My background is in Graphic Design, Motion Graphics and Animation. I have been in the tech field for the past 20 years, working in various groups at Apple in Cupertino, CA. Most recently, I was an animator in the Apple Design Group (aka HI Design) with my main focus being animation studies for Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Macintosh computers, and Apple TV. My ‘pani-mations’ can be seen on many watch faces, and in UI elements throughout the Apple ecosystem. I worked closely with the software engineers, creating motion studies and demo prototypes as proof-of-concept, and to guide the motion and animation opportunities to bring ‘surprise and delight’ to the projects I worked on. One of my favorite projects include the original Breathe watch app, which I worked on under Jony Ive’s direction.
Prior to that position within Apple, I worked in the iLife Team, which became the Photos Team. The projects I worked on there spanned from software UI animations and slideshow themes, to the re-design of the whole Photos app. Working with other designers and software engineers, my motion studies helped shape the interaction and layout of the app throughout the redesign process.
Although my time at Apple started in the print production group, I quickly found my place in the Motion Graphics Group. It was a natural progression from my earlier days as an interactive web designer. My love of using motion and animation to tell a story grew, and I enjoyed working on the early animations for the Apple Retail Stores, which played on every device screen. They were lots of fun, with skating iPods, and devices that turned into kaleidoscopic patterns. One of the other major projects I was responsible for during that time, was the Genius Bar video loop that played on the screens while people waited their turn. The loop included many tips and information about Apple products and there were lots of opportunities for creative animations to educate and entertain.
