Hello. I'm Valerie Moreno Morgan. I an art director, graphic designer, and illustrator.
I've lived many places - Ohio, Phoenix, New York City, Detroit, and now Lansing, Michigan.
I've had a fascination with art and design ever since I was a kid. I would draw anytime and anywhere, sometimes hiding for hours under the dinner table with a pad of paper and markers.
Why Design?
On a stroll through the library, a stack of magazines shelf caught my eye. It was several design annuals from How magazine, and after looking them over, I was hooked. I decided to study graphic design. Since then, I've worked as an art director for several magazines, designed for advertising agencies, created web sites, and done a variety of freelance projects for clients large and small. I enjoy experimenting with typography and have recently begun really learn photography. I continue to draw and paint, and I sometimes do illustrations for my designs. And I still love the freedom and variety of design.
My design aesthetic is simple, consistent and clean and I can say from experience that making good design is a lot of work. I love learning and experimenting with software, and I like that they both facilitate consitency and open up almost infinite possibilities for creativity. I've recently been learning more about web design. I'm excited by the potential to bring the same level of design I see in print to the Internet.
Why Michigan?
My enormous extended family lives mostly in New Mexico. While living in Manhattan, I met my husband. He brought me to Michigan. A mutual friend introduced us, and we instantly hit it off. He works in news, and after working at the New York Times for a while, he was offered a job at The Detroit News, and we both agreed to give Michigan a try. Two years later, we got married (followed, of course, by a huge celebration in New Mexico complete with mariachi band). Now he's at MSU working on a Journalism PhD.
And I'm working as a freelancer and taking care of our newly adopted dog, Tommy.
