Rachel Cotton-Smith

Current

• Illustrator/ Graphic Designer / Web Designer at Cotton Studios (Self-employed)

Past

• Workshop Teacher for Illustration Class at Savannah Christian Preparatory Middle School
• Art Director at Belles and Beaus - The Magazine for Southern Families
• Graphic Designer / Web Designer at Page Printing (Sole Proprietorship)

• Temporary Assistant Safety Manager at Precision Pattern
• Pre-Press and Design at Wynn Business Systems
• Teaching Assistant in Acrylic Painting Techniques at Savannah College of Art and Design
• Internship at Violet LeMay - Professional Illustrator
• Class Art Instructor at Camp Michigania
• Student Government President at Brenau University
• Art Director at Elixir Literary Magazine
• Painting Teacher at Gallery on Cotton
• Orthodontic Assistant and Technician at Smith & Smith Orthodontics
• Camp Counselor at Point O'Pines
• Arts and Crafts Instructor at Georgia Southwestern College

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Education

• Savannah College of Art and Design
• Brenau University

Recommended

5 people have recommended Rachel

Connections

135 connections

Industry

Arts and Crafts

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Summary

I create work for clients from Private Collections to artwork for Professional and Corporate use.

I can offer professional illustrations, fine art paintings, and murals as well as the digital design work necessary for your business to flourish.

As an Illustrative Designer, I begin all designs with drawings of the intended plan to bring a sense of individuality to my projects. I have experience with developing logos, marketing materials, collateral materials, and websites. As a printing professional for several years, I have the necessary knowledge to ensure that the final project will be ready for print greatly reducing the amount of money the client will have to pay additional for pre-press issues. With a background in illustration, painting, and photography, I am capable of completing a project without having to outsource to other professionals, again saving clients a great deal of money.

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Specialties:

Pre-press experience; Full color and Spot color printing; Proficient with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver; Wordpress Savvy, CSS, strong drawing skills, painting, experience in Marketing

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Experience

• Illustrator/ Graphic Designer / Web Designer

  Cotton Studios (Self-employed)

  (Self-Employed; Myself Only; Design industry)

  May 2005 — Present (4 years 7 months)

  Create illustrations for print, design work from logo creation to complete marketing campaigns, web sites designed and coded

• Workshop Teacher for Illustration Class

  Savannah Christian Preparatory Middle School

  (Arts and Crafts industry)

  February 2009 — February 2009 (1 month)

  Every year Savannah Christian has a week called Art Blitz in which the children all enroll in a week long art class to expand their knowledge of the creative arts. In 2009, I taught a week long course in Illustration to a class of 8th graders. Each child had a final illustration and a better understanding of the art of illustration by the end of the week.

• Art Director

  Belles and Beaus - The Magazine for Southern Families

  (Publishing industry)

  April 2008 — August 2008 (5 months)

  I worked as the Art Director for Belles & Beaus to create the entire magazine brand, logo, marketing materials, the initial website designs, magazine layout, oversaw numerous photoshoots, and oversaw the organization of the first issue through to completion.
  The magazine died in August 2008 due to the mis-management of funds by the publisher.

• Graphic Designer / Web Designer

  Page Printing (Sole Proprietorship)

  (Sole Proprietorship; 1-10 employees; Printing industry)

  June 2006 — April 2008 (1 year 11 months)

  At Page Printing, I was the lead designer. I created logos, marketing materials, websites, brochures, as well as large and small format signage. I was responsible for seeing the projects through to completion. In addition to being responsible for the flow of production in the shop, I was also responsible for training new employess, for setting up new vendors, and for keeping up with the companies daily coorespondance.

• Temporary Assistant Safety Manager

  Precision Pattern

  (Fine Art industry)

  2006 — 2006 (less than a year)

• Pre-Press and Design

  Wynn Business Systems

  (Printing industry)

  October 2005 — June 2006 (9 months)

  I was the sole designer and pre-press operator for this small business. I was responsible for making certain all files were correctly sent to the rip. I was also the only designer in house. This printer printed in full color as well as spot color. Within my duties I had to make certain that the press operators were properly scheduled for jobs in order to meet tight deadlines.

• Teaching Assistant in Acrylic Painting Techniques

  Savannah College of Art and Design

  (Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

  January 2005 — May 2005 (5 months)

  I assisted in teaching an acrylic techniques class within the Illustration Department and SCAD under the tutelage of professor and professional illustrator Katherine Sandoz.

• Internship

  Violet LeMay - Professional Illustrator

  (Design industry)

  2005 — 2005 (less than a year)

  Professional Illustrator Violet LeMay was kind enough to allow me to shadow her for several months learning in the ins and outs of professional illustration.

• Class Art Instructor

  Camp Michigania

  (Arts and Crafts industry)

  July 2000 — August 2000 (2 months)

  Camp Michigania is a camp for the families of alumnae from University of Michigan. In this role, I taught art classes to both adults and children alike.

• Student Government President

  Brenau University

  (Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

  1999 — 2000 (1 year )

  Although this position was unpaid, it was a key era in educating me about organization, budgeting, dispute resolution, public speaking and many other important management skills.

• Art Director

  Elixir Literary Magazine

  (Publishing industry)

  1997 — 1998 (1 year )

  The Elixir Literary Magazine is a compilation of artwork, photography, prose, and poetry by Brenau University students. I headed up the selection committee for the artwork and helped layout the magazine.

• Painting Teacher

  Gallery on Cotton

  (Arts and Crafts industry)

  1997 — 1997 (less than a year)

  Gallery on Cotton was an art gallery in Americus, Georgia on Cotton Avenue. In addition to showing artwork, they also offered summer art classes. I taught painting and color theory.

• Orthodontic Assistant and Technician

  Smith & Smith Orthodontics

  (Medical Practice industry)

  November 1996 — May 1997 (7 months)

  Smith & Smith Orthodontics was in Americus Georrgia. There is made models of teeth both before and after treatment. I created intra-oral devices, retainers, etc to aid in treatment. I also made adjustments to the braces on patient's teeth.

• Camp Counselor

  Point O'Pines

  (Design industry)

  May 1996 — July 1996 (3 months)

  An all girls camp in upstate new york, I bunked with another camp counselor and 8 seven and eight year-olds. I was responsible for the girls in my cabin as well as teaching 6 art classes a day for 9 weeks.

• Arts and Crafts Instructor

  Georgia Southwestern College

  (Arts and Crafts industry)

  1993 — 1995 (2 years )

  Every summer for three years, I taught at the college's summer camp program. By 1995, I was responsible for developing the lesson plans, budgetting, and purchasing the materials for class.

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Education

• Savannah College of Art and Design

  2003 — 2005

• Brenau University

  BFA Fine Arts , Ceramics/Sculpture , 1996 — 2000

  Activities and Societies:

  Student Government President, Alpha Gamma Delta VP Recruitment, Senior Honor Society

Additional Information

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Interests:

Drawing, Painting, Wordpress, Graphic Designer, Artists, Galleries, Food, WIne, Social Networking, Reading, Writing, Sketching, Laughing

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Groups:

Commissions and Collections:
2008 Justin Griffin and James Edgemon
2008 Mr. and Mrs. Galen M. Cotton
2008 Mrs. Linda Smith
2007 Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Clay Owen
2006 Randy Bocook, Realtor
2003 Mr. And Mrs. Spence Johnson
2002 Mr. And Mrs. Jerome Smith
2002 Mr. And Mrs. Frank Latimore
2001 Mr. William Woods
1997, 1998, 1999 Mr. and Mrs, John S. Burd
2000 Brenau University Permanent Collection

Clients:
Cotton & Co. Real Estate Inspections
Savannah Philharmonic
Florida Coast Enterprises
Applied Metrology Services, LP
Belles & Beaus Magazine
Environmental Recycling Solutions, Inc.
Warehouse Cubed Consulting Group
Sterling Inventory Management
Richmond Hill Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
City of Richmond Hill
City of Americus
Tyson and Staci Helsel
City of Savannah
Alee Shriner’s
Palmetto Electric
Hilton Head Golf Course
Alpha Gamma Delta, Mu Chapter, Brenau University
Charleston Magazine

•    Savannah College of Art and Design Alumni
•    True Artist: living the art
•    Sell Handmade at Etsy.com
•    Art Collecting Network
•    Doodlers
•    Brenau University Alumni
•    Children's Books
•    Link Up Low Country
•    Historic Savannah
•    Fine Arts Professionals
•    The Creative Coast Alliance
•    The Scribbles Institute

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Honors:

2007 First Place - Painting- Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival
2005 Alee Shriner’s Magazine - Honorable Mention, Cover Art
2004 Portfolio Exhibition, SCAD
2000 “Figments”, Thesis Exhibition, Brenau
1999 Sydney O. Smith Scholarship Recipient
1999 Brenau Collaborative
Best in Show, 1st Place Sculpture, 1st Place
Ceramics, 2nd Place Drawing
1998 Elixir Literary Magazine,
1st Place in Works on Paper
1998 “Chicken’s Etc.” Juried Exhibit,
Brenau University Galleries
1998 Brenau University Collaborative
2nd Place Photography, Printmaking,
Honorable Mention Painting/Drawing
1997 Gallery on Cotton Invitational Exhibit, Americus, GA
1997 Brenau University Collaborative
1st Place in Painting
1996 Heather Mercer Shaw Ring Award Designer
1995 Gordon College Juried Exhibition

Rachel Cotton-Smith’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch