About Lena

My name is Lena

I am a full-time freelancer. I specialize in web development, graphic design, illustration, and having LOTS of opinions about how to make your project better.

Of course, you probably figured that out already if you’ve found my website. Perhaps you are looking for something a bit more personal, so let’s get more personal…

Lena Shore, nerd glasses, long blond hair, smiling
It's me, Lena Shore!

I LOVE to help people — so much so that I give a lot of free advice. “You know what you oughta do…” is one of my favorite, most enthusiastic, phrases. I am constantly trying to think of how things will work better, run smoother, and be more effective. The inside of my head often feels like it is full of bees all happily colliding into new combinations and ideas. (I hear that therapy might help this.) And despite what he might have told you, my bee-head isn’t always appreciated by my better half.

I grew up as an only child and Navy brat, and entertained myself by playing with bugs and catching lizards. We moved a lot. I read a lot. I drew a lot. I made little clay sculptures. I said I wanted to grow up and do something as an artist. My mother taught me how to type, paint, crochet, cook, and sew my own Barbie clothes. My dad let me help him with projects in the garage. I love tools. I have a basement full of them that I feel guilty for not using more often.

I know that Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings.

I went to college and majored in Illustration and Graphic Design. I took a minor in Fashion Merchandising to get out of reduce my art history requirements. The entire fashion department smelled like cosmetics. Ever the square peg, I wore cut-offs and smelled like art supplies.

After graduation, I put on pants, and worked a variety of jobs before I was the Art Director at a Big Corporation. I learned a lot from cube world, but eventually moved on to become freelancer. Now I wear cut-offs and smell like art supplies.

Along the way I declared I was through dating, Fate threw her head back and laughed a mischievous laugh. A week later I met my future-husband, Kevin at the airport. We spent a few days being brutally honest about ourselves. When the dust settled we both said “I can live with that” and 10 days later we made the decision to get married. I’d say at least 90% of our friends thought we were complete idiots. But the joke is on them — our marriage is old enough to drink and we still like each other.

My hobbies include creating personal art, playing video games, reading, watching movies I can pause to get snacks. I spend too much time online and dream of the day I will wake up and say “Boy, I can’t wait to go to the gym”.

I share my 100-year-old historic home in Florida with my lovely husband Kevin (Kevin writes funny fantasy books with lots of creative swearing. You should check him out.), our dogs Book and River, my trusty Mac, and assorted Apple products.

Cam the Chameleon dressed in green swirls with yellow pencil looking at stick figures he's drawn

This is Cam

Cam is a type of lizard called a chameleon, although he often is mistaken for a frog. He can change his pattern to most anything. He isn't very good at plaid.

Cam started off as a doodle in college that I just never forgot. He seemed the perfect mascot for me. I love lizards and he is versatile and fun. He has had many iterations over the years from more realistic to cartoony. At one point, he even had wings.