Top Job Seekers

Click above to view Laurel Breyen's studio portfolio. Contact Laurel.

Top job seekers aren't just Knoxvillians who are looking for a job. They're the cream of the crop - offering their services to the Knoxville business that's smart and quick enough to snap them up!

KnoxvilleBusiness.com kicks off this series with a very talented, intelligent and hard-working illustrator, graphic designer, and creative director: Laurel Breyen.

A brief introduction: Laurel's piece "Fishes" was just selected for the Dogwood Arts Festival Fine Arts Show; her resume in graphic design and illustration is impeccable; and as you'll soon see, she writes as well as she makes art!

Without further ado, we give you Laurel Breyen: Knoxville Top Job Seeker.

Greetings, Knoxville!

Since moving to Knoxville in the spring of 2003, I have had the pleasure of settling into, and becoming a part of the rich diversity of east Tennessee. Professionally and socially, I have been blessed with opportunities to grow and learn and discover, encompassing a wide variety of experiences.

From designing a book for the Monroe Area Council for the Arts through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, to working at Knoxville’s weekly “alternative voice” Metro Pulse, to designing the upscale Cocoon Publishing magazines, I have enjoyed bringing my skills and love of good design to each job and project.

Because of my extended work history in a wide range of work environments [corporate, agency, publication, free-lance] that have produced a multitude of diverse product with proven results and satisfied clients, I always feel confident handling a full spectrum of projects from concept through production. And I’m a “people person,” enabling me to establish rapport with coworkers and clients alike that builds understanding, confidence and trust. Key, I believe, in attaining results that fulfill design, budget, and deadline requirements.

Thank you for taking the time to look over my resumé. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss in-depth what I have to offer and to learn more about the type of candidate you are looking for.

Creatively Yours,

Laurel Breyen

Top Job Seekers Resume:
Laurel Breyen's Employment History

Nov | 2006 - 2007 [free-lance]
Art Director for Cocoon Publishing and its three Knoxville quarterly magazines: Greater Knoxville Homes & Living, Deep West Living, and Custom Homes. Responsible for all layout and design elements, art direction for photo shoots on feature stories, and close project management with managing editor and production director in maintaining quality control and expeditious production.

July | 2003-2006
Senior Designer for Metro Pulse and Knoxville Magazine. Responsible for all ad design, logo development, photo re-touching, and design of sales collateral. Also, assisted in project management between sales staff and production department and in digital pre-press preparation. As senior designer, responsible for overseeing staff/contract designers and maintaining quality control of all ads.

Mar | 2000-2003
Independent contract designer for Whirlpool Corporation [Benton Harbor, MI]. Provided graphic design support for all Whirlpool brand product lines, catalogs, sales collateral, and corporate marketing support materials.

1998-2005
Free-lance business, Laurel’s Studio. Provided a wide variety of original illustration and graphic design for a diverse clientele. A sampling of clients: Whirlpool Corp., Michigan State University, Degroot Bulb Co., KarmaVista Winery [Michigan], Knoxville Museum of Art, and the Monroe Area Council for the Arts [Tennessee].

1984-1997
Graphic Designer for Whirlpool Financial Corporation [Benton Harbor, MI - subsidiary of Whirlpool Corp]. Provided graphic design support for all WFC marketing materials, including design and art direction of trade show booth visuals and annual reports.

Computer Software ~ Mac platform
CS3 versions - InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator

Illustration Mediums
Pen & Ink, Graphite/Charcoal, Watercolor, Watercolor Pencil, Colored Pencil, Acrylics, Japanese Suminigashi/Turkish Ebru techniques

Education Background
Kendal College of Art & Design [1970]
Grand Rapids, MI

Illustration/Fine Arts Program
Dynamic Graphics, Inc.
6000 N Forest Park Dr
Peoria, IL 61614

Attended multiple computer workshops from 1984-1995 while employed by Whirlpool Financial Corp. Training included workshops in graphic design/layout, type & logo design, computer illustration, and photoshop techniques.

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts; Gatlinburg, TN
Atttended workshops in the Book Arts crafts genre, to learn the ancient art of Turkish Ebru and Japanese Suminegashi [paper marbling techniques]. This was for my own artistic exploration, but has also enabled me to incorporate these techniques within my graphic design work.

Ready to talk to Laurel? Contact Laurel. Or view her studio portfolio here. We highly recommend her art and designs for your Knoxville home or business!

Would you like to be KnoxvilleBusiness.com's next Top Job Seeker? Contact us with your resume and tell us why you're special among your peers!

Return to Knoxville Business from Top Job Seekers