Curiosity drives my approach to design, photography, journalism, and woodworking. Through multiple visual languages and an ever-expanding repertoire of techniques, I aim to interpret this world through the lens of individual and collective creative agency. Because my practice spans multiple disciplines, I’ve chosen to organize the details below by category rather than chronology, reflecting the interconnected nature of these pursuits.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Geophysics (2013) and a Master of Science in Geology (2015). I currently work as a professional subsurface geologist for the California Geological Survey. While my scientific pursuits are significant, I identify first and foremost as a multidisciplinary artist—one who weaves together an eclectic range of practices to interpret the world from multiple perspectives.
I’ve pursued graphic design both formally and informally since my teens. Over the decades, I’ve worked in both analog and digital formats, building a skill set that includes custom, hand-coded websites for consultants, artists, and galleries; typographic design for websites and posters; logo and identity systems for independent consultants and private industry; and screen-printed posters for tactical, public interventions.
My design sensibility draws from independent magazine layouts, bold poster design, and the interplay of letterforms. These influences eventually led me to build a private letterpress studio—complete with a vintage Showcard Press, antique wood type cabinets, and a growing collection of 19th- and early 20th-century metal and wood fonts. In this history-rich space, I explore design sensibilities that emerged before the term “graphic designers” even existed, and strive to create letter-based, conceptual art through a tactile, intimate, and more deliberate process—a welcomed pace in our rapidly evolving world.
I first learned analog film photography in the early 1990s and was drawn to the slowness and intimacy of large-format (4x5), available-light, shallow depth of field environmental portraiture with an emphasis on the frame. In the early 2000s, I briefly transitioned to medium format (6x6) twin-lens and single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Now, I primarily use a full-frame digital SLR, but I maintain the same large-format sensibilities. My camera serves as both a fine-art image maker and an extension of my independent journalistic pursuits, influenced by the environmental portrait work of Rineke Dijkstra, Judith Joy Ross, August Sander, Richard Renaldi, and Albrecht Tübke.
My journalistic endeavors have ranged from capturing the psychological and cultural dimensions of large-scale scientific efforts, to spotlighting the personal journeys of geoscientists, to an emerging project aimed at celebrating the letterpress community through intentional, slow-media storytelling. Whether I’m interviewing researchers or documenting craft practitioners, I focus on the narratives beneath the surface—examining how people’s backgrounds, influences, and shared motivations shape their work. Ultimately, I hope to inspire curiosity and preserve these stories as a resource for future audiences.
I use a hybrid approach to woodworking, combining late 19th- and early 20th-century hand tools with modern machinery. Hand-tool techniques invite a closer connection with the wood—revealing its grain, texture, and inherent strength—while power tools expedite the dimensioning of raw lumber. From meticulously crafted solid walnut bookcases to custom art frames to cabinet-grade built-ins, each piece is guided by a curiosity for learning, attention to grain, and the practical utility that informs every design choice—all culminating in a personal interpretation of a mid-century modern aesthetic.