Hello! I’m Connie, a graphic designer and maker based in Portland, OR.
Before finding my passion for Graphic Design, I worked in the Food and Hospitality industry for over ten years. My experiences in the restaurant industry as a Chef and Server gave me first-hand experience working with the public to accommodate the needs of others, maintaining high levels of productivity while managing multiple tasks in a high-pressure environment, creating systems for efficiency, and training people from a wide variety of backgrounds. I work well with others and know that the best ideas can come from anyone.
I went back to school to study psychology but took a detour when I decided I wanted to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator. I was hooked and shifted gears towards pursuing graphic design. During my time in school, I worked on freelance design projects for local businesses and non-profit organizations. It meant that I was often working directly with clients to find the right solutions for their needs. Through these experiences, I was able to exercise many valuable skills such as the ability to work collaboratively, engage in and apply feedback, and effective communication with different types of people. I'm also comfortable working with and applying established design systems to maintain cohesion between old and new collateral.
I love all of it, but I’m really into UI/UX/Product design and design systems. (Basically, any excuse to play and learn new tricks in Figma.) I also have experience in branding, packaging, screenprinting, layout, illustration, and photography. I’m highly adaptable and my process draws from a variety of disciplines and perspectives rooted in seeing beyond the (assumed) inherent value of things. I’m passionate about accessibility and inclusion in design, neurodiversity, understanding how people process (and connect), and learning new things.
Outside of design, I’m into woodworking, stand-up comedy, breaking bread with the homies, and teaching myself how to do new things.
Ultimately, I hope to make rad things with rad people!
Thanks for taking the time to look at my work.