Resume

Art Director · Illustrator
Nashville, TN
caradunning@gmail.com

What I Do

I design and art direct brand systems, and direct e-commerce deliverables that deliver conversions - balancing clarity, approachability, and cultural fluency into a reason to buy. Specialty in CPG -> wellness -> retail, entertainment & children’s entertainment/ education. My work spans packaging, brand strategy, animation, illustration, photography art direction, digital experiences, campaigns, and social, with a strong focus on scalability and real-world performance.

The Receipts

Associate Art Director

pH-D Feminine Health / Vireo Systems

Nashville, TN
2023–Present

  • Art Direction across six national CPG brands, supporting packaging, retail, digital, and campaign needs

  • Designed high-performing packaging and PDP assets across Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Target, Amazon, and DTC

  • Contributed to ~20% year-over-year growth through improved shelf presence, visual storytelling, and brand cohesion

  • Helped evolve brand voice and visual systems for menopause, feminine health, and wellness categories

  • Art-directed premium product photography and developed proprietary icon systems for education and packaging

  • Built and implemented creative workflows, SOPs, and DAM systems to improve speed, clarity, and consistency

Illustrator & Designer

Chicago, IL · 2012–2023

  • Illustrated and designed for national brands and agencies, including Bosch, Allstate, Sesame Street, and Abbott

  • Created animation-ready illustrations and visual assets for broadcast, digital, and live events

  • Provided live illustration for brand activations with Spotify, Walgreens, Stella Artois, Corona, and others

  • Developed branding and visual identities for small businesses and independent ventures

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

  • Illustrator

  • Photoshop

  • After Effects

  • Lightroom

Hand Illustration & Printmaking

More About Me

How I Think

I’m driven by curiosity and pattern recognition. I work to deeply understand people, context, and constraints so the final work feels intuitive, human, and intentional.

How I Communicate

Enneagram 4 · Myers-Briggs INFP


Empathetic, observant, and direct. I ask thoughtful questions, listen closely, and translate complexity into clarity. I’m highly intuitive and observant, which allows me to read people, tone, and visual systems quickly.

How I Work

I’m a problem solver who relies on structure to do strong creative work. I use clear process, well-defined brand voice, and solid systems to understand the why behind an ask and translate it into work that connects with consumers. That approach keeps projects focused, collaborative, and aligned to the real goal—not just the surface details.

Outside of Work

I’m drawn to music, true crime podcasts, and art. I hate horror, corn hole, and anything with too much harmonica. I love projects that sit at the intersection of humor, humanity, and community. I’m obsessed with vacuum cleaners, what kind do you have? do you like it? How’s the suction on it? Tell me everything