About
For 10 years I’ve been a graphic designer. I recall with both pleasure and trepidation the challenge of my first post college project: the Olympic Peninsula Travel Association guide. Editions of this venerable guide first carried Peninsula advertising 70 years ago.
The guide was the perfect project for me. I was new to the Peninsula and to America itself. I arrived in Port Townsend directly from Russia where I taught English at the Pedagogical Institute. Graphic design, and America, became large and exciting shifts in career - and life!
Organizing things visually I found fascinating. I love to search communicative and interpretive Russian-English subtleties that invoke the cultural and linguistic nuances which refine my visual communication that optimizes understanding. Powerful and effective solutions simplify, simplify, simplify.
Developing watercolor and acrylic painting and batiking skills I also take seriously…encouraged by successful exhibits in fine art shows and several galleries - with commercial success when my watercolors are incorporated in published pieces.
Contracted as Art Director of the Northwest Magazine and it’s previous incarnations of Peninsula Lifestyle, then Peninsula Life, I was fortunate to work with photojournalist Steve Wilson, whose award-winning New York advertising experience and decades of editorial experience at National Geographic and Life encouraged my commitment to “design for content.” We collaborated on many published projects, both editorial and advertising. I also understood yet another level of photography and communication standards. I added photography as a wonderful venue that I enjoy and use in my projects. And many of my current projects incorporate the thoughtful photography of Steve, as well as images from Jill Buhler, Frank Ross and others.
Local Choices is one of the projects I am doing with Nancy Alvarez & Jill Buhler. It’s a concise visitors guide, well categorized, with maps, showing businesses.