About Creative Sarasota Design & Development
Creative Sarasota Design & Development is the cooperative brainchild of Max Kelly and Christopher Austin. Friends since 2004, Max and Christopher first met as musicians. Even though they were both aware of the others’ technology experience, their friendship stayed in the musical realm. Each maintained their own independent occupational paths for years, performing together periodically in the same musical ensemble. It wasn’t until later in their friendship that they recognized the power of their very different yet complimentary approaches to web, graphic, and marketing development. Starting in 2018, they decided to pool their collective talents and Creative Sarasota Design & Development was born.
Max Kelly
Max Kelly is carrying on the creative tradition inspired by his grandfather and father, both accomplished artists in the fields of illustration and photography respectively. Steeped in creativity, Max spent his youth in darkrooms, at drafting tables, and studying through the design and photo annuals that littered his family home. Max ultimately went on to study fine art in New York and Chicago, including the renowned School of Visual Arts in New York City. That foundation, tempered with over 20 years working as a designer and photographer, are just a part of the experience he now brings to Creative Sarasota.
Christopher Austin
A life-long artist and musician, Christopher Austin has been developing a broad and robust set of skills in the Internet technology field since 1999. Starting off in technical support, he moved his way through nearly every field in computer and Internet tech to become a jack-of-all-trades. Having worked for and owned a variety of hosting, colocation, design, and development companies, his training and focuses have included graphic design, WordPress, Linux, marketing, technical support, systems administration, hosting, networking, customer service, SEO, sound production, video production, project management, and business management.