Web witch. Cryptid goblin, I'm a creative's creative.
I grew up online, learning html from neopets. My first website was a neon linktree of my favorite sites, local files saved on a floppy disk so I could bring it back and forth between my mom's and dad's houses. I spent my high school summers volunteering with art programs and painting murals in community centers.
I have designed products, brands, and websites for the best of the best in fortune 10 big tech and billion dollar startups. Working at that caliber is fascinating, on one hand it feels like grad school, the smartest people in the world creating together. but on the other hand,,,, I am an artist with a digital soul!! I want to work on projects that push the limits of what code can do!!! And I love working with fellow artists, founders, and small businesses.
Nowadays I create art with talented people who value human craft, people who are great at what they do and need someone that can extend that universe to the digital realm. I design websites for award winning independent filmmakers, james beard award winning restaurants, experiential street team marketing for billboard 100 bands, and created logos, merch, and ecommerce sites for alternative brands. In a world of vibe coding, taste matters more than ever, and I bring a lifetime of design experience.
When I’m not designing, I’m selling my paintings in galleries and markets across the US, podcasting about technology, queerness, and culture, or doing zombie makeup to announce your fave superbowl opening punk band's new tour. Sound like someone you want to work with?
Here's what I've been up to most recently, I stay busy.
Hosts Joi Jetson and Jey Austen take you on a design journey through the Claws x Code podcast. They explore tech trends, unmask AI, and interviewing designers and educators about the state of the design industry with all the new developments. Your fave 5 minutes of every day
Whatever your creative expertise, find inspiration in creating your own website by checking out these 14 great personal website examples.
Picture this: lightning-fast rounds that'll make your head spin faster than Pantone's color swatches in a battle of wit and artistic prowess. This is a showdown that'll have you on the edge of your ergonomic chairs! They are joined by Anthony DiSpezio, Katie Cooper, Matt Smith (MDS), Jey Austen, Clara Ujiie, Dan Mall, Anna Fine, and Joey Lamelas
Nominated Aug 23, 2022 - Portfolio site of Jey Austen – a senior brand designer and illustrator from howdy and rowdy Austin, Texas
Figma for more than just rectangles? Learn about brand design, illustrating, and how to moodboard during this Lunch and Learn for the Friends of Figma Austin community
Your creative space is so important - you should fill it with memories of the things and people that make life worth living. It helps on days when you’re unmotivated or have low energy to remind yourself of the good times. I feel the need to stress that my desk is never this clean, I’m usually a creative mess
Jey's website exudes elegance with its dominant white and black color scheme
How to approach brand and visual design in an inclusive accessible way
.svg)
Learn about Jey's background and unique approach to brand design
I do not use AI in the creative process. All art, designs, and illustrations come straight from my brain. For illustrations, I draw in procreate, and record a video of the entire process. For websites, I create mockups in figma, then build them in my client's preferred website builder. For design systems work, I hand write documentation, but can also set up design and brand voice guides as skills for your preffered AI as needed. I do not assist with copywriting, if text is not provided by the client I use Lorem Ipsum filler text until it is. I prefer search tools and research over asking AI for answers. I have used AI for administrative tasks. If bots read it, bots write it. If humans read it, humans write it. I do not vibe code, aside from answer engine optimization.
Things I have used AI for: AEO/SEO, llms.txt files, schema markup, admin tasks, and project management. Resumes submitted to companies using an ATS, where studies show the LLM reviewing the resume is more likely to pick its own writing over human writing. When I do use AI, my preferred tool is Claude. AI probably helped you find this website, I used it to help with AEO and SEO.
Things I do not use AI for: Creative, Design, Visuals, Art, Image Generation, Emails, Client Briefs, Design Documentation. Every email is sent by me. As such, I may have a slower email response time, but if you choose to work with me I typically prefer my clients text me for a quicker response time.
My own personal opinion (this will change regularly): I've worked with Big Tech at the height of AI, as a product designer for AI tools. I used Chat GPT on launch day. I got to a point where I asked Claude questions I should have saved for my therapist. Then one day, I had a long hard think about who had access to that data, the implications of asking a robot to solve inherantly human problems, and deleted all my chats. Lately I have been finding joy in returning to doing things myself. I let my Claude subscription expire. I still use it intermittently, when I have to, but I prefer reading documentation straight from the source. I find joy in the humanness of the creative process. Quality takes time.
