[ ABOUT ]
Greetings! I am Betty Shonts. I was born and raised in New Jersey and moved to Tennessee in 1991. Today I live in Hendersonville, TN with my wonderful husband, two children and three dogs. I enjoy family time, playing with the dogs, tending my numerous indoor plants, reading, gaming, and MMA.
I have designed for corporate, retail, non-profit, and service industries on local, regional and national scales. I have completed projects for a number of clients from small, local businesses to large national companies. Projects range from high page count print publications, media kits and other marketing materials, catalogs, print and web advertising, logo and identity packages, and merchandising. Recent current and past clients include healthcare, law enforcement, and childcare fields. My most recent project was a successful media kit that landed my client a highly lucrative partnership. For this same client, I designed a grilling cookbook!
To give back to the community, I donate my services to non-profit groups such as the Brown Center for Autism, and Community Child Care Services — businesses local to me in Hendersonville, TN.
Working at a sign shop - large format work.
While most of my work is freelance and print design, I did work at Award Signs - a local sign shop - for around a year and a half, ending with COVID quarantine. The owner had planned to retire eventually, and COVID helped convince him to finally do so, and he closed the shop. I did vinyl graphics, large format printing, monument design, channel letters, and exterior and interior wayfinding. I do enjoy seeing the signs I designed and helped build all over the town.
I was the Art Director for S.W.A.T. Magazine for almost 10 years.
That's a long run. This was the second nationally-distributed magazine I designed from cover to cover. The entire staff worked from their own offices in different states, something quite rare for the industry. I designed all the layouts and covers, occasionally designed ads for clients, and designed other materials for the publication: ads, web banners, t-shirt designs, trade show booths, etc. SWAT Magazine eventually suffered the demise of many print publications.
I was the Art Director for Concealed Carry Magazine for almost 5 years.
Another great run. This was the third magazine I designed from cover to cover. CCM is an 8x/year publication, distributed nationally, and has been in publication since 2003. I designed all the layouts and cover. I also designed marketing materials, web ads, DVD packages and special reports. Unfortunately, my time came to an end when the company corporatized and brought all their jobs in-house, terminating all remote workers.
And I've been a production designer.
Day Communications in Nashville publishes Nashville, Rutherford, Williamson and Sumner Parent, The Baby Guide, The Private School Directory and The Family Manual. This is an extremely fast-paced, hectic work environment. I designed logos and a high volume of advertisements for clients every month, as well as flyers, billboards, banners and other promotional materials for the company. After eight years, I left to become full-time freelance so my husband and I could start a family. Day Communications is still in successful operation.
My first magazine was short-lived.
DayCom Media in Nashville, TN published dig magazine. dig focused on music, fashion, sports, gear and other issues relevant to teens and young adults. It was distributed nationwide six times a year through the Journeys retail stores (owned by Genesco Corp.). As art director of dig, I created all the layouts for the magazine and directed photo shoots. Some clients I designed ads for were Dr. Martens, Artemis Records, Birkenstock and Immortal Records. dig was canceled after two years by Genesco in favor of their own print catalog.
Silk-screening, for a while.
TN Advertising and Printing Specialties was a silk screening business/factory which produced custom artwork on foam can coolers, mugs, frisbees and other three-dimensional, non-paper surfaces. I created artwork or manipulated clients’ art to be used on the product. Both direct transfer and heat transfer processes were used. This company is no longer in business. •