I had three desires as a child (ok, let’s be honest, I still have them):
- be Frank Frazetta
- be Indiana Jones
- be Peter Criss from KISS.
These amazing fantasy careers have inspired my imagination in various ways throughout my life, but my first introduction to the power of visual design appeared when one of my sisters bribed me with a trip to Woolworth’s to buy me my first KISS record. Yes, I said bribed. It was the only way the six-year-old me would dance with her at a wedding reception the night before.
I woke her up bright and early, and we made our way to the store. I feverishly rifled through several records to find the right one. Then, I saw it—complete with brilliant white light and angel’s choir in the background. Love Gun became my first record album, and I made the choice based solely on the cover art.
A quick glance at that album cover reveals why a young, American boy would be attracted to it (much to the hesitation of my sister, who’d have to explain the choice to our parents). I believe my lifelong fascination with the visual arts was born that day, and I learned a valuable lesson:
Visual design can be a powerful force for action.
So, that’s my story in a nutshell. How did you get where you are?