I am a freelance illustrator and sign painter based in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in large-scale murals, hand-painted signage, and vibrant illustrations for publications and brands. I love collaborating with clients to translate ideas into bold visuals that celebrate local culture and community through color, texture, and narrative imagery. When I’m not painting, I enjoy sharing techniques with others, traveling to experience new cultures, and drawing inspiration from the landscapes and people I meet along the way.

MA Ford

I am a freelance illustrator and sign painter based in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in large-scale murals, hand-painted signage, and vibrant illustrations for publications and brands. I love collaborating with clients to translate ideas into bold visuals that celebrate local culture and community through color, texture, and narrative imagery. When I’m not painting, I enjoy sharing techniques with others, traveling to experience new cultures, and drawing inspiration from the landscapes and people I meet along the way.

Available to hire

I am a freelance illustrator and sign painter based in Portland, Oregon.
I specialize in large-scale murals, hand-painted signage, and vibrant illustrations for publications and brands. I love collaborating with clients to translate ideas into bold visuals that celebrate local culture and community through color, texture, and narrative imagery.

When I’m not painting, I enjoy sharing techniques with others, traveling to experience new cultures, and drawing inspiration from the landscapes and people I meet along the way.

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Language

English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Intermediate

Work Experience

Freelance Illustrator at Little Cilantro Art
January 31, 2018 - Present
Commission-based illustrations for personal and business use. Work with the client to create illustrations that fit their vision and purpose. Includes illustrations for independent written publications such as a children’s book, magazines, and cover illustration. Also t-shirt designs, tattoo designs, and personal commission artwork.
Gallery Technician at Paragon Arts Gallery
November 20, 2024 - June 20, 2025
Installation and curation of multiple gallery exhibitions.

Education

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Qualifications

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Industry Experience

Travel & Hospitality, Consumer Goods, Education
    uniE621 Illustration for Bookstore Creep Articles
    Illustration created for online and print use to embody the “Bookstore Creep” series of online articles by Rosalie L.H. Caggiano on the Rogue Writers’s Guild online journal. Formatting options for article thumbnails, website banner, and printed stickers. graphicdesigner branding illustrator designer
    uniE621 Strawberry Street
    Illustration for the On the Ledge annual art fundraiser hosted by the Blanchet House nonprofit. The theme for 2024 was “Homegrown”. illustrator
    uniE621 Rocky Seahorse Album Release Poster
    Hand-painted gouache album release poster for musician Rocky Seahorse. Key themes were: Dark fairytale, grey autumn day, mysterious but not creepy, old cottage, decay in a comfy way. To keep consistent branding I incorporated the same lime green from the album artwork. branding graphicdesigner illustrator designer
    uniE621 T-shirt Designs: Johnny Franco
    Design and illustration of two T-shirts for musician Johnny Franco. One was an idea Johnny had dreamed up that I was able to refine and bring to life. The second shirt was from my own imagination. This project included communication with the screen printers for formatting and ordering of T-shirts. graphicdesigner branding illustrator designer
    uniE621 Mt. Seymour Commissioned Painting
    Commissioned anniversary painting honoring the first day that the couple met. I requested photos of and descriptions of their outfits and did my own research of the landscape of the ski resort for accuracy.