Im a graphic designer working in food and beverage branding, though my path here wasn't a straight line. I made the leap into design at 25, after years of working as a dental assistant, a job I'd taken straight out of high school and made it pretty far in that job, but my heart was never really in it. I knew I wanted to spend my life in the creative industry. Starting university as an older student terrified me. I worried about being "behind", how old I'd be by graduation but I took the leap anyway and it's the best decision I've made. I graduated in December 2025 and walked straight into a design agency role, living out what once felt like a life I could never have. My foundation isn't in design but in fine art. I've been painting since I was six and spent my teenage years immersed in art summer school. It's trained my eye for detail, composition, colour and room to be messy and imaginative. I also enjoy illustration alongside agency work, which helps keep my instinct alive. What drives me is meaning. I'm an empathetic designer. I notice the human experience around me and try to stay present in it, pulling symbolism and small, deliberate references into my work that reward a closer look. I want my work to feel nuanced, layered and intentional. The kind of detail that makes someone pause or feel something, even if they cant name why.