I’m on a mission to partner with purpose-driven businesses, agencies, and nonprofits to make an impact.
I’m a freelance brand designer and creative director based in Austin, Texas. With over 18 years of experience across a wide variety of industries, business sizes, agencies, and in-house roles—I’m now focused on delivering exceptional value through independent brand identity, web design, and graphic design services.
Here’s what makes me different.
Expert Knowledge
From entry-level designer to leading creative at multi-million dollar businesses and agencies—I’m here to provide you expert assistance.
High-Value Package
I combine agency-quality expertise with hands-on, meticulous execution in a cost-effective package that consistently produces stellar results.
I’m Here for You
I’m a reliable, service-oriented collaborator who’s steadfast and devoted to the success of you, your team, and your clients.
Passion for Craft
I want to work with passionate and inspirational teams who share my love for crafting remarkable brands through strategic design.
The Full Picture
I view every project through a 360° lens that includes research, business goals, marketing strategy, creative exploration, and client satisfaction.
Values & Dreams
I strive to embody kindness, empathy, and understanding—and I have a sappy, heartfelt dream to leave a positive mark on this crazy world.
I’d like to be your go-to for creative and design support.
Brand Identity
Logo Design
Creative Direction & Strategy
Art Direction
Brand Guidelines
Brand Templates
Web Design
Web Development (via Framer)
Graphic Design
Print Collateral & Digital Assets
Decks & Presentations
Advertising Design
Social Media Design
Content Marketing Design
Email Marketing Design
Trade Show & Events Design
A few kind words from kind clients.
“Chris was the Creative Director on a rebrand project I was leading for Goodwill. I was impressed with the thoughtfulness and research he put in before we got started. He really considered the nonprofit space, the history of the company’s existing brand presence, and the successful and not-so-successful elements of similar companies and competitors. At every step of the way, I agreed with Chris’s assessments of our brand’s strengths and opportunities for improvement. His approach was a collaborative, step-by-step process, stopping to gain feedback before moving on to the next step. He was such a great partner to us in that process—great at taking and incorporating feedback and adding small extra touches to keep us happy. Overall I'm very proud of the work we did together with Goodwill and I would absolutely recommend Chris to anyone looking for brand guidance.”
-Angela McKendree-Marshall, Founder & Fractional CMO at Halo Effect Marketing
“Chris has been an invaluable asset to Studio Malagón over the years. What makes him unique is his one-person studio capability. He can handle a multitude of different project types, showcasing not only his vast skill set but also his ability to deliver a wide range of creative services. His independent approach means I can hand over project details and trust him to drive it to completion with minimal direction, a trait that has significantly eased my workload.”
-Ernesto Morales, Founder & Creative Director at Studio Malagón
“Chris not only led us through the technical aspects of our website rebranding, but also the content strategy, design, and development, helping us refine our goals and shape our vision of the future of our business. The site is doing its job spectacularly, bringing us potential new client opportunities, and raising awareness of our brand and services.”
-Torquil Dewar, Creative Director & Owner at October Custom Publishing
A few kind words from colleagues.
“Chris is a rare one—being both right and left-brained—honestly, I've never worked with a Creative Director with such a keen level of insight on project details and timing—it helped solidify a seamless creative process where nothing fell through the cracks. Chris’ reliability is unmatched and his responsiveness is always a beat ahead of what's anticipated. From soup-to-nuts branding projects to quick-turn, hair-on-fire requests, Chris always delivers.”
-Melanie Martin, Account & Project Supervisor at Bloom Communications
“Chris has all of the technical skills I would expect from a Creative Director, yes, but what I really admire about him are his intangibles: his authenticity and kindness when talking to clients; his ability to relate with his teammates; his detail-oriented nature (something I still think about to this day when I encounter a typo or an error in some creative work). I would eagerly recommend him to anybody looking to create or bolster their organizational branding.”
-Cydny Black, Marketing & PR Lead at The University of Texas at Austin
“Chris is a problem solver, positive thinker, and great listener. His calm demeanor and ability to put those around him at ease fosters an atmosphere that allows people to express their ideas without fear of judgment. He is a consummate professional—fair, humble, committed, full of integrity, and focused on what’s in the best interest of the company and project. He is a skilled designer that you can rely on wholeheartedly.”
-Cynthia Fedor, Realtor at Juice Real Estate Group
Want to build something great?
I’d love to hear about it.
