Overshare Podcast: Kate Moross

Overshare is a Working Not Working event series and podcast that features honest conversations with our favorite creatives about the tough stuff we don't talk about in public often enough. For our 8th episode, WNW co-founder Justin Gignac talks to Member Kate Moross in the first London edition of Overshare. 

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Meet Bulldog Problem-Solver ​​​​​​​Cyrus Vantoch-Wood

Meet Bulldog Problem-Solver
Cyrus Vantoch-Wood

MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR

With over twenty years of experience in the industry, London-based WNW Member Cyrus Vantoch-Wood, who runs an independent consultancy called Head, Heart & Power, is often brought in as a hired gun to solve problems for brands. His past collaborator list is a directory of the biggest brands and agencies both in the UK and stateside. As Cyrus puts it in our interview below, "I’m a designer, not an artist. I try to follow the problem through to the right solution, having fun along the way with all the tools and styles available to me." This scrappy approach, with an eye well-trained in surveying and maximizing the resources available to him, is clearly working.

But Cyrus also offers an honest and resonant portrayal of what he's had to put on the line in pursuing his particular creative path. "We all go through issues in chasing your ambitions. I’ve had to make some powerful choices: The choice to be a designer instead of an artist (solve someone else’s problems rather than my own). The choice to move countries and leave friends and family. I’ve chosen morals over money on occasion."

Since there's much to be proud of in his rearview mirror, and as he readies his next new business venture, we asked Cyrus what the idea of a dream project means to him. "It’s not about a title or a vertical for me. It’s simply about great collaborators, a shared ambition, access to the resources, and clients that will give us the permission." 

 

Tell us a bit about your creative background. Who is Cyrus and how did he get here?

I’m a working class bloke from Yorkshire who always liked to tinker with things. I’ve been a geek since my ZX Spectrum. I loved computers and testing what you can do with them creatively. What ideas you could bring to life on them. It led me to graphic design, animation, and coding, which in turn got me passionate about design methodology. Then somewhere along the line I started writing things. Scripts and articles. Running teams. Presenting ideas. I’m still a geek though.

 

How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?

I’d like to think I don’t have a style. I certainly don’t aspire to have one. I’m a designer, not an artist. I try to follow the problem through to the right solution, having fun along the way with all the tools and styles available to me. But ultimately I want to create work that is unique every time and answers a brief.

What do you see as the turning point in your creative development and career?

When Dare started back in 2000 I was the third employee to join the agency. Dare definitely helped evolve my work ethic and specifically a man called Mike Williams. Mike sat next to me and mentored me (reluctantly) for a few years. He showed me that you can tackle any problem with obsessive passion and some grit and grunt. Teaching yourself as you go. I’ve always taken that bulldog-like belief and approach to whatever I do. Picking up Mike’s methodology and bravery was a turning point in me becoming a real creative maker versus a creative talker.

 

What were some of the challenges in launching your creative career?

We all go through issues in chasing your ambitions. I’ve had to make some powerful choices: The choice to be a designer instead of an artist (solve someone else’s problems rather than my own). The choice to move countries and leave friends and family. I’ve chosen morals over money on occasion.

Which of your projects are you proudest of and why?

I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so I’m rarely ever fully happy with a project. I’m often more proud of what the team has achieved for the money. Or what social impact a campaign has had. At R/GA in New York, I was working on a notorious, multi-national retailer, who had approached the agency with a brand problem: looking for a better reception in the world. We jumped at the challenge, researching, theorising, and gathering insight from many sources. In the end, we came to the simple conclusion. If they wanted people to have a better perception of them, they had to start actually being an ethically led company.

A number of different initiatives were implemented but there was one that resonated with me: The economic crash in America had resulted in a food crisis for lower income families. The company had lots of excess stock that was essentially being binned when it passed sell-by-date. After teaming up with various charities, we began a program to start donating the leftover food, raising awareness via ATL, driving participation via social and being a partner in changing internal corporate behaviour. The results were tenfold: We saved millions in the disposal of food waste. The food donated was a tax write-off as a charitable donation. There was a big perception change for the company across the US. And most importantly we made a real impact on supporting those going hungry. In the two years following they’d made approximately a $2 billion donation to charity (one of the biggest in history).

What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?

Tough question. I look at it as about where can I contribute to making the best work.

It’s not about a title or a vertical for me. It’s simply about great collaborators, a shared ambition, access to the resources, and clients that will give us the permission.

Either that or travelling food photographer. Which I’m working on.

 

Where are the best places to work in the UK?

For agencies, I think it’s like Indian restaurants on Brick Lane. They go through peaks and troughs - one day Cafe Bangla will be the best place to eat. The next it will be Sheba.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed my time at Cheil London, which had quite a bad rep. But it had the collaboration, ambition, and permission I mentioned earlier. I loved my experience there and made some great work. Unfortunately, the tectonic plates of business meant they have gone through some real changes, and that culture, I’m told, has gone.

How would you define the London creative scene?

I’m not totally sure I’m cool enough to answer that. I don’t go to that many industry events. I suppose I’d describe my friends and acquaintances as all creative, and we have a lot of fun mostly going to twisted music gigs and interesting restaurants and getting drunk at art openings. If that’s the creative scene, I’d describe it as blurry.

 

How do you see the creative landscape shifting in the UK from when you first started your career?

It’s much harder for young talent. When I started you could get a job if you could use photoshop. Now, the way interns have to spend years trying to land a role makes me feel very lucky. In the same breath, the work ethic has changed. At the end of the 90’s doing an all nighter in the office was the norm. Now I think younger creatives don’t have such a “trial by fire” experience and have trouble with the harsh critique. It’s a genX / genY difference I think.

If not here, where would you most like to live?

I’m lucky that I’ve lived in a few countries already. I love LA - would happily be there. I am also interested in China or Korea. Maybe at some point.

 

Who are your biggest creative influences?

They vary so much and are from a real diversity of places. I love singularity. I’m always amazed by Hollywood and the different ways in which directors can collaborate with so many, or dictate and come out with something so pure and pointed. I suppose I love all kinds of people who have that ability. Kubrick, Guy Bourdin, Neville Brody, Stefan Sagmeister, David Ogilvy, Yayoi Kusama, Nina Simone… you get the idea.

One book, one album, one movie, one show. Go.

Hmmm, not a fan of these questions. So restricting. So I’m going to cheat.

Books: For entertainment - Money by Martin Amis. For professional thinking - John Maeda's The Laws of Simplicity.

Albums: For warming up the night - Hustle, Reggae, Disco on SoulJazz Records. It’s a set of rare reggae that covers disco. For reminiscing - Primal Scream's Screamadelica.  For feeling weird and twisted - The Cenobites' The Cenobites ft. Kool Keith & The Godfather Don.

Movie: Blade Runner

Show: I have to say Game Of Thrones because Kit Harrington lives a few doors down from me.

 

What is your most treasured possession?

Has to be my Canon 5D MK IV. I’m a camera geek, and I love it.

What do you do when Not Working?

Photography and cooking. Plus the occasional cycle to somewhere nice.

 

What’s your motto?

Wave automatic guns at nuns.

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard or received that all creatives should hear?

Don’t be afraid to be Marmite.

 

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

I’m working on a new business venture with an ex-colleague from R/GA. I can’t say much, but it will be called WoodCutters.

 

Discover more creative talent and projects like this on Working Not Working. If you're a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share, email us.

Edward Tuckwell's Cinematic Illustrations Look Ready To Move

Edward Tuckwell's Cinematic Illustrations Look Ready To Move

MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR

WNW Member Edward Tuckwell's work often looks like it's pulled from a classic film that doesn't yet exist. The cinematic staging and palpable tension of Edward's world draw the viewer in, with his images often feeling like they're pausing mid-motion. We interview Edward to talk about his creative style, his biggest influences (who tend to be filmmakers), and the turning point of his creative career, which he credits to London: "It seems like a common trend with a lot of people I know, but there’s a certain relentless buzz of a capital city which is so important for a freelance creative starting out. Being around people whose work I admire, collaborating on projects, and fully immersing myself in the industry helped me develop."

 

Tell us a bit about your creative background. Who is Edward and how did he get here?

I knew from a relatively early age that I wanted to work in some form of creative job. My mother was a landscape architect, and my father works in construction so I thought I would end up pursuing a career in Architecture. At the time of my foundation year, I wanted to explore multiple disciplines and found that Illustration was a good compromise between graphic design, traditional art, and photography. Since then I’ve leaned on the graphics side more and more until I’ve ended up with the approach I have today.

 

How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognise a signature style that links most of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?

I think it's important to come at a project from a fresh perspective without forcing a visual style that might not be suitable for the job. Having said that, there is a need to keep some sort of consistency across the board. It's a balancing act. I tend to use sections of flat colour to define the illustration, combined with a small analogue element of some sort - a scanned texture, brush stroke or dissolved gradient for example.

 

What do you see as the turning point in your creative development and career so far?

Leaving part-time work and moving to London. It seems like a common trend with a lot of people I know, but there’s a certain relentless buzz of a capital city which is so important for a freelance creative starting out. Being around people whose work I admire, collaborating on projects, and fully immersing myself in the industry helped me develop.

 

What were some of the challenges in launching your creative career?

One of the largest challenges was working around my job in a restaurant to develop a body of work. Finding the time to do that was difficult, and my social life at the time suffered as a result. From there, getting enough regular design work to support myself financially was a big hurdle to overcome.

Which of your projects are you proudest of and why? 

The TFL campaign for ‘New Spacious Trains’ on the Underground was a nice moment. The job came in soon after I had moved to London, and was the first time I’d actually felt proud of a piece of work I had produced. I’m currently working on a 3-year ongoing project with Studio Pensom and SMOKE Creatives for The Canal & River Trust, illustrating the covers of Waterfront magazine. They’re shaping up to be a really good set of images, and I’m very thankful to be part of the project.

What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?

I would love to work on a modern-day film poster with a top director, much in the vein of S. Bass / A. Hitchcock. Or produce something for BAFTA, Cannes, The Oscars… But I'm dreaming.

 

How would you define the London creative scene?

Vibrant. Driven. Relentless.

 

How do you see the creative landscape shifting in the UK/Europe?

I’d find it hard to predict to be honest. People have been saying for years now that print media will die out soon, but it only seems to be going from strength to strength, much in the same way vinyl has had a massive popular resurgence. I see new magazines, publications and exciting print work emerging all over the place. I can only hope that we don’t loose our connection to tactile things… even though most of my day is spent staring at a computer screen.

If not here, where would you most like to live?

Rural Japan. I’d like to live somewhere totally alien to London and the UK for a couple of years.

 

Who are your biggest creative influences?

In my personal work, I take a lot of influence from film, old and new. I see Paul Thomas Anderson, Steve McQueen, Damien Chazelle and Alejandro González Iñárritu as some of the finest directors working today, and I always make an effort to catch their films in the cinema. Other than that I pretty much worship these late image makers - Eyvind Earle, Moebius, Fumio Watanabe and Saul Bass.

 

What scares you most about making creativity your career?

The need to work for money taking over the love of making art.

One book, one album, one movie, one show. Go.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Hail To The Thief - Radiohead

There Will Be Blood - Paul Thomas Anderson / Robert Elswit

True Detective - Cary Fukunaga / Nic Pizzolatto 

 

What is your most treasured possession?

My 1970s Zieleman ‘Type Special’ racer. It's the oldest possession I own, and I use it daily to transport me around the city - mainly to and from work.

 

What did you want to be when you were growing up? 

A downhill mountain bike rider of all things. We used to have a downhill track near my house in the countryside growing up, where the top teams in the UK would come to ride on the weekends. I used to go down there with my mates from school and watch guys launch themselves off dirt jumps that towered over our heads. It was the coolest thing ever.

What do you do when Not Working?

Going to gigs, traveling to and from Brighton, spending time with my girlfriend, indulging in computer games, visiting galleries and hibernating at the cinema.

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard or received that all creatives should hear?

I said something along the lines of this in another interview a few years back, and I think it's just as apt now as it was then… Take advice with a pinch of salt, others' experiences may not apply or work for you. Just make work.

Who are some WNW members whose work you admire and why?

Janne Iivonen - A fantastic Brighton based Illustrator, with some of the best character-based figures in the game. 

Kate Copeland - Without a doubt the most talented person working with brush and ink today, she depicts photorealism with a truly unique eye. Based in London. 

Adam Avery - The Norwich work-horse with a vibrant use of colour and an always interesting collection of graphic shapes in his compositions.

 

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

I'm working on a variety of projects at the moment, a couple I can’t talk about. Right now I'm on the next installment of Waterfront mag, a drink's bottle label, and some illustration work for a south-west music event.

 

Discover more creative talent and projects like this on Working Not Working.

If you're a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share, email us.

 

All Hail The Queen, London's Ace Directing Duo

All Hail The Queen, London's Ace Directing Duo

MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR

WNW Members Dan Lumb and Crinan Cambell, the directing duo that goes by The Queen, aren't afraid to experiment with different techniques and styles. It's what keeps their work fresh, inviting their audience into the unexpected with each and every project. In our interview below, The Queen takes us on a tour of some portfolio highlights and shares how each endeavor allowed them to hone their collaboration and approach, and add new weapons to their collective visual arsenal. 

Dan and Crinan also clearly see the London creative scene as an ideal environment teeming with energy. Their reverence is on full display here: "Production companies, galleries, and agencies are all being priced out of Soho and going east, and these amazing, fun pockets like Hackney Wick and Manor House are cropping up. It’s really competitive because there are so many people chasing the same opportunities, but that’s what gets the best work...The opportunities are coming from all directions, and places you wouldn’t expect." 

 

Tell us a bit about The Queen’s creative background. Who are Dan & Crinan and how did they get here?

It was a bit like a scene from Seven Samurai - we met each other soon after moving to London - both fresh out of art college, doing odd jobs around Soho - camera assisting, editing, and cleaning stains off porcelain. Keen and green, we’d be shooting tests with borrowed kit, working long into the night. First out of necessity, we started helping each other out. The stuff we were making very quickly became more advanced and, well, just better, and we realised that with two heads and four eyes we were more than a specky monster. Many adverts, music videos, short films, and branded-online-advertorial-video-content later, we’ve done all sorts of work in all sorts of amazing places, and are having epic adventures all along the way. High-fives riding into sunset, as credits begin to roll.

What is it about the other’s creative style or personality that made them an ideal creative partner for you?

Generally, Dan’s the one who is very impulsive and just spews out stuff. Crinan has a more calm and logical approach, which aligns everything, then we question and layer things to make them better and better. The creative-ping-pong makes the initial ideas fast, then the refining takes a little longer - we recommend burgers over all other food for late night working. In commercials, with the number of meetings, conversations, and often nervy clients, we find it really helps to sell ideas and concepts as a duo (Crinan flutters his eyelids - Dan rambles).

 

What do you see as the turning point in The Queen’s creative development and career thus far?

When you’re working from scripts that you’ve been given, it can be quite hard to carve out your style as a director. Most of the times we’ve really made a jump to a new place or direction is when we’ve made something off our own backs - be it a music video, a short film, or just a camera test that you can show people. That’s when you realise how important it is to keep doing those side-projects; otherwise, you end up being typecast and being employed to basically the same job you’ve done before. We haven’t yet been shoved into one of the directing boxes - kids, cars, beauty, food etc. It’s useful to be typecast to get work, but through making our own stuff, we’ve been lucky enough to get a broad range of scripts which we’ve been able to treat with executions that tell those stories in unusual ways that we find fun to watch.

 

Which of your projects are you proudest of and why?

 

Virgin Media - Squeezed

It was mega low-budget, but sort of cemented our art direction style. The original script had a drawing of a balloon popping, and that was about it! We were lucky that the creatives totally trusted us. We’re always surprised and amazed when we look back at the first tests and treatments for each job and see what they eventually evolved into. This one’s a prime example of saying ‘yes’ to something and seeing where it can end up.

 

AARP - Disrupt

The combination of edit style and subtle visual tricks while maintaining a genuine emotion is what we’ve notice in a lot of other people’s stuff we love, and we always try to achieve this where we can. It’s important to layer in those pleasing, unexpected moments which trick the brain, and force you to think more about what you’re watching.

 

Samsung - Paper Skater

We like this one as everyone thinks it’s CG, but it’s not! The whole thing is stop-motion animated over seven long basement days, with two incredibly talented stop-motion animators. It’s so good to get the chance to push established techniques in new ways. We based the camera work on 90’s skate videos - low angles and fisheye lenses - and all the skate moves were studied frame-by-frame from life, which is why he throws his weight so believably. It was a lovely idea that was incredibly satisfying to craft.

 

What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?

We’d love to get a few more narrative projects and combine all the technical stuff that we've developed over the years, which is why we write that sort of stuff into our short films. We really love visual storytelling, so working with lots of actors on a tightly choreographed, technique-driven, narrative number, in multiple countries would be it for us. ..oh, and a feature film.

 

Who do you see as the best brands, agencies, or studios to work with, in the UK?

We really like the recent Under Armour campaigns and the Nike women stuff has been ace. We’ve seen some really great scripts out of BBH and Havas, recently. Also the Ikea stuff out of Mother and the Volvo stuff out of Grey.

 

How would you define the London creative scene?

London’s so varied, and constantly evolving, which is the fun of it. Production companies, galleries, and agencies are all being priced out of Soho and going east, and these amazing, fun pockets like Hackney Wick and Manor House are cropping up. It’s really competitive because there are so many people chasing the same opportunities, but that’s what gets the best work.

 

How do you see the creative landscape shifting in the UK/Europe?

Advertising’s in a massive transition, and everyone’s still trying to figure out what on earth’s going on - it’s brilliant. Content-creation wise, people are slowly realising that asking for one good film will get you a much better result than 4 films for the same budget, but it’s a situation which never really goes away.

The opportunities are coming from all directions, and places you wouldn’t expect: PR companies, small boutique start-up places from one desk, clients and agencies coming straight to us with freelance producers, all mixing in with the big guys. You’ve just gotta keep open to adapting to however they want to work and wearing lots of hats if need be.

If not here, where would you most like to live?

Dan: I’d live in France.

Crinan: Edinburgh would be nice - anywhere with a long history, and lots of space.

We do half-and-half international work at the moment, and Skype from home most of the time, so in theory, we could be wherever we wanted, but unfortunately nothing really beats a face-to-face.

 

Who are your biggest creative influences?

There’s way too many but here’s a solid few giants: Martin de Thurah, Kasper Tuxen, Tom Kuntz, Koen Mortier, The Daniels, Andreas Nilsson, Bjork, Dougal Wilson, Jacques Audiard, Megaforce, CANADA, Goldie, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, John Hillcoat, Steve Annis, Trevor Robinson, Nirvana, Joanna Newsom, Daniel Wolfe, Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Krejci, Sam Brown, Chris Hewitt.

 

What scares you most about making creativity your career?

Losing that thing that made us start doing it in the first place. We were born out of the self-shooting three-men-and-a-van style of filmmaking. The landscape has already shifted massively in this direction, and long may it continue.

 

One book, one movie, one show, from each of you. Go.

Dan: The Log from the Sea of Cortez, Magnolia, Baywatch

Crinan: The Etymologicon, Natural Born Killers, Crimewatch

What do you do when Not Working?

Cooking, writing, watching early '90s rave videos on Youtube, D.I.Y. Dad Stuff (double denim on the weekends).

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard or received that all creatives should hear?

Dan asked Ringan Ledwidge for advice a couple of years ago, and he sent some great nuggets. Among others: “Spec ads are kind of a waste of time, as creatives don't really take them seriously and don't really look beyond the idea. Music videos however I think are really worth pursuing; you can show them more of who you guys are. A lot of the guys I now work with were at the bottom of the ladder when we met, we became mates and supported each other and went up together. Basically don't wait for the work to come to you, which I'm sure you're not: go after it.”

 

Who are some WNW members whose work you admire and why?

There are loads of great photographers and illustrators that are fantastic for inspiration - it’s great to see. Creative-wise, there are some amazing people whose stuff we love: Patrick Burns, Richard Beer, Theo Bayani - all brilliant!

 

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

We’re finishing the script on a new short, working on two animated commercials for the US and pitching stuff in the meantime - in for tomorrow. If that happens we’ll be doing that!

 

Discover more creative talent and projects like this on Working Not Working. If you're a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share, email us.

 

Jing Zhang's Illustrations Capture A Big World In A Small Frame

Jing Zhang's Illustrations
Capture A Big World In A Small Frame

MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR

WNW Member Jing Zhang has lived in London for over 10 years, and she doesn't play down its influence. "This city changes lots of people’s dreams and life paths, including mine." During her time in London, Jing has seen her career as an illustrator develop and flourish. In our interview below, Jing opens up about some of the challenges of pursuing a creative career, specifically in regards to pricing yourself and your work. She also shares her dream to have her work printed on a jumbo jet, references London's investment in creativity through the lens of the TFL, and predicts how the creative landscape may shift in the UK. "Despite the political uncertainty ahead, I think the future of the UK’s creative industry is actually shaped by the internet. The way clients and freelancers work will become more borderless; it will be less important where you’re based."

 

Tell us a bit about your creative background. Who is Jing and how did she get here?

I was born and raised in Southern China. I've been living in London since 10 years ago, where I now make it my home. This city changes lots of people’s dreams and life paths, including mine. In 2007 I took my first commission from Computer Arts to illustrate their cover when I was a student. This has paved my way to becoming an illustrator today.

 

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?

My illustration style is architectural, graphical, infographic. From project to project the style might differ. But the general theme is to give all my illustrations a big world in a small frame with lots of tiny people. They can be flat, isometric, 3D. I don't claim to own a certain style. But it is what I find very interesting at the moment and have been the most passionate about.

What do you see as the turning point in your creative development and career?

Perhaps it's the point when I left my full-time job which lasted for five whole years. In the latest 2 years of my full-time job, I started taking lots of "moonlight shifts." I got more and more commission work, so much that I started to lose my personal time and weekends. So I started my real career in 2014 concentrating on my illustrations. I don't even call myself a freelancer as I am selling my products rather than just my skills and time.

 

What were some of the challenges in launching your creative career?

The difficult part would be pricing myself in the market. Everyone is different, you simply can't apply someone else's experience and price card on your own. On top of that, my customers come from all over the world with different markets and different values for creative work. This added more complexity to my non-existing price card. I had my agents but honestly no one really knows your price better than yourself. And it takes years of experience to get to know that. No, I still don't have a price card.

Which of your projects are you proudest of and why?

The Imaginary Factory project got me started with my career as an illustrator;

The Recipe Card project kept me going.

The Heys Luggage is my first packaging project.

Legoland map is my first theme park map project.

My illustration for Dubai Expo went exhibiting around Dubai as a sculpture. It was my true honor to be a part of it.

What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?

In my mind, a typical dream job would be a well-established brand knocking on my door and saying, "Hey, here is some money and please do whatever you want." But my type of dream job would be having my work printed on a jumbo jet. I don’t have anything like that in my portfolio yet. I will tell you when I do although I don’t think I ever will. But I think about it every day. :)

 

Where are the best places to work in the UK?

Not sure if I'm stating the obvious. But it can't be anywhere else than London. It's such a great city encouraging all kinds of creative work.

How would you define the London creative scene?

It's fast-paced, open-minded, and diverse. To start with, TFL (Transport for London) is probably the best example of a London corporation that embraces creativity so well. London underground feels like a gallery for commuters and a battleground for all advertisers. TFL also fuels up the creative scene with their own vivid seasonal campaigns.

East London is also home to many brilliant creative studios and world-renowned artists. When you walk into a kebab shop in Dalston, it’s very likely you’ll see the art legends George and Gilbert having their meals next to you.

 

How do you see the creative landscape shifting in the UK & Europe?

Despite the political uncertainty ahead, I think the future of the UK’s creative industry is actually shaped by the internet. The way clients and freelancers work will become more borderless; it will be less important where you’re based.

In terms of creative style, Europeans keep a lot of local tradition whilst the British would very much like to try everything. e.g. the hand-drawn look has been popular for a long time in France whilst lots of Nordics will favor minimalism. British might just like them all.

If not here, where would you most like to live?

Porto, Amsterdam, Hanoi, Kyoto, just to name a few.

 

Who are your biggest creative influences?

My husband, WNW Member James Wignall. He’s a super talented animation director who brought me to the creative world.

 

What scares you most about making creativity your career?

I wracked my brain for an answer. But there really isn’t anything serious. If there needs to be one, I’d say that I’m constantly paranoid about “oh no, people don’t like my work anymore, because I have fewer likes from this project than the last one." It’s silly but we are sensitive.

One book, one album, one movie, one show. Go.

Sleep Tight (Rachel Abbot)

Innerworld (Electric Youth)

Spirited Away (I’ve watched it probably over 10 times)

Black Mirror

 

What is your most treasured possession?

Most of my plants. I have recently obtained a pilea peperomioides. Oh my gosh it is so beautiful.

 

What do you do when Not Working?

Having some time away is very important for me. I usually go away around 2 months a year. In the last year, I spent 4 months traveling around the world. It was very refreshing.

In my spare time, I just stare at my plants. I’m growing over 50+ species in my balcony, enough to keep me away from the computer every now and then.

What’s your motto?

"Keep your eyes on the prize."

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard or received that all creatives should hear?

Stay inspired. Stay excited.

You should keep finding time for personal projects. The benefits of personal projects are so much more than you think, in your career, in bringing better clients, also in mental health.

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

I’m working on my cocktail recipe project. It’s a project that connects the recipe with local culture. I learn a lot through the process. I’ve tried lots of new things outside of my skillsets (3D texturing and creative writing). It is my zen garden time after my commercial work.

Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? 

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Meet Chris Vanderhurst, Future Heavyweight Champion Art Director

Meet Chris Vanderhurst, Future Heavyweight Champion Art Director

MIKE O'DONNELL / EDITOR

 On the eve of our trip to London, we figured we'd get the lowdown from WNW Member Chris Vanderhurst. After only a month in London, Chris still feels like a seasoned tourist more than an official resident but he's excited to break into the UK's freelance scene. Chris also tells us about his creative successes and challenges, why he loves London advertising's use of the word "middleweight" in place of "midlevel," and offers some advice on the importance of choosing battles wisely. 

 

Tell us a bit about your creative background. Who is Chris and how did he get here?

I ask myself these questions almost every day. I started my career in Chicago after portfolio school, then LA, then to New York, and now London thanks to my girlfriend’s lucrative job offer and my inability to cope with certain election outcomes. There’s never really been a concrete plan or job offer in advance, but things have a way of working out if you’re willing to put in the work and not be an asshole.

People should move more often. There’s neat stuff out there.

 

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?

I’d like to say I don’t have a particular creative style because every brand and project is going to have its own unique solution. What works for BMW might not work for Google. I’ve always been more interested in solving the advertising puzzle than imposing a style onto a project that might not call for it. It’s why I ended up as an art director instead of a designer, and why I consider myself more of a problem-solver than artist (despite what my mom thinks).

What do you see as the turning point in your creative development and career?

There isn’t an exact date and time I can point at, but there was a point in my career I took pride in working weekends. But putting in 80 hours a week for 6 months straight isn’t something to be proud of. Thankfully, I’ve gotten at least a tiny bit wiser and stopped mistaking activity for productivity because it’s really easy to forget that this is all just advertising. It’s that whole “work to live, don’t live to work” thing.

 

What were some of the challenges in launching your creative career?

Getting a foot in the door is absolutely the hardest part for me. I’ve had the good fortune of employers generally wanting me to stick around long after my first freelance project wraps up, but it’s surprising to me how difficult—and panic inducing—it still is to get a recruiter’s attention in the first place. Fortunately, sites like WnW can help alleviate that. (Look at that shameless plug!)

Which of your projects are you proudest of and why?

I’ll go with our HBO Escape event for a few reasons. First and foremost, it was crazy cool to see Timothy Simmons (Jonah from Veep) pop up on my twitter saying “holy shit this is great” while he is in the middle of something I was brainstorming 3 months prior. Beyond that, it was satisfying because my partner and I had never really done any kind of event, but we still managed to impress our clients enough to take it on the road to SXSW.

What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?

The dream job is always the next one. I feel like we’re all on the hunt for it, and that’s part of the fun. I’ve worked with brands that I truly adore (and brands that no one does), but the truth is that there is no such thing as the perfect agency or golden brief that is going to be everything you’ve ever dreamt of. The trick is finding something to fall in love with wherever you are at the moment.

All of that being said: astronaut.

 

You’re new to London. From what you’ve seen so far, how does the London creative scene compare to that of New York and Los Angeles?

It’s hard to say because a month in, I still feel like I’m playing tourist. So far London has hidden the endearingly rough edges and eccentric personality you accidentally stumble upon in New York and LA, but I’m excited to find them.

I will, however, say their term “middleweight” is significantly cooler than “midlevel.” This distinction should be applied across the entire agency structure so my business card can someday read “Chris Vanderhurst. Heavyweight Champion Art Director”

How have you seen the industry shift from when you first started your career?

There was a glorious time not long ago that I thought an “influencer” was just the cool kid in high school who encouraged bad decisions.

 

If not in London, where would you most like to live?

I think Portland would be next on my list. Or maybe Austin, the Portland of the south.

 

Who are your biggest creative influences?

At the risk of sounding sentimental, I have to say it’s my late professor and friend, Robert Sedlack. He was the heart and soul of the Notre Dame graphic design program who opened my eyes to the power of design as a tool to solve problems, not just make powerpoints look pretty.

 

What scares you most about making creativity your career?

The fear that I’m a total hack who has already come up with my last decent idea, and there are a million 18-year-olds out there that are more naturally and terrifyingly talented than I ever will be. Fortunately, this fear consumes only most of my time.

 

One book, one album, one movie, one show. Go.

The Bone Clocks, The White Stripes’ Elephant, Battered Bastards of Baseball, The Simpsons (the early stuff. obviously.)

What is your most treasured possession?

Do my two cats count? Other than that, a pillow I had embroidered with a Run the Jewels lyric that Killer Mike retweeted.

 

What do you do when Not Working?

Putting 3 hours of anxiety-fueled research into where to eat dinner, or traveling an embarrassing amount of distance to play Mario Kart and drink beers with friends.

 

What is your motto?

I’m not the type of person that claims to have a motto. Is that a motto?

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard or received that all creatives should hear?

“You guys. It’s just a fucking Instagram post.” - midmeeting from an exasperated creative director to an overzealous team. There are absolutely problems out there worth fighting for, but a little perspective goes a long way. Choose battles wisely.

 

What’s next for you? What are you working on now?

My job right now subsists of finding a job and making sure my cats don’t tear up the furniture.

 

Discover more talent like Chris on Working Not Working.

Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!