Studied Fashion Design for 1year, Did a 2 Year Fashion Design Internship with Babylon Cartel in LA while studying Graphic Design, Started Freelancing 2009, Started at 510media in 2015 and started Grand Nationxl in 2020. Graphic Design, Creative Direction and Art Direction have been my focus while still creating art and illustration
The personal highlights that I can think of are just being able to work with so many different black owned brands throughout the bay area and providing them with the type of tools that have helped them reach beyond their dreams in a way that is truly authentic to their experience: Black Vines, Ayaba Wines, Black Female Project, Eat. Learn. Play., Kingmakers of Oakland, AAMA, AAFA,
OSA introduced me to an arts only work pipeline that has proven to be SO RARE. Any time I'm asked what I do, or what I've done for jobs, it's always been design. I've never had to venture elsewhere. No retail work, no corporate job either. Fresh out of high school I went directly into the design field and have found my home here. OSA taught me that I can literally do anything I put my mind to. In the time that I was there, I was allowed to experience so many different forms of art. 9th grade, I was in Dance, and it taught me discipline. 10th grade I was in visual art and design, and it taught me how powerful my eyes and my hands really were. 11th grade I was in Theater Design & Production and honestly that was the most freeing for me. Between then we had a skateboarding class and made ramps with our own hands. Like OSA really showed me that trying something new is the best way to test your skills and I apply that in my career constantly. Graphic Design and Branding specifically introduces new challenges every day, but there hasn't been a day that I have not been ready to step up to the plate and explore / expand my personal limitations.
The bay area is such a distinctly creative place to find yourself. The amount of talent we produce in this place is profound to say the very least. Being from here has shaped how I see people and how I see the world. I want to be able to build a beautiful future here and give back to the bay area for all it's given me.
My fondest memory would have to be creating the Fashion club with Kandi Banks and Ralph Prado and the space being created for us to have the first fashion show at OSA. It was an absolutely hilarious ride. There were dancers and live performances. Adrian Hutton did a whole thing with full choreography. We got to build out a runway. It was one of those things that made me feel like OSA was one of the freeest places I'd ever been in my life. Also an honorable mention was hiding inside the set of one of Shannon Matesky's shows. And being able to do the lighting for one of the concert choir's run of performances with Kent Overshown and Precediha Dangefield. Too many amazing moments at OSA.
Reginald Ray Savage still impacts my life to this day. The strength he has had in his own character has been an inspiration in my life, and challenges me daily to be myself as much as he is himself no matter the scenario or who's in the room. Mr. Savage IS Mr. Savage, always. He also taught me a lot about proof. Proving yourself. "I'm from the Show Me State, so you gon have to SHOW me" is something I repeat to myself often.
