Race for the Cure signs
OK, so this wasn’t a very difficult project and I did it at work (not as a freelance job), but it was still pretty cool to have my work supersized in a very prominent location where it was seen by a ton of people.
Gulf Coast Poetry Tour – This Tuesday at Rudyard’s
Stephen helped our friend Michael Hoerman with a little flyer for a good cause — the Gulf Coast Poetry Tour. They have their launch party Tuesday night from 8 p.m. until midnight at Rudyard’s British Pub (2010 Waugh), then they’re off to Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Mobile. More info by e-mail at gcpt.houston@gmail.com.
Stephen designed it, now “What Happened on Smith Street” is shipping
Fountainhead Print has published Erin Rice’s What Happened on Smith Street, now available on Amazon. (Check out Erin’s blog too.)
I did the design and production of the book and cover, which was a first for me. It was refreshing to get to manipulate that much content, to figure out the rhythm, experiment with how the subtleties of typographical tweaks change the feel of the story, and to come up with a cover — almost the opposite design problem as the inside.
Here’s the scoop on the story:
Written by a true insider who had a front-row seat for the demise of Enron, What Happened on Smith Street is a tautly-crafted, suspenseful novel that chronicles the downfall of a corporation; stepping outside the office walls and into the individual ruin that is often overlooked. Shifting markets, unreasonable expectations, failure to heed warning signs–the hallmarks of insatiable consumerism are cleverly portrayed by Erin K. Rice
When it is revealed that two members of the Vantage PLC leadership team are involved in illegal financial transactions, the specter of mistrust taints the entire organization, including company CEO John Allen Wallace III. Wallace’s reputation as an aggressive leader and an imperfect man makes his claim of innocence difficult to swallow. And his lurid involvement with the calculating and brilliant Amanda Parsons, the wife of a talented junior associate at his firm, only adds fuel to the speculative fire.
What Happened on Smith Street is a keen insight to the workings of a corporate powerhouse, as well as a stark reminder that the truth often takes a back seat to sensational fiction.
The weird thing is that I worked at a big energy company that nearly went out of business along with Enron, and I’m currently working for a large insurance corporation rocked by bad news with offices on Buffalo Bayou in Houston. I drive home every day past the building that is the “Commerce Museum” in the book and I eat at many of the restaurants named in the book. There was a fiction-world/real-world blurring that happened while I was thinking about and working on this project. It made me wonder whether I was going through life with blinders on, unable to perceive the dramas that might be happening all around me.
Stephen Cullar-Ledford : Graphic Design That Works
STRATEGIC
I am an advocate for graphic design that achieves specific communication goals and maintains brand consistency.
EFFECTIVE
I develop and champion for creative, insightful and user-centric solutions.
EXPERIENCED
I am skilled at print, identity and interactive design & production as well as brand, design and project management.
I’m a “big idea” kind of designer, always developing a strong conceptual foundation to give my designs a rational reason to be the way they are. Everything is intentional and serves the big idea. I also have the experience to smoothly guide projects through the production process to completion.
I have the business acumen to usefully contribute to the marketing and communication strategies that drive projects to be initiated. I focus on understanding both the business situation and the specific end-user’s desires to find a place where they intersect and use that as my starting point.
I value the relationships I build with my clients. I work very closely with them to understand their business challenges and requirements in order to develop useful and accurate creative briefs and estimates.
I am a hyper-organized project manager, easily tracking the details of many jobs simultaneously and keeping them within budget, on schedule and on brand. I have successfully managed others, effectively delegating tasks, providing useful feedback, and training and mentoring juniors.
I am easy to work with, personable, reliable and professional in presentation and attitude.
I have a BFA in graphic design, fifteen years of professional experience in diverse environments ranging from small firms to in-house departments to freelance. Specifically, I have a deep understanding of the insurance, architecture, energy and financial services industries. I am expert in the standard graphics and office software programs for both Mac and PC.
I live & work in Houston, Texas.