Hi! I’m Tess. I offer a personalised, jargon-free mix of creative flair and technical expertise. I’ve worked on web, video, design and writing projects with small and large businesses, for clients such as fashion designers, copywriters, and artists.

How I got to this point

Growing up in Sydney, Australia, I gravitated towards drama, although I also dabbled in music, art, photography and writing. After school, I completed a bachelor’s degree in theatre. Then an honours degree in performance. Then a PhD in performing arts (by the way, this was made into a book).

During my PhD, I realised that I was on autopilot. Like many people, I was on a predetermined life track without even thinking about what I was doing. So I finished my degree, then opted out. I was ready to get my hands dirty. Rather than being fenced in to a conventional, one-track job, I decided to start my own business as a freelancer. Sound familiar?

I now live and freelance in San Francisco with my husband and our cat. Life is good!

Stuff I’m into

Like any Scanner, many individual things make me happy, but what makes me happiest is doing many things at once:

• Design (web and print graphics, logos)
• Technology
• WordPress (designing and coding WordPress.org sites)
• Travel
• Activism (especially in regards to body image)
• Minimalism and alternatives to consumerism
• Writing
• Personal finance
• Photography
• Learning and experimentation

Why we should get to know each other

Offering creative design & development with an approachable personality and a sense of humour, I do things a bit differently than most designer/developers. I try to demystify the intimidating web world, cutting through jargon in an accessible way. My process is transparent and open, and I’m willing to learn about your business.

And most importantly of all, I LOVE doing it!

What you can do now

If you’d like to work on something with me, have a look on my contact page to see how you can get in touch.