Hello, I'm Wayne...

 

The beginning of my journey to become a designer started many years ago, and the journey wasn't easy. Initially when leaving school I wanted to become an architect, unfortunately, this didn't quite go to plan and I ended up being (wait for it)... a chef. I suppose you're wondering, what has cooking got to do with design. Tell that to the career adviser, because at the time I wondered the same.

 

Nevertheless, I was a chef for seven years, those years prepared me in many ways which when I think about it, being a chef wasn't much different from being a designer. I learned how to work as part of a team, it also taught me how to work under pressure working in a fast-paced environment. This allowed me to gain a good insight into spatial design and how design should be fit for purpose and not just look good. "Form Follows Function" - Louis Sullivan. Being a chef also helped me build excellent communication and organisation skills, which have laid the foundations to build my future career in design.

 

The journey continued into my early twenties while working and supporting my family I decided to follow a career in design. I started off with studying art and design as a mature student and also participating in a part-time AutoCAD 2D level 2 course back in 2004. Due to the birth of my second child, I had to work more hours and put the dream on hold. Several years later (2009) I studied AutoCAD 2D level 3 part-time. In 2010 I enrolled onto a foundation degree in interior design, which ran for two years. This lead to study for one final year to gain my BA (Hons) in Interior Design, which was awarded by Leeds Metropolitan University with first class honours in 2013.

 

Present day...

 

I am currently based in Halifax, West Yorkshire where I freelance from a small studio in my home. For the last five and half years since leaving my studies, I have been the sole designer at an exhibition company in Bradford.  Working in a design environment has gained me a number of invaluable experiences and skills. These include building good relationships with current and new clients, working within a brief this includes learning about a client's services and products and also how to work within a budget. To meet these requirements I work alongside a local stand builder, joiners, electricians, graphic designers and printers. A good relationship with all of these professionals has given me a great insight into all the different materials, technology and lighting products that can be used within the industry. It also gives me the opportunity to provide the client with a great overall service.

 

Though I have gained my degree in design, the journey still continues to become a well-established designer. 

 

Find out more about what Services I provide and what I can offer you, or maybe check out my Portfolio. Got a project I can help with? Get in touch, click here for a chat.