It was really all unconscious. The studios and clients I started working for, always required some sort of art direction, so it evolved naturally as I learnt on the job.
    The role of art director became more exciting as I began to work on projects from their inception. This gave me the opportunity to create the ideas from the beginning from which the art direction naturally developed. This meant that the projects were conceived with a unity of idea and form.
    The rewarding part is enabling the vision to become a reality. For example, the photo shoot leads to an exhibition which in turn becomes a unique marketing event. For me, this way of telling a story has been immensely creative and exciting.

All of the projects have been interesting in different ways.
    Working on Imitation of Christ was exciting and fulfilling because of the space it occupied within the fashion landscape.
    The label has a cult following around the world but it hadn’t reached its full potential when I joined. Re-branding it and then art directing all marketing, web, promotional material as well as plannin and curating events was a great journey to go on.
    To collaborate with such diverse and talented people was certainly inspirational.

Melbourne is a very dynamic place and the relationships I have developed with people working in a variety of industries has produced some exciting collaborations. The people I have been working with have great vision about Australia in relation to the rest of the world.

How about Richard Serra, Mies Van Der Rohe, yohji yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Tatsuro Horikawa, Mario Sorrenti and Bill Callahan merged into one?

I think having a say about the artistic direction of the project in all its facets is really important, not because it’s about control, but rather it’s about working with a team in a collaborative way.
    The process is very simple really. I begin by working with the client, learning about their vision and then developing the ideas in more detail. This partnership aims to produce great ideas that will enable something unique to be created.
    This engagement in a discussion with the client often develops into many roles which are required to fulfil and accomplish the aims and objectives of the project. One of which is art direction.
    It is truly satisfying, when after a period of intense research, developing and creating design the project is finally complete. All of the complex ideas have hopefully been distilled into a unifying whole which all parties consider a success. This is when all the artistic elements become one.

In Melbourne I’m working with a great interior designer on a new café, a font project which will hopefully be finished in 2010, a fashion magazine re-design in Sydney and completing the design of MFD as well as probably then doing SFD!
    In NYC, I’m working on an album design for a friend of mine, a fashion label identity for a new brand and a photographic book.

A free Surfer or being a member of the Beatles.

Myer, David Jones, Fed Square identity and the NGV.

North Melbourne

Spiegeltent

Gold 104.3 the radio station for Good Times and Great Classic Hits.

 

   Tweet