Eastward

It is rare that a single day can be such a distinct turning point in so many ways. Last Friday, March 15th, was one of those days. It was my last day at Push Design and my wife matched at Grand Rapids, Michigan for her medical residency. In less than two weeks we will be heading to Perú for a seven week medical rotation and moving to our new home two weeks after we return.

It is sad to see my current job go, and a little stressful considering I have to begin the job hunt now. Push Design has been a great experience. It was my first job out of college and a tremendous education in the work of a graphic designer. I was fortunate to hone my skills and sharpen my eye with the help of experienced mentors and skilled coworkers. I have learned to work at an agency pace and find appropriate design solutions for clients. The work at Push has ranged from identity to printed collateral to motion design to websites (a lot of websites). Each project was unique and challenging, requiring tailored concepts and execution. It is bittersweet to see this time with the Push team end. It is exciting to move on to new unknown opportunities, but I will miss it.

Over the next few months I will be reaching out to the design community in Grand Rapids to see what would be a good fit for me and my family. It seems like a fun town with lots of great people and opportunities. I will also be dedicating time to refreshing the design here at noahread.net and to a couple side projects, including Mind Vault. Mind Vault has been a constant learning experience and I am glad that I have done it. Its sales are happily consistent, but not yet enough to support a family. I will keep working on it and probably branch out soon into other apps as well. Over the next few months I am open to short term design projects on a freelance/contract basis as well. So if you’d like to work with me on a remote basis throw me a line.

I am excited to see what is waiting for us in western Michigan. Seattle has been a wonderful place for me and my family. My wife and I met here, I was educated here, our children were born here, I worked in my first job here. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place and we have been lucky to live here. I’m sure we will have great experiences eastward as well.