I was raised in northern Canada and can remember the first time I made something with purpose. For a social studies project in third grade, I made a small canoe out of birch bark that I stripped from a tree on my way to school. This was the beginning of my serendipitous path to design - it just made sense. With an MFA in Sculpture & Extended Media, my approach is that the elements and principles of design apply to almost everything and that media and materials are fluid and intricately related. As an artist and designer, I see myself simply as a visual problem solver and storyteller. I have applied that label to teaching and making objects, images, and short films.

I really admire people who can write beautifully detailed and immersive stories. Visual art is that for me. I love the activity that comes before execution. Research, conceptualization, development, and failure are all equally important aspects of the creative process, each with its own set of challenges to overcome. To be brutally honest, being a creative is just fun. Every challenge is different and requires a different solution.

As the Senior Visual Designer for Tungsten Branding, I really lead the entire design process from discovery and direction to development and execution. I am fortunate to work with a talented team of wordsmiths who craft the verbal story. They create momentum for our design team to visualize a brand story and bring it to life.

Creativity means constantly analyzing and cataloguing your environment. It means striving to create something authentic. It means always being a little bit scared. I always say if you're not at least a little bit scared of the process, you're not trying hard enough.

Research is an important part of my creative process. Creating something authentic requires careful scrutiny and an understanding of that which already exists or came prior. A lot happens before I actually make something. I mentioned being a little bit scared earlier. I believe that if you're not at least a little bit scared, you're not trying hard enough. However, being too scared can be debilitating. Research, planning, and development are the antidote to fear. It allows me to feel confident about the choices I am making visually and conceptually. Sharing and discussing ideas with colleagues is also super valuable in helping to quell the fear. More importantly, it often leads to elevated solutions to problems.

Without doubt, it's research and deevelopment. Execution is also fun, but research is where you experience an idea in its raw form. It's where the solution is born.

I've always been a minimalist. It's such a challenge to boil something down to its essence and still have it communicate. One thing you'll never see in my work, unless a client corrects it, is symmetry - I like things to be just a little off-balance. I enjoy the dynamism and attention that comes from things being slightly off-kilter.

It's always nice to be recognized by your peers. As creatives, we don't create in a vacuum and the whole point of our work is to be seen and to communicate. Being recognized by MUSE is validation that our firm is creating quality work that is authentic.

Our verbal team chose Remagin as the name for an ophthalmology practice. As a client Remagin was amazing. They trusted and allowed us to create a beautiful brand that truly stands out in that sector. We're talking about eyeballs here, so I wanted the brand to feel cool, comfortable, and refreshing. Of course, I also wanted it to have a clean and simple aesthetic. Pairing Aqua tones with a bright pop of yellow lent the brand a calm, soothing presence with the ability to grab attention when necessary. For the brand book, I chose to lead with airborne splashes of water on pure white backgrounds. I tried to think of what "refreshing" might look like. How do you visually present the idea of something "cool".

It's too early to tell how winning this award will advance our firm or our process. But like I said, it's always nice to be recognized and celebrated by your peers.

My top three favorite things about this industry are first, the energy and the exhilaration that comes with developing stories for people. Second, the variety of projects I get to work on. Third, the flexibility to be able to work anywhere.

I would say to take the time to create your best work, cutting corners is never a solution even it seems like it will get you there in the short term. Strive for long-term relevancy. Be authentic and don't let your ego get involved in making design decisions.

I think artist/designer residencies are an invaluable way to commit time to one's craft. They allow for time and space for risk-taking and failure without the consequences.

Take risks. Take on more than you can handle once in a while. Success is great but don't be afraid to fail, that's how you learn and grow.