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Fifth in the series of interviews with people we know/have worked with/are inspiring is graphic designer Sean Rees. I've always been amazed how people who work in the industry in full-time employment have the energy to then write about design on blogs etc. Sean is one of those people, he works full-time at Purpose, and writes for the popular design blog FormFiftyFive. I met Sean (apparently not for the first time) when he came over to the studio to interview me for our 11 year show/anniversary. Sean is Welsh, so it took me a minute or so to tune into 'the valleys', he's a very nice chap, and a good designer to boot, snapping on the heals of the likes of Stephen Fry in terms of twitter followers, not to mention Instagram...please say Prynhawn da to Sean Rees.
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Some of my favourites of Sean's work—
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*Vodafone Music Unlimited type
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*Vodafone Music Unlimited ad
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*British Ceramics Biennial logo (Creative Direction by James Greenfield)
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*British Ceramics Biennial print (Creative Direction by James Greenfield)
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*Tom Ogg 'Boxing Clever' book cover (in collaboration with Alex Woolley)
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*Design Council - Brand refresh
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Getting to know (#005) — Sean Rees.
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Build: Please tell us a little about who you are and what you do.
Sean Rees: My name's Sean Rees. I'm a designer (currently working at Purpose). In my spare time I do a bit of writing for the design blog FormFiftyFive. I'm also quite addicted to taking pictures on my iPhone, documenting my day to day life.
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B: How did you get to this point in time?
SR: A bit of luck, working hard and copious amounts of coffee.
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B: Where are you based?
SR: London — working West / living North.
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B: Does where you live/work inform you as a person?
SR: Live — Absolutely. You can't help but to be influenced by your surroundings. I think your experiences in life shape you as a person, I try to experience things when they come along, keep pushing out those comfort zones. Having said that, I come from a small Welsh town called the Rhondda Valleys, a very close-knit, hard-working, ex coal-mining community... I visit every so often to see the family, friends and get my filling of fresh air. I try hard not to lose touch with where I've come from, even if the lads do take the piss out my thick-rim glasses, beard and cardigan. ; )
Work — Somebody much wiser than myself once said something to me that stuck – surround yourself with talented people, and some of their magic will rub off onto you, I consider myself fortunate to have worked and am working with some extremely talented people who I respect and learn from. For me that learning process is a continuous thing, you should never be too complacent, the moment you're not being challenged is the time to change something in your environment.
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B: What is your favourite piece of your own work and why is it your favourite?
SR: Probably the work I did for Richard House, a local hospice for children. Not so much for it's graphical merit but because it made a real and tangible difference to the children through the funding it helped to raise. It's lovely when you see your work out in the 'real world', or if it picks up an award, but it's really humbling to think that graphic design can play a part, be it a very minor one, to improving somebody's life.
I've just started another project which is very close to my heart, when it means something to you it becomes more than producing graphics, you put a piece of yourself into it.
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B: Three words that sum up you and your attitude to what you do?
SR: Emerse. Challenge. Over-deliver.
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B: Describe your style?
SR: I'd like to think that I don't have a personal style to my work, that I design in response to the clients needs. Having said that, I do believe in reduction, really purifying the thinking and the aesthetic, distilling it to it's purest form. Cutting the bullshit and unnecessary detail to try to deliver the maximum message using the minimum means.
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B: What kind of music do you listen to?
SR: Mostly hip-hop, but my music taste is really eclectic.
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B: What is your most played track in iTunes?
SR: What I listen to changes wildly depending on my mood, but according to iTunes the most plays (by some margin) is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy/Kanye West. I'd probably say that's one of my favourite albums.
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B: What is your favourite piece of art?
SR: That's difficult. I try and visit as many exhibitions and galleries as I can, but I think one piece that's particularly sticks out for me is the recent Damien Hirst show at Tate Modern. I loved by the whole thing, particularly the 'Butterfly Room', which was beautiful.
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B: Where were you last happiest?
SR: Last weekend. It was a Saturday morning following a particularly busy week at work, with the sound of the rain lashing against the window as I sit cosily on the sofa with the mrs by my side and a hot coffee in hand, I remember thinking, this is nice. Sounds naff, I love big events and moments, but I also like to appreciate the little things in life.
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B: What makes you smile?
SR: Every time someone says 'fancy a cuppa?'.
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B: Your house is on fire, your family is safe, what do you save?
SR: Probably my iPhone. It's silly, because it's all backed up anyway, but whenever I'm parted from it, even for a moment, I feel like I've lost a limb. Sad but true. It'd be handy anyway, I'd ring the fire-services... (And Instagram pictures of it).
Thanks Sean!
Note(s)/Link(s)
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Website: seanrees.co.uk / Purpose / FormFiftyFive / Rhondda Valleys / Richard House / My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy/Kanye West / Damien Hirst / 'Butterfly Room'.
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