It is with a joyful heart that I announce to you, my dear readers, my big news. I have quit my job from Martha Stewart Living, from the publishing industry, and from the corporate world. I am now officially a starving artist, and nothing could make me happier. I am free.
I moved to New York City in August of 2007 with a simple dream in my heart: to be a graphic designer at Domino Magazine. With some good luck, that dream worked out for me. In my truest heart of hearts, I believe in what E.B. White is quoted to have said some years ago:
Here is New York. It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.
The combination of great luck and much hard work also landed me incredible jobs at New York Magazine, and most recently as an art director at Martha Stewart Living. I have been SO LUCKY!
I have been blessed with an optimistic outlook on life. Its sometimes borderline comical and almost always cheesy & hopelessly romantic. I credit a lot of my good luck to my optimistic outlook. I also grew up with the understanding that:
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall, much be required.
(Which, apparently is from the BIBLE, as I just learned from a quick google search - Luke 12:48. I always thought that came from an American President..)
In other words, I've always felt like I owed it to those less fortunate. Those who may have the same drive & vision I do, but not the opportunity to see it to fruition. I am so blessed and therefore, I owe it to myself and to the world to be the best that I can be, and chase my dreams as honestly as I can. If I may be so bold to stand on a soapbox for a second, and declare that so much of my generation strives to get by on as little work as possible meanwhile feeling entitled to countless luxuries, I find it utterly fulfilling and creatively satisfying to truly work as hard as I can creating my own work.
It is with this in mind that I have left the corporate office to pursue my own work and my own direction. Working at these three amazing magazines has taught me so much - both design skills, professional etiquette and how to be successful under pressure. Ha I will stop now before this starts to sound like a cover letter.
Below is my first page I designed at domino, and in a few weeks my website will be up & running & displaying my favorite pieces work I've done in the past several years.
