HOW NOT TO BECOME A MORTICIAN:
KYLE TEZAK
When we learned that WNW Member #3829 Kyle Tezak comes from a family of morticians, we had to interview him. Despite their 100 years in business, Kyle broke with tradition and decided to become - gasp! - a graphic designer. Growing up around death had a unique influence on Kyle's creativity; he tells us that it helped him develop into a "well-rounded person." However it's not all morbid; it turns out morticians have a (dark) sense of humor, "As a mortician, you're always wearing a suit. So it's not unusual for someone to come up to my Dad and ask him to help tie their tie. He always responds with 'Sure, can you lay down?'"
Tell us about your background: Who is Kyle Tezak and where did he come from?
I’m a freelance graphic designer living in Minneapolis but I’m originally from Joliet, IL. An old steel mill town about an hour south of Chicago. My family has operated a funeral home there since 1908.
What was it like growing up in a family of morticians?
As a kid, I didn’t know it was unusual. My siblings and cousins and I would be running around the funeral home playing tag while my dad was embalming someone in the next room. I started working there when I was 14, cutting grass, picking up the deceased from the morgue, answering the phone, just about anything you didn’t need a funeral director’s license to do. It wasn’t something we were sheltered from. I actually think being around death a lot as a kid has helped me develop into a well-rounded person.
Was there pressure to go into the family business?
There was indirect pressure. Like “you can do anything you want but I sure hope this business that’s been here for 100 years won’t have to close its doors” sort of thing.
How did you become a designer and what did your parents think when you didn’t go into the family business?
In college I jumped from business (terrible) to architecture (hard) to design (awesome). The school didn’t have the greatest design program but with a lot of hustle and a little luck I was able to land my first design job at a little firm in Chicago.
At the core of it, my parents were always supportive. Especially when I actually started making a living as a designer. Thankfully my little brother and cousin became morticians a few years ago so the business will be around for at least one more generation and now I’m off the hook.
We noticed Tezak Funeral Home has a Facebook Page. What's the marketing/branding strategy of a funeral service? Did they ask you to design their website?
I don’t actually know much about their approach to digital marketing. I’ve done a few little design projects with them in the past but in my case, I like to keep family and work separate. Also, the funeral business is completely dependent on personal, local relationships so they try to support other Joliet businesses as much as they can. Being a presence in the community is their most effective marketing strategy.
Mezzo 200 (Identity, Event)
What drew you to it/why did you say yes?
I’m always looking for opportunities to work with my friend and industrial designer, Noah Lambert. When he came to me with the idea I was sold from the beginning.
What inspirations helped inform your work?
The event was modeled after classic road races like the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio. Back when driving was called motoring.
Hardest part?
The design was easy because I basically had complete control. Actually organizing the event and coordinating with the city was the hard part. Luckily none of that was my job.
Thing you're most proud of?
I really love how the posters turned out and being a local event, they were actually pretty effective in getting people signed up.
Kitchensurfing (Identity)
What drew you to it/why did you say yes?
I love food.
What inspirations helped inform your work?
The aesthetics of a clean kitchen. Hokusai’s “The Great Wave”.
Hardest part?
The logo the client chose wasn’t originally my favorite but I actually think they made the right choice. It just took me a little while to come around.
Thing you're most proud of?
I think Kitchensurfing’s Director of Design, Ron Goldin, did a great job managing his team’s feedback and distilling it into something actionable that I could use.
Brand Deck (UI/UX, Packaging, Identity)
What drew you to it/why did you say yes?
It was an internal project at Simple Honest Work and was my first opportunity to participate in a Kickstarter campaign.
What inspirations helped inform your work?
We were inspired by our evolving process when branding companies. The deck was developed as a way to help clients articulate who they wanted to be.
Hardest part?
This mostly fell on Scott Thomas, my boss at the time, but sorting out all the logistics of producing and shipping all these decks was tough.
Thing you're most proud of?
This was truly a team effort and everyone at SHW worked their butts off on it.
Yo-Yo Ma (UI/UX, Identity)
(DISCLAIMER: This project was a concept only. I left my old firm halfway through and they ended up going in another direction. That sort of struggle might be familiar to a lot of designers.)
What drew you to it/why did you say yes?
Yo-Yo Ma is such a positive force in the world of music, art education, and culture. It’s great to work with someone like that.
What inspirations helped inform your work?
Yo-Yo’s music.
Hardest part?
I ended up leaving the Simple Honest Work in the middle of this project. This work is just a concept and was sadly, never produced.
Thing you're most proud of?
Getting to hang out with Yo-Yo Ma!
BONUS ROUND
Proudest career moment:
Honestly, just being able to make a living doing creative, fulfilling work. There are so many jobs that leave you empty at the end of the day and I’ve been able to escape that.
Biggest career failure:
I did an ad for this pesticide spray used on lawns that was known to kill honeybees. I’m an avid gardener and my wife is an ecologist so it really ran contrary to our beliefs. I was working at an ad agency at the time and didn’t have the guts to say I wanted off the project.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I like to read science fiction novels, dig around in my garden, and cook. My wife and I are trying not to eat meat anymore so we’ve had to learn how to get creative in the kitchen.
Last 3 things you Googled:
Mille Miglia, Peeponics, Free Business Card PSD Mockup
Significant creative influence or inspiration:
I love the work of Ladislav Sutnar. His design holds up as well today as it did 80 years ago.
Current song on repeat:
I’ve been listening to Bo Hansson’s 1970 album, Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings. Stay with me! It’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s this weird, funky, Swedish instrumental prog rock thing and I just can’t get enough of it.
Favorite quote:
“Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.” – Benjamin Franklin
Advice you’d give your high school self:
Wearing flip flops, cargo shorts, and a key lanyard is not a cool way to dress.
Two truths and a lie:
My sister is a great photographer.
My Great Grandmother was the first licensed female mortician in Illinois.
I’m really good at math.
WNW members whose work you admire and why:
Shoutout to my design buddies Darrin Higgins, Eileen Tjan, and Alex Griendling who all do incredible work and are nice people.