Arielle’s Portfolio

Building a Personal Portfolio for a Writer & Theater Designer

Overview

Arielle, a writer and theater designer, needed a professional, easy-to-manage portfolio to showcase her publications and design work while job-seeking. As her Web Developer & Designer, I built a clean, personal, and cost-effective WordPress site that balances clarity, personality, and usability.

The Challenge

  • Simple yet Personal: Designing a site that feels professional but uniquely Arielle
  • Cost-Effective & Easy to Manage: Using WordPress + DreamHost to keep costs low while allowing non-technical updates
  • Slow Website Speed: Performance issues despite caching optimizations

The Solution

  • Custom WordPress Setup: Designed a minimal, elegant portfolio that highlights Arielle’s writing & theater work
  • Optimized Hosting: Set up DreamHost hosting and a custom domain for a professional online presence
  • Performance Fix: After troubleshooting caching issues, I worked with DreamHost to migrate servers, significantly improving load speeds

Results & Key Takeaways

  • Faster site performance after server migration
  • User-friendly backend so Arielle can easily update content
  • Professional yet personal portfolio that supports her job search

This project strengthened my expertise in WordPress optimization, hosting management, and personal branding through web design.