The Long Way Home: A Short Story About My Career
Embarking on my journey as a Graphic Designer, I didn’t fully comprehend the incredible opportunities it would present. Growing up broke, not poor — as Dave Chappelle once said, poor is a mind state, — my childhood dreams were centered around lifting my family from their struggles. At just 10, my fascination with drawing became evident. My grandma would often tell my mom, “Jean, this boy’s can draw.” But it wasn’t always praise. I remember my parents receiving calls about my classroom doodling. Tragically, neither of them live to see me become an adult, a dream unfulfilled.
By the time high school rolled around, I’d committed to my artistic destiny, majoring in communication design at a vocational school, William H. Maxwell, in Brooklyn. My high school years also marked the start of my professional journey with my first internship. By the time college arrived, I was leagues ahead of my peers, guiding me towards seeking mentors.
That’s how I encountered Anthony Accardo, my first mentor. Previously, he was an illustrator for Nancy Drew books and already had some of his work featured in museums, Anthony opened my eyes to the finer things in life that art could provide. His home was an art treasure chest filled with unique sculptures, paintings, and ceramics. He ingrained in me the importance of discipline.
Post-graduation, I landed a part-time gig as a designer and front-end developer at Mars Design, marking my first job outside of Brooklyn. Shortly after, I climbed from Junior Designer to Designer, transitioning to Frank Collective and then Radical Media. My salary jumped from $20/hr part-time to $33/hr full-time, the difference was a so large that when I first got paid, I went to my boss and told him he had overpaid me.
Despite my rapid growth, my upbringing in the hood left me a bit rough around the edges. My time at Frank Collective came to an abrupt end, but the owner’s, Mike, belief in me led to a referral at Radical Media. This is where I met James Spindler, the creative director who challenged me, refined me, and shaped my design work.
James was a hard critic and as an artist criticism wasn’t always the easiest thing to hear, due to the stress of constantly flexing creativity for work like a muscle with an infinite resource pool. Yet his criticism nudged me to push my boundaries and create remarkable work. Even today, his influence prompts me to question, “What would James think?”
In September 2017, after feeling undervalued at Radical, I decided to branch out and establish my own boutique studio. (We contracted worked together years later and I still love them all. It was just business, a lesson I got reminded of everyday in this field.) In a whirlwind of events spanning over a month, I ended a job, a relationship, started a business, traveled to Hawaii then Japan where I backpacked from Osaka to Tokyo in 21 days, worked everyday because I got so many return emails and more work than I could handle, and still to today made more money than I ever had in one month.
James and I remained closely connected, working on numerous high-profile projects. We designed for big names like Beautycounter, Quay Australia, PBS, SC Johnson, Bryant Wines. Each project represented a step in my journey of growth and discovery.
By mid-2021, I’d lived in Australia and Japan and had a chance to work with Code and Theory, a company I’d always highly admired since before I graduated college. I worked there for a year as a Senior Art Director and Visual Designer and I got the chance to lead design work for companies like Con Ed, Thompson Reuters, Amazon, EY, Diageo and more. The rich pool of talent pushed me to level up with every project. Yet, the corporate agency life didn’t suit me. I yearned to use my wealth, my skills as a designer and storyteller, to create something personal, something I could share, and more importantly, something that would some day make myself, loved ones and future family proud.
Hence, Made in 8H was born. Named after the apartment I grew up in, in Pinkhouses, East New York, Brooklyn, it represents a fresh start. I’m leaving behind my old work, excited to construct a portfolio of work that’s authentically me, an expression of myself.
My dad used to say “you got good spirit” and he believed my purpose was to pass that on to those around me. Make it so contagious that all people could do around me was smile.
I want to remind readers that supporting independent artists is not just about owning unique pieces, but also about nurturing a community that celebrates individuality and creativity. After all, art is about passing things along, a belief still strong with me.
Follow and join me on this journey as I carve a niche in the world of art and design, crafting unique pieces that echo the spirit of individuality and creativity. Just like myself, all things are Made in 8H.
Check out my manifesto.
