“Gardening is how I relax. It’s another form of creating and playing with colors.”
I’ve always had a love for learning that was encouraged by my entire family—a mix of teachers, artists, engineers, nurses, and tradesmen. My maternal grandmother especially made sure that music and fine art resources were available. Fulfilling the role of yearbook editor in high school led me to explore graphic design at Rochester Institute of Technology. While at RIT, I maximized my experience through electives in illustration, photography, printing, and psychology. The more I learned about the history of printing and the role it played in education, the more inspired I became to pursue a career in publishing and storytelling. Everyone has a unique story. We all can learn from actively “listening” to others’ stories.
My career path has not followed a straight line. It meanders like the Mississippi River I once drew for a classroom poster design. But that is a different story. This story is about color.
“Can you see color?” This question was asked of me during my interview for an imaging technician position at National Geographic. Coming from the national office of a small nonprofit in which cultural sensitivity was a priority, I at first misinterpreted the question. I had just been tasked by the executive committee of this nonprofit to design a full-color logo using colors that can be seen by all forms of color blindness. (The final logo design is yet a different story.) My reply to the interview question was a simple “Yes,” but my unspoken thought was, “Why would I apply for an imaging technician position if I am color blind?”* I later realized the interview question was intended to determine if I can evaluate a photograph and identify color casts that might need adjustments for press.
My journey into the science of color started with art reproduction, for the art community of Wilmington, Delaware, and a color management seminar with GretagMacbeth. To this knowledge base I added the aforementioned research into color perception and color blindness along with research into the meanings of color by different cultures. Since 2014, I’ve been honored to apply my ability to “see color” to digital imaging, color management, and print production for the storytellers of National Geographic.
A more thorough outline of my career path can be found in my LinkedIn profile.
*I have worked with a highly talented photo editor at National Geographic who does have color blindness. Color blindness gives him a unique edge in evaluating the tonal quality of photos.