ABOUT

I began working as a Graphic Designer in 2000. With a B.A. in Spanish Literature from Indiana University, I had studied and worked throughout Spain in my early life (Salamanca, Barcelona, Seville and San Sebastian) and was inspired by the art, architecture, and European landscapes. After graduating from college, I spent a year teaching English in Seville and began to experiment with photography and painting. I eventually made my way to San Francisco to teach ESL and High School Spanish. Then in 1998, I was given the unique opportunity to intern for an inspiring Spanish-speaking Graphic Artist (Adelaida Mejia). The experience motivated me to follow my artistic eye and pursue a Graphic Design Certificate from UC Berkeley (Extension), and I completed the program “With Distinction” in 2000.

My first design jobs were as Marketing Manager for two award-winning San Francisco architecture firms (Baum Thornley, Seidel/Holzman) where I gained valuable experience in how a design business operated. In my free time, I taught myself how to code and build websites using Adobe Dreamweaver. One of my first clients was a (now world-renowned) local floral designer, Natasha Lisitsa of Waterlily Pond . The exposure I gained from her website and marketing materials led to my work being sought out by other creative professionals nation-wide looking to showcase their work on-line. I quickly gained many clients, and in 2001, I started my own freelance business (Zumo Arts) specializing in meeting the graphic design needs of small businesses. From creating logos and print collateral to designing portfolio style websites with assorted image gallery options, I was able to effectively provide a one-stop design shop. Over time my client base grew to include architects, interior designers, wedding and event planners, floral designers, caterers, fashion and jewelry designers, professional photographers, and retailers. I became a master at collaborating with other creatives to ensure their work looked its best, and to create a compelling visual identity for their business.

In 2014, I created my own line of handcrafted jewelry (Azure Jewelry) using a complex copper electroforming process to construct unique settings for sea glass, raw minerals, crystals and oddly shaped gemstones that I had collected while travelling. The business grew to selling over a thousand pieces of jewelry nation-wide between 2014-2016. I designed all of my company branding, marketing materials, and website. My work is currently available at The Find in Fairfax, California.

Since April 2016, I have worked part-time as the In-House Graphic Designer for the Marketing Department of Mighty Leaf Tea where they have applied my eighteen years of expertise to the varied design needs of the company. My projects have included designing retail product packaging, print collateral, POS, trade show graphics, new product mock-ups, seasonal web and email promotions. I have worked with the retail, foodservice, and e-commerce business segments to apply the latest branding to Mighty Leaf Tea’s product lines including Tea & Company and Wellness.

SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL

Visual problem solver
Collaborative
Attention to detail
Responsive
Flexible
Strategic thinker
Time management skills

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR PRINT

Typography
Color Theory
Layout Design
Image Editing
Print Production
Adobe CS (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Dreamweaver)
Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Word, Excel)

WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

WordPress, HTML5, XML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery, UX/UI
E-Commerce (Volusion, Magento, Yahoo, Squarespace)