I grew up wanting to be an illustrator. I filled sketchbooks, drew constantly, was part of the National Art Honor Society in high school, and assumed that's where my life was headed. Then I got to college, discovered the internet, and somewhere between HTML tables and Photoshop 4, web design pulled me in.
What followed was a 20+ year career in corporate digital marketing in B2B for oil and gas, legal services, big teams, bigger budgets. I built websites, ran campaigns, managed platforms, led strategy. I was good at it. And then, three years ago, I got laid off.
I won't pretend that wasn't hard. But somewhere in the middle of that uncomfortable space, I picked up a pencil again. And something shifted.
WHAT BRUSH & BYTES IS
Brush & Bytes started as a marketing tips blog for creatives. It's evolving into something more honest than that...
a working journal where I write about building a creative life from scratch, the business side of making things, and everything I'm learning along the way.
If you've ever felt like you're caught between the creative person you want to be and the practical realities of making a living, this is written for you. I'm not writing from the other side of that tension. I'm writing from inside it.
Topics I write about:
- Create — illustration, the artistic process, creative practice, and getting back to making things after a long time away
- Build — visual identity, design thinking, and building something that looks as intentional as it feels
- Grow — marketing, audience-building, and the business side of creative work without losing your soul
- Publish — websites, SEO, digital tools, and showing up online in a way that actually represents you
WHAT I DO BEYOND THE BLOG
When I'm not writing, I'm working on a handful of things:
Drawing and illustrating — I'm building an illustration practice focused on fantasy and fiction. It's where I started and where I'm headed.
OnceDivided — My digital consulting practice, offering web and marketing services for small businesses on a subscription model.
Once Own'd — A vintage reselling side project born from my love of garage sales and estate sales. The hunt is half the point.
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
I've spent two decades doing the things most creatives find overwhelming — websites, SEO, email marketing, brand strategy, content systems. I know how to build them and, more importantly, I know how to explain them to someone whose brain works like an artist's, not a marketer's.
If you're a creative, maker, or small business owner who needs help with any of that, I offer a few ways to work together:
60-minute strategy session — A focused call to untangle one specific problem. We diagnose, prioritize, and you leave with a clear next step.
Monthly retainer — Ongoing strategy, implementation support, and someone in your corner every month as you build.
Website & brand audit — A full review of your online presence with specific, actionable recommendations.
A FEW MORE THINGS
I live in Houston, Texas.
I went to school for web design but started as an illustrator and I'm finally coming back around to that.
I've tried pottery (wheel-thrown, under the name Fireforge Mudworks), furniture flipping, vintage reselling, print-on-demand t-shirts, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting.
I'm a classic generalist in a world that keeps telling you to niche down.
I'm working on making peace with that.
I'm an introvert. Posting online and putting myself out there is something I really don't like doing. I'm working on that too.
If any of that sounds familiar... welcome. You're in the right place.
