Welcome! This is my site; a portfolio of sorts, but one unlike the others. So, what are we looking at? Well, in the words of Eric Schmidt, show me, don't tell me.
Put simply, the contents of my site are not to show off or showcase my work, but to share the content of my character. My hope is that you see how a creative mind sees and interacts with the world.
Image caption: What's in my head / Head-first / Headless approach (sans ego)
My approach, my perspective, and my unsatiable [creative] curiosity are what define me. It isn't something that I simply turn on and off, but an innate and visceral way of living — and working.
My passion for creativity extends well beyond what we see on our screens, but in finding inspiration from real-world environments and "IRL" interactions with real people.
Does anyone remember Skeuomorphic design? Twitter Bootstrap? Wireframing with InDesign?
Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers. As do I. I remember when websites were designed with Photoshop. I remember receiving client design feedback through the fax machine. I remember when client presentations required we dress in our Sunday best. I remember free lunches on those days.
Well, now it's about automation, productivity, and so-called ingenuity. It's no longer about what you've done, it's now about what you can do and how fast can you do it.
So, I enjoy crafting things with my hands. While AI can certainly create visually stunning 'art', it will never know the joy of creating something from complete scratch; of pure imagination — nor the feeling of accomplishment.
The human eye still matters. The human hand still matters. The human brain matters most.
My true specialty, my true talent, is not in what I produce, but in how I bring it to fruition. I observe. I empathize. I walk in your shoes. I take a step back, then dive in deep. At my core, I am an observer. I am the conduit who connects creativity to the seemingly mundane. I can capture creativity from anywhere and channel it into a solution that doesn't just move the business, but feels right with its audience.
So, what the **** am I? Please do pardon my French, but the answer to this question eludes me to this day.
I've been called a graphic designer, a web designer, an interactive designer, a UI designer, a UX designer, and so on.
Those titles make sense, but they don't tell you anything about my specializations such as: specializing in Information Architecture, Content Taxonomies, Usability & Compliance Standardizations and Optimizations, Interactive Design Systems, Wireframe Prototypes, Technical UX Writing, etc, etc.
My first desk-design job was at a local design firm as an image retoucher and print brochure designer.
From there, I spent several years working in start-up environments as a key individual contributor, earning millions in revenue through my efforts in e-commerce UX, email and display-ad marketing, and best-in-class product photography.
Then, enter #AgencyLife, where I've had the good fortune of working with world-renowned brands which include the following: TikTok, The Philadelphia Eagles, BNY Mellon, La Colombe, General Nutrition Centers {GNC}, Aquasana, Shop Hardinge, Simpson Strong-Tie, Century 21 Fashion, Rachel Roy, Merck, YETI, Marine One, Organic Girl, Goya, Comcast, Charter, and dozens of philanthropic organizations.
I have places to go, people to meet, and problems to solve.
I seek nothing more than to find a place where I can contribute to the world in a meaningful way, while contributing the same to myself and those I work with.