Hello! My name is Ashley Cameron. I went to college at Missouri Western State University and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. I’m originally from Bethany, Missouri, and Missouri Western was an in-state university with a state-of-the-art program where I was able to get a good scholarship. Ever since I was about two I wanted to be an artist. It took me three years to get my degree because I took as many dual credit classes as I could in high school (29). I kept my design major throughout college and took several fine arts classes which is why I have a BFA instead of a Bachelor of Science. 

I am a self-employed graphic designer and website developer, and I’m also a remote adjunct professor at MWSU, where I graduated. I teach Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I worked at an advertising agency for seven years after I graduated from college. That’s where I got a lot of experience and took the challenge to learn how to build websites. Because then I could design and code the websites and work directly with clients after I understood the account management process. 

I design logos, business cards, brochures, advertisements, books and catalogs, product packaging, websites, email blasts, etc. I make sure that company brands look consistent and professional across their marketing media and that they clearly communicate to their audience. I have to think about who the audience is for each industry and their psychology—the colors, styles, fonts, composition, and other design principles. Then I create supporting graphics, edit photos, and know how to prepare the files and artwork for print or for digital web. 

I love the opportunity to work with a variety of people and companies, and I love the creative freedom to continue learning and building upon my skills and hobbies—such as 3D modeling and woodworking. I do work from home and for the most part, decide what client work to accept. I have a flexible schedule except for various deadlines depending on the projects. Most of my clients are returning clients for the past several years, I’ve worked with many different industries. Some of those include: a vanilla company, nutritional supplements, Iowa School of Beauty, a ramen restaurant, a pizzeria, distilleries, an art museum, a dental supplier, and a pharmaceutical company. 

With that creative freedom comes a lot of responsibility in running a business I have to be very organized, clear, and thorough in my communications, explain my creative decisions, and I have a lot of technology and IT coordination and setup with the websites. I also post informational and how-to videos to my YouTube channel. The hardest part about my work is that it’s very unpredictable. I may receive requests from five clients in one day. I have to be very high functioning to manage multiple accounts and projects, and I have to learn to set boundaries, make sure I ask for and get paid for my work, do invoicing and record keeping, and follow up with clients. I must be able to transition from one project to another very quickly. 

You can view some of my work at my website ashley-cameron.com. Thanks for allowing me to share my work with you. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out.