Welcome to
Joie de Visual
Camille's exploration of the windows at Neiman Marcus (downtown Dallas) and the "Secret Stairwell" of the Joule Hotel
Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel, 1512
"Ali Underwater," 1961, Flip Schulke, Life Magazine
Umbrella Print, Bouquet of Flowers in a Terracotta Vase with Peaches and Grapes, Anne Vallayer-Coster, 1776, Dallas Museum of Art
Benjamin Banneker Stamp, Issued 1980, National Postal Museum
Robert Kennedy, 1960s, Photo Courtesy of Magnum Photos/Vulture.com, Photo taken by Bob Henriques
Dear Reader,
I’m so glad that you are here.
Joie de Visual, means “the joy of the visual.” I created the term as a derivative of the popular French term joie de vivre, which means the “exuberant enjoyment of life.”
In my work, I take great joy in using imagery as a tool for assessing and understanding history, culture, and politics.
You will find my musings on history, culture, and politics in TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, and other publications.
My first professional voyage into visual analysis came right after my collegiate years, and it was with the Nike athletic brand. At that time, Nike needed someone to edit text and photos for an in-house platform that the organization used to evaluate one of their consumer outreach campaigns.
I was hired through a separate corporate entity that specialized in brand marketing and visual merchandising .
That 3rd party organization collaborated with Nike on special projects, and I became a remote Nike employee for what was supposed to be three months. However, the arrangement lasted four years. During the course of that time, I transitioned from a Nike employee into an employee for the partner company, but my responsibilities remained the same: I was a Brand Coordinator dedicated to assessing and evaluating words and imagery for the Nike brand.
In addition to my daily editing responsibilities, I regularly created and presented visual merchandising portfolios for the Nike brand development team that showcased the impact of Nike’s in-store presence on consumers. Essentially, I was analyzing how people responded to what they saw.
The experience was invaluable. I will always be grateful for the support, encouragement, and knowledge that came from the Nike team.
My Nike experience, and many other experiences, helped shape my professional trajectory. Now, I am a historian with an earned PhD in the intellectual and visual history of America. Although my PhD specialization is early America, I don’t confine myself to early America in my professional analysis of history.
Instead, I use my knowledge of early America to illuminate the meaning and context of current events and current public policy.
In addition to writing, I frequently make speeches, and I provide consulting to organizations that need historical and cultural information.
My hope is that the information I present inspires you and others to confidently make a positive impact within the world.
I wish you “joie” (joy) always.
Camille