Creative leader, product designer, and professor passionate about product development, story-telling, problem solving, and the human experience. Has held key roles in building and managing teams large and small, with a natural ability to mentor, motivate and inspire. Experienced in establishing brand identity through product design, introducing scalable business opportunities, executing multi-channel projects that transform trends and brand strategies into impactful product and customer experiences. A strategic collaborator with an artist’s heart, with both corporate and academic experience, I have a dynamic and unique professional history and an equally diverse set of skills that are grounded in design and innovation. Currently the Senior Director of Design: Hardgoods at Crate & Barrel.
Clients : Anthropologie, Adult Swim, Free People, Friendship Skateboards, Gerald Gulotta, Kohls, Matter Design, MIT School of Architecture, VCCP (London/Berlin), Playtime (Paris), Zoobe (Berlin), Pictoplasma (Berlin), Hickies (NYC), Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Ralph Lauren, PacSun
BID Industrial Design / Pratt Institute / 2003
MS Design Research / Drexel University / 2019
Teaching History:
Assistant Teaching Professor - Drexel University - Westphal School of Media Arts & Design / Product Design / Sept. 2015- June 2019 / Toy Design, Furniture Design, Form Studio, Experimental Material Studio, History of Industrial Design, Introductory Courses
Pratt Institute / Visiting Instructor / Industrial Design / Drawing & 3D Design/ May 2006-May 2012
New Jersey Institute of Technology / Adjunct Instructor / Drawing & Toy Design / Sept. 2007-Dec. 2011
Workshops:
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology / "Captivating Character" Workshop in Form, Character, & Spirit / Graduate Architecture - Three Sections / Sept-Oct 2018 & 2019
Pictoplasma Berlin / 3D Character Fabric Workshop / 100 participants / Berlin April 2012
Solo Shows:
"Lullaby" / Trinity Center for Urban Life / Philadelphia, PA / May 2019
"Daysleeping/Sleepwalking" / LMNL Gallery / Philadelphia, PA / 2016
"Hypnagogia” / Brooklyn’s Wayfarers / Brooklyn, NY / 2014
“So Hush You Little Ones” / Ra / Antwerp, Belgium / 2010
“It May Be Contagious” / Shelburne Museum / Vermont / curator: Kory Rogers / 2008
Group Shows:
(IN) Action Figures / Clutter Gallery / Beacon, NY / 2019
(IN) Action Figures / Clutter Gallery / Beacon, NY / 2018
Flatliners / Flat Color Gallery / Seattle, WA / 2015
White Monsters / Everyday Moonday Gallery / Seoul, Korea / 2014
Beasticon II / Mark Miller Gallery / NY, NY / curators: Nelson & Zito / 2014
Pictoplasma Portrait Gallery/ KAUFHAUS JANDORF / Berlin, Germany / Museum for Contemporary Art MARCO / Monterrey, Mexico /2014
Common Threads / FOE Gallery / North Hampton, MA / 2014
Curious Beasts / Clutter Gallery / Beacon, NY / 2014
Beasticon / Mark Miller Gallery / NY, NY / curators: Nelson & Zito / 2013
Altered Mindscapes/ Clutter Gallery / Beacon, NY / 2013
(IN) Action Figures / Clutter Gallery / Beacon, NY / 2013
Nathan Jureviscious Presents “ScaryGirl” Toy Tokyo / NY, NY / 2012
Pictoplasma Post Digital Monsters / Berlin, Germany / 2012
Pictoplasma Post Digital Monsters / La Gaite Lyrique / Paris, France / 2011
Pictoplasma & Cappellini Present : w/Genevieve Gauckler / Cappellini NYC / 2011
Playtime NYC/ NYC 2011
Pratt Institute / Deans Gallery: w/Natalie Lanese / Brooklyn NY / 2009
Nouveaux Monstres (Exit Festival) : Maison des Arts de Créteil / Creteil, France / Maubeuge, France / 2009
Society of Contemporary Craft : w/ Eva Funderburgh / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania / 2008
Hidden Depth / Subtext Gallery / San Diego / 2007
Plush week : Gallery 1988 / Los Angeles / 2007
Brooklyn Designs : Dumbo / Brooklyn, NY / 2007
Plush You : Schmancy / Seattle, Washington / 2006
Living Spaces : Supreme Trading / Brooklyn, NY / 2006
Haute Green : Brooklyn, NY / 2006
Block Party : 267 State Street / Brooklyn, NY / 2006
Plush Week : Gallery 1988 / Los Angeles, California / 2006
In Plush We Trust : Rotofugi / Chicago, Illinois / 2005
Lectures & Panels:
“A Ride Through My Imagin-Anus” Pictoplasma Berlin 2012 : Speakers included Gary Baseman, Nathan Jurevicius, Joel Trussell, Julia Pott, Raymond Lemstra, Femke Hiemstra, Florentijn Hofman, Mark Gmehling, Grant Orchard, Andy Rementer, Sauerkids & others. 45 min lecture / q & a
“Longoland: Bringin’ the Fun Since 1981″ Private Lecture for the Staff at VCCP Berlin / 2012
“Welcome To My Imagin-Anus” Pictoplasma NYC 2011 @Parsons : Speakers included Gary Taxali, Tim Biskup, Joel Trussell, Ben & Julia, Raymond Lemstra, Mark Jenkins, Geneviève Gauckler, Jeremyville, Allyson Mellberg Taylor, BeatBots and Jon Burgerman. 45 min lecture / q & a
“Turning Characters into Toys II” Moderated by I Heart Guts at San Diego Comic Con 2012 w/ Shawnimals, Nitin Bhargava (Kid Robot), Kris Schantz (Happy Worker), Phil Barbato, Karen Brazell (Life with Tigers)
“Turning Characters into Toys” Moderated by I Heart Guts at NY Comic Con 2011 w/ Shawnimals, Nitin Bhargava (Kid Robot), Kris Schantz (Happy Worker), Phil Barbato, Karen Brazell (Life with Tigers)
“{Net}Working: Making the Most of Your {net} Work” Pratt Institute’s 125th 2011
“Breaking In” Brooklyn Designs 2008 Brooklyn, NY / A discussion with successful Pratt Alumni including Sam Cabot Cochran, Erika Doering, Liz Kinnmark, and Sergio Silva
Published:
The Cannibal's Cookbook: Mining Myths of Cyclopean Constructions : MatterDesign Studio, September, 2017
“Naughty Fluff : A Tale From Longoland” Pidgin Magazine #9 Princeton School of Architecture (Fall 2010) p.16-25
Press:
Surface, Milk (France), Bonbek (France), Umag (Germany), Hi-Fructose, Flaunt, Metropolis, Interior Design, Staf (Spain)