Derek is an alumnus of the Savannah College of Art & Design from which he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Painting. His first experience working for Barter came as a summer intern as part of his collegiate studies. He joined Barter full-time in 2003 as a Scenic Artist. During this time, he painted scenery for over 150 productions. In 2012, he became Resident Scenic Designer and has since served as scenic designer for over 100 productions and served as projection designer for over 30 productions. Past designs include The Last Romance, A Christmas Carol, Tarzan, Big Fish, Footloose, A Christmas Story, The Three Musketeers, Clue, A Streetcar Named Desire, Romeo & Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Murder on the Orient Express.