People who know much about me also know I identify myself as an artist, but my day job is creating and maintaining websites for artists, small businesses and non-profits. I began teaching myself how to design websites when my husband asked me to create one for a family endeavor in 1997. After a few creating sites for friends over the years, I was approached by a sensitive and talented local artist who had experienced difficulties finding a web designer she could work with in early 2008. After our first meeting she felt she could trust me, and made the decision to work with me. When her website was complete, she was so happy that she spoke highly of me and my work to all her artist friends in the area. Another website came shortly afterward, and before I knew what had happened, I had a business as a web designer! My first client became a dear friend and we still work together. I value the relationships I have built with all my clients and do my utmost to serve them with integrity, respect, and thoughtful care.
I have since gained a lot of experience with websites built with WordPress, blogs, and social networking, as well as html and css styling. In recent years I have also become proficient in search engine optimization, ecommerce and social media setups, and website security measures. With this experience I have become aware of many nuances in the way these features interact together and how they can be used for marketing your artwork or business on the internet. I am available for online marketing strategy consultations for a more effective online presence to promote your small business.
I have also received many compliments on my proofreading and writing skills. I write a monthly column in the Jacksonville Review for the Art Presence Art Center in Jacksonville, Oregon and had the pleasure of being hired by the publishers to write a cover article for them in 2015. Many artists are not comfortable writing about themselves, and I’m happy to relieve them of this burdensome task by writing promotional copy for their websites that is also effective for search engine optimization.
Though I have little time to paint these days, I do have opportunities to exercise my artistic skills beyond designing websites when the occasional logo or advertising design job comes my way. I am also experienced in migrating WordPress sites from one host to another, and from wordpress.com to independent hosting.
My skills are not limited to sites for individual artists and small businesses. Shortly after moving from a rural life in the beautiful Applegate Valley to live and work in the charming town of Jacksonville in late 2009, I created the Southern Oregon Artists Resource to promote the arts community of Southern Oregon. The main site, http://www.soartists.com, features a directory of artist, galleries, artist organizations and more, as well as a calendar of art events. Our companion blog, Art Matters!, is where I publish press releases, new works, calls to artists, gallery exhibits, art education opportunities and more ~ it’s visited by art enthusiasts and artists from here and around the world and does a great job attracting visitors to the artist directory site. This is a complex project with a host of features, and I can install and customize a similar website that will work for you and your business.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me! Chances are good that I can help you with additional tasks, so if you require an internet or design-related service not mentioned here, please contact me to discuss the details.
~Hannah West
