I'm a web developer for LRS WebSolutions. I'm from the St. Louis region but moved to Springfiled, IL a couple years ago.
Before becoming a web developer, I spent many late nights in a printmaking studio making etchings or in a studio making drawings at Southern Illinois University (BFA). Then I took my art obsession to graduate school at Ohio University (MFA). While living in Athens, OH, I made more prints and did a lot of drawings, paintings and other fun creative things. While in school I traveled to the UK and to many places around the US.
Upon graduation I moved back to the St. Louis area and worked various gigs teaching art. I taught workshops at Center for Creative Arts and classes at St. Charles Community College. While teaching I made art in a basement studio and participated in exhibitions in St. Louis and in the midwest.
Aside from art, I've had interest in the web. During my freshman year in college (1996 -97) I made a website on Geocities that included a primitive blog (all hard coded!) and took a computer class or two. I took some graphic design courses because that was what I was going to major in. That got sent to the backburner as I got sucked into the fine art classes. Fast forward nearly 10 years, after my thesis exhibition was over, I had a month of downtime before graduating. I decided to make a website for my art.
Over the years I did several projects on the side making websites for extra money. As I made progress upping my skills, I took a job with updating the websites for the Auffenberg Dealer Group in O'Fallon, IL. Less than a year later I took a job as a web designer for BluSolutions. While at BluSolutions, I designed websites and other marketing materials for car dealers. Plus, I helped develop the front-end and with day-to-day maintenance of the sites.
Over time I became less interested in making designs and more interested in the construction of the sites. I spent more time learning web development and less time with design and art. Then in the Fall of 2017, I took a job at LRS Web Solutions and that is where I am today.
For fun I likes reading (books, comics, graphic novels), watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts and music, going for walks and hiking, going on bike rides, traveling, thrifting and antiquing. Finally, I like playing with my tuxedo cat, Map.
Ten fun facts about myself
My favorite dessert is ice cream (or frozen custard from Bobby's in Maryville, IL)
I like putting together LEGO Architecture series sets. The latest one I did was the Empire State Building.
My favorite food is a medium-rare steak. My favorite cut is a Filet Mignon.
I don't like drinking alcohol.
I love road trips. I specifically like finding old roadside architecture and signs.
My first concert was seeing Tina Turner with my mom.
I'm not big on sports but I generally root for St. Louis teams.
My first bike was a little red E.T. (Movie) bike.
My favorite architect is Frank Lloyd Wright.
I've never broken a bone.
What I'm Reading
I like to read. I made it a goal, starting last September, to try to read every day. Why not? During a global pandemic there isn't too much to do!
I'm currently reading The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton.
