Problem solving, creative thinking, lateral thinking. Fluency in English and American Sign Language.
The work history included in this CV covers more than 20 years; I've had nine earlier jobs and seven volunteer positions. A list of all work and educational history will be available on request, as will references.
Self-employed graphic design, book and publications design, writer/editor, website development and design. I've also been exploring socialmedia tools for distribution of information and for marketing purposes.
Supervised Publications division of a national non-profit, overseeing print publications (bi-monthly magazine, ads, conference materials and signage, membership materials and other); internet publications (website, several email newsletters), and public relations material. Began work at the NAD in 1993 as a single-person department responsible for the publication of "The NAD Broadcaster" a tabloid-sized newspaper published 11x/year. In this position I performed as managing editor, copy editor, writer, designer (and re-designer), layout artist and advertising sales. When I left to move to Philadelphia in 2004, I was supervising five people who were performing design, production, marketing, editing, advertising sales, bookstore sales and fulfillment tasks. Our major publication was now a full-color magazine, the "NADmag" published six times a year, and we added a multi-functional website, email newsletters, and print newsletters for various sections within the NAD.
Microlab/ENFI Project Microlab/ENFI Project Assistant, 1989 - 1993. Special Assistant/Secretary II, 1986 - 1989. My titles do not fully express the diversity of my work at the ENFI lab. This project used computers to teach writing through Electronic Networks for Interaction (ENFI)— before the rise in popularity of the internet and instant message systems (such as iChat and AIM) and long before "texting" became a word. I was both the secretary-- making travel arrangements, maintaining financial reports, with signatory powers on expenses up to $500 and the lab manager— training teachers and students in the use of the equipment; training and supervising students lab assistants; performing maintenance and minor repairs of software and hardware; and transitioning the lab to IBM's Team Focus software which was the next generation of the group chat concept used in both a professional setting, and in education.
I have taken numerous workshops to further my education and skills including a one week professional training on TeamFocus software and meeting facilitation, IBM Corp.; workshops and seminars in management, meeting facilitation, computers, non-profit organizations, fundraising and proposal writing, the arts.
I first entered college in 1972, and freshman year was a general Bauhaus-based arts program focusing on drawing, 3-D design and 2-D design using a problem/solution approach (as opposed to a fine arts master/apprentice approach). I left after my junior year as a painting major and returned to school for my senior year in 1982, receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1983. When I attended, it was known as Philadelphia College of Art. PCA merged with Pennsylvania Musical Academy and became University of the Arts in 1984.
I'm continuing to seek book and magazine design clients— whether for short-term projects such as cover designs, or longer projects such as design and layout of full publications.
I am continuing to produce my own works available for sale online— t-shirts, cards, calendars and other items can best be found through the Purple Swirl Arts Mini-mall: http://www.purple-swirl.com/shop
While my heart, and my training, is that of an artist, some people forget that about me. They think of me as a writer or an editor; or they think of me as a manager putting together projects (a producer, in other words); or they think of me as a computer techie they can turn to when problems come up-- and they are right. I'm all of that, and more. My strength is putting together books and magazines because the work involved uses the full range of my skills-- editing and writing; layout and typography; photo manipulation and graphic design. My other love is doing short term graphic design projects, things like cover designs, designs that go on products such as t-shirts and mugs, brochures and business cards. I relish that because it forces me to stretch and keep coming up with new ideas, and I enjoy being an "idea person." I'm a generalist, not a specialist, and according to an article in WIRED magazine (Feb., 2005; 70) us right-brain people are making a comeback in the world.