I was born and raised in eastern Iowa, right along the Mississippi River. As a kid, sports and drawing took up most of time. If I wasn't kicking, shooting, or throwing a ball, I was doodling in classes and drawing characters instead of doing my homework. Most of my teachers saw that, but respectfully encouraged my drawing regardless and always pushed me to spend time on art. My teenage years were about the same. Sports, drawing, and now guitar lessons thrown in the mix. Equally pursuing each activity, I began to gain a better grasp on what it was I wanted to do when I "grow up". College for me was a little different than the normal sports, drawing, and music. I was no longer pursuing sports (I was a good athlete, but not good enough to make a collegiate team and I knew that going into college). My art had taken a backseat when college work and real work was at the forefront. But my music was one thing that began to grow in spite of the short-lived absences of my other passions. I majored in marketing in college, and actually never took a graphic design class during that period. But little did I know that down the road my life would be consumed by learning every aspect of graphic design and aesthetics. Fast forward several years, music was my strong passion and consumed most of time. Whether it was performing live shows, recording tracks, or practicing with bandmates, music had a strong hold on me. That was how I met my now wife, Jaelyn. She was in a band that her father led, and he asked me to join them. I said yes, and.... well.... the rest is history! Jaelyn and I got married in the summer of 2022 and still pursue our music today (she is way better than me and can sing the socks off of you). Now, back to my graphic designing. I got my first "graphic design" job with the Siwa family (Jessaylnn and JoJo), and I use quotations because my first job for them consisted of design some logos on a piece of paper with some markers and colored pencils. I didn't own a lick of graphic design software when I started.However, they loved my sketches and designs, and I figured if I was going to make a go at this graphic design career, I should go out and get some equipment. And that is just what I did! I went out and ordered a brand new iPad, stylus, and Adobe Illustrator. Something to get my feet wet. But I learned so much in the first few months of designing that I eventually upgraded my equipment and software and really began to pursue this is a career. I have gained so much knowledge from working first hand with clients and customers, and that was the greatest education I could have ever received. Even today, I still use my iPad and stylus as the basis of my designs. From a kid who did his drawings with a pencil and paper in school, the iPad and stylus really feels like home to me when creating beautiful designs for people.I then expanded my reach into creating fun and interactive children's novels with my experience in the graphic field. When I was a child, I can always remember the wacky, exciting, and unforgettable books that filled my shelves. I always seemed to gravitate towards the silly and nonsensical books as a child, and I truly think they helped mold me into the person I am today. My main goal is to bring that sense of being into the lives of the youth today, and to create fun and positive stories, illustrations, poetry, and literature that will be remembered for a lifetime with parents and their children! With all that goes on in my life, I hope to never lose that sense of wonder and devotion in my passions, and I hope the same for you! I don't know where the next chapter of my life will take me, but I cannot wait to enjoy the journey!
