Experience Summary
Illustrator/Designer/ Jeweler with 2 years professional illustration experience, and 6 years jewelry repair and design experience. Strengths include: creative thinker, high adaptability and problem solving skills, strong technology aptitude, excellent interpersonal and customer relation skills, and high attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Freelance Illustrator (Self Employed) Seneca, SC
Clients: June 2010 – Present
• Fantasy Flight Games
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game (project work approved by The Tolkien Society), Tide of Iron, Call of Cthulhu: Living Card Game, Tannhauser, Lucasarts, Boarder Lands, Android, and Star Wars: The Card Game (project work approved by LucasArts)
• Alderac Entertainment Group
Legend of the Five Rings (Art Direction by Argyle Studios)
• Catalyst Games Lab
ShadowRun
• WildFire LLC.
CthulhuTech, Chthonian Stars, and The Void
• Clemson Hair Art
Business cards and promotional materials
W. W. Thraves Jewelers Inc. Seneca, SC
Head Bench Jeweler September 2006 – June 2011
• Jewelry Repair – Ring sizing, chain repair, retipping, stone replacement, channel repair, clasp repair/replacement, head/stone mounting replacement, bracelet hinge repair, bangle repair, custom part fabrication, milling, reshaping, polishing, and refinishing
• Stone Setting – Prong setting, channel setting, spin setting, pave setting, bead setting, bezel setting
• Design and fabrication – worked with customers to solidify design ideas, created 2D visual renderings for customer approval, developed detailed price quote for labor and parts for customer approval, organized any work or parts that needed to be supplied by a third party or done with specialized equipment
• Watch maintenance - replaced watch batteries, crystals, and bands. Clean and polish cases, bands, and crystals. Coordinated repair instructions and shipment of watch repairs and parts provided by a third party
• Manual Engraving – flat and curved surfaces, solid and hollow pieces, plated and solid material
• Laser welding repairs – eye glasses, jump rings, retipping, bead replacement, under carriage repair
• Laser welder maintenance – water replacement, air/water filter replacement, water pump and bulb replacement
• Pricing and quotes – developed detailed parts and labor costs for customers
• Customer education/reassurance – explained processes used, material attributes, and technical information about repairs and their costs. Presented customers with options available so they could make an informed, comfortable decision
• Training sales staff in basic jewelry cleaning, watch battery replacement, watch band replacement, properly taking a customer’s ring size, qualities and attributes of basic gemstones and metals, basic pricing and repair take in procedures
• Repair Logistics – ordering of parts and materials, repair scheduling, customer communication/updates/change orders
• Shop maintenance – maintained personal work area, organization of repairs and parts, equipment upkeep, scrap collection reuse/refinement
• Tradeshow workshop/continued education to improve repair and business skills
• Jewelry Sales – relating to customers, selling store stock items, repairs and custom work. Taking in repairs and special orders.
• Basic store computer maintenance and trouble-shooting
• Maintaining store and repair shop security procedures – unlocking/locking safes and security alarm for sales staff, responsible for assuring closing/opening security procedures
Education:
Bachelors of Fine Arts - Specialization in Fine Metals, Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC August 2004
Certifications/ Continuing Education:
Illustration Master Class, Amherst College Amherst, MA June 2010
Reverie, ConceptArt.org Artist Workshop Dallas, TX March 2009
Jewelers of America Bench Technician Certification Paris, TX May 2005
Bench Jeweler Technician Certification, Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology Paris, TX May 2005
Awards & Achievements:
Selected Artist, Spectrum 19: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art Fall 2012 The NAMANO/Southeastern Findings Award – First Place, Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology May 2005
Computer Skills:
Adobe Photoshop CS4, Adobe DreamWeaver CS4, Adobe Illustrator CS4, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Windows 98/XP/Vista
Teaching Style
In Traditional media, I prefer a hands on, one on one or small group environment. In working with students who wish to work digitally I can provide partial online tutoring but would still need schedule meetings in person as well.