I studied Fine Art and Painting, and after college went immediately into three-dimensional environmental exhibit design. It was sort of a natural transition although I never studied Design. I worked on interactive science and history museums--permanent and temporary exhibits, for a few years. In the late 90's the internet sort of happened, and I just started designing websites for the company I was working for, and got hooked. I was tired of exhibit design, very slow-moving projects that stretch over 6 or 7 years. So I moved into web design quickly and never looked back.

I had to teach myself 2D pretty quickly and the internet was a whole new medium, so I was kind of learning it along with everybody else. The timing was just brilliant because otherwise I would have probably struggled. I always relied on looking at Swiss design, that's where I take almost all my inspiration from. I think like any graphic designer would say--the international type style, grids, spare color palette, all that stuff. I still go back to Josef Muller-Brockmann, Joseph Hoffmann, Van Krowl. Swiss and Danish is where my main influence came from.

I feel like I get to use my eyes and my hands as much as I do my brain. I get to go into my design bubble and stay there for quite a significant amount of time during a work week. I like that, and in digital design specifically, I like working with people who are coming to interface design from a different perspective. That has been my favorite part of doing UI work.