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Accolades to the most insightful creative being I know – which says a lot given I work with literally thousands of Artists and Designers, and I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years.
We cut our creative teeth together, and I’ve seen her brilliant designs continuously come to life for the last three decades.
I highly recommend Michelle for the most thoughtful, intuitive, and mindful Creative Services of any kind. If you want someone to truly understand your Design needs – look no further.
She not only hears you, she feels you – and creates with a magical grace.
Jodie Hein
Artist Agent
Rappart
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Michelle literally feels L I F E pulsing inside herself, you, and your work of art. Your work of art is not fully alive until it has been experienced, felt, produced, and brought into the world by Michelle, because she is an artist, a master craftswoman, a brilliant designer and director of bringing out the
L I F E, and nuances of L I F E that you would not even know are there.
Her extensive education, innumerable successes, profound skills, and dedication to bringing out the L I F E are incomparable. The world lives on superficial levels. Michelle Farinella lives on deeper levels, and you would want someone of this high caliber to read, see, understand, organize, and birth the true depths of the masterpiece you have conceived and want the world to know.
Even one conversation with Michelle makes a person feel seen, known, and understood in the deepest ways. If the conversation involves your work, the experience is at its best, because the conversation is between the soul that produced the work and her soul – that knows precisely how to bring your work gracefully into its most exquisite illuminated form.
Michelle Farinella is an impeccable artist for artists. Second to none.
Sarah McHugh
Massage Therapist
French and English Teacher
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Michelle designed my first book several years ago. It was so well received that I commissioned her to design my second book this year. As the Professor and Chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, my subject matter is very complex and layered with many intricacies.
I know that Michelle understands that reading my work is more than just a perceptual experience for the reader; it is comprised of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and sensory experiences which need to be enacted to maximize the impact of the material. Michelle is very good at using design to translate complex, abstract concepts into concrete, aesthetically beautiful, and meaningful layouts, pages, and design elements.
The design helps to link these multiple facets into a tapestry that optimizes the message for my reader so they absorb, comprehend, and become positively impacted and inspired to generate positive changes and forward movement when they are involved in the pages of my book or in my programs.
She has a lovely way of entering the reader’s world with knowledge, skill, grace, and the utmost respect, and in doing this, she is meeting all of my goals as an author with those exact principles. If words are the message, the design is the messenger, and she is very, very good at promoting the usability and effectiveness of a book’s main purpose and a book with complexities at that, that others may not even be aware of but that she sees, and acknowledges, and then designs around. This type of attention to detail ultimately allows others to take in complicated material with ease and clarity.
Michelle has exacting standards of excellence, award-winning design mastery, and advanced level technical production expertise, which distinguishes her work from others.
Her work helps my work have a deeper luminescence, clarity, personal relevance, meaning, and purpose and this assures that I make a lasting connection to my readers.
I would highly recommend working with Michelle because she has quality design and technical skills, subject matter experience, and depth and range of understanding of the intended reader, and this optimizes the book’s message and elevates the impact potential of the work.
I collaborate with many people from different professions – medical, legal, financial, academic – but Michelle has a unique ability to add an extra dimension to my work, one that resonates with me and my patients.
Dr. Jeffrey Lackner
Professor and Chief
Division of Behavioral Medicine
Department of Medicine
University at Buffalo, SUNY
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I used to think that design was about finding something that looked pleasing or pretty or professional. I had absolutely no idea how much goes into good design. I had no idea how much a good designer, one who truly understands the art and craft of design, one who has honed her craft for years, contributes to a business’ creation process.
I used to think that what really mattered was the quality of the content of the course or the brochure or workbook. The design was just icing on the cake, something to make it look visually presentable and professional. I had no idea how much the design, good design, carries the essence of the course or brochure or workbook out into the world. I had no idea the design was just as important as the content, that the layout and visual representation could interfere with or support my student’s or client’s or potential student/client’s ability to connect with and absorb the content.
Quite simply, I had no idea how little I knew about good design until I began working with Michelle.
Michelle has an uncanny ability to create design that captures and conveys the essence of my work – she translates my work into a design that reflects exactly what it’s about. With her design, my work takes on a whole new life and transforms into a full expression of itself. She is incredibly thorough and insightful. Her attention to detail and quality of work are unsurpassed. Along with this, she has an impeccable work ethic and a level of integrity that is unfortunately uncommon these days.
In short, she is a rare find and I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Lisa Gillispie, BSW, LMT, CST, CPT-RES
Anatomy Conversations
CranioSacral Anatomy for Therapists
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I am choosing Michelle to represent my brand because we line up on so many values, including deep loyalty, joy in creation, and a reverence for excellence. The reason I chose to expand my brand with an experienced professional as part of my business team is so that I can amplify my genuine voice and because I know that I need and deserve her lavish support. I trust Michelle because of her stellar track record and the conviction in her words and in her spine. Since working with Michelle, I’ve come to love the care and thoroughness with which she approaches every aspect of her work and our relationship. I knew it was time to work with her when she laid out a vision for how compelling and attractive my writing could be when paired with her design expertise. She saw a clear vision of how I could send my story into the world in a big beautiful way, like a rough jewel polished and placed in the ideal setting.
I know Michelle is different from other designers because I feel we are truly collaborating as equals, conspiring to bring a project to fruition.
Alison Gresik
Design your art-committed life
Creative coaching for writers and artists
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I have had the pleasure of working professionally with Michelle for over ten years. She is in a category all her own. While I have worked with many talented designers, no one else in my experience maintains such consistent high quality, approaches an assignment as thoughtfully and sensitively, adheres to deadlines without fail, and delivers work that consistently surpasses expectation in terms of professionalism and creativity. She is highly organized and an excellent manager and art director as well. While most of our work together has revolved around children’s books, my regard for the beauty and sensitivity of her work led to her designing a gorgeous invitation and program for my daughter’s wedding as well. People still talk about it, three years on. It is difficult to find enough superlatives for Michelle; she is indeed sui generis.
Susan Eddy
Editorial Director
Mondo Publishing
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I trust Michelle. Whenever I give her a project, I can rest assured I will get back a variety of solutions that are well thought out and communicate effectively. Michelle is very professional and I feel lucky to have her as a resource.
Julie Barnes
Senior Art Director
Book Division
Andrews McMeel Publishing
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I wanted to honor my husband by putting together a book about his love of Christmas and devotion to family, written through his grandchildren’s eyes, and I presented my idea to Michelle. I was overwhelmed by her perception and the care she put into developing the concept I was so hoping to achieve. I knew the sentiment I wanted to portray, and Michelle knew how to achieve it. Her suggestions truly made the book an exceptional, creative masterpiece that thrilled the hearts of many. Michelle was awarded the “American Graphic Design Award” by Graphic Design USA for this book in 2020.
Michelle was a pleasure to work with on this project. Her sensitivity and her professionalism truly made this project an act of love.
Silvia Del Priore
Author
Papa’s Christmas Spirit
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One of the best calls I have made (and best business decisions that I have made) was to commission Michelle to design my packaging and marketing materials. Michelle is creative, intuitive, and very bright. She asked me all of the right questions, looked carefully at my product and the sales material I was using at the time. She was able to weed through all of it and come up with a clear, concise identity for my company, saying exactly what I thought and felt, but could not articulate! Michelle has an amazing ability to delve into a subject, read between the lines, analyze exactly what the product or service does, and what the benefits to the customer are, and then create an entire line of marketing materials to get the message out in a logical, beautiful presentation with emotional impact.
The new packaging, DVD cover, and sales brochure Michelle created are everything I thought my message should be, but in my original presentation, I wasn’t even coming close. I was clearly a case of someone “who doesn’t even know what I don’t know!” I am amazed at the process Michelle used to get every bit of information from me, pull it all together, and come up with a strong, beautiful, and emotional marketing message.
I feel like I have a whole new company! I have a confidence in my products and my company that I did not have before. I am once again eager and enthusiastic in moving forward with my business.
Maureen Gauthier
President
Massage At Home Video
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Ten years ago I contracted Michelle Farinella Design at the initial stage of opening my Florist and Gift Shop. The task at hand was to take an old run down flower shop and turn it into a modern yet elegant store, with a Tuscan appeal, visually speaking.
From our initial meeting Michelle quickly interpreted the vision I had for the store and started to create its image. I actually called it working her magic. Before I knew it, she had created 6-10 logos that reflected exactly the ideas that I was having difficulty pulling together. Once she created the logo and the identity for the store everything fell into place including color schemes for literally the entire store, the outdoor signage, and postcards announcing our grand opening. She has also to date created many marketing materials that have significantly helped me to grow my business and alter the way I do business.
To date I have customers consistently asking me who creates my marketing materials. In fact due to the consistent client increase over the last few years, just recently my shop was nominated as New Jersey’s Premier Favorite Florist by NEW JERSEY LIFE MAGAZINE. Michelle designed a direct mail postcard that I sent out to all of my clients and that she also suggested that we attach to every flower order for delivery. This was a huge hit, and we had an overwhelming response to the postcard design and offer.
I attribute so much of my company’s look, value, and perception to Michelle Farinella Design. Many Thanks, Michelle, for taking that old run down store and turning it into a major go-to place here in New Jersey!
Domenica Parisi
Owner, Floral Designer
Florentina Flowers & Gifts
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I have written nine histories and biographies for children and young adults, and I would like to say that, without a doubt, my most beautiful books are the two that Michelle Farinella has designed. I have been very fortunate to have Michelle design my books. Her art and design greatly enhances my words and increases the appeal of my work. Whenever my editor tells me that Michelle will be my designer, I consider it a gift.
Nancy Plain
Author
Sagebrush and Paintbrush
and With One Sky Above Us
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Michelle, you cannot imagine how much I love the design of my book about Maria Martinez. Wow, it’s gorgeous and looks like I wanted it to look in its first incarnation but, alas, did not. Everything about it pleases me now. Thanks for making my work look so good! I hope my future books fall into your creative hands again.
Juddi Morris
Author
Tending the Fire: The Story of Maria Martinez
and Route 66: Main Street of America
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Each time I look at my books A World of Dumplings and The Too Many Tomatoes Cookbook, I think of Michelle Farinella and the remarkable contribution her design work made to them. Michelle took discs filled with text and piles of photos and turned them into coherent, inviting volumes. She’s a designer I’m proud to have worked with and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her for any project.
Brian Yarvin
Author
The Too Many Tomatoes Cookbook
and A World of Dumplings
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Overall, I’m very impressed by the design for Early American Country Homes. The pages effuse “homey” and “comfortable” and all the other attributes that we were going for. You succeeded wonderfully in evoking the feeling of touring through a group of country homes — the muted colors, design details such as the judiciously used page borders, the font treatment on the heads and subheads: all managed to contribute to a wonderfully simple yet enticing read. Your photo selection was spot on; I think you managed to pick out enough of the author’s favorites, along with some complementary shots that helped balance the pages out very well. And I can’t emphasize enough how important it was to me that you turned this job in on time. Finally, here’s author Tim Tanner’s short but succinct message that he wanted me to pass along: “Please tell the designer I love what she did!” Thanks again for the work you put in on this.
Bob Cooper
Editor
Gibbs Smith Publishing
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When I first saw the beautiful cover and design of my book, it literally took my breath away. Michelle Farinella wove her magic with my text and created something that was more precious than I could have conjured up in my wildest dreams.
Patrice Karst
Author
The Smile That Went Around the World
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Working with Michelle on the book, The Smile That Went Around the World was a pleasure. She laid out the book beautifully and provided me with the perfect amount of inspiration and gentle guidance. I often needed to bounce ideas off of her, and she was always quick to respond and very helpful. It was a very collaborative experience, which I think always results in a more beautiful package. I wish I could work with her on every project!
Jana Christy
Illustrator
The Smile That Went Around the World