ABOUT
HELLO, I'M JEN BISHOP
Nice to meet you! 🖖🏻
I am an ex-architect now designing in the domains of UX/UI, illustration, and art. I love to innovate, design and deliver. Currently based in San Antonio, Texas - I bring 16+ years of design expertise to every project, commission and workshop.
In my free time, you’ll find me collecting stamps, taking care of house plants, or strength training. 💪🏻
#TLDR JOURNEY
My creative journey began with the magic of watching my dad draw. From architecture school, to discovering painting to launching Architette Studios, I navigated multiple career changes.
I currently design at the intersection of healthcare and finance as a UX designer. As a way to decompress from the demands of the field, I’ve found myself rediscovering my roots in abstract art. The journey taught me that nothing is final and continual growth and development of skills is what makes us deep, curious, successful and multi-dimensional people. ☀️
MY DESIGN JOURNEY
1981 - 2000
My love for drawing and art began with the magic of seeing my dad draw. His ideas came to life on paper and I wanted to learn. I skipped right over children’s books at the library with my mom, and straight into adult-level art and design books. 🚀
2001 - 2007
By the time I left for college, I was comfortable with my artistic abilities. I completed my first painting in 2004. During downtime while studying architecture school at Pratt Institute, I’d paint.
As friends recommended my paintings to others, I began to receive commissions and invitations to exhibit in small gallery shows. I coded my first portfolio website in 2005 to help my audience reach. 👩🏻💻
2008 - 2013
After graduating, I found the need to sell my art while practicing architecture to make any semblance of a living in New York City. 😅 This caused a shift from abstract painting to blending architecture and urban design into detailed illustrations.
I launched Architette Studios in 2009 - a moniker I had come up with for myself as a blend of being both female and an architect. I successfully freelanced for over a decade in illustration and design.
My commissions mainly came from the USA, Europe and Australia. I was featured in interviews and articles both online and in print. The City Skyline series and Construction series were so successful that by 2011, I was able to leave the field of architecture and pursue art and illustration full time.
2014 - 2020
To learn more about marketing and brand development, I made a successful career shift into graphic design in 2014. I learned the industry from those who lived and breathed finance, technology and marketing. My portfolio was very diversified by now and found looking at past artistic endeavors like seeing split personalities of myself.
I experienced tumultuous times beginning in 2018. The passing of my continuously supportive Great Aunt Laverne, some earth-shifting personal moves, the pandemic and yet another desire to shift my career. I felt uprooted, tired and uninspired. I closed Architette Studios to reconnect with myself and what I really wanted. ❤️
2021 - 2023
After reevaluating my lifetimes body of work, I focused on re-coding my portfolio website. I felt my years of graphic design and illustration lent itself well to digital storytelling and it wasn’t long until I discovered the world of User Experience Design (UX) where I could challenge myself and bring all the disciplines I had learned, together into a rewarding apex career.
In 2021 I immersed myself into the industry of healthcare at the intersection of finance, technology as a UX designer. The stakes are high and the work is intense but am feeling more alive and thriving than ever. 🔥
TODAY
As a way to decompress from the new demands in this field, I’ve found myself rediscovering my roots in art. It feels wholesome to come back full circle. Nothing is final and continual growth and development of skills is what makes us deep, curious, successful and multi-dimensional people. ☀️
Now to write a #TLDR for those who didn’t make it reading this far. 😉
