Hi, there and thanks for stopping by!
I’m Jamie Ross, owner of Fat Cat Design. I am a graphic designer, website designer, marketing strategist, writer, and copyeditor. I’m also a wife to the smartest man I know (truth!), and a mother to three feral rescue cats.
Last but not least, I have enjoyed life as founder and owner of Fat Cat Design since 2006.
How I Became a Graphic Designer
Prefer to skip the boring anecdote? Jump down to Why I love what I do for my clients.
I originally studied in the field of psychology, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988. Being a fine arts degree, curriculum mandated completion of a handful of art classes.
Dear reader, those forcefully-endured college art classes proved infinitely painful, and I loathed them. Every. Single. One.
Picture endless torturous hours perched on a wobbly stool sketching eons of still-life compositions using one messy medium after another. My distaste for all things visually artistic and the sheer torment of those long, drawn-out (pun intended) sessions left me wanting to poke myself in the eye with a charcoal pencil.
Ironically enough, one day in between classes I was approached by a college art professor, and he asked my major.
Psychology!” I chirped.
Oh, no no no,” he said. “We need to sit down for a cup of coffee because you need to change your major to Art.“
I thought, Um – no, Professor Nutty. Never in a million years could I envision life as a graphic artist. Nope. No interest. None in the least. Plus, I was too busy striving to save the world with therapy.
Well… many years post-Professor Nutty’s admonishment, here I am! Designing, creating, and thriving as a graphic artist, web designer, writer, and marketing professional – and having the time of my life.
Why I Love What I Do for My Clients
From a creative perspective, I delight in the process of beginning with an abstract concept, problem, or scenario, and transforming it into a compelling and tangible finished product or solution that fulfills the client’s goal or resolve a need.
More paramount, I gain infinite gratification from seeing the results of my efforts reflected in a client’s successes and achievements.
Certainly, my psychology degree has served me well as a designer and business owner, and for that I am grateful. I am also grateful to my clients – both to them and for them – as I have been gifted with meeting and working with some exceptionally remarkable people.
So, I guess you could say that life as an artist is great – with much gratitude to my valued clients who allow me to partner with them and join their team, allowing me to assist in achieving and exceeding their goals.
Oh, and maybe I should look up that art professor and offer to buy him that cup of coffee.