Contact Me: 702-572-0461 | heatherirete@gmail.com

On a boring and hot summer’s day in 1998, my 16-year-old self was browsing a much simpler World Wide Web. I stumbled across a website called Geocities, where I discovered everything I needed to make my very own website. Suddenly, I wasn’t bored any longer. I spent hours that day learning how to make pictures in Microsoft Paint so I could tell the world about all my favorite rock bands and TV shows. Something about that new experience has stayed with me through high school, college and beyond, and I still feel that twinge of excitement every time I open up Adobe Photoshop and think up different ways to tell people stories through graphics.

My emphasis during school was on painting and drawing, because I believe it was most important to use my time in school to learn the principles of art and composition, as I had already taught myself to use Photoshop and related programs. I am glad I made this decision because my emphasis on the basics required me to learn how to use many mediums and problem-solve in a myriad of ways.

For many years I have been employed as a solo designer and have had the chance to design a variety of things in both print and web. From logos to web layouts, catalogs to postcards, T-shirt designs and email ads, I’ve been lucky enough to try my hand at it all. I’ve worked closely with web programmers and print houses to bring both web and print designs to life. However, I am always looking for new experiences to learn and grow!

During college, I discovered two more passions. The first is photography. Most women carry a purse – I carry my camera case with my trusty Nikon inside, because the perfect opportunity for a beautiful shot could come at any time! I love doing portraiture and photographing miniatures, but also have experience with product photography with my current employer.

My second passion is sewing and embroidery. My fabric and sewing machines require their own room! I have many years’ experience running an industrial embroidery machine. I am also able to digitize complex designs thanks to my knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, as embroidery digitizing programs are vector-based. Unfortunately I have never sewn professionally, but as anyone who sews will know, my hobby has taught me patience which has improved my productivity in graphic design.