Get to know us

We believe business CAN make the world better

People can be motivated to make sustainable, healthy choices when purchasing products and services. They can be inspired to give their money or resources to a cause or take action on an issue. They can be convinced to choose services that promote health and wellness. It's the messages they receive and the images they see that influence people's buying decisions and, consequently, the impact they have on the world. Whether it is a business identity package to give a local start-up an edge in a global marketplace, a simple informational graphic to capture a complex idea, or a logically organized and visually appropriate website that inspires visitors to browse and learn something new — visual communications have the power to make ideas stick and grow into something bigger.

Businesses can provide solutions, options and ideas that enable people to live more vibrant, balanced lives and improve the world. We work with these sorts of businesses and we empower their ability to make a difference. Our work helps to build trust, brand loyalty and engage consumers in an authentic and meaningful way.

We believe change starts at home

We are very passionate about the health of our planet and its inhabitants. We believe strongly in a holistic approach — mind, body and spirit — a high quality of life and responsible stewardship of the world around us. Our desire is that the work we do be an outward reflection of these values through the clients we choose to work with, the ways in which we produce the work and how we run our own business. Whenever possible we attempt to lessen our environmental impact through recycling, energy efficient equipment, offsetting our electricity use and carbon emissions, reducing our waste, utilizing green printing techniques, and donating resources and funds to organizations who share the same values.

We believe its all about the people

Clients tell us we’re fun to work with, that we’re professional, that we make things easy. They are delighted with how well we take care of them and we suppose the fact that the majority of our clients have been with us for many years is proof enough. We wouldn’t have it any other way. When you’re in a professional services business like ours, it has everything to do with people: our clients, their clients and customers, our staff. So while the term “quality service” is tossed around like a plastic bag in a parking lot these days, we really do mean it here. It’s a cornerstone of our business and we live it.

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Speaking of people… meet some of ours

Lisa Mullis, Creative Director

I feel very blessed to work with the clients we do and sorts of projects we undertake. It’s truly rewarding to see what our contribution makes to their bottom line and the success of their enterprises as well as to know that we’re supporting goods and services that really matter to our world.

Lisa remembers getting a huge Crayola Crafts Center for her 7th birthday and the feeling of elation that overwhelmed her as she gazed at all the crayons, markers, construction paper, and safety scissors. She now had an official “art studio” and she was off to the races. In 6th grade she won a city-wide coloring poster contest and two years later took home the grand prize at the school fair for the original children’s book she wrote and illustrated. Having spent junior high and high school penning out all that teen angst in words and pictures, it was pretty clear she would go on to pursue a career in the art or writing.

Initially she headed off to college to become a writer and enrolled in the School of Journalism at University of Missouri-Columbia where she was delighted to learn that as an advertising copywriter, she wasn’t required to end her sentences with punctuation. As she wrote ads, TV spots and billboards, she also learned how to layout and design them and that’s when the passion to become a graphic designer was ignited. With the design industry on the cusp of a technological break-through and handset type and pasteboards becoming a thing of the past, the idea that she could geek out on computers to do art was enthralling.

After graduating with a BS in Journalism and additional education for graphic design in the School of Fine Arts, she headed off to Boulder, CO, to design for a company selling children’s educational toys, books and videos. After that it was on to a job as marketing manager for a company who put educational textbooks and content online for use in libraries and universities. Several years later she landed at organic dairy foods producer Horizon Organic, where she worked side-by-side with the creative director to revamp the packaging of more than 100 different products. She also learned the difference between a Jersey cow and a Pennsylvania Dutch Belt and that sadly, she was lactose-intolerant.

At this point, Lisa had been doing freelance design work in her spare time for many years through her company Spright Design. When it came time to leave Colorado and head off to the beautiful Columbia River Gorge that straddles the Oregon-Washington state line, Spright Design was a full-time business. The company steadily grew over the following years and in late summer of 2008, the name was officially changed to Blue Marble Creative, a moniker that is more reflective of our values (the earth) and our approach (holistic).

Christine Fisher, Art Director

I like the idea of being a bridge between disciplines — helping to collect information from specialists and repackage it so it has relevance to a wider audience. Each new project is an opportunity to learn and grow in a new way, to positively impact clients, their customers and the planet at large.

Christine took a non-traditional path into the graphic design profession. Growing up in Wyoming there were obvious signs — she sold paintings to friends and family, started a pretend greeting card company, and was the go-to person for any design needs in her social circle. In high school she competed nationally in marketing clubs, designed the cover for her school's literary magazine, and planned to pursue a career in design or marketing.

However, with limited design opportunities in a rural state, a general thirst for knowledge, and a desire to make a positive impact, she ended up with a BA in Biology, Spanish, and Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies from the University of Wyoming (plus a suspicious amount of art electives.) Ironically, she once spent a semester studying Spanish and Tropical Ecology at a graphic design college in Costa Rica. Her BA led to an adventurous few years of stream ecology research in places like the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park and remote jungles of Venezuela. She became a published scientist with a particular obsession for nutrient cycling, but wanted to become involved in the communication aspects of environmental issues.

She later served as Marketing Manager for an international non-profit publisher of environmental education curriculum where her focus was to generate revenue through material sales. In this role she managed print and web design projects, gained a first-hand understanding of the client perspective, and finally decided that she should be a designer. She went back to school and earned an AAS in Graphic Design, working as a freelance designer throughout her education.

Christine believes in using graphic design as a tool for bridging gaps between disciplines and cultures, which is reflected in her unique background. She is endlessly fascinated by learning about the amazing things our clients do and is grateful for the opportunity to do meaningful work by supporting their efforts.

david barber, web programmer / developer

I have always enjoyed the challenge of combining functionality and aesthetics. Knowing how to find the right balance of design and function has really helped me produce successful applications meeting both the client needs and looking great. I never forget the old saying "Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

David Barber has been a professional graphic & web designer, web developer and general software programmer for the past ten years. The first inklings of his future career began with an early interest in fine arts, including painting and drawing, and graphic design. At the same time, David pursued his love of math and science. Geometry was his favorite because he could actually “see” the solution to the problem before working it out on paper. His proficiency in math and science dovetailed with his artistic talents to hone his visual method of problem solving and allow for a deeper appreciation of the geometry behind most pieces of art.

Then, the Internet was born. Almost immediately David heard his calling. He started designing simple web pages and figuring out how they worked. Programming code came naturally. Ten years later, David is fluent in more than 11 computer and web languages. He has built dozens of websites and applications. Not only is he highly skilled with the back-end work, but David’s aesthetic sensibilities make him a successful graphic designer as well.

Shannon Vance, programmer

I like solving problems and puzzles, and I get a feeling of pride and satisfaction when I contstruct something that is both beautiful to the customer and beautiful to the programmer.

Just out of high school, Shannon received a Tarot reading that predicted he'd meet someone who would take him on as an apprentice for his future career. Within a week he met Jim St. Louis, a brilliant analog designer, who became his mentor and friend for the next several years introducing him to the skills and people that paved the way his first job in the electronics industry as an engineering technician.

After leaving a 22-year career in telecom designing hardware and embedded software for test equipment, Shannon moved to Oregon and wrote a novel. He figured he needed a website for his novel, so he hit the books (really, the Internet) and learned how to do it. A Portland-based artist saw his site and asked him to create one for her and shortly thereafter he found himself with a growing business with clients throughout the country.

Shannon believes that communication is the basis for success in any project and that almost all problems are a result of misunderstandings. Therefore, he strives for clear communication in all his work. He is strongly opposed to working on any project that could be used to cheat or harm people, invade their privacy or otherwise violate their rights.

Anna Fonnier, Designer

I believe in conserving resources. I strive to use eco-friendly materials and production techniques to create pieces that are as functional as they are beautiful.

Anna Fonnier’s lifelong love for art and design grew from a childhood spent in the company of talented artists, and in school she strongly preferred art projects over math homework. Her passion and commitment to the environment was forged from an active childhood spent outdoors playing in the lakes and woods of Minnesota.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2002. After working for more than two years at a small advertising design firm in Minneapolis, Anna headed west in search of wide open spaces and new frontiers. She eventually landed in the Hood River area, where she has been living and designing ever since.

Having always been a free spirit, Anna prefers an organic approach to both life and design, and enjoys digging deep into projects to get to know the client and creating fresh design solutions. Because she is equally dedicated to sustainability and the place she lives, she prefers designing for small, local businesses, and strives to help them reduce their environmental impact by using recycled paper stocks, and green printing materials and techniques wherever possible.