Painter · Graphic Designer · Copywriter
Designer, copywriter and painter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I’m a designer, copywriter and web specialist at Spider Marketing Group in Ada, Michigan, where I create brand, print and web work for businesses across legal, home services, healthcare, finance and real estate. I hold a BS in Advertising & Public Relations with a minor in Studio Art from Grand Valley State University.
Alongside client work, I keep an active studio practice in acrylic and mixed media. Working in both worlds shapes how I approach every project: strategy and structure from the agency side, and color, composition and craft from the studio.
Education
Grand Valley State University
BS, Advertising & Public Relations
Minor, Studio Art · 2026
Current Role
Spider Marketing Group
Designer, Copywriter & Web Specialist
Ada, Michigan
Focus Areas
Graphic design & brand identity
Copywriting & SEO
Campaign strategy
Acrylic & mixed-media painting
Artist Statement
Precision and organic flow
My painting explores the balance between geometric precision and organic, improvised form. I use digital tools throughout my process, planning compositions on screen and finishing them by hand, to bridge machine accuracy and the human touch.
The structured paintings start as digital drawings. I cut each layer as a vinyl stencil, mask the canvas and build the image in coats of acrylic, peeling each stencil back to reveal the color underneath. The organic works skip the plan and are built directly in paint, marker, graphite, crayon and collage.
I see technology as a creative tool, not a threat to tradition, and I use it deliberately to push what a painting can be.
Structured Works
Planned geometric abstractions built on true symmetry or intentional balance through asymmetry. Many reference digital media, from user interfaces to video game characters.
Organic Works
Improvised mixed-media works in paint, marker, graphite, crayon and collage. They sometimes borrow structured elements, but these pieces center on the freedom of unplanned creation.
Exhibitions & Collections
Shown and collected
Exhibitions
97th Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition
Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan · 2026
Solid State, acrylic on canvas, 24×48
Collections
Grand Valley State University Permanent Collection
Allendale, Michigan
Joyce, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 30×40
Art in Advertising
Making the message worth seeing
My background in advertising and print production gives me a practical view of commercial design and a real appreciation for the craft behind it. I value what good brand work does well, like clarity, consistency and efficiency, while pushing for work that’s thoughtful instead of forgettable.
People see thousands of messages a day. The advertiser’s job is to make theirs worth seeing: artful, meaningful and effective.
