Ever since I came to America in 2005 I had to face several challenges. The first obvious one was the language barrier. When I first moved to New York, I had to force myself to learn English and be able to communicate quickly. I studied French in High School and that didn’t help much. I also didn’t know anybody from Italy, so when I enrolled at Language Studies International at Metropolitan College New York, I immediately realized that I really had to roll up my sleeves. The hunger for learning this language and be able to open up doors in a city that immediately overwhelmed me with its unique character gave me a willpower I ignored to posses.
When I felt I had enough knowledge of the language I decided to take the TOEFL test. I passed it and I then enrolled at BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College.) In the meantime I had fallen in love with the city and realized I had found motivations and energies that I didn’t know I have. An example would be the results I was attaining in college. I’ve never loved Math, in fact I may say I’ve never gotten a decent grade in the subject back in Italy. At BMCC I took three classes in Algebra, Calculous, and Statistics. Three As. My GPA when I graduated in Liberal Arts in 2009: 3.79. I also had the chance to take several elective credits and learn I had a knack for graphic design. I’ve always liked photography and learned how to basically use Photoshop since the earliest versions with feathered icon from late 90s. A new world was opening in front of me, a world of possibilities. I’ve always enjoyed magazines and their layouts, combining cool photography and standing out typography. Now I had the chance to be part of that world and perhaps bring a different prospective to it, form my various background and experience.
In 2009 I enrolled at Queens College, major graphic design. In three years there I’ve developed different skills, perhaps never focused on one in particular, but thank to a very wide program I had the chance to learn a variety of elements all very useful to this career. The projects we have often done in teams gave us the chance to develop a working ability, and as I tend to naturally take the lead, I was often asked to guide my group. I also had the chance to take some elective credits in other areas that I thought could be useful in the field. I took video and photo editing, film and digital photography, playwriting, creative writing, and acting. I graduated cum laude in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design.
From September 2012 to June 2013, I worked as a head graphic designer and photographer for Knipschildt Chocolatier LLC, in Norwalk, Connecticut. As I was looking for a job closer to Queens where I reside, in July 2013 I accepted a job at the very college where I graduated a year before, Queens College. Since then I have been working for the Office of Communications’ Creative Services both as graphic designer, photographer, and photo and video editor. Some of my works in design were featured in magazines and newspapers such as Newsday and Queens Tribune, and I designed the Queens College 80th Anniversary logo. Some of my pictures were also featured in advertisements around campus and in subway cars, billboards and buses in New York City. I have also been working for self-promotion for small businesses and events since 2009 (Café Sebastiano in Leland, NC, Sergimmo Salumeria in NYC, Jazz singer Antonio Ciacca, Ornella Fado’s Brindiamo TV program, and music bands and musicians such as 1 Step Ahead, Carmen Royale, Jodi Good, and Andrea Balducci.)
My background is a collection of different experiences in many fields and the life experience of two continents. This combined with the extraordinary education that I was lucky enough to have access to in the two colleges I attended in New York, made me become a strong graphic designer and better photographer, aware of different realities and styles from Europe to America. I also had the chance to learn acting from some of the best professors of City University of New York, and develop confident acting skills throughout various performances in and outside college.
Inspired by designer David Carson, I often combine graphic design, typography and photography, perhaps my greatest ability. The skills I have developed throughout over ten years in Photoshop allow me to bring something more than simply combining images and text. As a photographer I had the chance to learn from talents like Deborah Chesher, and Jules T. Allen. As an actor from professors like Susan Einhorn at Queens College and Lori Kee at Borough of Manhattan Community College, as well as working alongside actors like Genevieve Barker and Christopher James.