Who I Am (abridged version)

My philosophy

I believe in personal responsibility.
I believe in a positive outlook.
I believe in simplicity.
I believe in making things right.
I believe in trusting experience and that little voice.
I believe questions can be more important than answers.
I believe in creating a plan, then adapting to changes.
I believe the internet is just so freaking cool.
I believe in lists :-)
I believe good communication is essential.
I believe design is a craft.
I believe code can be beautiful.
I believe collaboration makes projects better.
I believe I may be the website collaborator you’ve been looking for.

Amazing and true

Creating websites is often the last thing I think about before I go to sleep, and the first thing I think about when I wake up. Yes, it may be a bit odd, but you can put that oddity to work for you.

A bit of pertinent history

I’ve worked as a graphic designer and web developer since 1999 (full-time since 2000) and owned my own full-time business since 2006.

I’m a graduate of the prestigious (and grueling) graphic design program at Portfolio Center in Atlanta and hold a BA in Art History from Davidson College (NC).

Avocations that make me better at my job

Running & yoga

The physical benefits of exercise. Knowing when to push and when to ease up. Staying calm and persevering when things get tough. Starting, stopping, and re-starting over and over. (Including stopping exercising altogether for a while and then restarting it :-)

Music

The ability to play well with others. Knowing my place in an ensemble. The spaces between the notes are just as important as the notes themselves. (Currently I’m enjoying the djembe and ukulele. I’m also teaching drumming to others.)

Parenting

Consciously practicing dual-perspective and clear, consistent communication on a daily basis. Going with the flow. Not sweating the small stuff. (I have genetically identical twin toddlers.)

Decluttering & organizing

Reducing the unnecessary. Putting things in logical places. (I’m a bit obsessed with this.)

Design & coding

Work can and should be fun, at least most of the time. (Yes, I do this stuff in my spare time, too, just because I like it. My personal research and play make my professional projects stronger. My wife sees me on the computer after-hours and asks “are you working?” and my best answer is “um... no... well, kind of... but not really...”)

Possibly irrelevant tidbits

After college my first job was bartending at a Japanese steakhouse / sushi lounge.
My parents swear to this day my first word was “batman.”
I played football from 5th grade through college.
I really like pizza. A lot. Possibly even more than you can imagine.
I grew up in Connecticut and have lived in North Carolina, Georgia, California, and now Tennessee.
My favorite movie is This Is Spinal Tap.
During college I spent a semester studying art history in France.
One Halloween, as an adult, I dressed up as a Smurf (including blue face and tail).

practicing the fine art of impromptu ballet

You can contact me at
(423) 753 - 8121 or

Let’s see how well I play with others