I am currently available for part time work as an electronics technician and permaculture garden maintenance dude.

Education

I received my Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) at the University of Newcastle in 2005, Business Certificate IV from Hunter Business Center in 2007 and Electronics and Communications, Certificate III  at Hunter Tafe in 2014.

Work

My early work history includes being a graphic designer for a photographic studio;  Several contracts at the Australian Embassy, Washington DC (2005), culminating in a temporary position as their Department of Defence, Web and Database Administrator. Upon returning to Australia in 2006 I operated my own business as a web service provider, specialising in visual design and deployment of open source content management systems (Plone and WordPress). In this period I experimented with developing websites on a discarded computer using only free / open source software including operating system, graphics and business accounting.

I held the position of I.T Coordinator at University of Newcastle Services Ltd from 2007 to 2009 Provided I.T. support and training to all staff. Here I maintained point of sale software and hardware for retail outlets and bars on campus; Reconditioned mobile point of sale terminals for use in large events; Maintained A.V. equipment for bars and function centre venues and designed and developed the business’ website.

Since then I have been contracting as a UI/UX designer. My projects have included Senior Designer for the New Zealand Transport Agency from 2010 to 2012, where I worked on interface design for their online Land Transport Programme funding and project management system.

Listening to Ben Mitchell explain how soap works, at The Roost Creative

I have been the manager at the co-operative co-working office, The Roost Creative from 2012 to 2015, in Hunter St mall. In this period I oversaw the group being incorporated as an association and graduating from a Renew Newcastle incubated project, to taking a commercial lease for the office for around 25 creative professionals.

Creative Achievements

One creative project I have worked on at The Roost was a massively successful video game installation, which makes use of 8 salvaged eMacs, to form a continuous  array of screens which any number of players can play using their own touch screen devices as controllers. The game is collaborative, and players must communicate and coordinate their movements to succeed.

Another project I collaborated on is another public installation, a giant set of headphones designed by Mark Tisdell, located on Darby St, Newcastle. When a person walks through the headphones they  play a song at random through an embedded speakers. A busker can also plug in and use it as a P.A. I provisioned the electronics for this along with Josef Frank.

Former Roost-buddy Oliver Coleman and I built this treehouse in my front yard in Newcastle. It is the first building project either of us have undertaken and has it’s own off-grid 12v solar power.

The treehouse. If you’ve read this far, you’re welcome to come and stay in it.

My wife Lynda and I operate a short term accommodation house in Newcastle, where we are attempting to find an answer to the question: How many fruit trees, vegetables, ponds, pets, wild animals and circus apparatus can you fit on a suburban block?

Creative Failures

There have been a few, including- but not limited to- the yet to be released animated short film Romouse and Julisnake. I haven’t taken the time to document any yet, but I’d be happy to spin you a tale if you’re interested.