I recently discovered the incredible work you all do at FiveStone and wanted to reach out to introduce myself in case I might be a good fit for the graphic design position posted on Coroflot.
I’ve been a freelance designer for two years now since leaving full-time employment at Gensler, where I was part of the brand studio for 3 years. Prior to this, I earned my MFA in Graphic Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. My husband and I relocated to Denver a few months ago and we're loving every minute of it—it's been wonderful having seasons again.
The main driver for going freelance was to be able to focus on projects that have a positive impact on the people and the world around us. The inspiration behind this is an event that I attend every year with Elefint Designs, a design studio focused on social causes, called Desgnit. During this 3-day event we work closely with non-profit organizations to design and develop all of the design materials needed to enable them to move forward. The deliverables typically include new identity, brand guidelines, one-pagers, websites, infographics, microsites, etc. Last year, my 6th year attending, we worked with the ACLU of Northern CA on a criminal justice reform project. The deliverables that we create after just three days of intense, heads down work is always the most rewarding in and of itself, just being able to empower these organizations that are already out doing so much good. Other organizations that I've had the pleasure of working with include Black Girls Code and The Last Mile.
One of the perks of collaborating with The Last Mile was the opportunity to be a mentor for the inmates at San Quentin who were part of the newly initiated design program. It was quite a unique experience to work with these guys and get to witness them working hard to create a better life for themselves upon reentry.
Even though I've been freelancing for some time now, a full-time position with a company that aligns with my passion of designing for good has continued to be of interest. If you feel like I would be a good fit for this position, I'd love to connect to learn more about FiveStone. My work and resume can all be found at emilyleeshields.com.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my resumé and portfolio. I hope you’ll reach out with any questions you might have.