Art Director and Owner of Samaru Designs (formerly Light House Graphics)
Birmingham, AL.
Freelance graphic artist specializing in editorial layout, ad design, logo development and web design.

Art Director 6/08 - present
Birmingham Parent Magazine, Birmingham, AL.
I design ads and layout all editorial for this award-winning family publication. Published monthly. Full PDF version of each magazine is available online at www.birminghamparent.com.

Art Director 1/06 - present
Out Front Magazine, Birmingham, AL.
I design ads and layout all editorial for this full-color, glossy, national publication. Published 6 times a year. Also responsible for the design and upkeep the Out Front web site www.outfrontmagazine.net.

Graphic Design Instructor 10/07 - 05/08
Virginia College, Birmingham, AL.
Taught Web Design Theory and Illustrator. Loved it!

Production Manager, Web Lackey 7/04 - 11/05
Independent News, Pensacola, FL.
Responsible for laying out the paper every week from a production standpoint. I decided where each ad and all editorial is to run in the paper and made sure it all got in and to the printer on time. I did a lot of technical troubleshooting with Camera Ready ads as well. The other part of my job was to publish the online version of the paper (www.inweekly.net) and to update and maintain the site daily.

Graphic Artist, Pre-Press Manager 12/99 - 09/02
Gambit Communications, New Orleans, LA.
As a graphic artist, responsible for production of ads and editorial layout for a fast-paced, award-winning, independent newspaper. As pre-press manager, responsible for page plan and weekly production management of Gambit Weekly, Best of New Orleans and HomeSmart magazines. Focused on publication layout, technical troubleshooting, processing of camera ready art and sending the paper via ftp to press.

Apprentice Painting Restorer 8/99 - 12/99
The New Orleans Conservation Guild, New Orleans, LA.
Learned how to fill areas of paint loss, to tone the fill to match existing colors and textures and how to take digital photos of art work before, during and after restoration.

Art Teacher 08/98 - 5/99
Mortimer-Jordan High School, Birmingham, AL.
Taught Art I-IV. Focused on learning how to observe with an open mind and to visually express the experience of being human. Combined a great deal of art history with a wide range of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works in every media we could get our hands on.

Spanish Teacher 08/98 - 5/99
Mortimer-Jordan High School, Birmingham, AL.
Taught Spanish I. Focused on gaining confidence in the ability to understand and speak Spanish on a basic level. Spent a lot of time on simple conversation and Latin culture.

Art Director/Web Designer 7/97 - 7/98
Angstrom Technologies, Birmingham, AL.
Established a 2-person creative department as part of a Macintosh networking and repair company. Responsible for researching the benefits of company web sites and helping create and successfully implement on-line services. Worked on PC and Mac.

Graphics Specialist 7/92 - 7/97
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Birmingham, AL.
Layout, design and production of a variety of internal and external printed and electronic communications. Coordination of company-wide events and promotions.