Melissa L Hickman
Owner, Creative Director
& Copy Editor
About Melissa
Melissa Hickman (she/her) has proven herself in the world of graphic design. After a stint in television at the age of 17, Melissa fell in love with the media industry and pursued a degree in Mass Communications at Winona State University. She spent the next several years in radio, Internet radio, and Internet marketing. But it wasn’t until after working as Production & Editorial Manager at the Southeast’s leading bridal magazine, Carolina Bride, where she found her passion for publishing and graphic design.
Melissa is well-versed in designing for a variety of businesses and non-profits, and has an intuitive sense of her clients’ needs. She has designed for a variety of industries including: bridal, photography, stationery, healthcare, music and dance, sports, roofing and renovations, bars and restaurants, legal, non-profit, textiles, education, indie-publishing, and more.
In 2019 she wrote a book on her familial ancestry called How Deep the Roots. She has edited novels, designed book covers, print materials, and websites for independent publishers. She finds working with independents, small business, and non-profit organizations to be the most rewarding.
She is especially familiar with how non-profits work. Not only has she worked with a variety of organizations, she was vice president on the board of directors for the Moving Poets theatre dance troupe in Charlotte, NC. She understands the budgetary constraints, how to market under such constraints, how to appeal to potential donors, gala planning and organization, and the general workings of the performance arts.
Melissa’s design style is often nature-inspired, combined with cultural textures, bold colors, interesting font combinations, and drama.
When Melissa isn’t working, she can most often be found chasing after her three children, walking her dog, or indulging in one of her many artistic hobbies (acrylic and watercolor painting, sketching, hand embroidery, photography), herbalism, gardening and foraging, or traveling around the country with her family in their RV. She describes herself as creative, personable, and a little (okay, a lot!) geeky.
Applications
Proficiency in both Mac (preferred) and PC-based systems: Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop, InDesign, Acrobat, Illustator Draw, ProCreate, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, iWork Pages, Numbers, Keynote, HTML, WordPress
Print Publication
Layout and design, editorial content, advertisement design, logo and marketing design, branding, proofing, editing, copy-writing, newsletters, web collaboration, cross-platform integration, book and magazine layout, merchandising and packaging
Web & Digital Technology
Web design, e-commerce, e-newsletters, email campaigns, social media correspondence and design, banners, form and survey building, digital photography including optimization and restoration
Branding
Logo design, marketing materials (including business cards, fliers, billboards, mailers, bookmarks, etc.), mail campaigns, vehicle graphics, t-shirts, bumper stickers, home gifts, favors, conference, and more.
Stationery
Personal and professional invitations (and enclosures) for wedding, holiday, event, fundraisers, etc., baby announcements, holiday cards, custom maps, trends and etiquette with an emphasis on the wedding industry
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communications
Minor in Sociology
Winona State University, Minnesota
1995-1999
Volunteer Work
Great River School
Saint Paul, MN
Shadeflower is Great River’s on-call designer for fundraising gala events, flyers, postcards, signs, and more. In addition, the school hosts an annual “logo contest”, in which Shadeflower works one-on-one with students to turn their hand-drawn logos into a digitized format for use in spirit wear apparel.
Mama Project 24
Saint Paul, MN
Logo and marketing materials for a theater performance company that focuses on the modern mother.
Mac-Plymouth Preschool
Saint Paul, MN
Each year in Room Zoo, the children “visit” a new country twice a month and fill out “passports” of all they have learned about. Shadeflower volunteers time to design and print these passport booklets, which become treasured keepsakes for children and their families.
Totally Brain-Dad
Minneapolis, MN
Logo and marketing assistance for brain tumor and cancer awareness in children.
And the Beat Goes On
Bloomngton, MN
Design of logo, t-shirts, and gift items to raise funds for a man with a rare heart condition.
Joleen’s Battle
Saint Paul, MN
Fundraising and design volunteer for a colon cancer awareness initiative. Designed a logo, mugs, phone covers, tile coasters, t-shirts, sweatshirts, posters, and more.
Moving Poets
Charlotte, NC
Vice president on the Board of Directors for a theatre dance troupe. Participated in a variety of fundraising efforts, budgetary decisions, organized annual galas, designed posters, gala invitations, and special event literature.
St. Catherine’s University
Saint Paul, MN
Guest speaker for an advertising class, 2010, 2011, 2012