The Working Not Working team is heading to Austin. While we’re there, we want to spend some time with the Austin creative community, enjoying good conversations and mezcal drinks that will only make the conversations more creative.
Read MoreDrinking Not Drinking Chicago: Recap
Hosted at Villains in collaboration with Southbank, our global happy hour series felt right at home. It was the ideal venue and vibe for authentic networking in the Windy City. Everyone enjoyed meeting fellow members and sampling the snacks and signature Old Fashioneds. Thanks to WNW Member Alex Garcia for taking professional portraits for attendants' WNW profiles and portfolio sites.
Read MoreDrinking Not Drinking: London
We're inviting our UK community to join us for a fun night upstairs at The Green Room in Hoxton on Thursday 5th April, from 6pm-9pm. Come say hey and enjoy a free drink or two. Friends are welcome but everyone has to RSVP.
Read MoreWorking Not Working Heads to the Land of Hemsworths
We're touring Australia at the tail end of March to kick back with our members in Perth, Melbourne, & Sydney. WNW Co-founder Justin Gignac will be giving a talk at the Emergence Creative Festival. We'll also host two Drinking Not Drinking happy hours.
Read MoreWNW Returns to London this Week
Working Not Working is taking to the London streets this coming week. After a jaunt around Copenhagen and Amsterdam at the start of summer, we decided to hop back across the pond with a return to London. We hope to catch up with our London-based Members, or anyone willing to make the trip to one of our events.
Read MoreThis Artist Crafts Drunk History With Letter, Liquor, & Lots of Research
This Artist Crafts Drunk History With Letter, Liquor, & Lots of Research
MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR
WNW Member Matthew Wyne's latest ongoing project Letters and Liquor is the epitome of a labor of love. "Three years ago I read an article on how to make a Manhattan, decided to surprise my wife with some date-night mixology, and became obsessed with cocktails. She liked the drink, but even more than that, I could tell that she liked the stories I was able to tell her about the components of the drink." From there, the deep-dive research began and continues. Each drink in the encyclopedic series contains a full history, a detailed explanation of the ingredients, a recipe, and finally the creative considerations behind the custom lettering Matthew used to render the drink’s name.
In our interview below, Matthew tells us how talking about liquor has brought him out of his shell, what cocktails he turns to the most, and how research is a fundamental and driving force in his creative process. "When I research something and begin to learn the details of what came before, I start seeing ways I can build off of that material to create something new that, hopefully, gives others the same excitement." To support Matthew on this front, share this project with your friends and followers and, just as importantly, learn how to make these drinks for your friends and tell their stories.
The depths to which Matthew goes with this ongoing endeavor is nothing short of staggering. After you read the interview and get a sampler of the project below, we strongly encourage you to head to Letters and Liquor. You'll learn more than just fun trivia; you'll get a glimpse into a unique historical perspective that highlights not just human history's alcoholic dependency but also its ingenuity, resourcefulness, and spirit.
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Matthew Wyne and how did he get here?
Studied design at the Creative Circus. Got a job as an art director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Got fired. Got a job as a designer at Venables Bell & Partners. Got fired. Started freelancing with a lot of help from WNW Member Ivan Cash, who emailed his clients on my behalf and got me on Working Not Working. Finally got the guts to study type design at the Cooper Union because my then-fiancé-now-wife believed in me, and that was where I started to find my niche. Once I combined lettering and cocktails, my career path became much more clear.
What were some of the challenges in launching your career as a designer and lettering artist?
After getting fired twice, I realized I might never find a mentor who could help me figure out how to build a career, so I tried to become my own Creative Director: identify my strengths, build on them, put out work that helps me attract more work in that style. In the beginning, a fair amount of that work was unpaid or discount-priced. There was a period when I worked so much (and slept so little) that I started having panic attacks. There was a period when I spent nights and weekends reading books on business, learning how to structure projects and contracts. There was a period when I spent a lot of time designing far beyond the scope of a project because I wanted to make the work great. I put in an extraordinary number of hours, I educated myself constantly, and I built relationships with people because I cared about them and what they were doing. Slowly, that has helped me put together the foundation of a private design practice.
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links most of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?
Visually, I think I have executed work in a range of styles. I am much more particular about the style in which a prospective client wants to work. If you care about craft, culture, and getting the details right, I want to work with you. I love diving into new ways of creating things visually, as long as there’s a clear rigor to the way they’re constructed.
You’re currently in the depths of a project called Letters & Liquor. What was the inspiration behind it? Is it the perfect blend of your two greatest passions?
Three years ago I read an article on how to make a Manhattan, decided to surprise my wife with some date-night mixology, and became obsessed with cocktails. She liked the drink, but even more than that, I could tell that she liked the stories I was able to tell her about the components of the drink. I did some quick internet searching before she got home, learned the difference between rye and bourbon, where bitters come from and what vermouth actually is, and the conversation did as much to set the tone of the night as the drinks did. My greatest passions are connecting with people and creating. This project lets me do both.
You seem more than qualified to tend bar. Is that on your resume or are you just an after-hours aficionado?
I am not a bartender. I have a lot of respect for bartenders. The job they do is, in my experience, underappreciated. Standing all day, working for tips, juggling an enormous list of things in your head, managing the stress of a room full of people wanting your attention, some of whom might become unpleasant or abusive, is a demanding job. I have worked hard to develop my skill in composing drinks and I love talking to people about cocktails, but the gigs I do are small, private events with a limited menu and a focus on storytelling.
Each drink in this series contains a full history, a detailed explanation of the ingredients, a recipe, and finally the creative considerations behind the custom lettering you used to renders the drink’s name. Did you always intend for Letters & Liquor to be this extensive?
I’ve had to scale back from my original vision because it would have taken me so much time to produce. It’s a race every week to finish each post and I often feel the panic of being behind, but the creative part of me doesn’t think about time constraints; it just leaps ahead as fast as it can and I try like hell to keep up without sacrificing the rest of my life. This blog is a 52-week project. I already have a pretty clear idea of the next iteration.
What are the classic cocktails that you return to the most?
I love this question, because when I’m trying to create a new drink, I start with patterns in classic drinks. A Negroni is equal parts base spirit (gin) amaro (Campari) and fortified wine (sweet vermouth). If you substitute rye whiskey for gin and dry vermouth for sweet, you get one of my favorites, the Old Pal. I’ve tweaked that formula by combining, for example, peaty scotch, Cardamaro, and Oloroso sherry to get a rich, nutty drink that’s perfectly customized to my palette. These formulae abound in mixology: the Martini/Manhattan, the Daiquiri/Margarita, the Sazerac/Old Fashioned. A lot of the “custom” drinks you see on menus are based on old patterns. The real challenge as a drink maker is in discovering new models that can be remixed like this.
How do preliminary explorations and deep-dive research fit into your design process?
I don’t feel comfortable starting a project until I’ve done the research. Design is always done within a cultural context, and it’s very important to me to understand the subtle nuances of the culture with which I’m communicating. I think this is where my love for design and my love for cocktails really intersects. My motivation with both is to let people know that I’ve taken the time to really understand them.
When you feel a little creatively burnt out, do you often turn to research to get the juices flowing again?
If I’m having trouble getting started on something, research always helps. As soon as my mind has that input to chew on it’s going to start digesting, and pretty soon, if you’ll pardon the expression, I start shitting out new ideas. The excitement of trying to bring something new to life is what gets me out of feeling stuck.
What advice can you offer to creatives on utilizing the power of research to heighten their output?
This is a tricky question because I’m guessing what works for me might not work for others. However, for the sake of argument, let’s use hip hop as a metaphor. While rappers, like designers, are expected to be original, quotes and references are a part of both cultures. In the words of Jay Z, “I say a Big verse I’m only bigging up my brother.” That cross pollination is one of the things I love most about hip hop. I still remember the moment* I realized that the vocal sample from Kanye’s “Good Morning” was Elton John from “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” I got fired up. That kind of excitement is what gets my creative mind working. When I research something, and begin to learn the details of what came before, I start seeing ways I can build off of that material to create something new that, hopefully, gives others the same excitement.
*My friend Cooper Smith (WNW) was pulling his truck out of the Creative Circus parking lot and I chased him down on foot. How supreme, Coop?
What moment or project in your career so far has made you the proudest?
When the “Looking For” mural* got featured on the Atlantic. I hand-lettered personal messages from a woman seeking a boyfriend on an 8’ x 20’ wall. That project was a race against time, so getting it finished without taggers destroying it (which later happened) was a relief; then seeing it shared on such a prestigious and storied platform gave me a lot of pride.
Do you thrive off of being part of a creative community or are you more in your element as a lone wolf?
I need a fair amount of alone time every day to feel centered and focused. But, I love the creative dynamic of working with someone who is really passionate, intelligent, and open. My favorite projects have been the ones where my client is my creative partner and I feel really lucky that I’ve had so many of those.
Who are some of your biggest creative idols and influences?
I hope to get to Malcolm Gladwell’s level one day. His podcast, Revisionist history, uses his skill as an investigator and his platform as a writer to make powerful arguments for social justice. Before I was a designer, I thought I was going to be a musician. I couldn’t handle touring so I changed direction, but when we got pregnant I started writing music again. I hope I can record something for our daughter that stands up next to “Morning Phase” by Beck or “Tamer Animals” by Other Lives.
What do you do when Not Working?
I sing with my daughter. I dance with my daughter. I (try to) do yoga so my back doesn’t hurt so much from sitting at a laptop. And I have long, intense, passionate conversations with my wife.
Who are some WNW Members whose work you admire and why?
Ivan Cash inspires me with his belief in his creative vision. His ability to create projects that connect people mystifies me. Jessica Hische, in addition to being an incredibly talented lettering artist, is also incredibly generous in sharing what she has learned with other designers. I have her book, “In Progress,” and I’ve spent a lot of time reading the essays on her site trying to figure out one aspect or another of being an independent designer. Indhira Rojas just launched Anxy, a magazine focused on personal narratives around mental health. I think these stories are so important, and the caliber of writing and design in the first issue blew me away. The common denominator here is a high level of craft combined with work that genuinely serves people.
Anything else you’d like to add?
My Dad, Monty Wyne, is a copywriter. He worked for JWT for 27 years. Each time he got transferred, we moved. Freelancing wasn’t really a thing you could do back then. I feel really grateful for the freedom I have to be an independent designer and it comes, in large part, from people and platforms like Working Not Working. Remembering that helps me keep things in perspective when freelance gets a little sticky.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
DRINKING NOT DRINKING / LA
DRINKING NOT DRINKING / LA
The torrential Los Angeles drizzle and Obama traffic last week couldn't keep us and our LA Members from meeting up at Resident in DTLA for Drinking Not Drinking, our global happy hour series. Much love to our good friends at Mount Gay Rum, who served an assortment of delicious rum-based cocktails and some dangerous rum punch; it mixed well with the good music, vibes, and snacks. Head over to Facebook to see what went down. And shout-out to WNW Member #3180 Phil Johnson for designing the new Drinking Not Drinking branding.
We are always looking to celebrate our LA members, and cultivate the LA creative community. Many of us spend all day behind computer screens, so it's important to do things in real life too. Drinking Not Drinking is more than just a happy hour; it's a way to experience Working Not Working offline.
We didn't forget about you, San Francisco. Our next stop on the Drinking Not Drinking tour is next Thursday in the Mission District at Southern Pacific Brewing from 6-9. We'll be partnering again with Mount Gay Rum. RSVP here.
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: MINNEAPOLIS
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: MINNEAPOLIS
So you can get to know a little bit about the host of our upcoming Minneapolis edition of Drinking Not Drinking, WNW #210 Adam Smith agreed to take on some of our extra tough questions. He's a Creative Technologist, and co-founder of digital development agency Interface (formerly known as UDC Interactive).
As Adam puts it, "Minneapolis packs a lot of creative punch into a small population... Most of the market here still seems to skew a bit more traditional, but there is a vast amount of talent here across all mediums." There should be a good sample of that this Thursday, September 24th. If you'll be in the Minneapolis area, you can RSVP here.
Background
Tell us your story! 140 characters, max. Just kidding :) Who is Adam Smith and how did he get here?
Adam Smith was a famous 18th Century economist who wrote The Wealth of Nations, and whose ideas and theories became the basis of modern day capitalism. Two centuries later, he would serve as my namesake and the life-long joke my dad played on me.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was very young, I wanted to be a pilot. From third grade up until my first semester of college, I wanted to be an architect.
Cities you’ve lived in, summed up in one word.
Waukesha: Hometown
San Francisco: Balmy
Chicago: Food
Minneapolis: Home
Dream place you’d like to move.
Los Angeles/Southern California
How does Minneapolis inspire you? What’s the creative scene like?
Minneapolis packs a lot of creative punch into a small population. While the agency scene has somewhat diminished since the glory days of the early and mid-2000’s, I think there are a lot more city-wide efforts to inspire the arts and creativity. Most of the market here still seems to skew a bit more traditional, but there is a vast amount of talent here across all mediums.
Work
What are you currently working on?
Currently we’re working on our own website rebuild as part of our rebrand, as well as a new website build for our branding agency partner. We also are wrapping up a health-tech web application (HIPAA Compliant) and a few Wordpress websites. We are also in preliminary talks to do a VR and Apple TV project with an internationally known composer.
You seem to apply your creativity to a variety of roles in different fields. What does the role of Creative Technologist mean to you? Does it encompass most of what you do?
I think ultimately, a creative technologist’s job is thought leadership. Production is fairly easy to come by, but bringing in a creative technologist early in the creative process can help with what the product should be in the first place. That thinking is what led us to our core brand statement: Ideas First, Technology Second.
If you weren’t a Creative Technologist, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
It’s hard to say. I probably would have focused on design, or film making.
Running an agency
You co-founded a digital development agency called Interface (formerly UDC Interactive.) When did you start thinking about starting your own agency? What were some of the challenges that you encountered along the way?
I’ve freelanced on the side for years but I’ve always resisted starting an agency, mostly due to the instability and management side of things. Last fall, the right combination of projects and a good business partner fell into place. The biggest challenge has been consistent work, and not being able to get our name out there until our rebrand was finished. We know we do great work, now it’s time to let people know.
What kind of work does Interface do? What led you to rebrand your agency?
We concept and produce digital projects. Our core focus is modern web (front-end) since that’s where most of our business comes from. However, we can also do full stack development and are very experienced integrating various APIs ranging from social to Ecommerce to content. We also make time for experiential work, as I have done some out of home projects in the past.
Inspiration & Advice
What moment or project in your career so far has made you the proudest?
The countdown timer and Twitter application for the Forever 21 store in Times Square back in 2010 is probably the best memory, even though the work was fairly simple. The Porsche Color Theory site I did in 2007 was probably the overall best project, since I got to manage a small team as well as contribute directly in a programming role.
Who most inspires you creatively?
It’s hard to point to individuals, but I think agencies like Firstborn, AKQA, StinkDigital, and B-Reel have been inspiring not only in the caliber of projects, but in the sheer consistency of being on top of their game, year in and year out.
Who are some other WNW members you admire, and why?
The person that immediately comes to mind is my friend Sean O'Brien. We met at EVB years ago and it was the first real collaboration I had with strong digital talent who really understood technology and usability in addition to elegant and smart design.
What’s the best advice for a creative that you’ve ever heard?
I was actually just thinking about this this morning. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten was: “Whatever you want to be, act like it.”
Things you would tell your high school or early twenties self.
1. Live deliberately.
2. Buy Apple stock.
3. The Boo’s always come from the cheap seats.
4. You have no reason not to be confident.
Bonus Round :)
What do you do when Not Working?
Depending on the time of year, it’s a mix of cycling, downhill skiing, NFL Football (watching, not playing) and wine.
What song always gets you in the creative zone?
The two disk set of “Perfecto Presents: Another World” by Paul Oakenfold works better than caffeine on most occasions.
Two truths and a lie
1. I used to be a guide for blind skiers.
2. I have not been on any TV shows.
3. It took me 10 minutes to think these up.
Last 3 things you googled (And yes, we will be sharing this ;))
LA Philharmonic VR, Migrating domains in Google apps, Virtual choir
Anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t asked?
Nothing that wouldn’t sound like blatant self-promotion!
If you are in the Minneapolis area on 9/24, RSVP here for Drinking Not Drinking.
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: CHICAGO
DRINKING NOT DRINKING:
CHICAGO
The Drinking Not Drinking tour continues! The next stop was Chi-Town where WNW Members #3868 Amy Schwartz, #1210 Jenelle Huddleston, #5602 Jennifer Serafini helped organize and host. Big thank you to WNW Member #597 Lucy Hewett for being our photographer for the evening.
Open to both members and friends, DND x CHI had a strong showing with the consensus that networking is best done in a relaxed way, over beers. Networking not networking, anyone?
The ladies gave us a recap of how it went, getting us even more excited for future events to come.
Drinking Not Drinking Chicago went really well!
It was great to meet people in person that I only really knew from the Internet. I always feel slightly awkward about things like that, but once you get talking you remember how cool and welcoming creative communities are. I'm used to admiring work from afar, so this was an awesome chance to learn about the person behind it.
We had a great mix of skills and backgrounds. Copywriting, photography, Illustration, all forms of design, people who felt strongly about the Wu-Tang Clan, people who apparently don't know enough about the Wu-Tang Clan...everything was represented. I'm so glad we got the chance to pull everyone together though, I definitely came out with a few more friends, and I'm excited to see them around town!
Plus, The Rocking Horse was a fantastic location – I had never been there before but I will definitely be back now. Partially for the back patio, mostly for the tater tots.
Jen Serafini adds, So many people came up to me and said how much fun it was and how'd love to do more of that. Networking can be so overwhelming and expensive, that just getting together for beers is ultimately the best way to do it. :)
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: PDX
DRINKING NOT DRINKING: PDX
While WNW is known for connecting creatives and companies, we also have a reputation for showing our community a good time. We sent a small budget to a few PDX members with the task of throwing a kick ass meetup on our behalf. With WNW Member #5622 Benji Brucker taking the lead, members #3283 Bernadette Spear, #1316 Meg Hunt, #1935 Aaron Rayburn, #4040 Katie Reardon, and #2257 Kate Bingaman-Burt banded together, using the WNW platform and network to rally their peers and give exposure to the PDX creative scene.
In Benji's words, "The crowd was fantastic, prompt and thirsty! An hour into the event 50+ WNW party affiliates were well on their way to not working for the weekend and possibly not even getting off the couch. Aalto Lounge was a perfect backdrop for personal passion project postulating, catch-up chat, and general tomfoolery, all of which were observed in full force."
One of the things we pride ourselves on here at WNW is making networking as seamless as possible. WNW Member #4288 Ben Sellon volunteered to be the night's photographer and couldn't help but notice how organically everyone networked... and how good looking they all were: "The night was really great -- good turn out and REALLY good people. You know that feeling when everyone is talking about all the cool shit they're making, but nobody is salesy or networky about it, and everyone just wants to go and do everything with everyone? It was one of those. Teamwork forever!"
Katie Reardon agreed that building a community is crucial to becoming a freelancer: "I'm new to the freelance game and am finding fellow freelancers to be the best support crew ever. All of us here in Portland are so helpful with each other's project hunts and weird tax questions and agency tips. This party was a nice celebration of that (and an excuse for us all to smile a lot and take awkward photos)."
And Aaron Rayburn summed up the evening's success bluntly: "Considering the free drinks, it's amazing we are all still alive."
Teamwork forever, indeed.
All good looking people as captured by WNW Member #4288 Ben Sellon:
To see the complete album of PDX debauchery, check out the WNW Facebook page.