About

Photo of John DurnanWelcome to my site. I’d like to share a little about myself as a designer and the driving force behind this portfolio.

Clement Greenberg once stated, “Levels of quality are to be preserved by constant renewal and innovation.” Although he was referring to Abstract Expressionism, I feel that this theory is prevalent in my own life and work. As a graphic designer, I use constant innovation while maintaining a professional level of quality. I look at work that has been produced by other artists and pull new ideas to create something that is innovative and fresh. I work with clients to come up with ideas that are personal and appropriate while giving them something new that captures the attention of their targeted viewers. I want to give clients an opportunity to see ideas and designs they wouldn’t have expected.

To accomplish a successful design, I like to immerse myself in the work and utilize all the resources around me to become more in tune with the project before I begin. I always make sure that everything in my design, such as color, shape or type, relates back to the origin of the design. I look for my designs to tell stories in a way that the viewer should feel they took something away from it.

As an artist, I draw my main inspiration from my life and surroundings. I look at places I have traveled, people I’ve met, my unique experiences and the mixture of old and new—how that interaction works. I’ve realized, from all my interests and experiences that my innate creative energy and capabilities can be applied in practically any subject. In addition, just as there are only a finite number of physical elements and laws in the universe, so too, everything in the world around us obeys a few timeless aesthetic design laws.

Ever since I can remember, I have been expressing myself in a variety of artistic ways: painting, sculpture, musical composition, photography, poetry and landscape/structural design, but never in an occupation. Finally, I decided to study and work in the creative field of Visual Design. At last, I had aligned my innate creative drive and abilities with a field of interesting artistic challenges. It felt as natural as breathing air. These infinite creative forces within were now harnessed by these natural laws of design. From this I’ve learned, that our lives are in a constant state of change and restoration. Clement Greenberg saw this constant innovation and renewal as a crucial part of Abstract Expressionism, and I hope to continue his theory of constant innovation while maintaining a high level of quality in my own work.