Graphic Designer Art Director

CRAIG CLAEYS

Graphic Designer, Photographer, Image Editor, Ai Co-conspirator, Brand Storyteller

+1-612-***-**** ***********@*****.*** claeyscraig.myportfolio.com Minneapolis, MN SUMMARY

Senior Graphic Designer with a record of award-winning creative work across traditional and digital media. Expert in visual storytelling and driving business results through compelling design. Advanced skills in print and digital advertising, photography, image editing, and corporate publications. Collaborative team player with a track record of fostering positive cross-functional relationships. Consistently refining expertise through emerging trends. Seeking opportunity to leverage my considerable creative experience.

EXPERIENCE

Senior Art Director

DKY 03/1999 - 10/2024 Minneapolis, MN

Brand marketing, advertising & public relations agency Led the artistic development of marketing materials, including ad campaigns, collateral, and corporate publications for industries including B2B, manufacturing, outdoor, agriculture, software, restaurant, and faith-based non- profits.

Determined the floor plan and the environmental graphics design for ADM's building in the most recent Farm Progress Show events that were attended by producers across the Midwest. The design efforts were applauded by the client. Worked closely with creative director to determine the design direction for Winnebago's product literature and advertising campaigns in 2021. Winnebago correlated market-share gains and a notable increase in sales during the pandemic.

Designed a host of supporting marketing materials for the ADM Regenerative Agriculture program. ADM succeeded in enrolling more than 2.8 million acres in the program by the end of 2023, beating their target by over 40 percent. Directed and participated in photo shoots, often photographing events, portraits and in-context employees for clients.

Mentored junior designers organically enhancing team performance and individual skill development.

Stayed curious and informed on industry trends, including the rise of Ai in creative fields, and applied this knowledge to improve design strategy. Art Director

Augsburg Fortress Publishers 01/1994 - 12/1998 Minneapolis, MN Publisher of academic, theological and popular book lines Worked closely with editors to determine the design direction of book covers and interior typographic layouts for both of the publisher's academic and popular book lines.

Designed and helped produce the publisher's product catalogs. Designed children's curriculum materials and promotions. Helped to foster strong collaboration and working relationships between the in-house design and marketing teams.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), emphasis on graphic design Minor in Business Administration

University of Wisconsin – Stout

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite,

Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, also

Adobe XD and Dimensions, strong communication

skills, a deep understanding of brand identity,

typography, creative vision, ability to mentor

junior designers, problem-solving skills, and

staying current with industry trends.

Accomplished photographer. Leveraged Sony

Alpha mirrorless camera platform. Photographed

leadership conferences, trade shows and

employees in workplace contexts for clients. Also, portrait and studio product photography.

Extensive involvement with Midjourney v6.1

generative Ai prompt engineering. Also leverage

Claude 3.5 Sonnet and ChatGPT 4.0 Ai platforms.

I have drawing skill, and I'm able to quickly sketch concepts for internal or client review.

SOFT SKILLS

Cultivate a collaborative and supportive team

dynamic. I build strong working relationships

across the organization.

PASSIONS

Emergent Design Technology

Enthusiastically explore and integrate new ideas and Ai technology to foster creative innovation. Lifelong learner.

Mentoring Aspiring Creatives

Passionate about sharing knowledge and inspiring the next generation of designers through informal

mentorship.

Visual Storytelling

Driven to craft compelling narratives through design, and working with creative teams to tell better brand stories.

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