time to introduce myself...

[milano.design]

I've already been posting without a proper intro... terrible i know. but didn't see this folder till today...

My name is jojo, and i've been working in advertising for the last 20 years. I started in the studio as a mech artist (yep that long ago)then as Junior AD, As an AD, then ACD, and so on. Till i finally crashed and burned out in the Miami market. I literally worked at every large agency (at the time), and there really was no where else to go, but out. So i did! Packed my bags and never looked back.

for the last 4 years have i tried to redefine myself as a designer/art director. Working on smaller branding projects, lots of collateral. some identity. but always the AD stuff keeps popping up. I still work as a ghost AD at a few shops down here when they need pitch work, or if they are overwhelmed. I'm very conceptual so the CD's appreciate that they can send me something and i don't need any hand-holding.. Write my own headlines, sometimes copy, produce my own shoots, handle all production. if needed, I can be a one man band. I always work from home and refuse to go in. I figure, I put so many years in, i can set the stage now! and that is alot of my bread and butter. But my true passion is design.

I don't have a website. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to that. Though i did put up a blog and utilize that for clients to look at certain projects, or to promote myself. I consider it pitiful, but it works for the client.

I'm 42... live on a mini farm in the boonies of West, West, West Palm Beach. with approx 32 pets and livestock. my sidekick is an african grey called Cyprus. I have gotten into pottery in the last few years. Live simply, and enjoy my own eggs, milk from my goats, ride my horse, or work on client projects... and just putter along. Sounds boring, but i love it!

:)

[Kool]

Hi jojo, welcome to the forum. http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/koolsmiley.gif

Sounds like you have a pretty great existence.

[cj2a]

Good for you. Sounds like a great way to avoid the stress this job puts on you. Welcome aboard!

[milano.design]

thanks for the welcome!

what i should have said is i cross my fingers every day and bow to the design gods for letting me work at home.... I am really thankful for that... Otherwise i don't think i would be in this business much longer.

[Red Kittie Kat]

Nice to meet you Jo Jo ;)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/RedKittieKat/welcomes/pfairyurwelcomegroup.gif

[morea]

Welcome aboard, jojo! I've been meaning to tell you that I really like your avatar.

Pretty much everything that you need to know about GDF can be found HERE (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=42) - including an explanation to most of the 'inside jokes' (that link is in the New User FAQ thread).

[tuliptree]

Hi jojo, welcome!

Pottery is one of my greatest loves. I haven't had much time to do any in the last few years as I have little ones at home currently, but I was bitten by the pottery bug and its still in my blood! Do you have a studio at home or do you work somewhere else? My sister got involved with a guild in Miami several years ago and she loved it and learned so much.

[budafist]

Hi JoJo, my little sister used to be called JoJo. She goes by "Joey" to her friends nowdays but she's still JoJo to me.

[milano.design]

Morea its a font "w" upside down... ;) if you ask me what font that will surely put me in a tailspin since i can't remember. but i loved it. so i use it. I might have added a few touches and drops but now its going to eat me alive looking for that dam font. or dingbat....i did it years ago when i was just starting out on my own and wanting to create an icon or something. I never used it and re found it on my computer backups...

tulip it is addicting isn't it... I just bought my first wheel. It will be here in a couple of weeks. I figure i've been going to classes for 3 years and i have a bit of a grasp of it. I promised myself that when i could start throwing consistently centered, i would get one...Next up is a kiln. in a few more years. i am going to have to join a kiln share or something.... i am lefty too and found i just could not do it the classic way and was a tad bothered by it. but there is hope those in Japan throw clockwise.... happy. No studio except what is in my garage. which is shared as a chicken coop, drafting tables, art supplies and generator (for hurricanes) and washer and dryer... Somethings got to go. I'm thinking the chickens. 11 of them... :)

buda at least you didn't say your dog is named jojo... i get that alot!

thanks all!

[milano.design]

hey tulip... where in cleveland are you from? I'm born and raised in Shaker heights. HB girl.. way back when... And curious is your sister still in miami? in our field?

[tuliptree]

Shaker, no kidding! I'm in Chesterland now, but we moved here from Cleveland Heights about 5 years ago (we were there for 7 years). Small world. When did you move out of the area?

My sister is now in Philadelphia, she was a member at this place for a few years and apprenticed under Donna: Ceramic League of Miami (http://www.ceramicleaguemiami.org/index.html) I actually got to throw there with her one time while visiting, its a great place. I don't kow how far that is from you. She's now attending school in Philly for her masters in Psychology so hasn't had much chance to do any pottery lately.

[milano.design]

LONG, long time ago... I was there till 14... I just never wanted to leave. Coming to Florida was a culture shock. I have many family on both sides that are still there. I don't visit much. but i do keep in touch with some. I wish that league was closer. I'm about 2.5 hours from Miami now. I know there is something like it here in palm beach. Not sure where Chesterland is. But knew Cleveland heights. small world. eh?

There was a really cool design firm in Cleveland that if i ever went back wanted to work for. Nesdany & Schwartz (spelling?) are they still around?

[WannaBrie]

Hey, Jojo, welcome. You are not too far from me! I lived in Miami for about 15 yrs, so I know how that goes! I'm still in Fla, but a bit farther north.

[milano.design]

wannabrie? dondé esta? Grin.... the extent of my spanish.

i'm thinking about moving further North... where are you? and whats the market like?

[Exodus]

Welcome to the forum. :)

[Virgo Nightingale]

Welcome aboard, Milano!

[WannaBrie]

muy bien, gracias, Milano..yeah, my spanish is a bit rusty since moving up here...used to speak it pretty good when I lived down there...I'm between Orlando and Daytona...The market in "O-town" is great, but I don't want to live or work in the metro area, so its quite a bit smaller in the outlying areas. I'm working as an in-houser for a big corp and its good. My commute is only about 30 mins (I live in a bedroom community - a small suburb of a small town) My sons father actually lives closer to w.palm, in Jupiter.

[Ben Kessler]

Jojo, welcome to GDF!

[tuliptree]

LONG, long time ago... I was there till 14... I just never wanted to leave. Coming to Florida was a culture shock. I have many family on both sides that are still there. I don't visit much. but i do keep in touch with some. I wish that league was closer. I'm about 2.5 hours from Miami now. I know there is something like it here in palm beach. Not sure where Chesterland is. But knew Cleveland heights. small world. eh?

I'm due east of Cleveland by about 40 min.

There was a really cool design firm in Cleveland that if i ever went back wanted to work for. Nesdany & Schwartz (spelling?) are they still around?

I've not heard of them before, but I found them online, Nesnandy + Schwartz.

I just realized what you meant by HB, Hathaway Brown right? Took me a while ... :)

Hope you find a great place to fire your work in Palm Beach, I'm excited for you! I'll get back to it one day soon, it just seems I can't find time to commit to it these days.