That said, thank you to everyone who has ever taken the time to write to me. Your letters were always encouragement to keep going. I wouldn’t be where I am, right now, without you.

Here I yam again! Welcome to Lifeinvector, version 3,462,009.

I spent a year & a half living in beautiful Denver, working for LeeReedy & strengthening my design portfolio. My intention to get a full time job was to mature as a designer & experience the creative industry through the eyes of an agency for the first time. I have to say, it was everything (and more) that I thought it would be. My boss taught me quite a bit & gave me as much freedom as each project would allow. I’m forever grateful for his confidence in my abilities, for all the work that came out of my time there, and for my coworkers, whom I will love forever.

But back to business… I‘ve churned away on this update over the last couple of months, involving much more work than previously put into my own website. I took a close second look at several old projects, including most vectors, Type Friday pieces, wallpapers, a few logos & even my Gradient Mesh tutorial… pretty much everything got a facelift. My design section is brand new, featuring works completed over the last two years. There is also a new photo section, with selections from recent travels, which I am happy to be sharing with all of you.

Which brings me to today. Six months ago we left our home for the travelin’ life & I returned to freelancing in hopes of beginning a new chapter in my career. I‘ve taken an unexpected turn towards fine art again, and have been busy drawing, painting & photographing. But the designer in me is ever present, and I’ll continue making logos & brochures & whatnots, so feel free to contact me with your requests.

I’d also like to say… thank you from my heart for following Lifeinvector and for all the support I’ve received over the years. I would not be where I am without all your critiques, inspiration & encouragement. I hope you enjoy the update. :)

PS. A special thanks to Matthew for his optimism towards all I do, and for helping me get my new site up finally. You’re the bestest.

My husband & I are also looking to relocate to a place to settle down, so we’re searching the west coast through the midwest, Colorado & SoCal being at the top of our list.

Thanks in advance for any leads or thoughts of encouragement!

[Click here for pictures of setting up & opening night.]

I’m sitting here with a spoonful of delicious peanut butter, reflecting on last weekend’s big success, pondering all the things I learned from the experience. It’s taken nearly a week for it all to sink in.

It was both fun & nerve-wracking. There was tons of energy in the room. Practically everyone I know in Chicago showed up, including a few surprise faces. The artists were all in good spirits, the work was incredibly diverse & amazing. There were a few awkward moments, but all in all, the night inspired me.

Paul’s photo montages were thoughtful & engaging. Reilly’s inks were adorably clever. Rudy’s detailed drawings were out-of-this-world awesome. Angela’s photos presented beautiful color & depth. Chase’s interactive piece was ridiculously smart, as always. Javier, whom I didn’t get to meet, contributed work with a strong & impactful message. And Ray’s digital illustrations were a color-factory of awesomeness.

Seeing my own work on the wall was more difficult than I anticipated. Because I’m mostly familiar with online interaction & critiquing, this face-to-face business was terrifying.  I avoided that part of the room for most of the night but couldn’t dodge most of the commentary, which was generally pretty positive. Now, a week later, I realize how silly it was to be so unsure of myself. I learned a lot of things. I was able to see how my work needs development. I honestly can’t wait to see how I will mature as a painter.

It’s always been a dream of mine to show work in a gallery. Thank you to everyone who made it possible!