to paraphrase the great Paul Rand, I strive to add value and meaning; to illuminate, clarify and simplify; to dignify, dramatize, and sometimes even to amuse.
I am a multi-disciplinary graphic designer and communications consultant based in Santa Barbara, California. My portfolio spans a diverse range of projects including branding, graphic design, advertising, and copy editing across both print and digital platforms.
I value communication and connection. The experience of having lived in three distinct cultures (the USA, UK, and Slovenia) inspires my work. which is described as clean, idea-driven and engaging. With a solid background in language and strategy, my goal is to strengthen the bond between businesses and their audiences with creative and meaningful communications.
There are many projects that haven’t yet made it to the website yet. so if you would like to see more examples, let me know.
"There are many great things I could say about Irene. She’s dependable, thoughtful, talented, knowledgeable, creative, and passionate about design and typography. But more than that, she’s a good collaborator.
I recently hired her to complete the design of my latest book—160 pages of customized typography, Photoshopped images, and complex charts and diagrams. We worked side by side on this demanding project, and what I found was that Irene actually “thinks” about the work as she’s doing it. She questions every detail. She finds ways to improve it. She catches discrepancies in the text that would normally be the author’s responsibility.
What many people don’t realize—even in the design profession—is that good design requires proficiency with language. Images don’t stand alone. They’re bound up with words and cultural norms. Working with Irene, you sense how much she’s learned from other cultures, including the UK and Slovenia. She’s more than a designer. She’s a true communicator."
—Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap, Zag, The Brand Flip, Metaskills, 46 Rules of Genius and founding editor of Critique magazine
More testimonials on LinkedIn.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2023 Communication Arts Advertising Finalist, Opera Santa Barbara print campaign
2016 Communication Arts Award of Excellence, FOLD logo, Santa Barbara
2014 ADDY Awards 'Love' print campaign for Wonder, Santa Barbara
Double finalist, UN Documentary Film Festival: Stories in the Field logo competition, New York, USA
Double finalist, Golden Drum Advertising Awards: Piran poster competition, Portorož, Slovenia
D&AD Advertising Workshop, London, UK. Eligibility is competition-based.
BETT 2000: UK Judge’s Innovation Award for Espresso for Schools (team award), London, UK
MEMBERSHIPS & VOLUNTEER WORK
Brand Consultant for WEV Santa Barbara (Women's Economic Ventures)
Past Member of the Preliminary Interactive Jury of the Cresta International Advertising Awards
Past Design & Media Assets Chair for the Fork&Cork Classic, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Past Marketing Director of AIGA Santa Barbara, the professional association for design
Past Brand Manager/Board Member of Utu, a grassroots non-profit fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa
EDUCATION
MA Advertising (Distinction), 2006 Bucks New University, UK. Dissertation: The Relentless Drive Towards Participatory Media (mentors: Dr Paul Springer, Bruce Sinclair and Steve Walls).
BTECs in Creative Typography and Graphic Design, London College of Printing (now the London College of Communication), London, UK (mentors: Paul Eckersley and Jerry Gull).
BA in English (Language & Literature) and Art History,* Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (*3 years, uncompleted)
irene hoffman
creative • curious • collaborative
735 State Street
Balboa Building, Suite 202
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
+1 (805) 637 4047 (Pacific Time)