WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO START A LIQUOR COMPANY
WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO START A LIQUOR COMPANY
When we were first introduced to Parce Rum, we joked that we wanted to partner solely because their branding is just so damn good. And so we did: Parce Rum was the official cocktail of our Print All Over Me Launch party and thankfully the rum was as good as their design.
We spoke to Parce Rum co-founder (and WNW member!) Jim Powers, who told us about his transition from the music industry to the wild west of running a booze company. The endless paperwork, the trips to Columbia, and how he's doing things differently. Jim also shared with us his One Bottle = One Tree initiative where he plants a tree for every bottle purchased. So now drinking means we're doing some good, too? We'll have another, please.
First: let’s talk about how amazing your last name is. Did you make it up?
Bequeathed to me by my father, from his father, and so on… from a lineage of Irish whisky bootleggers and horse “traders” from the Old Sod.
What’s your backstory?
Years working as an A&R guy for major record labels where I was fortunate to have a bit of success, and then I started my own indie label Minty Fresh, in Chicago. Growing up, I always was obsessive about music and somehow I found a way to get paid for my interests. When people stopped paying for music, it seemed like a good time to follow another personal passion, one that couldn’t be digitized. A good drink. Aged sipping rum.
How did Parce Rum get started? What makes you guys different from the other brands on the market?
Parce was started by myself, two brothers - Brian and Patrick, and a family friend in Colombia, Jaime Uribe. We were sitting on the porch of a finca (farm) a couple of hours outside of Medellin thinking about ways we could work with something associated with Colombia that we could all get excited about. After much back and forth, we looked at the drinks we were holding in our tumblers and it all made sense. Rummy rum rum!
When we first got introduced, we joked that the reason we wanted to team up was because your branding looked good with ours. Seriously though, who did it? Tell us about the design process.
Our bottle design was in collaboration with Mike Renaud. It took about a year and a half to arrive at the finished bottle.
Mike took thousands of pictures in Colombia for inspiration and we spent many hours in bars, looking at bottles already on shelves and asking ourselves how Parce could stand out while being bartender-friendly. Tough, tough work, requiring our consumption of many spirits along the way. Fortunately Mike is as gracious and fun to be around as he is talented so the entire process was great. We love his Parce design and the response has been fantastic.
What's been the most unexpected thing about running a liquor company? Where do you hope to be in five years?
The overwhelming paperwork and legalities of dealing with alcohol was/is even greater than we’d imagined. It kind of never stops, and you are always signing something. In five years we hope to have planted 300,000 trees in Colombia through our One Bottle = One Tree program. For every bottle of Parce purchased, we plant a tree native to Colombia as part of a reforestation partnership there. So far, we’re at over 10,000 trees planted and counting…
What’s up next for you?
We will introduce a Parce 3-year-old rum in the Spring. The flavor is fantastic and we think it will be the best 3-year-old rum out there, in our completely biased opinion.
Favorite rum recipe?
I’m a fan of Parce neat or on the rocks. Also love a true daiquiri using 2oz Parce 8yr, 1/2 oz lime juice, and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Year-round tastiness. Love a Manhattan using Parce instead of bourbon too. Yeeeumm.
Bonus Round!
Last few things you googled:
Re-engineered New Balance 1500, Che Bill Murray, Bandito (bar I was trying to find in Bogotá last Wednesday)
Advice you’d give your high school or college self:
Trust yourself.
Favorite quote:
Tie: “God is in the details” and “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.”
Creative inspiration:
Kurt Vonnegut, EB White, Jonathan Ive
Biggest career “failure”?
A music app that applied crowd sourcing to content curation. I still love the idea, but the ever-evolving technology behind it was humbling.
Proudest career moment:
Having a couple of bands I worked with perform on Saturday Night Live. For a kid from Iowa who was first introduced to many great bands through that show, it was a real thrill to have previously unknown artists make it to that stage.
Jim and his co-founders
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
HOW TO BUILD A BEER BRAND FROM SCRATCH
HOW TO BUILD A BEER BRAND FROM SCRATCH
WNW Member #1100 John James and a team of six have been spending their after hours crafting and branding a beverage best suited for after hours: Aurora. The team, ranging from brand strategists to bar managers, all share one thing in common: the love they have for Canada. "All of us came together over our shared ideology that - despite the (often) second-tier view that Canada has of itself, Greatness has and can be born here."
We spoke to John James about the process of building a beer company from the ground up, and how the identity and aesthetic for the beer and brand were born. After an incredibly successful soft launch in western Canada, Aurora will be sold throughout Canada in 2016 and go stateside and global soon after. The way we see it, Aurora is 4.5% alc/vol, and 100% Canadian Love.
When did you decide to start Aurora?
The actual idea had been tossed around by a couple of the partners for a few years, but we (as a team) began taking the steps toward production in late 2013, building a fleshed-out team and seeking investors. As a business, Aurora is actually one component of a three-part movement to start introducing art and open-minded ideals to a larger audience throughout Canada and over the course of the next two years, throughout the United States and further globally.
What is your role in Aurora?
In terms of my creative role within the company, as we have all been working on the brand aside from our day jobs (a team of 6 - ranging from brand strategists to bar managers), I've been acting Creative Director and part of the skeleton crew since the early stages. All of us came together over our shared ideology that - despite the (often) second-tier view that Canada has of itself, Greatness has and can be born here.
How did you create the design and style of Aurora?
From a shared goal and extensive research from the team, it was easy for me to build the identity and language surrounding the Aurora brand. Everything seemed to come together under the introduction of our minimalist Aurora Borealis can, which stemmed from visualizations around our brand phrase - Rise Above.
We started with a western Canada soft launch, and from our vendor feedback, I believe we are almost sold out. The response has been tremendous, which is encouraging and we are definitely thankful!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 30TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 30TH
Dan Fietsam, Copywriter. Chicago.
Suzanne Strong, Photographer. Los Angeles.
Rafa Alvarez, Illustrator. Berlin.
Todd Heyman, Director. New York.
Lucas Dotto, Motion Designer. Curitiba.
Bonnie Duffley, UX/IA Designer. Los Angeles.
Lauryn Siegel, Producer. Brooklyn.
Elisa Sandoval, Designer. Chicago.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: JEFF HODSDON
BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: JEFF HODSDON
WNW Member and Photographer #5727 Jeff Hodsdon has developed such an excitingly simple yet refreshing style, and we can't get enough of it. His project, "The Moments", is an on-going portrait series that captures his subjects in slow-motion, soft-focus. It's actually a hybrid of still and motion, in part because the first frame works deceptively well as a still image. And when the image comes to life, we're both surprised and hooked. We asked Jeff what it is about the idea of a moment that fascinates him. "I like the idea of ‘breaking the fourth wall’ — portraits that feel like someone is in their own life, yet giving you a split second of attention."
Make sure to check out Jeff's Instagram account to see all his Moment. And if you're attending the WNW X Print All Over Me Launch Party tonight, he'll be the one with the camera.
Tell us about your background: Who is Jeff Hodsdon and how did he get here?
I live in New York City by way of Califonia. I got here by motorcycle — took about a month and I journaled it on a tumblr. My focus is on taking images of people. Lately, my time is spent walking the streets of New York in search of people who I feel are in an interesting moment and photographing them. I post to an Instagram account and blog called “The Moments”.
Your ongoing series “The Moments” strikes a great balance between stillness and motion. Can you tell us about the development of the project and how you see it evolving?
I try to create an image that represents about one second of elapsed time. Not much happens in a second — if you look at any slice within a second the moment hasn’t changed really. I want someone to view them at any point in time and still see the same moment.
To capture a moment, do you first spend some time getting to know your subject, or do you aim for a purely raw interaction?
I usually don’t. I like to shoot the idea of someone that I have since that is what made me curious enough to ask for a quick photo. Everyone is different — sometimes I end up saying a couple words, then others you have a conversation with.
What inspires you most about the concept of a moment?
If you document it right with an image, it can bridge what happened and what you understand.
Why portraits?
I find people very interesting. They are so visual: what they wear, their environment, their posture, their expression, how they carry themselves, etc. New York City is one big set with millions of subjects. I love not looking for a particular image; I like to have a positive/curious feeling about someone I see and then shoot that feeling. You never know what you’re going to get.
Do any subjects surprise you?
Nothing too surprising yet. I suppose everyone is a surprise because I don’t know anything about them. What mood they’re in, if they want to smile, if they want to be told how to stand or not.
Do you feel more in your element doing still photography or video, or tackling both at the same time?
I don’t really do video where a story is unfolding. Nothing over a second of real time. It matters to me how you compose the feeling you had when you decided to capture the subject. The way I built my camera is to have just one button, nothing else to distract from figuring out how to capture what is in front of me. I like the idea of ‘breaking the fourth wall’ — portraits that feel like someone is in their own life, yet giving you a split second of attention.
How does New York inspire your creativity?
I like the energy here. It makes me want to do more.
What inspirations help inform your work?
Slim Aarons, Scott Schuman, Norman Parkinson
Hardest part?
Approaching people.
Biggest career failure or challenge?
Switching careers and starting over.
Most significant creative influence or inspiration (or creative hero)?
Favorite quote?
A photo can bridge the gap between what happened and what you understand.
Advice you’d give your high school self?
Party more.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
WNW x Print All Over Me Launch First Member-Designed Collection
If you've ever tried printing on a shirt and were sorely disappointed by how it turned out, you're not alone. But then came Print All Over Me, a creative service that allows people to turn their designs into real world objects. PAOM brings out the wannabe fashion designer in all of us. And with their super high-quality neoprene fabrics, modern silhouettes, and frequent artist collaborations, PAOM makes it really hard to keep your wallet closed.
Read MorePROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 9TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 9TH
Alex Poole, Producer. New York.
Dawn Yanagihara, Designer. Portland.
Jeanne Pope, Photographer. Detroit.
Ross Cairns, Creative Technologist. London.
Janine Rewell, Illustrator. Helsinki.
Kitkat Pecson, Illustrator. New York.
Mike J. van Heerden, Designer. Durban.
Steve Babcock, Copywriter. Boulder.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
BLOODBATH: THE HALLOWEEN HANGOVER
BLOODBATH: THE HALLOWEEN HANGOVER
WNW Member #3808 Josh McKenna and Ed Tuckwell have planned a week-long exhibition which is being held at the fantastic Church of London’s 71a Gallery starting this Thursday, November 5th. It's not only a great location for an exhibition, but an established and respected agency within the creative industry. TCoL houses a gallery, bar, and shop space in the heart of Shoreditch, the stomping ground for all things creative. Josh and Ed have put together a killer line up of 30 artists, some of which include WNW Members such as Cachete Jack, Jamie Jones, Janne Iivonen, Sara Andreasson, Jordy Van Den Nieuwendijk, Ray Oranges, and Jonathan Calugi.
In Josh's words, "Bloodbath: The Halloween Hangover fuses an eclectic roster of established and emerging artists from all corners of the illustration underworld, in a bid to discect the uncanny, and explore all manner of weird and dark subject matter that keeps us up at night."
Prints and secret items will be up for sale, alongside a vibrant exhibition of poster art. So help nurse your candy hangover with a bit of art!
WHO: Co-organized by WNW Member #3808 Josh McKenna, and featuring 30 artists.
WHAT: Bloodbath: The Halloween Hangover is an exhibit of Halloween-inspired illustrations.
WHEN: November 5th-12th
WHERE: 71 Leonard St, London EC2A, United Kingdom
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
SET THE WORLD ON FIRE: MACIEK JASIK
SET THE WORLD ON FIRE:
MACIEK JASIK
"I don’t always get away with what I want."
WNW Member and Photographer #3769 Maciek Jasik spends much of his days setting off fireworks and smoke bombs, all in the name of art. Maciek came from Poland to the United States at the age of six, sponsored by the Arkansas Catholic Church. He speaks deliberately, fully articulating his words in a way that English-as-a-second language speakers are apt to do. Maciek is equally thoughtful in his work. He is playful in his purpose, experimenting with color and light in novel ways. Just don't call it psychedelic.
Like so many in this community, Maciek's path to freelance photographer was nonlinear. Maciek attended Johns Hopkins for political science and pre-law, though any legal aspirations evaporated upon taking his first law class. He then became a writer and editor and soon found himself teaching English in Japan. While in Japan, Maciek says he became overwhelmed by being in such a visually stimulating environment, which lead in turn to the pursuit of photography.
We spoke to Maciek about some of his favorite work, why he considers painting to be inspirational and devastating, and how he balances commercial work with personal projects. So much of what Maciek does requires his subjects' participation and a willingness to just 'see what happens.' However sometimes when there's smoke, there might be fire: “The second I got the image, the smoke alarm went off. I had to explain to the person I was staying with that there was no fire, that I was just shooting with smoke. Thankfully he was incredibly nice about and he really liked the image.”
Are your parents in the creative world? Do they understand and support your decision to not be a lawyer?
I think my parents as immigrants tend to be practical and as the next generation I'm less practical. They both paint in their spare time but they chose to be much more practical. So when I first started doing photography, they were a bit skeptical. But once I showed how determined I was, and I started getting more commissions, I think they realized how real the situation was.
Is it important for you to be a freelancer rather than going in-house?
It's really important for me to be freelance to have the time between projects to develop my own projects or do research. There's more and more full-time work being done in photography, especially since more and more businesses like fashion houses develop their own in-house studios. But in a sense that's kind of a dead-end because once you decide to do that, you really have no other options. You don't have any other content really that you can provide. But I understand that certain people have economic constraints that force them into that position. There's no judgment made, but for me I don't see any way besides freelance to really be able to do what I want to do effectively.
How would you describe your own work? How have you heard it described?
I've heard it described in ways that kind of unsettle me. People say things like "psychedelic" which I don't see or understand. But I think it's an interesting aspect that when people are presented with vibrant color they react in a series of different ways. I use color because for me, it's very emotional. People have a very strong response to it, so I use color to make landscapes and faces and bodies surreal and different and unexpected. When I meet people, I tell them I work in color, and that seems like a very simple response to them. But as they soon see, it is much more complicated.
How has your photography evolved over time?
It took a really long time to go from being an amateur to I guess a professional. You go two ways: you either imitate somebody, or you try to do something different. Doing something different is far riskier, far more difficult. I think commercially it's much easier to say you're the poor man's David Sims or Steven Meisel but i think it's much more rewarding to do something on your own. So it took several years for me to come into my own. I started shooting my A Thousand Souls project, my color portraits, in 2009, and that was kind of my break into doing my own aesthetic. But it took a few years before that really caught fire and allowed me to do things either commercially or otherwise besides working on my own.
Do you dabble in film as well?
I was actually a double major in political science and film. My first obsession really was film. I'd watch two to three films a day for months. There was a period after school when I lived in New York and I watched I think a film every single day for a year. And then I got completely burnt out. And I don't actually watch that many films anymore.
But I've started making video. I made a skateboarding video in Los Anglees in an abandoned mall. We strapped fireworks to my friend's skateboard and we did all kinds of tricks. I'm starting to work in film, but it's a very different application. The way you approach still image versus moving image is so different. With film you're taking all of these pieces of a puzzle and putting them together, whereas a still image is the entire puzzle. You kind of have to rewire your brain. So I'm in the process of doing that.
What have you gained from your experiences shooting commercial photography?
Commercial photography has really taught me how to perform under pressure, to stay calm, to stay focused, to understand what shots you can get safely, what you can risk, what you can't risk, how to maintain your composure so no one has any idea how disastrous things could possibly be... And that's really taught me a lot and really helped me in my own personal work.
What's your ratio of commercial work to personal work?
I used to have a ratio probably 95% personal, 5% commercial. Recently, I've become a lot busier, so it's probably been 95% commercial really. I've hardly had any time. I was traveling to London for Wired UK, I had a story for Huffington Post in Alabama, Fast Company in Phoenix. An ideal ratio is probably 50/50 but you have to just take what you can get, and when it rains it pours so I'm happy to work.
Some of Maciek's Favorites:
Claire Wasserman is the Director of Marketing at Working Not Working, based in New York and Portland, Maine. You can follow her on WNW and Instagram. Her last article for Free Range was an interview with Kat Gordon, founder of the 3% Conference.
MY BUCKET LIST: ASHLEY HUHE
MY BUCKET LIST: ASHLEY HUHE
Despite the million and a half things WNW Member and Minneapolis-based Designer #7098 Ashley Huhe has already accomplished, her bucket list runs deep. So be it, the life of an ambitious creative. We asked her to share the top things on her list and in true Type-A fashion, Ashley illustrated a whole bunch of them for us.
It got us thinking about our own bucket list, most of which erred more towards Octoberfest than Everest. But hey, if enough WNW Members want to go spelunking, we're down to organize it. You'll have Ashley to thank.
Go Spelunking+Explore a Cave
Hike to Mt. Everest Base Camp
Fly a Plane
Sleep in an Igloo and Watch the Northern Lights
Learn to Do Sewn Book Bindings
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich
PERSONAL
Tell us about your background: Who is Ashley Huhe and how did you get here?
I was prophetically professed “Best Artist” in my High School yearbook from a whopping 150 people. Pretty embarrassing these days but my love of making things was always a part of my identity. No vote needed. After a 3-year stint at a public university where I studied abroad in England for a year (aka the best year of my life) I transferred to the Minneapolis College of Art & Design where I spent three years and a semester abroad at the Bauhaus in Weimar, unexpectedly falling in love with the German language in the process. I interned with Printerette Press and had a brief moment of letterpress love. I will always love print, always. I spent a semester interning with the French Alliance of Minneapolis / St Paul and The Thorburn Group after graduation. After graduation I decided to nip one of my bucket list items in the butt and headed to Germany for a year to be an Au Pair and work on my German skills. Upon my return I started to work at The Thorburn Group again. Getting to this point has been a whirlwind of adventure that influences my work in perhaps ways I might never realize.
We love your bucket list! You mentioned accomplishing the bucket list item of living in Germany. Any other bucket list items you've crossed off?
I have a ungodly long bucket list and it grows more than things get checked off. My proudest bucket list “check-offs” include:
1. Living and working abroad to learn another language. After graduating I moved to Germany to be an Au Pair for a year. I met some pretty awesome kids (and adults), experienced the culture pretty in depth, and I am able to carry a pretty decent conversation in German. It’s not fluent but it’s conversational :)
2. I have Norwegian, Czech, English and German roots and I wanted to be able to visit all of these countries. I accomplished this in 2013.
3. I’ve gone out to a nice restaurant for dinner alone.
4. I’ve written a short story.
5. I’ve picked grapes for a vineyard (and no I will never do it again)
6. Win a hula-hooping contest (Ok, I didn’t win but I got 3rd!)
What do you do when you’re not working?
I’m passionate about travelling and so I like to do that as much as possible. I also enjoy hiking and yoga but there are days, however rare, where I stay in, drink coffee, and watch Netflix. I also like to socialize with humans after working on the computer for hours on end.
PROFESSIONAL
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be a Zookeeper primarily so I could bring baby animals that were abandoned home with me in the evenings.
Proudest career moment?
Being offered work right after graduation.
Biggest career challenge-failure-mistake?
I won’t get into the gory details but I learned not to internalise mean-spirited clients. And sometimes regardless of the client's decisions and wants ALWAYS get a physical mock-up from their printer.
BONUS ROUND!
Last three things you Googled:
1. Where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held (it’s South Korea)
2. Kittens meowing and talking
3. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tips
Most significant creative influence, inspiration, or creative hero:
I think this is a melting pot of a couple things. First off travel is my most creative influence but with that comes many things like being outdoors and the textures, colors and shapes of nature. Also, being immersed in another culture and other human lives invigorates the mind and presents some of the most subtle changes in thought patterns that can make all the difference to a creative thought.
Current songs on repeat:
"Christine (Tilted)" - Christine & The Queens
Favorite quote:
Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
-Dumbledore / J.K. Rowling
Advice you’d give your high school self:
Work hard but don’t stress out so much -- it’s going to work out.
Also please don’t try Snus and definitely don’t do it twice -- it’s not going to be less potent in another country and you WILL throw up.
Two truths and a lie:
1. I’m allergic to horses
2. I’ve rode camels and slept in a tent in the Moroccan desert
3. Astronomy was the least useful class I took in College - Lie, it’s been one of the most useful as far as spewing random information out at people.
WNW Member whose work you admire and why:
Annie Ulku - Minnesota girl with some mad illustrative style and type skills
Got a bucket list you'd like to share? Email us!
WE RODE, WE TOURED, WE DRANK: EVENT RECAP
WE RODE, WE TOURED, WE DRANK:
EVENT RECAP
When tokyobike offered to lend us a bunch of bikes, we immediately said yes. Our first thought was to organize a pub crawl but quickly realized that might not be the best idea. So instead, WNW Member #7139 Ken Kirton (of studio and publishing house Hato), helped put together a bike tour of some of East London's most creative shops. A handful of members enjoyed a Friday afternoon of leisurely biking with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into Kit Neale, Hato, Studio Manifold, It's Nice That, and Michael Marriott. There was also the obligatory bakery stop for some mid-ride refreshments. But no WNW event is complete without a celebratory drink so the day ended at Strongroom Bar where everyone raised a glass to zero bike injuries. We spoke to Ken to hear how it went.
A big thank you to all of our riders, everyone who opened their doors, the weather gods for not raining, and of course to tokyobike, for strengthening our members' leg muscles.
What did you see at each place you visited?
Kit Neale: Saw their newest fashion collection from in their pop-up shop in Shoreditch.
Hato: The shop, workshop area, printing press and design studio. Demonstration on Riso printing. Stop off at Fabrique, a Swedish baker for cardoman buns.
Manifold: Matt took us through everyone's practice of their collective. Very hands on and refined ceramicist and makers.
It's Nice That: Lights off for their presentation and beers.
Michael Marriott: His workplace and discussions on the importance of a workshop and how a studio space can effect one's practice.
Any mishaps along the way? Did anyone fall of their bike or get separated from the group?
Sadly. Or thankfully no!
How would you characterize East London's creative scene?
Extremely vibrant and varied. Not only facilitates agencies of all sizes from 500 to 1, it's also a host for artists and craftsmen / makers.
It was great to work with you, Ken. What do you have planned next for Hato?
It's always great to collaborate with other energetic and driven organisations, WNW certainly being one of them. With WNW we hope to begin to connect with more marketing and advertising agencies on a global level to deliver bespoke learning experiences and workshops for their clients. In doing so we'll also need to expand and condense our team and view WNW as a fantastic resource of talented individuals that will be able to help Hato grow.
Aww thanks! You're making us blush.
Interested in hosting an event for the WNW community? Email us!
HOW NOT TO BECOME A MORTICIAN: KYLE TEZAK
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.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: OCTOBER 19TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: OCTOBER 19TH
Natalia Stuyk, Animator. London.
Christian Carlsson, Designer. London.
Tim Boelaars, Designer. Amsterdam.
Vero Escalante, Illustrator. Buenos Aires.
Gautam Dutta, Illustrator. Los Angeles.
Robert Whitman, Photographer. New York.
Robert Wallace, Director. London.
Jula Boehm, Art Director. London.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
DREAMS RECLAIMED: JEFF SCARDINO
Every creative has that one dream project that may take years to come to life. And what a feeling when that moment finally arrives. For WNW Member #4183 Jeff Scardino, that moment is now. "Dreams Reclaimed", a new ad for Aetna, stems from an idea that has been Jeff's baby for years. It began to take shape when Jeff researched his dad's newly diagnosed sleep apnea. He learned that with certain sleeping conditions, "You’re never able to hit REM because you are constantly waking up even though you don’t realize it. This stuck with me. What would it be like not to dream? Does it even matter?" By recreating the first vivid dreams that three individuals have had in years, after finally receiving treatment, Jeff documents their dreams reclaimed, as well as his own.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, and your background as a copywriter.
I’ve worked in NYC for my whole career at such places as R/GA, DDB, and Ogilvy. Currently I’m freelancing. I’ve had the pleasure to work on some interesting brands like Tropicana, NY Lottery, Amnesty International, and IKEA. I also teach at Miami Ad School, and I’m an FWA Mobile judge.
This new Aetna ad is trippy. What was your role, and how did it come together?
So this idea was my baby. I had been trying to get it made for years. I first came up with it when my dad was diagnosed with sleep apnea. At the time, I didn’t know much about the disorder. I just knew his snoring echoed throughout the whole house. For treatment, he received a CPAP machine that he wore only one time before refusing to use it ever again. So I decided to do research in hopes of convincing him that he needed it. In my search, I found a study that showed sleep apnea can cause you to have low dream recall and even cause you not to remember your dreams at all. This is due to the fact that you’re never able to hit REM because you are constantly waking up even though you don’t realize it. This stuck with me. What would it be like not to dream? Does it even matter?
When I dug deeper, I found that dreams have a healing power. Our subconscious uses dreams to solve problems and allows you to visualize memories that are buried.
Dreams are something we take for granted. My dad didn’t think twice about the fact that he couldn’t remember his dreams for years. There are a lot of health risks associated with not getting healthy sleep, but this was more of an emotional angle. One that could truly make people think differently.
So I thought what if I took people who suffered from a sleeping disorder and had them record their first dream after treatment. This being the first vivid dream they’ve had in years. And then took those dreams and recreated them in a film. It would be a powerful piece that would start conversation and make people think, “When was the last time I dreamt?”
I created and oversaw every aspect of this project working hand in hand with my CCO.
How do you go about writing someone else's dreams?
We started with hundreds of people who suffered from a sleeping disorder that caused them not to remember their dreams. The pool was whittled down based on a series of interviews. The final ones were selected based on their first dream. We wanted to tell three distinct stories that evoked three different emotions.
Each person was only able to record a nugget of their respective dream. So we had to learn as much as we could about them and their lives in order to piece together why they dreamt what they dreamt. This was fun. We had complete freedom in recreating these dream worlds. But we wanted to ground each decision in reason.
Do you dream a lot? What's your weirdest dream?
I do dream a lot. And ever since I started this project I have been writing down my dreams. I’d say the weirdest one I’ve had lately involved me trying to keep my family alive in a zombie apocalypse. And the zombies were all people I’ve met throughout my life. Probably a deeper meaning for me trying to move forward. Or I just watch The Walking Dead too much.
Which project throughout all of your career highlights are you proudest of?
I think every project you’re able to produce brings pride of some kind. Probably because it’s so hard to make good work. There are so many hurdles that get in the way. But I would have to say finally making this film is one of my prouder moments. Every creative has that one idea they carry with them from agency to agency, brand to brand, trying to get it made. And this was mine. Also being able to make something so conceptual for a brand like Aetna is a huge win.
What advice would you pass on to your high school self?
Don’t eat so much Taco Bell. It will permanently damage your digestive system.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
Image by Jessie Farris
WHO'S IN YOUR TRIBE? DESIGNER VACA 2015
WHO'S IN YOUR TRIBE? DESIGNER VACA 2015
Last week, we checked out Designer Vaca, an anti-conference where Designers from all over the globe meet at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs to relax and share experiences, knowledge and inspiration sans the screens. The getaway’s agenda is intentionally loose to allow for adventures in the desert and a lot of conversation (and cranberry margaritas) by the pool.
It was rad to have WNW members like Lia Napolitano, Kelsey Dake and Timoni West in attendance. WNW Member Jessica Hische had a playful but honest Q&A session about being a badass lady creative and the power of saying no to work that doesn’t push you forward.
At a time when there still seems to be a lot of emphasis on “Women in Tech” or “Women in Advertising”, it was nice to spend a few days surrounded by creatives who wanted to get to know and learn from each other as artists and entrepreneurs. They also just so happened to all be women. And yes, stories about balancing career with motherhood were exchanged but so were stories about multiple revenue streams, attracting your dream clients and how much to charge for your work.
Maybe the most successful conferences are the anti-conferences. Maybe the best way to resolve the hardships that women face in this business is to bring together a group of industry leaders in the desert with a few blank sketch pads and a few cocktails, and let the work speak for itself.
A big welcome to all of the new WNW members that we met at Designer Vaca. We are happy to have you!
- Ashley Nowicki, Director of Talent at Working Not Working
Photos by Michelle Kim
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
ART OPENING: SOLD OUT, PORTLAND
ART OPENING: SOLD OUT, PORTLAND
Don't let the title fool you, tickets are not sold out.
WNW Members #1995 Mark Richard Miller and #2024 Dave Franzese, also known as the creative team Dark Igloo, have an exhibit titled Sold Out opening at FISK in Portland this Friday at 8PM. If you're in the area, make sure to swing by and check out Dark Igloo's signature nostalgic absurdity.
WHO: Dark Igloo (Dave Franzese & Mark Richard Miller) are a creative team based in Brooklyn, NY. Best friends and collaborators for nearly a decade, their studio’s output is characterized by a dedication to personal initiatives. A shared vision, complementary skills, and evolving interests have lead to a portfolio that spans illustration, photography, animation, video games, sculpture, and fart jokes.
WHAT: SOLD OUT is a portal to the nostalgic and absurd. Where upgraded ephemera, original works, and interactive installations hang out side by side. Details are exaggerated, the lowbrow is put on a pedestal, and the surreal is made real, framed, and sold.
WHEN: Opening is October 16th at 8pm / Open from October 16 to November 15
WHERE: FISK Gallery - 3636B N MISSISSIPPI AVE — PORTLAND, OREGON 97227
HOW: No RSVP necessary, just show up fashionably on time
WHY: Dark Igloo ... isn't that enough?
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: OCTOBER 12TH
PROFILES OF THE WEEK: OCTOBER 12TH
Joshua Reis, Director. Los Angeles.
David Urbinati, Motion Designer. West Palm Beach.
Melissa Deckert, Designer. Brooklyn.
Veronica Corzo-Duchardt, Designer. Chicago.
Thomas Slater, Illustrator. London.
Leigh Masters, Art Director. New York.
Mea Cole Tefka, Producer. New York.
Yann Corlay, Copywriter. Amsterdam.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
BOOK LAUNCH: OCTOBER 7TH, BROOKLYN.
BOOK LAUNCH: OCTOBER 7TH, BROOKLYN.
WNW Member #5360 Adam Turnbull is an Australian-born, Brooklyn-based artist and graphic designer. He has a new book launching tomorrow, called Noted: A Journal to Explore How We Shape, Create, and Develop Ideas. Noted opens up the creative process to jump-start your ideas. So to all you New Yorkers, head over to Dumbo tomorrow night at 7 at the Powerhouse Arena to celebrate Adam's book launch.
WHO: WNW Member #5360 Adam Turnbull
WHAT: Book launch for Noted: A Journal to Explore How We Shape, Create, and Develop Ideas
WHEN: Wednesday, October 7th @ 7-9pm.
WHERE: Powerhouse Arena, 34 Main Street. Brooklyn, NY.
RSVP@powerHouseArena.com
