Jason Hartsel
I am an imaginative and detail-oriented creative professional who enjoys solving problems for clients that want to send a bold message with their product. I specialize in producing innovative design solutions that reconcile utility and aesthetic value.
Good design must embody form and function simultaneously, and I constantly challenge myself to communicate complex ideas without sacrificing creativity.
Looking back, I have been trying to shape the visual world around me for as long as I can remember — even before I had any idea what a "Graphic Designer" was. As a kid I used to design CD covers for my own music compilations in Microsoft Paint and chronicle family vacations in multimedia PowerPoint presentations. Eventually I branched out into business cards, invitations, t-shirts, menus, and logos, designed a flyer and billboard campaign for a local nonprofit, and became the editor and designer of my high school's annual literary magazine.
Obviously my knowledge and understanding of design has evolved significantly since the days of Windows 98, but that desire to turn ideas into tangible creations has remained a constant.
I started my professional career in 2004 as an assistant designer at a small shop in Roanoke, Virginia and continued my education as a George Mason University Scholar. While earning a BFA in graphic design, I served as creative director and EIC of VoxPop Magazine and managing editor of Broadside, GMU's student newspaper.
After several years as the senior designer at a Washington, D.C. publishing company, I am currently serving as the Assistant Director of the Office of Student Media at George Mason University, focusing on marketing and communication. In addition to my full-time gig, I occasionally take on freelance design projects.
When I'm not designing, I engage my passion for film, television, politics, pop culture, thrifting, podcasts, and world travel. An avid NPR listener and vinyl record enthusiast, my eclectic interests and love of art and design inform my aesthetic point of view and inspire me to create.