Name:
Melissa Crowley

Age:
25

Location:
San Francisco

Mac or PC:
Mac

Site(s):
Redbean.com is my personal site, plus i've done a bunch of commercial sites.

The Boss:
I wish! My bosses are all nice though. I work at Fluid Design + Development.

Design education:
Various classes in art and design at Enmore Design Centre and Wollongong TAFE in Australia.

Hunk, spunk or flunk:
Spunk, of course.

Disgusting personal habits:
Um...disgusting?

Nice personal habits:
I like to give presents and I don't eat animals.

Hobbies off the net:
My favourite thing to do is simply hanging out with good friends. It's a luxury when you work crazily all the time. I make little crafty stuff; like right now I am transforming a pair of plain Levis into sparkling beaded SUPER jeans! They are going to be soooooo cool :)

Favourite quote:
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." -Albert Einstein

What do you know about Australian web designers:
Ironically, not much. I have become a bit detached from what's happening down there. Australia is just so far away! I hope the Australian design scene is evolving. It would be really nice to see and I want to move back sometime soon. Can you tell me what's happening and who's who?

How did you first learn of the internet:
I got online a few years ago, around 95-96 I guess. I was living in Bondi right on the beach so I set my computer up right by the window in my apartment so that I had a perfect vantage of beautiful people and eclectic Bondi-ites. All summer I sat there surfing for hours and viewing source code till it all made sense.

What do you like/hate about the net:
I love the spontaneity of being able to self-publish in a second.

What drew you to web design:
The idea of interaction and non-static design was what initially captured my interest.

What is your working style (Photoshop, etc):
I use Photoshop and Illustrator for everything. Generally, I use Illustrator for typography and line work and anything that requires real precision, then it's Photoshop all the way.

Do you think that Flash is cool or overused:
Flash is a totally cool tool but it's like any other program: it can create as much horrible looking stuff as it can beautiful. I think if you use Flash in a way that is complimentary and subtle you can achieve greatness but if you go out to create that greatness just with Flash it is likely you will end up with something very ugly.

Do you prefer technologically advanced sites or sites with simple but good design:
Cool little tricks can definately enhance an environment but an aesthetically successful site will always draw me in and keep me there.

Do you have any cool design tips:
Immerse yourself in your environment, observe, process and appreciate the intricacies and beauty in everything.

Favourite sites:
Kaliber1000, Uploading and Shift are great resources and fun to cruise around in. I've always really loved Suture and Futurefarmers, and look foward to each new season of Volumeone.

Favourite designers: (Web or otherwise)
Early on, The Designers Republic made me very excited. Miika Saksi is a big favourite, Carlos Segura and Auriea Harvey.

Design styles you hate:
Dirty, crusty looking stuff doesn't really resonate with me - but i don't hate it at all. If something is well done and captures a certain style or feeling, how can you hate it?

Do you think web designers will become the design elite:
Quite possibly, simply because the exposure is of such a grand scale. I always love a beautiful print piece though; it's more special in your hand than on your screen so I hope that all the good designers don't go webby.

Do you see yourself as an influential web designer:
Maybe on a really small scale - to the people around me that enjoy my design. I don't really put myself out there that much but I do get alot of sweet, complimentary email from designers who are into Redbean.

How would you like to be remembered:
It would be really cool just being remembered by people you don't even know. I guess the web has given us that opportunity.

Any final comments:
Indulge yourself in imagination. Now go outside and play!