Summary
I am an experienced and award-winning culture worker specializing in design, exhibit curation, education, and multimedia visual art projects. Driven, multi-disciplined, and entrepreneurial, focusing on building participation and teamwork to accomplish complex projects.
Career Highlights
Over 20 years of experience in graphic design
Over 15 years of experience in content research and curation for publications and exhibits, including media art, public art installations, films, contemporary art, visual art, photography, literary projects (magazines and books), and performance art
Over 15 years of experience in publication layout and design for periodicals, books, and online media
Over 15 years of experience in art direction for commercial, community groups, and nonprofit clients
Over 20 years of experience in outreach/marketing for events and exhibitions
Designed and project managed over 50 public art projects
Professional Experience
Executive Director, DC Murals
Washington DC, 10/2021-Present
My responsibilities as Executive Director of DC Murals involve ensuring that the organization meets its strategic goals by articulating priorities and developing schedules. I recruit and manage specialists, contractors, and volunteers and collaborate with colleagues to bring complex projects and installations to life. I also serve as the head researcher responsible for conserving archive collections related to contemporary mural artists from Washington, DC with a primary focus on the African-American mural tradition.
I manage over 7,000 photographs, oral histories, and documents and promote public awareness by organizing events and experiences. Additional duties include strategically acquiring collections, presenting materials from the archive collection in curated transmedia exhibitions, and serving as senior representative for civic engagement and community partnerships. I also work with funders as the primary grant writer and senior organization representative for media contacts and publications.
I recently worked with commercial and community stakeholders to transform an underused courtyard space in 16th Street Heights into the 14th Street Graffiti Museum, which offers live performances, tours, film screenings, workshops, and vendor markets. I have curated two recent exhibitions, the interactive AeroSoul exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (2021) and the To The East exhibit for the Philips Collection (2023). In addition to my curatorial duties, I handled the writing, image collection, design/layout, and publishing duties for the companion catalogs of both exhibits.
Founder and Art Director, ART B.L.O.C. DC
Washington DC, 04/2014-Present
As the Founder and Art Director of ART B.L.O.C. DC (Art Building Longevity for Our Community) since April 2014, I have created and managed the installation of various public mural installations. These include a series of interactive, augmented reality-enabled murals that feature original content from musicians and video creators. I have also provided design solutions for commercial and nonprofit clients, such as the Black Broadway on U Transmedia Project, Bus Boys and Poets, Hung Tao Choi Mei Leadership Institute, and Empower DC. In addition, I have served as the primary grant writer and manager, as well as the contract writer and administrator. As the project vision manager, I have led the conceptualization of the subject, theme, and motif. I have also been responsible for all public outreach and responding to queries about research, exhibitions, and collections.
Digital Journalism Instructor, Somerset Prep DC
Washington DC, 09/2016-06/2019
As the Digital Journalism Instructor at Somerset Prep DC, my role was to provide academic instruction to students in grades 9-12 in the areas of journalism design and layout. I monitored the progress of students through quarterly assessments and reporting. Additionally, I led the design, layout, and print production of various in-house reports, marketing materials, and periodicals.
Vision Partner and Operations Manager, Art Under Pressure
Washington DC, 04/2010-06/2016
As the Vision Partner at Art Under Pressure from April 2010 to June 2016, I conceptualized the business identity and mission while managing the buildout of retail spaces, directing and curating the theme and motif of the decor. Once launched, I helped creative makers bring their products to the retail market. My job involved handling client-facing communications, product sourcing, event bookings, and visual design for clients and in-house projects. I managed operations for three retail spaces and the art studio, which included the roll-out of all final projects and marketing campaign strategies.
Project Manager and Lead Instructor, Murals DC
Washington DC, 06/2008-07/2017
As a Project Manager and Lead Instructor for Murals DC in Washington DC. My responsibilities included recruiting and instructing lead artists and over 300 student artists, managing the installation of more than 50 public mural commissions, curating and managing exhibitions of artists' work, and managing and curating cross-platform social media content.
Art Director and Teaching Artist, Words Beats & Life Inc.
Washington DC, 06/2006-11/2011
As the Art Director and a Teaching Artist at Words Beats & Life Inc. in Washington DC from June 2006 to November 2011, I managed multiple programs and completed hundreds of design projects for hip-hop cultural education programming, including the publication of a biannual peer-reviewed academic journal. I was also responsible for recruiting and training artists, curating art exhibitions, facilitating panel discussions, and leading graffiti art workshops for academic and non-academic groups. I also managed the deaccession of student work, wrote curriculum and academic articles, and served as a booking/event manager for public programs, visual arts projects, live performances, and special events.
Education
BA, Graphic Design, Art Institute of Washington, Rosslyn, VA - 2004
Awards and Grants
Humanities Council DC, Vision Grant Award in 2023.
Humanities Council DC, Community Heritage Grant Award in 2022.
Humanities Council DC, Humanitini Grant Award in 2022.
Humanities Council DC, Humanitini Grant Award in 2021.
Humanities Council DC, Vision Grant Award in 2020.
DC Mayor’s Award for Artistic Excellence in the Visual Arts in 2018.
DC Commission of Arts and Humanities, Artist Fellowship Award: Visual Arts in 2017.
DC Commission of Arts and Humanities, Artist Fellowship Award: Literary Arts in 2016.
DC Commission of Arts and Humanities, Public Arts Building Community Grant in 2015
Words Beats & Life Inc., Teacher of the Year in 2010.
Washington City Paper, Best Family Friendly Mural of the Year Award in 2008.
Software Skills
Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, WordPress, PastPerfect
Art & Design Skills
Photography, Video Editing, Illustration, Custom Typography, Print and Publication Design, UX Design