United States, Newport
Artist/Illustrator Jason Hackwith, Design, Media & Architecture
You might say I’ve worn a lot of hats, but the truth is that you’ll find me most often in a fedora.
Artist with 25 years of real world experience in graphic design, illustration, direction, development and production of a wide range of new and old media. Lifelong musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Fiddle player for the progressive bluegrass band Wanigan. Ensemble leader, director, and composer. Writer and poet.
Veteran creative, passionate about creation and serving alongside other creative people. Let’s talk!
Selected Skills & Expertise
- Illustrator and artist
- Expert with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
- Proficient with Adobe Audition, Premiere, AfterEffects, Acrobat, and LightRoom
- Proficient with xHTML, PHP, Apache, MySQL, Javascript, and other web technologies
- Proven audio production skills mixing and mastering CDs, DVDs, audio books, podcasts, and more
- Photographer with excellent photo retouching skills
- Copywriter and marketing consultant
- Educator and software trainer
- Publisher and co-publisher of multiple written and audio works
- Digital sales and marketing coordinator for CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon.com, and others
- Gold Partner with Discmakers
Work Experience
Owner/Lead Creative: Firewind Productions
September 1994 – Present (25 years 10 months)
Owner and lead creative, helping other creatives find and free their fire; providing design and illustration, music lessons, production, publishing, marketing & training services on and off the Web. A Gold Partner with Discmakers, we can handle all stages of design and production for your audio projects, big and small. On the Web, we build complete multi-platform, responsive, search-engine friendly rich media solutions for bands & artists, corporations, non-profit organizations, ministries, and bloggers. Off the Web, we provide design, publication and promotional services for authors, artists, and other creatives. If can't do it, we can draw from a network of trusted service providers we have established relationships with over the past 20 years.
tl;dr: I am passionate about helping passionate creatives to start a fire and make it grow.
Violinist: Wanigan
September 2008 – Present (11 years 3 months)
Fiddle player, vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist for the progressive bluegrass band Wanigan. Over the years I've been proud to perform and produce in multiple studio recordings including two albums with worldwide distribution, hundreds of gigs around the Pacific Northwest, and an ever-growing repertoire of original story songs. For more information and to watch and listen to our music, visit Wanigan.net.
Adjunct Faculty: Lewis-Clark State College
June 2012 – August 2018 (6 years 3 months) Workforce Training
As an expert in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign; and as a veteran website designer and social media marketer I was an adjunct instructor with LCSC Workforce Training, where I taught Social Media Marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest); Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Photoshop (Full Version), The Joy of Vector Painting with Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign. My students ranged from employees of local businesses looking to improve their skills to local artists seeking to play with digital media, to special needs students that were looking for fun and a challenge.
Lead Artist/Art Director: ArtBeat Inc.
August 2014 – June 2018 (3 years 11 months)
At ArtBeat I created amazing designs for amazing people and am proud to have been part of a team that produced amazing things, from fundraising campaigns for cancer survivors to smokin' hot automotive and car show designs. I handled custom art and graphic design for all kinds of screen printed, digital direct-to- garment and embroidered apparel, promotional products, banners and more; design logos and identity packages for businesses, organizations and creative professionals; and provided training and a seasoned eye for their team of artists and illustrators. I also created the highest quality simulated process separations from scratch using an efficient and accurate cross-channel selection method that I engineered and developed myself; printed film positives, signed off on press proofs, and helped with quality control. From the barest glimpse of a big idea to the finished product and beyond, I always strive to provide the best customer service I can to my clients.
Graphic Designer: Clearwater Paper Corporation
May 2013 – October 2013 (6 months) Lewiston, Idaho
As an employee of Express Employment Professionals in the art department at Clearwater Paper Corporation, I provided quality packaging design, photography, production art and miscellaneous other services for the consumer products division of this leading paper products manufacturer. Applied art to industry diagrammatics, built diagrammatics to industry specifications, accurately proofed art at multiple stages of the design and manufacturing process, and helped to ensure that art complied with industry regulations. Designed signage, banners, flyers, and product sheets. Built high quality product mock-ups for customers and sales representatives, shot products and product mock-ups in an in-house photo studio. Retouched product photos and prepared high quality product renderings for an online product book. Troubleshooted stages of photography and mock-up process and presented alternate product image rendering techniques that resulted in a higher-quality image with less time spent. Provided prompt and friendly communication with customers and sales representatives at all stages of the packaging design process.
Graphic Artist: Moneysaver Printshop
May 2005 – June 2010 (5 years 2 months)
All kinds of graphic, illustrative and commercial design of everything from collateral (brochures, business cards, posters, flyers, stationery, etc.) to newspaper and periodical advertising. Responsible for roughly half of all design and conceptual development of display advertising in the Moneysaver Lewis-Clark and Palouse Editions (weekly free classified newspapers), the Seaport Homefinder and the Whitman County Parade of Homes (real estate periodicals), and assorted other periodicals published by Moneysaver including Let's Get Acquainted, Summer Living, Outdoors, &c.
Art Director / Graphic Artist: Idaho Impressions, Inc.
March 2003 – March 2005 (2 years 1 month)
Provided a wide range of design and production services for a very busy screen printing, embroidery, and sign shop; from sports, organizational, and corporate apparel to advertising specialties and other promotional products. Designed and produced cut vinyl and seriographic materials for signs, banners, and vehicle advertising. Production duties included spot color, traditional process, and simulated process color separations; outputting film positives; cutting vinyl, rubylith, and thermal film.
Energy Assistance Data Entry Technician: Community Action Partnership
November 2002 – January 2003 (3 months)
Performed accurate data entry of all Energy Assistance applications for five Idaho counties and one Washington county; provided friendly customer service and support to applicants and vendors.
Graphic Artist: Digital Color Imaging
September 2000 – September 2001 (1 year 1 month)
Performed a wide range of design, typesetting, consulting, system troubleshooting, and customer support services for a fast paced, full service digital print and sign shop.
Musical Artist: Northwest Christian University
July 1998 – September 1999 (1 year)
As a member of the Christian musical group Pilgrimage, I toured around the Inland Northwest and down into California. With the exception of a few holidays and a few weekends we had off, we toured every weekend during the school year. I sang a number of songs across multiple genres from modern worship and gospel to sacred motets; played guitar, violin, and piano; set up and took down equipment, and so much more. We represented the college to hundreds of churches across the Northwest and California, but more importantly we represented Christ as we connected with people across the western US and with each other. I gained valuable ensemble skills and ministry skills that I use to this day.
Computer Lab / AV Technician: Northwest Christian University
1996 – 1998 (2 years) Eugene, OR
Provided customer tech support and training for students, faculty and staff. Set up, took down and maintained audio and video equipment. Ran lights and sound for various productions.
EDUCATION
Northwest Christian University
1996 – 2000
Pursued Bachelor of Arts, Music Ministry.
Activities and Societies: Honors Club, Pilgrimage Touring Ensemble, Hall President/Student Body
Studied music performance and music ministry with an emphasis on voice and guitar. Studied composition, theory, history, conducting, arranging, communication, ministry, and small group leadership.
Coeur d'Alene High School
1992 – 1996
Activities and Societies: Honors Society, Concert Orchestra, Pep Band, Stage Band, Select Choir, Jazz Choir, Fine Arts, Computer Lab
Passionate about both music and the arts, I was in five musical ensembles (senior orchestra, jazz/select choir, jazz band/pep band, and chamber orchestra) and multiple arts classes including graphic/commercial design. Concertmaster for the senior orchestra for three of those four years.
Design, Media & Architecture
Brand Identity & Strategy
Typography
Design
Audio Production
Illustration