(Vocational) Memoirs of an ADHDer

B"H

As a way of an introduction, I have a few words to say about myself. When I was on Jeopardy! a while back, they asked me what profession I wanted to be introduced with -- I said "Graphic Artist, Writer and Tutor". I do all three with some regularity (if you are reading this, you are reading some of my writing). But it would probably be better if I let my work speak for me.

(If you need a freelance artist, writer or tutor, I'm your person. -- read on....)

See more of my clothing and jewelry designs

See my earliest on-line portfolio (which includes the design seen here.)

I got the title of this paragraph from this song

or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Art

I have loved art since I was very young. When I was in elementary school (and high school), my town had an art and music summer program, free to "townies", so I took advantage of the training in art and crafts (like ceramics, cartooning, pen and ink, wood shop, sewing, and many more).

I discovered somewhere along the line that I had a bit of a talent for design. I learned to knit and crochet (the crocheting I learned the basics from a friend when I was in 5th grade and the rest I taught myself and the knitting I learned from the summer program) and began knitting and crocheting "Barbie" doll clothing (which I sold through a local concession store). (I recently created a couple of new outfits using Barbie as a model.)

I attended Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) where I completed 19 1/2 credits in art and jewelry design (and science). I began creating jewelry pieces, mostly using the "lost wax" method (I made a mold from wax -- sometimes adding plastic buttons since anything that can melt under high heat will work -- and sent the wax mold to a caster to be made into silver or gold -- I used this method once to design a prototype engagement ring with a small stone set into a heart with a braided band). Friends saw my designs and started asking to buy them. So I started selling my designs to friends, coworkers and my Mom's coworkers.

A few years later, after taking some programming classes at Baruch College in the graduate program, I became interested in creating art on computers. My brother, who was a programmer, taught me some commands that I could use on the Apple II series computers and I was on my way.

I took some classes in computer art at Rutgers (I earned a total of 32 credits post Bachelors in art, computer art, and computer programming) and continued doing graphic design, mostly freelance.

I have continued with graphic design, working both in Mac and PC environments (I mostly use Canvas Draw on Mac and Corel Draw on PC). I have created a line of Cafe Press products (samples of which are in a module below) and Zazzle (samples of these are in three modules below). I also have stores on Printfection, PrintPop, Spoonflower (where I have fabric designs) and Arts Now.

My first exposure to computers was in my first year of college. Back then, many of the computer labs in colleges used punch cards. I had some programming to do for my calculus class at Rutgers. But I didn't really learn anything about programming then.

My first programming classes were graduate level classes in Fortran and Cobol (though the college computer lab was switching over to monitors and consoles rather than keypunch and punch cards, I still used the latter since the wait for a machine was quite a bit shorter). I did well in both classes. I then programmed in Apple basic with some graphic work using commands that my brother taught me. I then took two programming classes in the computer art program (using Mac in one and PC in the other) and one Pascal class in the computer department.

I later got a job with AT&T as a Cobol and PLI programmer. The group I worked in wrote programs that matched one file on another file and put the results out in a new file or a report. I worked there for almost 2 years.

Since then, I have used my programming knowledge as a Technical Writer. I earned a post Bachelors certificate in Technical Writing. I got a job writing a 200+ page user manual for a ticketing machine. I also added a lot of the graphic images in the manual and also created a manual with screen capture images of many different functions (this manual was over 100 pages).

Over the years, I have written a vegan cooking column for the local health food co-op's monthly newsletter, a singles column for a local Jewish newspaper and a regular op-ed column for my local Jewish community's independent Jewish newspaper. I currently write blogs and squidoo lenses.

I may not tutor flute, but I have been tutoring many subjects off and on since high school

I started tutoring math in high school. I was very good at it and I helped a lot of schoolmates who otherwise would have struggled through math. By the time I was a senior in high school, my tutoring abilities were sought out by many students, including my own elective senior math classmates.

When I was in college, I started tutoring for a program called Upward Bound for college bound high schoolers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. I worked for Upward Bound for several years.

Recently, I began tutoring again, though now I tutor just about every subject, including English (and writing), History and Judaic Studies subjects. I've been tutoring privately now for over 7 years. I also recently found a good site to find new students -- Wyzant (I have a link below to get signed up as either a tutor or a tutee).

Tutoring is Rewarding Financially and Spiritually

I have always loved sharing my knowledge with others, but I'm not good at teaching large groups of youngsters (discipline isn't my "thing"), so tutoring was a good way for me to go.

While it takes more than just knowing a subject well, you don't have to have teaching credentials or even be a college graduate to tutor. All you need is one (or more) subjects where you have a strong knowledge base and someone who wants to learn it.

Of all the tutoring "agencies" I've dealt with, I have found WyzAnt to be the best. They are the most professional, from my perspective. They let you set your own rate and then they have a percentage program -- you earn higher percentages of your rate based on the number of hours you have worked through WyzAnt. Another nice thing about working through WyzAnt is that you don't deal with the money -- they do. And, if you like (which I do) they even have a direct deposit set up for tutors.

If you need a tutor or want to tutor, click on the WyzAnt logo and follow the directions.

If you are interested in one of my designs but you want something a little bit different, or you like my artistic style but don't see the sort of image you are looking for, I do custom designs also; e-mail me here.

I just discovered Printpop -- check out my entire portfolio or click on the graphic to see just this product (called "Jewish Star Centered"). Check back periodically as new designs are uploaded.

Compugraph Designs' Facebook page includes a section with our jewelry designs. This is a blue bead anklet in brass. Click on the picture to see the entire collection.

In addition to our Cafe Press and Zazzle sites (see modules above), we also have a store on "Printfection" which includes cutting boards (good wedding or housewarming gifts), mugs and cups, tees, etc.

This canvas bag is only one of several holiday themed items at our store:

Compugraphd Printfection site

(Click on the picture to go directly to this product's page)

In addition to our Cafe Press and Zazzle sites (see modules above), we also have a store on "Printfection" which includes cutting boards (good wedding or housewarming gifts), mugs and cups, tees, etc.

This Stein is only one of several Jewish themed items at our store:

Compugraphd Printfection site

(Click on the picture to go directly to this product's page)

Spoonflower is a place where a designer can design his/her own fabric. I have some designs on fabric there -- click on the picture to see all the fabric designs.

Spoonflower also has a weekly contest where you can vote for your favorite design.

Arts Now is another "Print on Demand" site. They have a nice collection of clocks and watches, including the one pictured here (with my popular math symbols design on it). Click on the picture to see the entire site.

One of my first short stories, "The Princess Who Wanted to be Beautiful" started out as a bedtime story for the children of a close friend. I had been worrying about the "Disney Syndrome" whereby all the heroes are beautiful and all the ugly people are villains. This is a story about a princess who has heard that all princesses are beautiful and doesn't think she is beautiful. She decides to go to a wizard and ask him to make her beautiful but along the way she makes some friends and learns a lesson about herself.

One of my short stories, "The Gold Star" is now available in illustrated form. The story is about a young boy named Shmuel who helps a poor man without the man knowing.