Hey! I’m Marina, and I ♥ to wear many Creative Hats.

Based in Toronto, serving clientele worldwide.

I am a Creative Director and Brand Strategist with nearly three decades of experience building thoughtful, enduring brands.

I hold an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University, where I transitioned from traditional visual arts into design and typography as digital publishing and the web began transforming the industry. My foundation is classical art principles, combined with early adoption of digital tools, giving me depth across print and digital environments.

I began my career in traditional print production, preparing camera-ready layouts and mastering technical precision on a lighted drafting table (think exacto knives, metal rulers, ruby film and typesetting). As technology evolved, I moved into early web design and digital systems, developing a strong understanding of structure, user experience, and brand consistency across platforms (think Microsoft Front Page, Dreamweaver, animated Gifs and Photoshop 2.0). Stuff only now found in museums!

Fast forward 25 years, I have designed hundreds of websites, and probably hundreds of thousands of graphics for both web and print. I work with founders and growing businesses to clarify positioning, refine visual identity, and build cohesive brand ecosystems across web and print. More recently, I’ve expanded into select UGC collaborations with many tech startups, creating refined, brand-aligned content that supports digital marketing initiatives.

My approach is strategic first – every creative decision supports long-term business growth.

Beyond Client Work

I love building and scaling my own creative ventures. Testing ideas, exploring emerging platforms, and staying hands-on with evolving digital tools. Each project reflects a different facet of my creative practice, from education and product design to community-building and digital assets.

DRAW WITH MARINA
An art education channel teaching Procreate in both long and short form content. Growing to nearly 10k subs, it continues to expand with a global creative community.

TYPE MAVEN
Established in 2018 at the early rise of digital planning, the shop has generated over 12k sales and 1k + five-star reviews, blending minimal design with functional productivity systems.

THE INTROVERT GIFTS
A satirical merch brand offering witty, design-forward products for introverts who appreciate quiet confidence and dry humour.

ILLUSIONARIA
A curated collection of high-quality digital aesthetic assets and clipart sets created using AI-assisted tools.