Ruth's brainI arrived in New York in 1978, fresh out of art school with a degree in graphic design. After a few months I was running low on money. I fell into working at design studios that did corporate work. I largely did paste up and mechanicals. I had no responsibility, it was well-paid and I got a lot of experience in all aspects of design and production in various media. It also cemented my aversion to working in the corporate world.

In the early 1990s I started a one-woman business working directly with clients. They were non-profits, educational and arts organizations, and people in the arts. I did a wide range of print work — brochures, books, record covers, posters, postcards; as well as logo design, exhibit design and audio-visual production.

Over the next 10-15 years my work shifted to website design. Clients rarely needed printed materials; most of their communications were through their website. I missed print and looked forward to projects that required it. At the same time I liked learning this new medium and seeing it evolve. In the early years the design was limited by the available technology. As the technology expanded so did the range of what was possible design-wise.

The print work on this site is largely earlier work. The website work is a mix. Despite being dated I find some of the earlier sites inventive both in their design and how the code is used to achieve it. The more recent work utilizes current technology and its possibilities.

What’s most important is that the work communicates clearly and achieves the needs and goals of the client.

Both professionally and personally my work is for people who are committed to social progress. I’m grateful to be able to collaborate with individuals and organizations that do all kinds of work that contributes to our quality of life.