cathy colson

designer / illustrator / writer

 

I'm a creative problem-solver. I love the challenge of making something beautiful, cohesive, and purposeful out of whatever is thrown my way. 

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My professional career in creativity spans more than 20 years. But, you could say it started when I was in first grade and I won a draw-an-ad contest put on by my local newspaper. Or when, as a high-schooler, I earned my spending money by designing t-shirts, lettering signs, and painting windows for businesses around my home town. Though, my career truly launched when I designed my first website in 1996, while still in college, and quickly started doing so professionally. 

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Although my degree is in fine art, I’ve always been drawn to the practical side of creativity. My professional experience runs the gamut of marketing-focused creative work: graphic design, web design, illustration, branding, and writing. Most recently, I've held the positions of creative director or marketing director, and had formerly run my own small graphic design business, Spiral Creative. 

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On the personal side, I am a (nearly) life-long Michigander, and a happy transplant to Ann Arbor after briefly living in Flagstaff, Arizona. I am grateful for the amazing community around me and my walk-everywhere lifestyle. My husband, Steve, and I are raising two enthusiastic Bach Bengals and budding Wolverine football fans. I'm also really bad at taking selfies.