A new year, a new designer to take our “Center Stage.” For this month’s featured member, we chose Austin-based and talented freelance designer, Keith Davis Young. With his passion, admiration and appreciation for all art and design, Young makes the “Who do we feature next…” question, an easy one to answer.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background and your work.
I’ve lived in Texas my entire life and in Austin for the last twelve years. I grew up in a small town called Bryan, which is a little under two hours away. Since I was five or six years old, I’ve had a love of drawing. Through middle school, my parents would take me on day trips to Houston where they’d take me to the Houston Fine Arts Museum, The Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, and Cy Twombly Gallery. There was something about being exposed to that work at a young age that really had an impact on me and my gauge for visual art. Both junior high and high school comprised of a different era of influence. In addition to art, I was also heavily involved in music by playing drums in loud punk bands with friends, skateboarding, and staying involved in the overarching DIY culture behind it. This led to making our own show posters, flyers, merch., whatever we wanted really.
Looking back, all these activities had a huge impact on me. Because, I was always interested in drawing and honing my illustration skills, it naturally became a major focus for me to try and get better. In my college years at Baylor University, I learned more about art history, design, and photography which deepened my interests in a whole new way. Commercial Art also perked my interest around the same time. After graduating from college, I headed to Austin and began my first job as a junior art director for an ad agency downtown. My three years working for this agency were well spent, but it was after this experience that I decided to strike out on my own as a freelance designer.
In this new role, I found that I was now able to take control of creative projects and choose the work that I wanted to say yes to or consider. I also discovered that I was able to have a more personal influence on the work as well. I believe that this has helped me achieve a better balance between personal and commercial work. Furthermore, I have always tried to bleed those lines of personal work versus commercial work in attempts to create more overlap of the two. For me, this effort involves throwing so much of yourself into the work. By collaborating, at times, with fellow designers, artists, musicians, photographers, and like-minded folk, I am challenged and enriched heavily. Sharing studio space with a number of friends and colleagues has also helped me grow as an artist and challenge me in the best ways.
When did you know you wanted to be a graphic designer, an illustrator, a photographer? What was your journey like?
My journey into design, illustration, and photography was stimulated by my personal interests and exposure to the arts as well as formal training. It seems to be a spurring love the more you engage in it. I have always felt the need to make and create as well as and to stay inspired. I believe that it is a good practice to always draw and take photos in between life and work. Once it’s a part of your every day, it becomes your every day job and obsession. Although finding that balance between “work and play” has been challenging at times, it has also been helpful to share these same concerns with other artists. By surrounding yourself with other creative folks, this condition and maybe influences where you might take your work. Also, while navigating their own creative ambitions, I believe that most people grow and learn more in this way.
What makes you stand out from other designers? What about your design aesthetic makes you different and unique?
I am hoping that my work stands out to people as both unique and distinct in ways that they might recognize my own individual style which I work hard at developing. I feel that I move between simple, clean design and the polar opposite realm of the grittier/hand-painted aesthetic. Although both of these styles remain interesting to me, I am always open to the challenge of trying out new ideas for clients. My favorite work spawns from interesting, smart ideas or that exudes a sad/dark undertone. That type of work has always inspired me in every medium, and so I think that’s why I naturally gravitate towards wanting to make that type of work.
Who or what inspires you the most? Who are your design heroes?
There are a lot of people who inspire me, and it sees to constantly shift and return with some. As of recently, designers and artists like Geoff McFetridge, Lotta Nieminem, Mike Mills, Cody Hudson, Dana Tanamachi, and Nathaniel Russell have all been rotating influences lately for me. When I was a kid, I remember being in a Kroger grocery store, and seeing David Carson’s work with Raygun in the music magazine section. A mix of that type of art, comic books, zines, and album artwork made a big influence on me with illustration and type. I later became interested in the works of Andy Mueller, Jason Munn, and Asterik Studio who also impacted me. Those guys were always making rad art for bands I loved and listened to often. From there on, it was really about looking for inspiration obsessively. Other design heroes of mine include some of the greats like Saul Bass, Paul Rand, Ivan Chermayeff, Paula Scher, Milton Glaser, Massimo Vignelli and so many more.
Too many to name these days. There are so many incredible artists and designers now online and in galleries.
What is your definition of success? What is your definition of failure?
My definition of success would probably be based on whether or not one is completely aligned with the kind of work that you want to do and positioning yourself into a place where it feels like fun and not work. On the other hand, my definition of failure is a success of its own. Everything you learn from a “failure” still holds worth as an experience and has value. Personally, I don’t believe that it is healthy to judge things as failures. Without failure, we would not have the context or the knowledge to determine which direction to push our work. The trick is to show up and be present in a different way. Having both successful attempts and failures teach us different things about the work and about ourselves.
What was the last thing that made you say, “Wow”?
During the first week of December 2017, my wife and I took a trip to New York City for four days packed with inspiration. My cousin, Matt, joined us in our busy itinerary filled with consuming art, incredible food/drink and walking all over the city. Took it all in day and night, ended up being the best reset I needed. I had been cranking pretty hard with work prior to the trip, and after NY I felt fully recalibrated and eager to back to work in Austin. Upon returning, the first project that I jumped into was for Willie Nelson and the Luck Reunion Music Festival. This fun project pushed my comfort, design level to new places. Our recent New York refresher trip was helpful in that I was totally up for the challenge and open for new ideas. I wanted that challenge going into 2018 and it felt good to achieve that. It was also one of those “wow” moments stepping into a project of that scope and finding the recent travel experience heavily influencing the work.
What would be a dream project or who would be a dream client for you?
I think we can also all agree times are tough right now with the current political climate. 2017 was a really tough year, and it was honestly pretty tough for me to stay positive and not get freaked out by what we were all reading in the news every day. My friends and I have all believe there’s a greater need right now to be more of an activist. Hopefully all of us can do whatever we can to go against what the current administration is pushing. I’d love to get more involved with more projects that benefit and help grow our culture, arts, education, and environment. Project-wise, anyway I can help people and help grow our social awareness would be ideal.
In addition, I want to continue to travel and encompass different projects in my adventures. I’m hoping new opportunities and work take me to different places around the world. New experiences as well as and new environments bring growth and inspiration. Each time I return form a new place or intentional destination trip, it shifts my perspective and helps me challenge myself in my work. It is great to refresh yourself as well as your work.
What work or works are you most proud of and why? Could you tell me about the process?
Recently, I completed a giant 60-foot wall mural for Target, located on the University of Texas campus and right off Guadalupe St. (also knows as “The Drag” in Austin). The project took numerous rounds of revisions, hundreds of hours of labor, and close to seven months to complete all-in-all. It was a very detailed process but a lot of fun to assemble. All the iconography was hand-painted, scanned, assembled, vectorized, and then digitally fit to the custom wall dimensions as a wallpaper. To me, it felt like a massive puzzle of refined hand drawings that I was trying to fit in a flowing visual narrative. It was a true honor to work with the Target team and I believe the mural will hopefully live as a long-term, physical depiction of life in Austin.
St Elmo Brewery has been a fun local brand to work with and help build over the past few years. I have had the pleasure of developing this brewery’s brand with my good friend Justin Esquivel. We teamed up with the founders, Bryan Winslow and Tim Bullock (formerly of Austin Beerworks), and helped them build this brew pub concept in south Austin. The brewery and their beers have been a huge success, winning the 2017 Austin Beer Guide title of “best brewery,” their first year open. I have learned a lot and enjoyed the process of helping design the visual identity and environment of the brewery from the ground up. The ongoing evolution of this brand’s system is holding together well and is versatile in its simplicity. I was very excited with the recent release of their 32oz growler to-go can as well. My process and intent for that piece was to keep the overall visual design super simple and utilitarian-driven. I was very happy that the client was willing to drive this approach and give me the creative liberty with the brand.
My Name Is Joe has been another brand project that has been rewarding work. The concept behind the brand was to help people of the service industry find a new life out of addiction to drugs or alcohol. Their recovery provided them with a new job and teaches them a skilled trade of coffee and healthy food. The project was started and headed up by William Ball and chef Philip Speer the last couple of years. I’ve had a great time and learned a lot working with the both of them as well. Lastly, The Type Hike Poster project was aimed at increasing awareness of efforts being made to preserve our national parks. All profits of this project went to the National Park Service’s Centennial Campaign at a crucial time. Both of these profits were incredibly rewarding in their efforts, something that I am proactive in backing.
Outside of work, what hobbies do you have that would surprise us?
Outside of work, I spend a lot of time outside or engaging in some personal art projects. Recently, I have been getting back into photography after giving it various breaks here and there. In the new year, I am also interested in instigating more non-commercial projects for myself. When you have a camera with you, your day starts to feel like you’re are living in a viewfinder, seeing life in a different way. That medium still inspires me. It would be great to travel more with that intention in mind.
Another personal project that I am involved with is our two-piece band called Lottie Mary. My wife, Laine, writes the songs and sings while I play the drums. We both grew up playing music and it has been fun to return to that. We have fun together. To me, there’s something really interesting and different about photography and music ( process-wise), when compared to design. It’s a nice break to toggle in between these interests, each seems to influence the other one.
We live in south Austin which is an ideal place for hikers, campers, swimmers, trail-runners, you name it. We’re an earshot from the hill country and super close to a lot of fun trails and swimming holes. It’s a pretty ideal environment for anyone that enjoys being active in nature. I’ve discovered that living in this pocket of the city is heavily influential to my work and state of mind. Nature is without a doubt so conducive to being creative for me. It’s nice to be in close proximity to these natural resources, and seems to keep you in that constant flow of inspiration the more you seek it. We live ten minutes from downtown, which is ideal for catching good music or getting beers with your buds too. We’ve loved living here.
Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in the design world? Advice for those who have been in the business for years?
Make time for personal work as much as you can. Create what you want. That approach seems to be vital for everyone. It’s important to trust your intuition and listen to your gut, without getting bent on trend along the way. In my opinion, this practice will naturally guide and connect you with the clientele or the type of work you are seeking to do. Furthermore, I believe it is crucial to keep your ear close to popular culture, style, and the arts. In addition, it is also important to emphasize and express your own voice in your own work. Original work that comes from an honest place makes the biggest ripples. I think it is incredibly brave and ambitious to follow that practice.
Because of the tendency to compare ourselves and our work to other designers, the design field can be incredibly difficult. If we can instead, learn to be more appreciative, constructive, and challenging in our process, then I truly believe that you will lock into something great that is yours again and again. Lastly, I believe that it is important to realize that most artists do not know exactly what they want out of their work and career. It is an independent journey for every artist to explore their own path and discover more of themselves in the process. Surround yourself with great people that encourage and help you grow. I’d encourage anyone to challenge yourself out of your comfort zone. Inspiration, new work, new ideas all stem from taking that risk for yourself.
To see more of Young’s work, check out his logo collection uploaded to the Lounge, by simply clicking here. And be sure to stay tuned next month, as we spotlight another member on LogoLounge’s “Center Stage.”