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I have been very lucky to not only meet but also fall in love with and marry the person who inspires me daily. When we first met, Fredd did freelance illustration, cleaned offices in the evenings, and was a live-in caregiver. A few years later, before most people knew what a website was, he had the good fortune to learn HTML and was able to make the jump to being a web designer. Fredd’s job was based in creativity, and he was happy. As with any new area in the corporate world, things were volatile at first, but Fredd was content with the challenges and creativity. The years rolled past and for Fredd, balancing the challenges of work and finding the time to do more illustration. His devotion to creativity and illustration continues to be an inspiration to me and others.
An illustrator and web designer with decades of experience, Fredd has started living part of his dream through teaching illustration and mentoring younger artists and designers; but the demands of the corporate world kept from the rest of his dream, being an entrepreneur with a studio of his own. The time and energy of designing websites left him too tired to pursue the rest of his dream. And yet, he continued working and providing; content with the part of his dream that he could attain and the knowledge that he was helping others develop their skills. His desire to share his love of art is another inspiration to me.
Steel Angel Studios was created a few years ago for Fredd’s freelance illustration. We have both wanted to make it something more and fulfill Fredd’s long-held dream of being a full-time illustrator and designer. After a recent and unexpected push in this direction from the corporate world (that is to say, he was let go), we decided it was time to pursue this dream. It is both frightening and exciting for us to go after this, redefining Fredd’s profession. However it is time for this change and with his persistence, passion, and skills, this is something that we know can be successful with the right tools.
Why is now the time for this change? Because we have grown weary of the corporate world bringing Fredd in to build or fix or innovate and then claiming a lack of work and laying him off. Or having new management come in and not understand why Fredd’s work is valuable and laying him off. Or having a coworker, jealous of Fredd’s abilities, lie about deadlines or errors until Fredd is fired. Because being treated like a disposable cog to be replaced by a younger, less-experienced, and cheaper developer is heartbreaking. Because thinly-veiled agism, starting as Fredd’s beard went prematurely grey, crushes the soul. Because being lied to about your value to a company until you have finished a project is, in a word, immoral. Because experience, skills, and talent should be valued and encouraged rather than cast off. Because this cruel treatment by the corporate world threatens the very dreams and creativity that is essential to every artist.
Being able to do both art and design we can finally take Steel Angel Studios from part-time to full-time and make the dream we have held for so long a reality. For Steel Angel Studios to offer web design and other design services, we need to replace Fredd’s current computer, which is over 10 years old and just can’t handle the demands of design anymore. So he needs a new computer to do his work and asking for help, while hard, is about the only way this is going to happen. The computer that Fredd would like to get is a 13-inch Mac Book Pro at $1899 and their extended warranty, Apple Care, at $269. The sales tax is an additional $151.76. The total is $2320, rounding up. It's hard for us to find the words or joy and gratitude that being able for Fredd to go from being unemployed to self-employed would mean. It would be a lifetime dream come true for us.
UPDATE!
Thanks to you, our goal for a new laptop has been met! New Year's Eve and much of NewYear's Day have been spent trying to find words to express our appreciation and gratitude. Perhaps the right words do not exist, but here is my meager attempt.
As 2020 begins, we are very blessed to have such amazing friends and family. Thanks to the kindness of those who shared our request for help and the generosity of those who donated to our GoFundMe, we exceeded our goal for Fredd’s new laptop in just a few days. We are still nearly speechless over this show of love and support. And taking Steel Angel Studios full-time is fast becoming a reality.
The generosity of our friends and family has given the means to update the hardware. And our amazing friends and family are still giving, which now gives us the chance to update the software. Adobe Creative Cloud has all the tools that Fredd will need to provide a wide range of design services and, as you already know, help our studio become full-time. So we are going to continue our GoFundMe with the intent of covering the cost of a one-year subscription, which is $599.88. With the continued support of our remarkable family and friends, we will be able to meet this second goal and Fredd will have both the hardware and software he needs for his design work.
To those who don't know us, my husband, Fredd, is the only one authorized to withdraw from this fundraiser (so he gets your donations directly), we live in Omaha, Nebraska and my name is Linda Gorham.
UPDATE!
Now, the update we have been waiting for! Thanks to your help and generosity, our GoFundMe has reached it's second and final goal! Once again we are speechless and crying tears of joy because of your kindness.
Soon Fredd will have his new laptop and up-to-date design software. We are so excited to be this much closer to making Steel Angel Studios a full-time reality.
An illustrator and web designer with decades of experience, Fredd has started living part of his dream through teaching illustration and mentoring younger artists and designers; but the demands of the corporate world kept from the rest of his dream, being an entrepreneur with a studio of his own. The time and energy of designing websites left him too tired to pursue the rest of his dream. And yet, he continued working and providing; content with the part of his dream that he could attain and the knowledge that he was helping others develop their skills. His desire to share his love of art is another inspiration to me.
Steel Angel Studios was created a few years ago for Fredd’s freelance illustration. We have both wanted to make it something more and fulfill Fredd’s long-held dream of being a full-time illustrator and designer. After a recent and unexpected push in this direction from the corporate world (that is to say, he was let go), we decided it was time to pursue this dream. It is both frightening and exciting for us to go after this, redefining Fredd’s profession. However it is time for this change and with his persistence, passion, and skills, this is something that we know can be successful with the right tools.
Why is now the time for this change? Because we have grown weary of the corporate world bringing Fredd in to build or fix or innovate and then claiming a lack of work and laying him off. Or having new management come in and not understand why Fredd’s work is valuable and laying him off. Or having a coworker, jealous of Fredd’s abilities, lie about deadlines or errors until Fredd is fired. Because being treated like a disposable cog to be replaced by a younger, less-experienced, and cheaper developer is heartbreaking. Because thinly-veiled agism, starting as Fredd’s beard went prematurely grey, crushes the soul. Because being lied to about your value to a company until you have finished a project is, in a word, immoral. Because experience, skills, and talent should be valued and encouraged rather than cast off. Because this cruel treatment by the corporate world threatens the very dreams and creativity that is essential to every artist.
Being able to do both art and design we can finally take Steel Angel Studios from part-time to full-time and make the dream we have held for so long a reality. For Steel Angel Studios to offer web design and other design services, we need to replace Fredd’s current computer, which is over 10 years old and just can’t handle the demands of design anymore. So he needs a new computer to do his work and asking for help, while hard, is about the only way this is going to happen. The computer that Fredd would like to get is a 13-inch Mac Book Pro at $1899 and their extended warranty, Apple Care, at $269. The sales tax is an additional $151.76. The total is $2320, rounding up. It's hard for us to find the words or joy and gratitude that being able for Fredd to go from being unemployed to self-employed would mean. It would be a lifetime dream come true for us.
UPDATE!
Thanks to you, our goal for a new laptop has been met! New Year's Eve and much of NewYear's Day have been spent trying to find words to express our appreciation and gratitude. Perhaps the right words do not exist, but here is my meager attempt.
As 2020 begins, we are very blessed to have such amazing friends and family. Thanks to the kindness of those who shared our request for help and the generosity of those who donated to our GoFundMe, we exceeded our goal for Fredd’s new laptop in just a few days. We are still nearly speechless over this show of love and support. And taking Steel Angel Studios full-time is fast becoming a reality.
The generosity of our friends and family has given the means to update the hardware. And our amazing friends and family are still giving, which now gives us the chance to update the software. Adobe Creative Cloud has all the tools that Fredd will need to provide a wide range of design services and, as you already know, help our studio become full-time. So we are going to continue our GoFundMe with the intent of covering the cost of a one-year subscription, which is $599.88. With the continued support of our remarkable family and friends, we will be able to meet this second goal and Fredd will have both the hardware and software he needs for his design work.
To those who don't know us, my husband, Fredd, is the only one authorized to withdraw from this fundraiser (so he gets your donations directly), we live in Omaha, Nebraska and my name is Linda Gorham.
UPDATE!
Now, the update we have been waiting for! Thanks to your help and generosity, our GoFundMe has reached it's second and final goal! Once again we are speechless and crying tears of joy because of your kindness.
Soon Fredd will have his new laptop and up-to-date design software. We are so excited to be this much closer to making Steel Angel Studios a full-time reality.
Organiser and beneficiary
Linda Gorham
Organiser
Omaha, NE
Fredd Gorham
Beneficiary