Illustration of a city skyline with tall skyscrapers, set against a sky with clouds.

creative Director. Art director. designer. problem solver.

I’ve spent more than 30 years turning ideas into visual experiences that help brands connect with people.

My career has taken me from corporate marketing and retail to food, wellness, hospitality, consumer products, packaging and regulated industries. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to build brands from the ground up, lead compaigns, direct photography, develop packaging systems, collaborate with marketing teams and take projects all the way through production.

I love the part of creative work where strategy becomes something people can actually see, experience and remember.

I’m equally comfortable developing the big idea, presenting a creative direction, directing a photoshoot, refining a layout, solving a packaging challenge or working with a printer to make sure the final piece is right.

That’s what I bring to every project:
Big-picture creative thinking + hands-on execution.

Let’s connect to discuss how we can partner on your upcoming marketing needs.

Flowchart of the creative process with five steps: Research, Concept, Design, Review, Finalize, each with descriptive text.

At the intersection of ambition and what’s next, Smies Design partners with established brands and trailblazing start-ups.

Logo with a shield emblem featuring a white cross and fleur-de-lis symbols, and the text 'Mapping Lighting' in gray beneath it.
Gray and black logo for LAB Sports with a stylized mountain and animal head design.
Logo for DA Realty Austin with a gray square containing the white initials 'DA' and the words 'REALT Y AUSTIN' to the right.
Open Doors Retail Solutions logo with stylized door icon and company name.
Logo with the text 'MC3' stylized in gray, alongside an abstract design, and the website address 'mc3botanicals.com' at the bottom.
A black and white graphic of a pig with the text "black pig" underneath.
Gray logo for Redbird Flight Simulations featuring a stylized bird and the company name.
Logo of the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County featuring a stylized tree, bird, and whale, with the organization's name in text.
Logo of Oregon Coast Innovation Hub with stylized waves beneath the text

LET’S WORK TOGETHER

Have a project in mind or want to collaborate?
I’m always interested in hearing about new, engaging work. Drop me a line below and let’s make something great.