Whether of work, investments or interests, portfolios catalogue in vibrant form a physical representation of a person’s life, the visual equivalent of ancient oral epics, recording the deeds and accomplishments of people both famous and unknown. Read any on-line etymology dictionary and it will say the word portfolio comes from the Latin “portare,” to carry and “foglio,” leaves or pages. In this description, the portfolio seems a bit mundane in its utility, basically a carryall of portable pages. But with a closer look the meaning shifts and the richness of the portfolio appears. The Latin “portare” comes from the Greek word meaning “passage.” Passage signifies movement, movement through time, or space or events. Passage can also infer change, a transition from one state to another. With this understanding the word portfolio is transformed; it describes the dynamic process of a person’s life, pages of passage, pages of change.
I wanted to train as a designer of fashion or interiors, but life sped at full throttle in other directions. The luxury of school gave way to the necessity of work and my goals shifted. Practical, and surprisingly much more interesting than I expected, I graduated from the University of Colorado’s School of Business with a bachelor’s degree in organizational management. I had moved from the desire to design spaces or clothes, to designing organizations. At the time, it seemed as if I had abandoned my original interest. What I didn’t know, but have subsequently learned, is that the principles of creative problem solving, meaning the principles of design, are universal.
After several different careers spanning multiple decades, I was offered the opportunity to pursue my original passion. I enrolled in a graduate program at Drexel University in Philadelphia to study interior design.
My portfolio reflects the process I apply to life’s endeavors – conceptual development, creating physical realities, the topical immersion of research and sharing of knowledge.