My name is Alysha.
It's nice to meet you!
When I was receiving my education in graphic design, my program director taught me that the primary role of a designer was to solve problems. Before then, I hadn't realized I had been a designer for my entire life. How so?
I come from a lineage of frugal people. My grandfather, who was born during an era of poverty and scarceness, was a pioneer of the "we may need this later" mindset. Being the creative kid that I was, I learned early on how to recycle just about anything. Cardboard boxes were trimmed to repurpose as storage bins, unused paper was torn out of half-full notebooks and clipped into new binders, and soda bottles were saved as single-flower vases whose amber glass diluted the light that hit my windowsill.
Though I have always wanted to be a purposeful consumer, it wasn't until my twenties that I began to understand the reasoning behind minimalism. I realized that much of my stress came from the sensation of being overburdened by the things I owned. Ever since, I have been on the route to liberating myself by reducing down my own excess, both physical and emotional.
Why 'minimalysha'?
While I began to shift toward a minimalistic philosophy of life, I also realized that my aesthetic maximalism began to adapt in a way that was uniquely my own. I have always been enthusiastic about using colors, patterns, textures, and dimension in my creations. That being said, I also strive to avoid "fluffing": I won't add anything that I can't justify later on.
Around the time that I began to embrace the once-dreaded minimalism, I also found a new appreciation for my Norwegian heritage. I believe that my work reflects a Scandinavian attention to detail paired with an American sensibility. I allow my art to flirt with kitsch and distastefulness. Nothing should be too serious, but good design should always improve your quality of life.
I want my designs to be fun, thoughtful, and intentional.
I will always make room to breathe.
Somebody who was integral to teaching me design once told me that I have a skill for taking beautiful chaos and condensing it down into tidy bite sizes. I took that feedback to heart, and I now aspire to create interesting work that both maximizes the value of all components and reduces the dreadful emotional burden of excess. This extends into everything I do; not only is it a creative method, but it's a way of being.
Let's solve some problems!
You can view and download my resume below...