I always wanted to be an artist. That passion led me to study fine art for three years and to join a painting studio with the dream of becoming the next Picasso. After traveling extensively through Europe, I returned inspired to open a gallery-style space combining mid-century furniture, ceramics and paintings by local artists. I imagined Klein-blue walls, a checkered floor and Sinatra playing in the background — but without social media and with little foot traffic, the shop lasted only a year. The dream of being the next Picasso was fading, it soon became clear my future was more the ‘starving artist’ kind. Needing a more sustainable path, I redirected my creativity toward design. Initially drawn to industrial design — chairs and lighting — I was ultimately inspired by high-end magazines and pursued graphic design instead. After three years of study, I gained broad experience at small studios working across science, business, mining and corporate sectors. I then joined a freelance agency to explore different studios and projects; a one-week placement at a government design studio extended into seven rewarding years. There I worked across departments and agencies on tight deadlines, navigating style guides and diverse communications teams in a loud, energetic studio I loved. I thrive both as a solo thinker who can dive deep into the design rabbit hole and as a collaborative senior designer and art director mentoring junior designers. Over time I discovered my strengths and preferences in clean, considered design — the impact of a great image, thoughtful color, and subtle, well-placed typography. After a three-month sabbatical painting in the south of France, I co-founded OU Design, now in its tenth year. Our clients range from the Department of Finance and Department of Transport to Visit Victoria, Olympic and Melbourne Park, Infrastructure Victoria, galleries and event companies. We work with a wonderful pool of freelance designers who scale with each project. Now I’m branching out: I’ll continue with OU Design while freelancing on publication layouts and brand projects that excite me. I’m excited for what comes next.…I always wanted to be an artist. That passion led me to study fine art for three years and to join a painting studio with the dream of becoming the next Picasso. After traveling extensively through Europe, I returned inspired to open a gallery-style space combining mid-century furniture, ceramics and paintings by local artists. I imagined Klein-blue walls, a checkered floor and Sinatra playing in the background — but without social media and with little foot traffic, the shop lasted only a year. The dream of being the next Picasso was fading, it soon became clear my future was more the ‘starving artist’ kind. Needing a more sustainable path, I redirected my creativity toward design. Initially drawn to industrial design — chairs and lighting — I was ultimately inspired by high-end magazines and pursued graphic design instead. After three years of study, I gained broad experience at small studios working across science, business, mining and corporate sectors. I then joined a freelance agency to explore different studios and projects; a one-week placement at a government design studio extended into seven rewarding years. There I worked across departments and agencies on tight deadlines, navigating style guides and diverse communications teams in a loud, energetic studio I loved. I thrive both as a solo thinker who can dive deep into the design rabbit hole and as a collaborative senior designer and art director mentoring junior designers. Over time I discovered my strengths and preferences in clean, considered design — the impact of a great image, thoughtful color, and subtle, well-placed typography. After a three-month sabbatical painting in the south of France, I co-founded OU Design, now in its tenth year. Our clients range from the Department of Finance and Department of Transport to Visit Victoria, Olympic and Melbourne Park, Infrastructure Victoria, galleries and event companies. We work with a wonderful pool of freelance designers who scale with each project. Now I’m branching out: I’ll continue with OU Design while freelancing on publication layouts and brand projects that excite me. I’m excited for what comes next.WWWW…