"Why did you choose design?"

I am frequently asked, "Why did you choose design"? I don't think I chose design, design chose me.

As a creative kid, I loved drawing and coloring. I had a Christmas themed cookie tin that was filled to the brim with crayons. My coloring book collection was vast and I took this tin with me wherever I went. Besides coloring and drawing, books were my second joy. Reading Ronald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, and other stories that would stir my imagination. I would get lost in the stories, creating scenery and characters in my mind. It was a truly special time.

Childhood never lasts; and sometimes your dreams get sidelined. My dream was to be an artist. I would frequently hear "You can't make a living being an artist" or a career counselor in high school would 'steer' you to more financially stable and realistic careers. At that time I was lost. My dreams were being diminished right before my adolescent eyes.

At 18, I was involved in a bad car accident which landed me in the hospital for a week. My injuries were extensive and it was a time in my life where I was facing the real-world possibility of losing my health insurance. After I was out of the hospital and on the road to recovery, I went to a local technical college to search for a degree; therefore allowing me to stay on my parent's health insurance. Marketing was the program that I chose and enjoyed every minute of my program.

Years later, I found myself still yearning to activate the creative right side of my brain. After researching various programs, I decided to go back to school for Graphic Design. Macs were foreign to me. Adobe programs were unknown. I signed up despite the odd's being stacked against me. In a few years, I studied hard, learned the programs, and grew as a designer.

Going back to school twice truly solidified what I was born to do - design. I am blessed to have a fantastic job where I enjoy going to work everyday and exercising my strengths. I hope to share this gift with you. #graphicdesign #design #grpahicdesigner #freelance #klgdesigns