Sum of its parts

My career didn’t follow a straight line. It followed a deeper instinct—curiosity, craft, and a desire to build things that matter with people who care. That and a mother who refused to sit me in front of the TV all day to keep my occupied while she did things around the house.

She was a stay-at-home mom with a fine art degree and an eye for design. Instead of cartoons, she handed me paper, glue, and model kits. Instead of silence, there was always music. She taught me how to see the world—and more importantly, how to interpret it.

That’s where this all began: a deep love of learning, an appetite for beauty, and the joy of building things of worth.

Over the past 30+ years, I’ve had the privilege of shaping brands and leading creative teams across nearly every print and digital medium imaginable. But what I’ve really been doing all along is asking better questions, aligning vision with execution, and surrounding myself with smart, good people to do great things.

I’ve worked in agencies, corporate creative teams, and as a consultant, and in every setting I bring the same mindset: If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

That’s not just a lesson from my dad—it’s the thread that connects everything I’ve chosen to be part of. Strategy, design, leadership, production—I go all in. I believe in purpose-driven work, thoughtful collaboration, and branding that doesn’t just look good, but means something.

These days, I still explore the world—often with a passport. Life’s too short to sit on the sidelines. There’s too much out there to see and do.

Looking for someone who brings brand, strategy and quality to the table? Let’s talk.

Leadership

• Led/mentored teams and collaborators (in-house + freelance)

• Directed cross-functional partners (marketing, product, retail, etc.)

• Managed vendors and outside talent (photographers, printers, fabricators)

• Aligned stakeholders and kept projects moving (clear comms, clean approvals)

Production / Craft

• Print + prepress + color accuracy (press checks, proofing, vendor specs)

• Packaging + collateral systems (catalogs, sales tools, templates)

• Photography/art direction (self-shot or sourced talent)

• Built work that ships: on time, on budget, no drama

Info

Roanoke, IN 46783 | USA
curtiscsmith518@gmail.com

Core Skills

Brand Development and Maintenance
Brand Strategy
Creative Strategy
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Graphic Design
Photography
Processes & Best Practices
Individual and Team Management
Production and Vendor Relations