Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruit, but wisdom is knowing not to add it to a fruit salad.

definition: a person who creates art using conscious skill and creative imagination, a person skilled in any of the arts.

Lately I have defined myself as simply an artist. When I tell people that I am a designer, it doesn’t quite hit everything that I create or fabricate or produce. So I’ve decided to revert back to artist – and explain myself a little bit further. But deep down – I’m an artist – making art is what I have done since I was young, drawing, coloring, sketching, and then morphing into taking countless photos on my Canon Rebel 35mm and shooting video on bulky wired cameras to shoulder VHS machines, and then morphing into traditional commercial art and designing business cards, posters, and logos. And since college, it’s shifted to websites, and interior design, 3D modeling, a dangerously mediocre knowledge in the inner working of retail environments – mostly convenience stores, assisting with public events, and now audio/visual solutions and online content. I haven’t learned affluent marketing yet, mostly because I don’t think my brain could handle knowing one more thing. So here goes, stepping off the cliff into my knowledge and wisdom in small chunks.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve worked for two companies in the retail / convenience store industry. These are some of the more challenging things I’ve accomplished in this field:

• Design, develop, and model a new cabinet line utilizing non-wood materials in a team setting
• Create a new interior environment for an established regional convenience store chain
• Team collaborate with a customer to design, and implement, a peculiar experience for customers in two convenience store locations in the Denver area
• Refresh an existing prototype mobile kiosk for wide distribution to a national grocery store chain
• Taking a request of a merchandiser from 2D concept, to conceptual, to engineered, to delivered and installed fixture that holds up to 24 cases of wine or spirits
• Design, engineer, and fabricate two eco-friendly, sustainable displays for an essentials oil brand
• Draw and model several floor plan remodels for a local retail customer including relocating and updating existing millwork, equipment, and seating areas
• Work with regional and national convenience store chain category managers and executives to deliver various solutions for food service and beverage areas

I’ve lived in the same town for the entirety of my life and there are certain things that just become a staple in your small town upbringing. The 4th of July parade is always over an hour long with over a dozen classic cars and twice as many tractors and firetrucks – and the local fall festival is always a treat. These are some of the things I’ve created for my local community over the years:

• Assist a small team of locals to organize and run the Pardeeville Watermelon Festival – mostly run all promotions (website, posters, television appearances, and documenting the day through social media)
• Create newspaper ads and posters, utilizing past year’s event photography for the Pardeeville 4th of July celebrations
• Assist the Pardeeville Lions Club with past promotions (website, photos, print ads, physical sign fabrication and assembly) of the Moto-Static car show when it was hosted in Pardeeville
• Design various tabletop displays, logos, posters, websites, and general artwork for the Pardeeville Area Business Association, Pardeeville Lions Club, Pardeeville Lakes Management District, Plumer Karate America, Village of Pardeeville, Corazon Counseling, Wealth & Insurance Strategies, and ‘Sconsin Roads Coffee
• Assisted and designed with national organization Team Rubicon various small projects

Hopefully this sheds a little light on my unique set of skills. Ones that I’ve acquired over a couple of decades. Skills that make me a very versatile tool for people like you.

I’d love to sit down and talk over a messenger, video chat over Teams or Discord, or even face to face.