Dee Piotrowski

Creative lead in product development, illustration, trend research, style guides, customer presentations, product mock-ups, marketing, photoshoots, preparing spec files & reviewing factory samples.

• Maintained trend awareness through online research, competitive shopping and attending trade shows
• Utilized my illustration skills to create a variety of style guides and product illustrations
• Developed line plans coordinating across departments & levels of management
• Created thousands of products including arts and crafts, stationery and décor
• Art Directed freelance design & illustration
• Assembled product & trend presentations, mock-ups and planograms for client meetings
• Created and maintained detailed spec files for costing, production & product review
• Working knowledge of compliance rules & regulations as it applies to packaging and design.
• Wrote & Illustrated meticulous instruction sheets for complex craft products
• Coordinated with inhouse teams to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget
• Worked with team members in China to keep programs on track with vendors. 
• Collaborated in photoshoots for product marketing, packaging, and design assets
• Customers include Target, Walmart, Michaels, Kroger, Carnival Cruise Lines & Dollar General
• Worked with licenses such as Disney, Beanie Boos, Jennifer Garner and Martha Stewart
• Developed multiple seasonal programs for Target as well as inline craft and celebration lines
• Design lead on several seasonal PDQ endcap programs for Walmart
• Attended stationery shows, Toy Fair and surface design & print shows in NY
• Selected to participate in special inhouse project developing PLM program for company organization.

Oversaw the development, design, illustration and packaging process for the kid’s craft division where I developed product for customers such as Costco, Target, Walmart, Kmart & Jo-Ann Fabrics. Acted as design lead for Build-A-Bear licensed Black Friday Program at Walmart, the highest grossing program for Colorbök in 2010.

Worked with famous American industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost and the Viktor Schreckengost Foundation to recreate his historical Jazz Bowls for their Centennial Series. Taking the role as a lead carver and overseeing the consistency and quality of bowl designs.  Finished works from this series have been sold to museums and private collectors.