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Please come into my online studio and look through samples from my portfolio . . .
a collection that began several decades ago by sharing my love for beautiful letters . . .
As a freelance calligrapher, I did layouts on the kitchen table
while getting a degree in English and fine art. Encouraged by clients, I learned brush illustration
(see the peach background at the top of these pages), studied graphic design, color the- ory, greeting card
design, and watercolor. I still enjoy design- ing our Christmas cards and coordinating the address with postage
stamps (which I have also done for clients).
Many weekends and vacations were spent at international lettering conferences
and workshops to earn a California State Teaching Credential in Fine Arts for Adults. I taught calligra- phy
for 10 years, then graduated from UC Davis’ graphic de- sign program. Taking private lessons from over
40 nationally recognized artists, though, is "my real education." And re- cently, I’ve
enjoyed refining my writing skills at CSUS, and at professional conferences sponsored by Ragan, Mount Her- mon,
and others. Probably at age 75, I’ll still be learning!
After four years of selling and designing for commercial print- ers, I began
my first business in 1988. LETTERING DESIGN primarily serves corporate healthcare, church, winery, food
commission, publishing, non-profit and association clients.
Words and images are natural companions and along the way, they merged into
publication projects . . . For five years I was a regional representative for a major yearbook company, selling
and teaching publication design in schools. Being rec- ognized by the president at an annual meeting for a
success- ful marketing campaign renewed my interest in business writ- ing . . . I then held the position of associate
editor for a state medical association’s magazine, California Veterinarian, for
a few years.
While I was managing editor, a first time author asked me to
edit, illustrate, design, and print his book. During this delight- ful experience, the crossroads of my
career — teaching, designing, writing and printing — merged and became JOURNALISM DESIGN. It has been my
privilege to assist autobiographers, contemporary fiction and children’s authors, poets, pastors and
veterinarians. These clients and their heartfelt messages are inspiring to me and to their readers.
Today, whether I am working with authors or corporations,
our
shared goal is to bring the human spirit into communica- tion. In this "techy" world, we yearn to
be understood and to successfully connect with our audience. Perhaps more than ever, we respond to letters
and images that were created by another’s heart and hands.
I’m often asked about computers. Although I use them for
word documents and layout, as a designer I acknowledge
their limitations; they simply follow commands.
The "ART of communication" includes creating letters and images by hand
- it’s a collaborative
process. Clients are invited to choose colors, fax ideas, contribute resources. Then I am at the drawing
board in my northern California studio using brushes, inks, nibs, watercolors, sea sponges and colored
pencils . . . near an inspiring garden view . . . with a bowl of small, spicy, colorful gumdrops . . . to transform your
words and dreams into a visual image.
We at JOURNALISM DESIGN exist to bring fine art and gra- cious
words to your audience. So, the art I create usually gets printed — on self-published books, corporate
communication pieces, apparel, cookbooks, linens, calendars, marketing and conference materials, bags,
menus, balloons, greeting cards, magnets, and wine glasses. JOURNALISM DESIGN also manages print
production with select vendors to ensure a high-quality, cost-efficient, and timely product for you.
Thank you for visiting my world! As you leave, have a won- derful
day . . . and I look forward to a complimentary, intro- ductory meeting with you when the time is right.
"It’s faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life
worth living." Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
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