My Story

I emigrated from my native Germany in 1976 and attended public schools in New Jersey, where perceptive art teachers pointed me toward a career in the visual arts.
        Thus instructed, I headed thirty miles northeast to the exotic island of Manhattan, where I was trained in the classic methods of typography, drafting, photography, color theory, art history, and art theory. I was among the last generation to graduate without having touched a computer keyboard.

My first job out of school was at an internationally recognized branding and packaging design firm near Central Park. There I worked alongside seasoned professionals whose keen minds, eyes, and sense of humor helped sharpen my own. Ultimately my love of books, records, and magazines—as well as making my own schedule—drove me away from corporate design and toward freelance design for publishing.
        Underwhelmed by the cold, green glow, and small monitors of early PCs and Macs, I resisted the digital revolution by working traditionally: as a sketch, layout, paste-up, and storybook artist. After my first taste of Photoshop and Quark, around 1992, I embraced the Macintosh as my tool of choice.

My clients over the past three decades have included publishing houses of all sizes, authors, musicians, photographers, record companies, engineers, small business owners, schools, tech entrepreneurs.
        While design for print remains my first love, moving images, virtual media, 3-D design and printing have captured my imagination in recent times. The tools continue to evolve at a dazzling pace and still inspire me to learn new tricks. As long as there is demand for a good product, service, or story, I like to think that good design will also continue to have its place.


Photo: Solivere Reitzle-Thorncraft