Designer

My professional career began in New York in 1989 while I was working as a freelancer for Citibank’s International Services division, translating English-language forms and documents into Portuguese. My perfectionism, coupled with dyslexia, made working on an electric typewriter extremely difficult and propelled me to invest in a portable Apple Macintosh SE30 computer. I already had some experience creating layouts and working with analog photography and film, so I was soon mastering the Apple graphic applications.

My fascination with graphic design tools grew stronger when I went back to Brazil in 1991. I decided to invest in learning hands-on design processes in order to more effectively transition from analog to digital. I learned how to work letterset, do paste-up, and create composites, and I spent innumerable hours looking at design books for inspiration. I acquired first-hand experience with the different printing processes, color and paper handling. These skills enhanced and were enhanced by my work in the field as a graphic designer and art director for Brazilian firms, in particular People Brasil Informática in Campinas, SP, where I was employed full-time from 1993 to 1996 to create advertisement pieces, do research, develop technical manuals and training courses, and teach design and desktop publishing.

Returning to the U.S. in the late 1990s, I established my own design studio, where I have successfully collaborated with other designers and former students to develop commercial identity, brochures, prospectuses, promotional flyers, newsletters, calendars, infographics, presentations, photographs, videos, and websites for a wide array of different clients. Currently, in partnership with Richard A. Courage, I serve as principal and creative director for Knowledge Art Studios, INC and as a design consultant for Zing Marketing Strategy, LLC.

Researching and exploring new tools and approaches to design is what excites me most, and over the years, I have expanded my attention from graphic to web and interface design. Most recently, I have been focusing on information and instructional design with an emphasis on dynamic interface design and data visualization. I have had opportunities to pursue these passions and extend my skills while working as the online education coordinator (2011-12) and consultant (2012 to date) for UCLA Art-Sci Center and the website/database developer and information coordinator for Black Chicago History a collaborative research project based at Chicago’s Roosevelt University and funded by the N.E.H. from 2014 to 2016.