23 Questions!

What sparked your passion for art direction/design?
I’m not sure what sparked my passion but I was always drawing and painting when I was young. I was always doodling during maths classes.

How creative were you as a youngster?
I did a lot of drawing in my spare time as well as some animation and movie making.

Do you come from a creative family? Were they supportive of your desire to be a designer?
Most of my family have a medical background. My father has a great interest in Australian art and has always been very supportive of the direction that I chose.

What sort of education and training have you had?
I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design. A good knowledge of art history from school days and have some digital marketing training as well as presentation skills training. And the on-the-job training that you get from 20 years industry experience working with some great people.

Who did you want to work for when you first entered the industry?
The Campaign Palace was probably the agency to aspire to when I was studying but I started my career at Mattingly & Partners, which was a great place to begin to learn the trade.

Tell us about your first project and what do you feel about it now?
It was a V/Line Holidays job with Ozzie Ostrich on the front cover – enough said.

What is your preferred software to work with and what has been the greatest advancement in technology over the past 5 years? I love Photoshop and the whole Adobe suite. I think 3d/CGI has come a very long way in the last five years and is replacing more and more traditional photographic work.

What are the various mediums that you’ve worked with and are there any that you would like to explore? I have worked across many mediums in my time in the industry. I would love to do more digital work.

Is digital technology going to eliminate the need for print?
No, I don’t think so. As long as there is paper there will be print.

Whose work do you really admire and why?
I don’t have any favourites but I am constantly amazed and inspired by work from all over the globe.

Who has been the greatest person that you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and what have they taught you?
I’d hate to name one person. I think you take something from almost everyone you work with. I’ve learnt as much from accounts people as I have from creative people.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?
Twenty years in the industry with a lot of great friends. And all the work that’s in my book.

How would you describe your work?
I like to keep my work strong and simple.

What are your plans for the future?
To continue to work with great people and enjoy the work I do.

What sort of company would you like to work with next?
I would be happy to work in any company with a strong sense of identity and a team approach to the work.

What is your opinion of Australian design?
It can be as great as anywhere else in the world and as bad as anywhere else.

What is the best/worst thing about being a designer in Australia?
The best thing is the sun and surf. The worst thing is that you sometimes have to work with boring, homogenised international brand guidelines.

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge the Australian design industry has to face in the near future? The greatest challenge that the industry has to face in the near future it is probably trying to convince clients to spend their money and that truly great advertising/design is worth every penny.

What is your creative outlet outside of design?
Photography. I’d also like to paint but just can’t find the time at the moment.

What is the best designed bar in Melbourne?
Although it’s a pub and not a bar, The Grand Hotel in Richmond has been cleverly designed to be a 30 second walk from my place!

What are your top 5 websites at the moment?
www.adsoftheworld.com
www.electricart.com.au
www.pageflakes.com
www.michaelweldon.com
kuler.adobe.com

What CD are you currently listening to and is it any good?
With the strong influence of my 2-year-old daughter Eliza, I am mostly listening to the Wiggles. They are quite powerful in their own way!

If I was a font, I’d be...?
Helvetica bold (versatile and reliable, no fuss)


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