DESIGN
Sunfield Graphic Design is operated by me, designer and writer, Laurie MacMillan. I will not use words like "we" or "us" or "firm" because, well, it's pretty transparent, isn't it? It's just me, a lone freelancer fending for myself in the wilds of Petaluma, California. Seeing as I have freelanced since1983, have done work for clients all over the country and in Europe, and I'm still here to tell about it, I'd say I have fended fairly well.

I have managed to tuck away 28 years of experience in the advertising and publishing fields, and I have done every kind of project for many different types of businesses. That includes everything from logos/identity packages to catalogs and ad campaigns. The majority of my work has been done for the travel and hospitality, high tech and publishing industries, as well as many projects for smaller businesses.

I prefer to work closely with the business owner or marketing manager so that I can get a clear picture of the objective, the target audience and the overall feel the client would like to see in the end. I can then give feedback as to the direction in which I think I should go, and get confirmation on that direction before any work commences. At that point, I provide a written quote and a "not to exceed" figure, so that both myself and the client are on the same page regarding the cost of the project. No huge surprise bills. We agree on a price beforehand. And can I find ways to save you money? Please. I'm a Scottish Yankee.

I especially love working with sole proprietors and small businesses. I try to keep my fees reasonable to help small companies look more professional. I basically do extreme marketing makeovers. No peroxide. No ammonia. No starbursts. No Times Roman. Just 100% natural and delicious design for even the most finicky advertisers.

Once you approve the budget and I get the green light from you, I usually crank some early Pat Metheny or Bonnie Raitt or Dave Matthews and get to work! While I have done every style from starched corporate product sheets to original Sumi-e illustrations for a book of haiku, my favorite type of work is that with a natural or vintage feel, or work that incorporates humor in some appropriate measure.

WRITING
The bulk of my experience is in design, but I am also a writer, and have written considerable amounts of ad copy and published articles for many concerns. The preferred style is conversational and pithy, but I can certainly write in a more formal journalistic style as well. You can read samples of published articles here.

PHOTOGRAPHY
While I do not have a formal studio set-up, I occasionally do scenic and some product photography for clients on a tight budget. All of the scenic photography on this site and in some of the portfolio pieces is original.

WEB
I can design your web site to be built by your own web developer, or I can build it for you using the industry-standard tools, perhaps with a bit of help from my tech gurus if your needs require more than Javascript and Dreamweaver. Until they completely outlaw Internet Explorer on the grounds of browser crimes against humanity, web development will not be my favorite activity, but I have done web site DESIGN for many different small businesses. You can view a few here.

In Firefox. Please? It's a free download! Live a little. Download it here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

Internet Exploder: Thou art so leaky that we must leave thee to thy sinking.

VERSATILITY
In the current climate of 2013 when almost everyone is cutting back, I am happy to be able to offer to clients not only decades of design experience, but several other abilities that can save money and get the job done in an efficient and cohesive manner. In addition to writing ability, I have a solid background in marketing and can help small businesses get their products and services to market in a more professional and competitive way. Lastly, a background in photography enables me to help you with image selection, and considerable skills in Photoshop will allow me to, yes, change that hot pink scarf to a nice shade of olive. If I can turn my brother into Audrey Hepburn and James Dean (view here), well...