Graphic Design is visual communication; a way to visually organize graphics, images, and text into meaningful visual presentations. I learned early in life that adaptability is crucial to survival. The art of Graphic Design has grown to include how humans interact with the design, how to develop campaigns to empathize with the audience, and how a few strategically placed graphics can change the way a community thinks. It’s the research, strategy, experimentation, and execution that makes the best designers.

As an undergraduate in the College of Art at Morehead State University, I was reluctant to call myself a graphic designer. Initially, I wanted to be a painting professor and teach the fundamentals of color perception. I have an intense love of learning and soon discovered that painting was not enough to satisfy my creative needs. Graphic design, on the other hand, was an ever-changing field where practical applications of creative talent could be harnessed to communicate across an enormous range of mediums. What’s more, it thrives on creative problem solving.

I enjoyed painting with light through photography, then putting those photographs into context with the written word. In that way, I found I could also explore my drawing and illustrative techniques to further enhance a narrative on the page. Then, there was the idea that each composition had the potential for massive social impact. This combination of artistic mediums mixed with social impact and visual & intellectual power is awe-inspiring. Communicating the art and processes of a graphic designer by teaching it to others has become one of the most fulfilling pursuits of my life.

I have always been an avid learner. If I am tasked with something and have nearly perfected the process, I still seek out new ways to improve and solve creative challenges. One of the best ways to learn is to teach. I have found a love for communicating creative problem solving and critical thinking skills to every student I’ve had the pleasure to teach. Graphic Design is an amazing venue to do just that. I hope to never stop teaching and learning.

Aside from teaching, I practice my craft through freelance work. I have developed successful branding & marketing materials for local businesses and I am thriving as a photographer. I begin every job by learning everything I can about it. Defining the problem, or problems, is an important part of that learning process. After the variables are defined, I experiment with different approaches to find solutions. A decision is made and I present my work with strong methodology and clean craftsmanship. I think of this process as teaching the problems & solutions to others; students or clients. I have developed this philosophy across many aspects of life, and it is reflected in my work as a designer, photographer, painter, illustrator, developer, influencer, and teacher. I am growing this approach through my graduate courses at Radford University in their MFA Design Thinking Program.

I have been very fortunate in my career pursuit; I’ve worked efficaciously as a freelance designer & photographer with my family’s company, Udar Service Group, Inc. I had a great experience as a photographer’s assistant for Bryan Moberly, a top product & architectural photographer here in Louisville, Ky. I worked as an adjunct instructor for the Computer Graphic Design Department at Sullivan College of Technology & Design (SCTD) at age 25. Then, shortly after I had my first child, I was promoted, and became a full-time instructor for the department. Within two years, I was then promoted to Department Chair.

At SCTD, I lead the development of a new curriculum that would adapt to the ever-changing definitions of Graphic Design. I have continued this development in my courses as an Adjunct for the School of Arts and Letters at Indiana University Southeast. With new approaches to curriculum development in the Graphic Design field, I hope to expand the range of digital mediums, with focus on linear & non-linear narrative, motion & time concepts, and a strong foundation in methodology. I am always looking to involve my students in service learning, with real-world projects for mainly non-profit organizations, and I have lead students to work in the local community, giving them the opportunity to exercise their craft in evocative ways.

I am proud of my accomplishments and impact on my community, yet there is the potential for more. I would like to gain the tools and the knowledge to push myself and my career even further. I hope to develop my understanding of design thinking, to diversify & develop the content I learn, to solve, to teach, and to use my personal & professional growth to the benefit of my community.