Bio

I’m Jemma. Originally from NYC, my initiation into the design world began with the fortune of attending the High School of Art & Design, where my days were spent drawing, painting, learning about typography and being surrounded by wildly creative and unique students and teachers. During the summers and after school I interned for a fabulous small design studio, learning everything I could soak up.

I briefly attended the art program at Buffalo State college, and eventually discovered the Portfolio Center in Atlanta GA. My teachers were all working professionals/creative directors at local ad/design agencies. They were not shy about feedback and very much encouraged us to think outside the box. What a great experience!

My first job out of school was Jr. art director at J. Walter Thompson in NYC, where I got to work with teams on major national brands, ad campaigns and television. While in NY I also had a great opportunity and worked for George Lois, a true ‘ad legend’ (This was certainly the highlight of my working career.)

Since then I spent several more years in Atlanta working contract for many ad agencies and design firms, before moving to Seattle WA, where I founded Working Art.

Aside from computer based art, I was on the Fremont Arts council for many years, helping to put on large scale community (creative) events, that gave me a great creative outlet to charge my batteries, that corporate design work did not.

I value my ability to step into a clients’ world, and create designs for each individual job, be it targeting children or sophisticate high tech. I like to put emotion and meaning into my work whenever possible, as that is what truly reaches people.