About Me
I am someone who thrives on challenges and is often considered a thrill-seeker, with a broad spectrum of interests that go beyond my professional life. Creativity is at the heart of everything I do, and I place great importance on the strong relationships I build with family and friends, valuing these connections alongside my independence.
My motivation and drive extend beyond my career, fueled by outdoor pursuits such as surfing and deep-sea fishing in the chilly waters off California. These adventures not only excite me but also deepen my connection to the ocean. I’m passionate about exploring the outdoors, enjoying activities like hiking through mountainous forests and camping in the wilderness to immerse myself in nature truly.
Having traveled to over thirteen countries, I have cultivated a profound appreciation for diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, unique arts and crafts, fascinating wildlife, and delectable cuisines. As a keen photographer, I love capturing the beauty of the world around me.
Growing up in an environment rich in music—from Classical to 70s-80s Rock’n’Roll, Punk Rock, Blues & Jazz, Old Country, Reggae, Electronic House—as well as Art, Design, Photography, Theater Arts, Architecture, Interior Design, Technology, and extreme sports has molded me into an adrenaline enthusiast and passionate explorer. I actively seek out risks and challenges that push me beyond the ordinary.
I approach life with passion and mindfulness, driven by curiosity while balancing strong opinions with an open-minded attitude. Shaped by the generational context of my upbringing, I have a deep desire for progress, which influences my identity and inspires me to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
My Mission
As a Creative Director and Graphic Designer, I aim to harness original creativity and innovative strategies while maintaining the highest quality standards to achieve exceptional results. Establishing a brand is a complex process that requires unwavering dedication, enthusiasm, and drive—essential qualities for elevating it to a leading position in its industry and ensuring its long-term success.
As a leader and collaborator, I bring the strategic insight and technical knowledge necessary to achieve our goals. I believe in leveraging collaborative efforts to advance our initiatives and ensure each project yields a unique result. Let’s work together to transform our conceptual frameworks into tangible realities.
Work Experience
Graphic Production Artist — Flex
WPP Production (Contract) | Sunnyvale, CA (Apple Campus)
April 2025 – Present (10 months)
As a Graphic Production Artist at WPP Production, I collaborate with a team focused on global digital asset production, specializing in high-end UI standards for the retail environment and shaping the overall digital experience. My primary responsibility is to create high-quality image assets for user interfaces, ensuring they meet resolution and localization standards to effectively serve local and global audiences. I work closely with team leaders, producers, art directors, and designers across different departments to tailor UI assets to specific project requirements, contributing to a diverse range of interactive projects. Additionally, I assist in developing tools and establishing tracking systems that improve organization and streamline workflows. When faced with technical challenges, I address them directly and implement strategies to ensure we meet tight deadlines. My commitment to delivering exceptional results is vital to our team’s success and to achieving our overarching goals.
Graphic Designer | Creative Director
MS Designs | Santa Cruz, CA
April 2023 – April 2025 (2 years)
As a Self-Employed Graphic Designer and Creative Director, I engage deeply with clients to refine and elevate their brand identity. My professional focus spans various projects, including brand design, art directing product and lifestyle photography, strategic advertising campaigns, retail and trade show signage, packaging design, and developing print and digital marketing collateral. I manage the entire design process, from initial conceptualization to final production, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand presence in the marketplace. My role encompasses comprehensive oversight of design elements and art direction to optimize visual communication and brand strategy.
Senior Graphic Designer
Bay Photo Lab (Sensaria) | Scotts Valley, CA
October 2019 – March 2023 (3 years 6 month)
As the Senior Designer at Bay Photo Lab, I rebranded to raise the visibility of one of the top Professional Photo Labs in the US, marketing to Wedding, Portrait, and Nature Professional Photographers. This included projects from initial concept creation to final execution, applying to magazine advertisements, cohesive branding, and displays for multi-scaled trade show exhibits with coordinated collateral, annual product catalogs, and promotional flyers. Art Directing assistance with the staff photographers to organize the creative strategy of the stylization of products (Metal Prints, Acrylic Prints, Wood Prints, Framed Prints) ensured the team succeeded in ”getting the shot.”
Senior Graphic Designer
O’Neill Wetsuits LLC. | Santa Cruz, CA
August 2014 – October 2019 (5 years 3 months)
As the Senior Graphic Designer for O’Neill Wetsuits, my creativity targeted the Surfing, Wakeboarding, and Stand-Up Paddling industries. I was responsible for the annual product catalogs, ad concepts, and execution of the marketing campaigns, seasonal hangtags, and interior/exterior point-of-purchase for the brand. I worked one-on-one with the VP of Marketing Communications and directly with our Production Manager to schedule and assign tasks to the creative staff. I used photographers and other outside vendors as needed to meet all deadlines and produce top-level imagery/branding.
Education
Certificate in Desktop Publishing and Multimedia
Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA
January 1996 – June 1999
Skills and Expertise Overview
• Maintaining brand consistency across all marketing projects.
• Developing creative designs to convey ideas and promote products effectively.
• Utilizing typography and photography techniques efficiently.
• Creating original artworks such as illustrations and infographics.
• Enhancing images, fonts, and layouts using graphic design software.
• Improving user experience in digital products.
• Keeping up-to-date with industry trends and technology.
• Managing design projects from concept to delivery.
• Reviewing work to ensure high-quality standards.
• Coordinating with marketing and design teams to meet project deadlines.
MS Designs
Images with Attitude.
Mike Silcher
msdesigns21@yahoo.com
831-428-3192