ALL ABOUT ME
ALL ABOUT ME
I’m not a big company with dozens of employees. I won’t claim I have multiple locations around the world just because I’ve worked with a friend who lives out in Singapore or New York. The truth is, it’s just me— Ernesto Mendoza working from home in the small fishing town of Gloucester, MA. Fact is, after having spent two decades of my artistic career designing graphics for museums and designing packages for Fortune 500 companies, from major cities like New York and Boston, this is where I want to be. I’ve lead a very successful career working for some highly respected companies that have given me enough experience and know-how to go it alone.
But then again, you’re really not alone when you’re working with multi-million dollar projects and in charge of thousands of square feet of exhibits. Let’s face it, as long as you have to deal with clients, exhibit content writers, illustrators, photographers, multimedia firms, fabricators, and other designers, you keep very good company.
What do I have to bring to the table? My extensive experience coupled with undivided attention to every phase of the project, from Master Plan to Graphic Production Services. Best of all, you don’t need to pay the rent for that extra office out in Singapore and the employees drinking $6 cups of latte. Just leave me to my computer and my Maxwell House percolated coffee and I’m good to go.
I love what I do and the limitless ways I get to make history. I hope you’ll contact me to explore how I might be a part of the footprint you’ll leave behind.
A LITTLE HISTORY
A LITTLE HISTORY
How did I get here? Let me start from the beginning. It all started in New York City where I went to The School of Visual Arts on the east side of 23rd St. There I studied under the likes of Paula Scher and was surrounded by names like, Keith Haring, Saul Bass, Milton Glazer, and other well-known artists of the time and of the island of Manhattan. Hanging out in museums in paint-covered jeans carrying around a large portfolio case filled with the next best thing.
Funny how sometimes life leads you and not the other way around. I was determined to be a fine artist at first, until I realized that I wasn't very good at it; so naive. So I moved on to graphic design. A perfect fit, so I thought. I stumbled onto a class taught by a guy who did props for Hollywood movies and commercials. His class was sort of a combination of industrial design and illustration, “3D Illustration” was what it was called. I absolutely loved it.
By the time I graduated I ended up with not one, but two portfolios. My first job was with a small firm with large clients like Clairol, Krafts-General Foods, and Tambrands (Tampax). Then, when I moved on to Boston, I showed my portfolio to anyone that was willing to spend the time. I received positive responses to my mixed bag of disciplines, but didn’t really fit the traditional graphic design studio. One referral brought me to Krent/Paffett and Associates, a company that designed museums. Perfect fit. Worked there for 7 years designing mostly for science and children’s museums. Then Christopher Chadbourne and Associates, Inc., also an exhibit design firm but mostly history based installations for another 13 years.
I feel confident that my experience from working with the leaders in this industry will enable me to be an asset to future collaborations.