about
Well, hello! My name is Colleen, and I’ve been a professional graphic designer since 1990 when I earned my BFA from the University of Michigan. I’ve worked at corporations, a university, and have had my own studio for many years. Clients have included mid-to-large corporations in various software and engineering industries, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth program, and non-profit groups.
Like all designers at the time, I started off in print. I began working on web projects in the early 2000s. My proudest achievement early on was learning css over a weekend, all so I could put an image outside a box.
These days I work in both print work and web, and I love it all:
- logos and identity systems, playing with symbols and letterforms;
- print materials, playing with grids and typographic hierarchy;
- web structure and interface, making sure visitors get the right information; and
- front-end site coding in html, css, and WordPress, creating responsive sites
I’m not a writer but I do work closely with clients to make sure content is clear and appropriate—for example, improving content flow with simple edits or breaking text into easily readable chunks. Having a clear mission and message not only makes a design better, it’s easier for your audience, too.
If I’m not sketching out designs or typing out code, you can usually find me hiking or crafting. Current obsessions are knitting and recreating vintage paint by number scenes.