Hi, my name is Lee Gargano,
and this is what I know…

I know that design is omnipotent; it travels fast and always reinvents itself. What’s old is new again and what hasn’t been done before is its aspiration. To the individual, design is subjective and open for interpretation. It is a tool that makes our lives easier, a well thought out solution to a problem or a faulty process. Design should be fun and the process behind it should be enjoyed just as much as the final result. Well executed design should give off a sense of accomplishment and it is something you should be proud of.

Design can be brutally frustrating.

It can be stressful and cause panic while throwing many obstacles in your way.

I know as a designer it is my job to overcome these obstacles as I strive to be great. I must run faster each and every day in order to keep up with design. I must evolve my skills and perfect my techniques to stay afloat in a very competitive industry. As a designer I dedicate time to discuss with colleagues the effectiveness of solutions designed by others to resolve problems. I try to study these solutions as well as my own until I’m completely determined there is no better way to execute them.

I believe that there is no purpose in doing something that already exists unless it can be improved on.

I have been creating digital art and designing professionally as a freelancer out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada for over ten years. Although I work as a freelancer, over the past five years I’ve also worked full time at various agencies producing for both web and print. Over the countless projects I’ve worked on I’ve held various positions such as Senior Designer, Creative and Art Director, and Project Manager.

The one thing I am most proud of is all the knowledge I have been able to absorb through working with different people on what has been and what will continue to be a career that makes me truly happy. There is so much thought and skill set, which I have been fortunate enough to learn from these people in all of my work. However, if there is one trait that I hope to bestow onto others, it is that of ‘honesty’. I believe the most successful ideas occur when they happen in an environment based on complete transparency.

“Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist.”

– Mary Kay Ash