My History with Graphic Design
Long story short…
My story with graphic design is a long, winding one, with highs, lows, entrances and exits…but for sake of brevity, I hadn’t considered being a graphic designer back in the day - I never knew such a thing existed. I’ll be honest in admitting graphic design is not my first love, it’s music…but back then, music didn’t want to pay the bills. And no finance = no romance (lol).
I came up in the burgeoning of the hip hop era, so I was really mesmerized by graffiti and street art. Every now and then I would make different tags of my name/nickname (Keno, a play on my name; ELD (EverLasting Dancer)). I used to draw this KOOL design with the O’s made to look like sunglasses and added a Kangol hat on top (the popular hat of the time). I would keep notebooks of songs, poetry and so on littered with my illustrations. It was when we got our first PC at home that the love for digital design began to blossom. In learning digital design, I discovered JPEGs, GIFs, HTML…there was so much to do and learn, and I was here for it all! Learning how to create images for web, I discovered Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Then, I didn’t have the patience for coding. Anyway, so began my love of graphic design and soon I would be asked to create programs and flyers for church, and so on. To me, it was all fun, nothing I ever took seriously.
Jack(son)-of-all-trades, master of none
As time went on, I had a child, got married, worked a job, but creativity was my only outlet from my day-to-day stresses. It was when Kanye dropped his “Graduation” album, I fell in love with his Takashi Murakami album cover, to the point that I learned how to take the artwork from the computer and apply it to apparel. Thus, my journey down the road of t-shirt art began.
Fast forward to around 2006. My then-wife began having seizures. She ultimately lost her job, partly because her seizures were uncontrollable. Our relationship wasn’t always the best and complications surrounding her seizures just added more stress to an already stressful marriage. My music career wasn’t going anywhere, as hard as I tried. I needed an outlet, so I turned my focus to graphic design. I started painting “kicks” and got moderate attention. To capitalize on that newfound knowledge, I created a company called Kreative Kustoms and took on many design projects - from creating t-shirt art, to logos, to sign vinyl - anything I could get my hands on. My idea was that the business would allow me to eventually work from home, where I could be with my wife more and that the attention I was getting would lead to success. Sadly, I had to let the business go because, as it wasn’t as lucrative as I had hoped. But what I hadn’t gained in money, I gained in skill, wisdom and appreciation. Ultimately, I learned that the business and art are two very different beasts. I didn’t know much about marketing and promotion, among other things that makes a business successful. Social media was really just beginning then, so I began to learn how to showcase my work across those channels.
2011
2011 was tough year. My late wife had a seizure one day and passed away. I lost all desire to create anything, as the only reason I was going so hard to be successful in art and business was for the benefit of my family. With her passing, I slowly lost the dream of Kreative Kustoms and quietly let it go. I still had the skills I gained over the years, along with the desire to be successful, but no drive or motivation. However, as time went on, I found that I would need an outlet to take my attention off of the day-to-day struggles. Since I had already begun the course of higher education, I continued the journey of obtaining a degree in graphic arts. As with most people, during that time I grew tired of working my job and felt I could be better and more successful on my own. So, I breathed new life into my craft and began applying my ideas to shirts again.
2015
In 2015, newly married with a family and new child (along with being a stepfather), I began working as a Marketing & Communications Specialist and finally felt recognized for my artistic skills gained through the years. During my time there I graduated with an AAS in Graphic Arts and certificate in Web Design. In that role, I gained more creative skill and even more knowledge of marketing. Kreative Kustoms was a distant memory and I had no desire to get back in the business of making shirts or anything, as I thought the trajectory of my career was headed in a different direction.
“Yet, I still have this desire to be creative, to be successful, to be of use and to be appreciated.”
Today
As of this writing, I am newly married, with children and stepchildren, and life is much better than it has been before. Yet, I still have this desire to be creative, to be successful, to be of use and to be appreciated. Call it ambition, call it human nature. I don’t know, it’s just a drive within me. I’ve started another business called Pixels & Notes where I can apply my knowledge of graphic design and marketing that I’ve gained through the years.
Through the years, I’ve not to be too sensitive about my work, as I’ve come to terms with knowing that I can’t please everyone, but to always aim for excellence.
Overall, I’ve realized that creativity is my outlet and a way I connect with the world.
-K.