing materials.

In the summer of 2014, I completed a second internship at Spangler Graphics in Kansas City, KS. I spent this time working in the finishing and bindery department, coiling workbooks for schools throughout the country.

After graduation, I worked at a variety of different print-related companies in various roles throughout Northeast Kansas. Then I received an offer to work as a graphic artist from GTM Sportswear in July of 2017. This is where my love of screen print came into full bloom. I was able to participate in testing new production methods and pushing the boundaries of what we could offer our customer base. Eventually, I learned the processes for heat transfer vinyl, embroidery, and even ultrafuse/sublimation printing.

My journey continues as I seek to expand my knowledge of graphic design and experience new aspects of this exciting field. I hope to grow more and see where the road takes me as my career evolves in our ever-changing world. It's been a series of surprises over the years, and I wouldn't change a moment of it.