Growing up, I was always a big fan of getting my hands messy and dirty doing crafts and art projects. I loved working with clay, coloring anything I could find, and doodling all over my note pages. I even got into painting and still practice to this day, even if I will never measure to Vincent Van Gough.

Eventually though, I became a maker in a whole new world beyond messy crafts: digital media and design. Around middle school, I got into writing. I wanted to write books that had the fancy book covers one could see on the shelf. That is where I began to fall into the world of digital design as I taught myself Photoshop through Adobe free trials and made book covers that matched my books. I also worked with video editing software like Sony Vegas Pro to mash up movie trailers and create new stories, though I never really perfected that art.

By high school I had already dabbled well into graphic design and video work without really understanding the value of it. When I was invited to join a photography class, I got to use the skills I taught myself to use beyond a hobby. I learned how to use a camera, edit the photos in Lightroom, and get into videography. I learned IMovie and found I could do even more with what I was working with. I taught myself InDesign through Youtube and worked with the people in my photography class to create a magazine that showcased upcycled clothing designed and sewn by a fellow student.

I learned Illustrator after an internship at a printing company where I worked on wedding invites and business cards. I took those skills with me to college, learned more about videography, graphic design, and publication design through broadcasting classes and actively working as a Social Media Assistant at the EKU IT Geeks.

I have much more to learn in the world of makers and cannot wait to see what else I can create!