A man in a suit with crossed arms, smiling, standing next to a wooden wall. There is a single chair in front of him.

My studio is built around a simple idea.

I lead every project directly, partnering closely with clients who value taste, clarity, and craft.

I got my start in national advertising at Leo Burnett and Ogilvy, then sharpened my design thinking at boutique firms and mid-size agencies where the work demanded range and hands-on execution across every discipline. That combination of big-brand strategic rigor and small-studio attention to detail is what I bring to everything I do today: brand identity, packaging, advertising, and design for beverage, beauty, fashion, and wellness brands.

Through my wine and spirits practice, Gauge Branding, I've developed packaging and identity for more than 50 brands worldwide.

Design through production

I don't hand off a design and walk away. I build production-ready dielines, source and specify paper stocks and printing effects, manage vendor estimates, review digital proofs, and oversee the project through final printed product. The creative vision and the production execution stay in one set of hands.

When the work calls for additional expertise, I collaborate with a small network of trusted specialists. But direction, judgment, and accountability always stay with me.

See more details below.

  • Gauge Branding
    Wine & spirits brand identity and packaging for 50+ brands globally
    View site

    Leo Burnett
    VP Creative Director

    Ogilvy
    Creative Director / Partner

    Fathom Communications
    Executive Creative Director

    Bagby & Company
    Creative Director

    Freelance Creative Director
    Advertising agencies, design firms, and wineries across the country

    Colorado Institute of Art

  • Strategy: Positioning, naming, brand architecture, competitive analysis

    Design: Identity systems, packaging, collateral, digital

    Art Direction: Photography, video, campaigns

    Production: Print, digital, social content at scale

    Project Leadership: From concept through delivery, one point of contact

  • I take on a small number of clients at a time. Every engagement starts with strategy: what the brand needs to say, who it's talking to, and what it has to stand next to on the shelf, the screen, or the page. The creative follows from that.

    I use AI tools where they add speed and range to the creative process — rapid concept visualization, broader exploration of directions, and tighter feedback loops before production begins. Every final deliverable is shaped by my judgment and, when the project calls for it, the hands of exceptional creative partners.

  • You get a senior creative director doing the work, not overseeing it. No layers. No handoffs to junior staff. No learning curve on your brand.

    You get range. Someone who's built national campaigns and also understands the details that make a $90 bottle of wine sell on a shelf.

    You get more creative territory explored before a single dollar goes to production.

FAQ’s

Do you work with brands outside of wine and spirits? Yes. My roots are in national advertising across multiple categories, and my current practice serves beverage, beauty, fashion, and wellness brands. Wine and spirits is a deep specialty through Gauge Branding, but the strategic and design thinking applies across all of them.

How involved are you personally in the work? Completely. This is a personal practice, not a staffed agency. I lead strategy, creative direction, and design on every project. When a project calls for specialized skills — illustration, photography, production — I bring in trusted collaborators, but I'm always the one directing and accountable.

What does a typical engagement look like? It depends on scope, but most projects start with a strategy conversation to establish positioning, audience, and competitive context. From there I move into creative development, usually presenting multiple directions and then into refinement and production. Some clients come to me for a single packaging project; others retain me for ongoing brand work across channels.

What's your pricing structure? I price by project based on scope and complexity. After an initial conversation, I'll provide a clear proposal with no ambiguity about what's included. I generally don't bill hourly, you're paying for the thinking and the outcome, not the clock.

Do you use AI in your process? I do, where it adds value. AI tools let me explore more creative directions faster and produce realistic concept previews earlier in the process, which means better decisions before production dollars are spent. Every final deliverable is directed by me and finished by human hands.

What's the best way to start a conversation? Reach out through my contact page or email me directly. I typically respond within a day.