Maura Harrison

mh@mauraharrisondesigns.com

Purpose

Innovative graphic designer seeking freelance assignments.

Strengths

Expertise with writing, editing, and design as well as developing and working within visual identity systems.

Background

Experience as 1) a freelance graphic designer, 2) a freelance photographer, 3) a visual communication expert working for the Director's Office of a government science agency, 4) a scientific illustrator with knowledge of cartographic design, 5) a graphic designer for educational multimedia products, and 6) a managing editor for a university newspaper. Consistent record of outstanding performance.

Creative Director
The Design Room, Inc.
Fredericksburg, VA.
June 2008 - present.

Freelance graphic designer and photographer
Maura Harrison Designs
Fredericksburg, VA.
October 2005 - present.

• Design a wide range of products including visual identity systems (logos, business cards, letterhead, etc.), layouts, web pages, advertisements, flyers, invitations, photo collages, silhouettes, and custom art work.
• Specialize in photographing and embellishing portraits to create unique works of art.
• Digitally edit and restore photographs.
• Production accomplished using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat, and HTML.

Visual Communication Specialist
U. S. Geological Survey (USGS),
Office of Communications, Office of the Director
Reston, VA.
October 1999 - October 2005.

• Design and produce visual communication materials for the Director, the Director's staff, and the Office of Communications.  Materials include presentations, web pages, multimedia documents, exhibits, publications, and illustrations. Production accomplished using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat, Macromedia Director, and Microsoft PowerPoint on both a PC and Macintosh.
• Established and maintain a collection of intranet communication toolkits that contain both finished products and templates that employees can use to communicate bureau messages.
• Established and maintain an image database of more than 1,000 images. Used as a model for bureau media asset management policy.
• Received 16 performance awards while in this position.
• Received a Superior Service Award from the Department of the Interior in July 2005.

Technical Information Specialist
USGS, Office of Program Support
Reston, VA.
March 1995 - October 1999.

• Member of a bureau-wide team tasked with establishing a visual identity system for the USGS.  Conducted research to determine the visual and verbal messages that the agency wanted to convey and translated that into a design.  Developed a framework and manual documenting how to use the new logo in an agency with a decentralized publishing process.  Created digital libraries of the logo in different file formats and templates for common applications.  Presented training sessions on the new system to senior-level managers, outreach professionals, and designers.
• Member of a web team for the USGS's top-level Web pages.  Coded, designed, and maintained Web pages.  Coordinated with individuals throughout the organization on Web publishing projects.  Consulted and made recommendations regarding design, navigation, and guidelines.
• Project lead and member of The Learning Web team.  Managed project in all areas, such as content development, maintenance, and budget execution.
• Member of educational multimedia team.  Conceptualized, recommended, and designed USGS educational CD-ROM titles.  Created illustrations and animations primarily with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Macromedia Director.
• Received 9 performance awards while in this position.

Publication Graphics Specialist
USGS, Geologic Division
Reston, VA.
November 1989 - March 1995.

• Worked closely with editors and authors in planning and organizing the visual treatment of scientific reports.  Designed illustrations, cover designs, and maps with the knowledge of cartographic design.  Produced, designed, and coded (HTML) WWW pages.
• Digital production accomplished using Adobe Illustrator, Quark Xpress, and Adobe Photoshop.  Multimedia materials produced using using Macromedia Director.
• Manual production accomplished using strip film, peel coats, scribing, and photographic techniques.  Prepared and specify all printing instructions for printer.
• Received 5 performance awards while in this position.

Managing Editor
Broadside newspaper, George Mason University
Fairfax, VA.
December 1989 - December 1990.

• Responsible for the timely production of a 36 to 40-page weekly college newspaper.
• Worked with business manager and editor-in-chief to determine budget expenditures and payroll.
• Wrote editorials, generated story ideas, prepared printing instructions, and reviewed for quality control.
• Managed 35 students in the following departments: News, Sports, Opinion, Arts, Entertainment, and Photography.

MA
English: Professional Writing and Editing, graduated with a 3.9 GPA, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, January 1996.  Published thesis: "Collaboration and Technology in the Classroom."

BA
English, Cum Laude, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, May 1991. Member Golden Key Honor Society and Alpha Chi Honor Society.

• Presented Collaborative Writing and Hypertext, at the "Advanced Teaching In The Humanities" conference at Virginia Commonwealth University in April 1995.
• Presented On the Fly: Web Pages Minus the HTML at the "WebNet '96" conference sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.
• "Thousands," in Spiraeus, January 1999.

• August - September 2008. Uniquely Fredericksburg, a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • Along Caroline
  • Confederate
  • Sacrifice

• May 2008. Reclamation, a juried art exhibit at the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • Four Seasons Found

• March 2008. Fragments, a juried art exhibit at the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • Jump - Honorable Mention

• March 2008. One Hundred Years Together: University of Mary Washington Centennial Celebration.
  • Photograph titles:
  • Mary Washington: The Foundation of His Character
  • Passage

• December 2007 - January 2008. Small Works, a juried art exhibit at the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • A Moment

• November 2007. City Life, Country Life, a juried art exhibit sponsored at the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • Crossing the Line
  • Red Tricycle
  • Ten 'Til Two

• September 2007. Uniquely Stafford, a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts.
  • Photograph titles:
  • From Carter Street, Falmouth, VA - 2nd Place
    
  • Carter Street Doorway
  • Belmont Fenceline

• May 2005. Photographs of Maura Harrison: Natural and Scenic Sights of Virginia. Salem Church Library, Fredericksburg, VA.

• November 2002. Heart and Soul: Painters and Poets Collaboration. GRACE Art Gallery, Reston, VA. Collaborative partner was Ann Barbieri.

Photography

• Along Caroline 2nd place - computer generated art, Uniquely Fredericksburg (a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts) August 2008.
• Jump, Honorable Mention, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, March 2008.
• From Carter Street, Falmouth, VA, 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Professional, Black & White, Man-made structures, December 2007.
• Son of a Marine, 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Professional, Black & White, People and Animals, December 2007.
• The Great Hall, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Professional, Black & White, Man-made structures, December 2007.
• Opening to Afternoon, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Professional, Black & White, Man-made structures, December 2007.
• From Carter Street, Falmouth, VA, 2nd place - computer generated art, Uniquely Stafford (a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts), September 2007.
• Carter Street Doorway, Honorable Mention, Uniquely Stafford (a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts), Computer Generated category, September 2007.
• Road Trip, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Profesional, Black & White, Still Life and Close Up, December 2006.
• At the Beach, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Professional, Black & White, People & Animals, December 2006.
• Pax, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Black & White, People & Animals, December 2005.
• Eye Lens in the Stream, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Black & White, Still Life & Close Up, December 2005.
• Peek-a-boo Birdies, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Color, People & Animals, December 2005.
• Mid-Winter's Night Dream, 1st place and runner-up best of show, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Color, People & Animals, December 2004.
• St. Patrick Church, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Black & White, Man-Made Structures, December 2004.
• Snow and Shadows, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Black & White, Nature, December 2004.
• The Thinker, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Black & White, People & Animals, December 2004.
• Fairview Cannons, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Man-made Objects, B&W, December 2003.
• Lee Chapel, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Man-made Objects, B&W, December 2003.
• Reading with Papa, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, People and Animals, B&W, December 2002.
• Flowers in the Garden, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Nature, color, December 2002.
• Clara (and the ladder back chair), 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, People and Animals, color, December 2002.
• Clara, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, People and Animals, B&W, December 2001.
• Clara's Toes, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Still Life and Close-up, B&W, December 2001.
• At the Inner Harbor, HM, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Man-made Structures, B&W, December 2001.
• A Day at Hollywood Cemetary, HM, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Nature, B&W, December 2001.
• Fuchsia, 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Nature, B&W, December 2000.
• Picturing More than Hemingway, 1st place and runner-up Best of Show, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, People,  B&W, December 1999.
• Boots, 1st place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Still-life, B&W, December 1999.
• Church Flowers, Honorable Mention, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Still-life, B&W, December 1999.
• Rotunda, 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Advanced Amateur, Man-made structures, B&W, December 1998.
• On the Way to Leeds, North Dakota, 2nd place, USGS Photography Competition, Amateur, Man-made structures, B&W, December 1997.
• Chace, 3rd place, USGS Photography Competition, Amateur, People, B&W, December 1997.

Design

• Award of Excellence in the National Association of Government Communicator's Blue Pencil Award in the category of "Soft Cover Books 50 Pages or More" for Celebrating 125 Years of the U.S. Geological Survey, May 2006.
• Winner of DOINet Logo design competition, October 1995.

Poetry

• Spring Spills Summer--2nd Annual Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts' Charlotte L. Garrett Memorial Poetry Competition.