As of June 3, I have moved to Portland, OR to discover what wonders the west coast has to offer. I spent a good 8 years in Philadelphia launching my solo career and that city really helped me get my feet off the ground. There is a wide array of talented artists and designers in the Philadelphia area and I loved all the inspiration and motivation to be my best that it provided me. Now onto the next chapter, to explore a new city and see what the west coast design world is all about. I’ve already seen some wonderful aesthetics peppered throughout the city and look forward to engaging with local designers here. It truly feels like an artist’s world in Portland. There is art everywhere you look, not to mention the sheer beauty of nature that I think I was missing when I lived in a concrete jungle. Driving cross-country to get here really opened my eyes to natural sights I had never seen before. It’s impossible not to feel inspired when you look in all directions and are immersed in mountains and valleys of epic proportions. Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho were all breathtaking. The color and contrast that occurs daily in a natural setting is pretty amazing. So needless to say, I am thrilled to be here so far and can’t wait to find my next challenging assignment. To Philly, I bid you farewell and keep up the interesting design work. I’ll miss all the cool shop windows from Design Philadelphia and the endless murals. If you’re in the Portland area, maybe I’ll see you at a coffee shop. I’ve already fallen in love with quite a few.

Years ago when website templates first started gaining traction, I hoped it was a fad that would soon disappear. Nowadays I see ads for companies like Squarespace all the time and it looks as if templates are here to stay. There is clearly a market for factory-produced web design that can be sold to the masses. As a designer this does not sit well with me. A simple metaphor for this is how a person dresses. Clothing gives you the opportunity to be as creative as you want in your first impression on others. I can’t speak for everyone, but when I’m shopping for clothes and I see a dozen of the same shirt on a display, I keep moving. Individuality is important to me. That shirt might make me look good, but if everyone is wearing it, I lose my identity. This brings me to my point on where website templates are headed. They are getting more attractive and that is a scary thing. At first, you could spot a template from a mile away because it looked very cookie-cutter and conservative. Now you are able to find ones that utilize the latest hot trends in design. I’ll give credit where it is due, in that the template companies have made it much more appealing to go that route. Will this cost you much less than hiring a designer? Absolutely. Will you be able to build the website yourself without anyone’s help? Most likely (then again, this might be another topic for debate). The problem is you’ve lost the human element. This hurts in two ways—the website was never created to serve your individual needs as a unique business; and when it comes time for adjustments, no one is there to help you. A living, breathing partner to craft the perfect website for your business can’t be replaced. The sad truth is, most of the time the cheaper option will win out. I don't want to get started on websites like Fiver, where you can get design work done for $5, but let’s just say in the open market you usually get what you pay for. My hope is that people will continue to see the value in developing a working relationship with a designer they trust, and not just a faceless online store.