Abraham Garcia Flores

Abraham Garcia Flores

Interdisciplinary Designer in Charleston, SC

About

I am an interdisciplinary designer, teacher, and entrepreneur dedicated to solving complex problems by connecting disciplines, domains, and people.

Side Projects

2017

A collection of graduate school application statements collected from classmates and colleagues.

Speaking

2019
"Salon: Designing in a City of Startups" at AIGA Salons
Washington, DC

Salon session with a few designers where we talked about designing for startups. I had just finished working with the Bloompop founders to launch their product and was working out of the 1776 Tech Incubator with several founders.

Work Experience

2014 — Now
Washington, DC

Launched Workhorse Collective to empower top freelancers. Grew from a Capitol Hill art space to a prominent studio in DC, designing for diverse clients from startups to large institutions. Clients include PBS Learning, AARP, The National Women’s History Museum, and The DC Public Library.

  • Founded Workhorse as an independent creative studio, transforming it into a renowned design agency.

  • Merged with a digital marketing agency, building a modern management, communication, and delivery studio framework.

  • Hired and trained a diverse team, fostering a collaborative and creative environment.

  • Directed design and management of e-commerce platforms for beauty and lifestyle brands.

  • Collaborated with the editorial team to manage social media channels and content, including influencers and partners.

  • Led branding and web design for notable film festivals, including the Environmental Film Festival and DC/DOX.

  • Completed a permanent exhibition at the Martin Luther King Library in downtown DC, chronicling the history of MLK in DC.

  • Supported event industry clients in transitioning to virtual events during COVID-19.

2016 — 2016
Adjunct Professor - Design at George Mason University
Fairfax, Viriginia
  • Taught “Web Design and Usability,” blending theory with practice.

  • Developed and delivered courses focused on responsive design, user-centered approaches, and practical coding skills.

  • Conducted workshops, guiding students through HTML, CSS, JavaScript, version control, and iterative design processes.

  • Emphasized essential design concepts and web standards, preparing students for professional success.

2005 — 2014
Designer at The Honest Ape
Austin, TX
  • Information and interface design for Transit Labs, a startup funded by the federal government, developing infrastructure data tools for cities.

  • Designed web interfaces and marketing sites for Social Tables, collaborating with engineering teams to create new interfaces and mapping tools.

  • Delivered innovative marketing solutions for independent music labels and artists, specializing in grassroots and guerrilla marketing strategies.

  • Provided comprehensive creative services, including photography, logo design, web design, packaging, marketing campaigns, and public relations to indie rap artists.

2013 — 2014
Product Designer at Bloompop
Washington, DC
  • Collaborated with founders to launch a direct-to-consumer florist marketplace.

  • Art directed and designed various marketing campaigns, including “My Fake Valentine,” a mini-site that allowed users to send themselves flowers, generating valuable earned media through mentions on the local news and The Washington Post.

  • Continued collaboration with founders on Freshcut, connecting farmers with florists in the US.

2012 — 2012
Brooklyn, NY
  • Shaped the platform’s brand architecture as the brand grew to include new genres and topics.

  • Enhanced user and community experience through branded merchandise and artist collaborations.

  • Learned essential design engineering skills.

2011 — 2011
Designer at Center for Design Practice
Baltimore, MD
  • Executed a social marketing campaign for the Baltimore City Health Department, overseeing art direction, web design, and digital marketing.

  • User research included attending and documenting the Baltimore Ballroom scene events.

  • Participated in a panel at Johns Hopkins University, where I presented case studies and spoke about my work in public health and design.

  • Design work won a Core77 Design Award for social design.

2011 — 2011
Designer at Crispin (CP+B)
Boulder, CO
  • Art directed and designed interactive and digital campaigns for clients like Microsoft, American Express, Best Buy, and Domino’s Pizza.

  • Participated in early-stage ideation and creative sessions with senior leadership.

  • Art directed and designed winning pitches and concepts that went on to be developed into larger campaigns.

  • Art directed and designed UI and motion for the Domino’s Pizza Tracker and The Jello Jiggle It App.

2007 — 2010
Washington, DC
  • Collaborated across a diverse organization through several departments and languages, gathering data and insights.

  • Wrote, designed, and produced reports, marketing materials, and brands for clinic programs and initiatives.

  • Partnered with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, and The Unitarian Chruch for events and fundraisers.

2009 — 2010
Graphic Designer at Innovative Solutions International (ISI)
Rosslyn, VA
  • Collaborated with engineers and scientists from the Federal Aviation Administration on communication and design projects related to Global Positioning System (GPS) and new technology initiatives.

  • Produced high-resolution photography for various aviation projects

  • Designed high-quality, detailed, and accurate catalogs and exhibition graphics.

  • On-site collaboration at the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters included leading stakeholder meetings and workshops.

  • Designed simple and scannable technical documents that included vital information graphics and technical drawings for navigational systems.

2007 — 2009
Account Executive / Designer at The Media Network (TMN)
Silver Spring, MD
  • Led public health marketing campaigns for federal government agencies targeted at Latinos.

  • Created business-to-business marketing materials, including presentations, case studies, and brochures in English and Spanish

  • Managed and produced a custom photography library for diverse public health campaigns.

2006 — 2007
Production Artist/Designer at TKO Advertising
Austin, TX
  • Supported public health, tourism, and music festival brands through design and bilingual copywriting.

  • Served as a bilingual spokesperson at health fairs, trade shows, and events, contributing to grassroots marketing campaigns.

Volunteering

2017 — 2020
Communications Officer at James Island Arts Council
Charleston, SC
  • Led communications and design for a community-led non-profit organization that works to promote artists on the sea islands of South Carolina and surrounding areas.

  • Was a key member of planning and event committees.

  • Worked with local school and government officials to host an annual silent auction and gala.

  • Designed and developed a basic identity, graphic standards, and a website.

  • Developed a social media and digital marketing infrastructure for the organization.

  • Led a campaign to build a community arts center.

Education

2010 — 2012
MFA Graphic Design at Maryland Instiutute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
  • Contributed to “Type on Screen” by Ellen Lupton, conducting research and writing about icon design.

  • Design research included documenting a workshop conducted by the Noun Project in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department and the MICA Center for Social Design.

  • Completed a thesis project featuring a multimedia, immersive, sound-reactive exhibition experience utilizing MIDI controllers, Ableton Pro, Quartz Composer, and sound-reactive graphics.

  • Conducted lectures and prepared lessons as the graduate assistant for “Design for Advertising” and “Electronic Media and Culture” courses.

2006 — 2006
Public Health Certification at The University of Texas Health Science Center
Austin, TX
  • Classes completed included Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Health Policy & Management, and Social and Community Health

  • Assisted behavioral scientist Dr. Alfred McAlister in establishing the Austin campus

2000 — 2005
Bachelor of Science: Human Biology at The Unversity of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
  • Mentored first-year students in the School of Natural Sciences, providing support for minority and first-generation students

  • Studied biology in Santiago de Compostela, Spain for a semester.

  • Earned a degree that encompasses both hard and social sciences.

Contact

Website
Twitch
Substack
TikTok
Instagram
Dribbble