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Summary

 I've always seen the world around me from a much different perspective than most. Maybe that's why I've spent most of the past three decades anticipating the changes that have transformed the way we communicate. In the mid 90's I was focused on the concept of Multimedia, and in 1995 I built my first website, focusing on antiques and art. in 2000 a site I built was picked up by over 70 newspapers worldwide, giving me a taste of the potential that digital information could provide.  My background in visual art plus my creative non-fiction writing experience means that the new media landscape is one I'm very comfortable with. As a blogger since 2003, I've been very involved in the different types of online media available, and am pleased to see the recent efforts to combine local journalism with real-time online community building.

Work experience

20082010

Adjunct Instructor/Tutor

In Fall 2008 I accepted an appointment to teach three sections of Language Arts & Skills in the department of Developmental Studies.  Instead of having my students write papers that they turned in to me, I had them publish their writing online and allowed them to interact with each other, which gave them ownership and sparked conversation and community building. They speak of how my teaching them to write changed their lives.

In the summer of 08 I was privileged to teach scholarship athletes recruited for the brand new football program. I went on to tutor athletes for the Athletic department, a job I'd still be doing if the economy had not forced statewide cuts in education.

20062010

Library Technical Assistant I

While finishing my Masters in English I worked part-time at the University Library where I used my skills in Photoshop and InDesign, as well as my document preparation and editing abilities and proficiency with Word and Excel to support the Program for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.  Using InDesign, I completely updated and redesigned the newsletter.  I also prepared the PowerPoint presentations for the Circulation department and created flyers, illustrations and signage in support of various events and seasonal campaigns in the circulation department. in addition to managing the PETAL seminars, registering and tabulating the attendanc and preparing the reports and certificates of New Faculty Seminar attendance. 

In 2007, we built a new website, created a new Teachers Excellence Award publication and managed over 60 events (seminars, brown bag lunches and workshops) in the course of the first semester. In 2008 we remodeled a new space for PETAL on the third floor of the library. My artistic talents were also called upon to present a rendering for Dr. Richard Wood, Dean of Libraries, for a proposed Archives building to be located nearby. In addition to meeting support, I developed a new method of registering attendees using GoogleDocs forms, eliminating much duplication of effort and streamlining record-keeping for the new seminars. 

20002015

Owner/Designer

Design Workshop, LLC

When I returned to complete my degree in fine art at age 50, I had already become proficient in document production and graphic design using various web tools. When I am offered a project that interests me, I use Design Workshop as my vehicle. 

19981999

Clerk

Technical Specialties, Inc.
19951996

Owner/Web Designer

Antique Connexions
19901995

Facilities Clerk

Institute for Nuclear Power Operations

Supporting the daily demands of a 500 person organization and their various office and meeting setup needs were my responsibilty along with a staff of about five. Often our meetings would involve highly placed individuals and sometimes VIP's from other nuclear power organizations. 

In the years that I was employed with INPO my job was increasingly computer driven and I became interested in the internet at that time. INPO was not as interested in moving to an open online environment in those years, and I actually cited my frustration at their lack of willingness as one of the reasons for my departure.

19891990

Factory Representative

Intelligence Technology, Inc.

This company had introduced a  28 pound 286 laptop to great fanfare, and it was the hottest thing on the market when it finally was introduced...for about three weeks. This Texas company had spent a huge amount of money on a few ads in a major computer magazine, and consequently the leads for this computer were plentiful. Everyone wanted to get their hands on these computers, try them out, and sometimes borrow them, but no one actually bought them.

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19891989

Sales Clerk

Soft Warehouse

This company is better known as CompUSA. I worked at the second store, and we were busy as the first BIG BOX store for computers in Atlanta. It was at a time when people were still building their own PC's and I was fascinated by the creative ways people and businesses were using computers.

19851987

Car Sales

Flow Motors, Inc.

Automobile sales

19801984

Owner

Design Workshop

Retail Interior Design shop. 

Education

20052007

Master of English

University of South Alabama

My degree in Art took longer than I anticipated and my financial aid had run its course, so I actually was advised that if I could get a degree I could complete my second degree at the same time that I pursued my graduate degree. While this made for some frustration in the registrars office, that is exactly what happened.  In 2005 I completed my Art thesis in June. My English thesis, called Delusions of Grandeur, was completed in 2007.

Jan 2001Jun 2005

Batchelor of Fine Art

University of South Alabama

When I returned to Alabama I lived in Baldwin County, where I worked for various companies before returning to school. In 2001 I began attending classes with the goal of completing the long abandoned degree in Fine Art. I moved to Mobile in December 2000 and have lived in the same house since then. My courses in Graphic Design were secondary to my painting major, but I did have many classes in both concentrations.

19931995

Batchelor of Science

Shorter had an evening program that was designed for individuals who were working full time during the day. My company was paying the costs for a while but they were not completely covering my expenses. I still had to get credits in Biology to complete the degree, and that was not possible due to the lab schedules. My degree was granted in 2003 when I actually completed biology for the University of South Alabama.

19901992

19841985

19691969

19681968

Painting

Digital Artwork

Websites

Publications

Skills

Blogging software
My first blog site, called Doublygifted was created using Radio Userland, a platform that is more difficult to master than many of the more common blogging platforms. I also have used WordPress, CommentPress, and blogger, as well as OpenSalon. Now I use Squarespace because of its elegant interface and the fact that it is so easy for the client to update. My personal blog on Squarespace is also called Doublygifted, and I have created blogs for others, such as the website/blog for the Fairhope HS reunion and for Loran Chavez, an artist and friend. In the summer of 2005 I built a site for Dr. Moira Amado-Miller using Drupal, but it proved to be too complex and was not used in the way it was intended.  Since then I've worked with WordPress, Tumblr, Posterus, Sakai, and many others.
Dreamweaver
 I have used Dreamweaver in several of its versions and am comfortable with many of its features but there are features that I never use, such as spry. I also have built websites with php and other platforms and am always interested in learning how to figure out these things if they suit my design goals.  I am quick to grab an expert tutorial to learn something or get an online expert to help me figure it out if I need to do so.
Illustrator
I use Illustrator when I need it, but it is not my first choice as there are not as many times when I need illustrator for the type of work I do most frequently. I do use it to prepare graphics and presentation pieces when needed and when I have used Illustrator for a few days my proficiency returns. It is not something that one can easily switch from using to not using for long periods of time, in my experience, so I like to try to use it frequently.
Photoshop
Since I can remember I have been working with photoshop to manipulate images. It really has to have been one of the most exciting things I have learned with regard to computers, and one of the reasons I am constantly trying to find more time to do the types of artwork I really like to do with photoshop. I have been working in layers recently and have created many images with as many as 27 layers. I have used Photoshop to manipulate images for book covers, flyers, articles, catalogs, business cards, websites and for many other purposes. Many of my paintings have been created from digital images that I took and then assembled into compositions using photoshop. My initial introduction to computer image management software was with Paint Shop Pro, which was shareware, but I quickly found that I wanted to have Photoshop if only because of the excellent books available on how to create great artwork with photoshop. 

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