How are you?
Couldn’t be better! On tour with MacNeil… We are only a few hours into our first day and it’s already amazing!
What’s new in your life?
Working on a bunch of design projects. Just got a whole new computer setup that I’m super psyched about. Moved from 3 computers to one… Trying to make my life as simple as possible. I got married a few months ago and that’s been amazing and I’ve also started doing way more freelance design work this year.
Where are you right now?
Sitting on an airplane with Travis Sexsmith. David Lang is a few rows back and Jay Miron’s sitting next to some model chicks a few rows up. Chris Martindale should be sitting next to me right now, but he got turned around at the border last night!! We are on our way to Toronto for our Eastern Canada Tour… It should be a fun trip!!
How are things going over at MacNeil these days? I’d imagine you are pretty busy getting the all new line all designed and dialed in?
Yeah, we are working on all our 2010 stuff. Our 09 order was pushed back a bunch, so we are just getting all our new frames and new parts in stock in a few weeks. I’ve been working on getting all the 09 stuff online and to our distributors at the same that we are working on the 2010 stuff… So there’s definitely a lot going on right now!
When it comes to design, where do you look for inspiration?
For my design work, I look at a lot of photography and fashion stuff. I’ve been obsessed with the whole fashion world for the past year and can spend hours on the fashion photography blogs. I seem to spend less and less time on the design blogs, but more and more time on sites like FFFFound, JJJJound, Yimy Yayo, and other photos blog/type sites. Having a good crew of friends to throw ideas around with is super important for me, but I think the most important thing to do fir inspiration it to travel.
What about things with Defgrip? It seems like you guys have been working on quite a bit of original content these days?
Yeah! We’ve been trying to do as much original content as possible, focusing on the video interviews. We have been on a few filming trips over the past few months and we have a really dope lineup of new interviews that will be online soon. We all do Defgrip on our spare time, so it’s definitely hard to focus and spend a lot of time on Defgrip, but out of all my work it’s one of my favorite things to do… Maybe because we’ve been doing more editorial type stuff, so it’s almost like a break from graphic design for me.
What does your average daily routine consist of these days?
I work out of an office in my house, so I usually wake up with my wife Michaela around 8ish, drive her to work, grab some coffee, head back home and get into my work. I usually spend my mornings answering my emails and doing more of my “office” type work, like invoicing and stuff… I’ll spend some time going through my RSS feeds, Twitter, and any other websites that I usually check… Maybe do a post or two on Defgrip then get into my design work. I spend a lot of time on MacNeil stuff, so I’m usually on iChat with Darcy and Jay for most of the day. I go to the MacNeil offices on Thursdays, so we usually do all our planning and brainstorming when I’m out there and I’ll spend my time away from the office doing all the designing, concepts and website work.
Aside from MacNeil and Defgrip I do a lot of other freelance work and over the past few months, I’ve been working on A LOT of websites. To help my workload I’ve been working with my brother and he’s been doing all the backend and coding for me. It’s been really rad working with him because I can focus on the creative and functionality of all the sites and not have to worry about spending hours coding everything. I feel like I’m pretty knowledgeable when it comes to building websites, but I don’t think I’m the most efficient. Design and front end is where I should spend my time and working with him has not only made that possible, but I’m able to bring in a lot more work. So, with all my other projects, it’s pretty much just back and fourth with my brother thorough out the day, checking stuff off my list (the Things application has made my life so much more efficient!), and I try to get most of my work done before I pick Michaela up at 6ish. I have a really hard time not working, so after dinner, I’m usually back on the computer doing something until the late hours of the night.
You are also a real talented photographer. What kind of a camera set-up are you working with these days?
Thank man! I’ve been using the MacNeil Canon 1D Mk II for years. We just have a few shitty lenses and a Canon flash. I swear one day I’ll get my own digital setup, but right now, I’m way more into film point-and-shoot stuff. My latest camera is a Contax G2 and it’s been amazing. I shoot with a D-Lux 3 here and there and I have a few other film cameras.
Tell us something people might not know about you.
My mom used to be roommates with Bruce Springsteen and my dad is in a band with Allan White, the drummer from Yes.
What does 2009 have in store for you?
Well… It’s half way over, so I guess this summer, I have a bunch of MacNeil trips, lots of freelance work and we are going to try to keep doing more and more with Defgrip and our Originals series.
Any plans for tonight?
David Lang got us on some list for a Red Bull party at Circa in Toronto. We are meeting up with Cory Beal and a bunch of guys from Toronto, so you know it’s going to be a good night!!
