Derek Ryan Email & Phone Number

Graphic design is a medium that dropped into my hands by chance. It gave me the confidence to know that any challenge, met head-on, could be conquered. That perfection is to be striven for, but not obtained. Individuality to be celebrated and not hidden.Thankfully I have the chance to pursue this passion as a career. Every project is a learning tool and marks its self in the history of your progression. I think that's what I love about it most. Everything I have ever made is also a marker for the time and place I was living. Hopefully, I can continue to write my history for years to come.After I got my graphic design degree from Western Illinois I began immediately searching for jobs. I wanted anything I could get my hands and anything that would pull me away from slinging beef into tacos... That is where the Creve Couer Camera came in. A job that required me to master the use of a camera to be able to sell them and teach customers how to use them. This was a great job for me. It infinitely enhanced my knowledge and skill with cameras for the short time I was there. While that job was an awesome start it still wasn't graphic design. Thankfully after a rough search, XKGLOW took me in. This job has been an amazing learning tool. I have been able to be the lead designer on most of their products. I have designed boxes, large scale store displays, product listings, and entire catalogs. Also, this continued my knowledge of photography while also allowing me to begin work in videography. I have been able to make a few video projects for them now and they have been some of my most fulfilling work yet!Currently I have had the opportunity to work for The Gerson Companies. Working for them I have been able to work with printing and mounting signs for showrooms. This experience has greatly enhanced my abilities when working with printed materials!