Matthew Mackay, winner of the 1611 First Avenue FluevogCreative contest, is a graduate of NSCC and a graphic designer at an advertising agency in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Matt’s experience rests in illustration, being an artist at heart, he is inspired by urban art, hip hop, and of course… shoes.
I consider myself to be an artist who never stops growing as I am always researching and trying new things. I try to stay immersed in design constantly and have a great team surrounding me on a day-to-day basis which allows all of us to grow collectively. It’s a nice blend as I get to see a lot of different techniques used throughout the day.
On entering the FluevogCreative contest:
I have a big love for shoes. Normally I wear basketball shoes or some type of high-top sneaker. I had never heard of Fluevog until I found out about this contest. A buddy of mine in the agency sent an email over to me one day with the link to the competition. He knew I loved shoes and knew that I frequently entered online poster competitions. The following Saturday I was lounging around the house and figured I would give it a shot.
On his unique and amazing style of design:
Like any artist, my work has it’s own look and feel. I’ve been on this Art Deco kick lately but really no one style defines my work. One day I’ll be cutting construction paper and the next I could be rendering something in Cinema 4d to output for a backdrop. I am obsessed with typography and can’t do anything without putting a big word across it somewhere… I used to be big into graffiti which is probably where that comes from. The possibilities are really endless. I prefer to work on artwork for musicians. For me, music goes hand in hand with art and whatever I am listening to could really affect the feel of the piece.
If you follow my blog, www.seamz.ca you’ll see I enter in these types of competitions quite often. On a daily basis I work with a lot of the same clients – so it’s nice to come home and try something new. It keeps me on my toes and gives me another opportunity to grow as an artist.
On the inspiration behind his winning ad Tried. Tested. True:
I did a little research on the 1611 First Avenue Boot which lead me to the overall look I decided on. I felt that the Twin Turbine boot was really created in celebration of longevity. I gave it the grungy, folded paper look to give the impression that this is a timeless style.
On creating Tried. Tested. True:
The fonts chosen are reminiscent of the aviation field and have a totally retro feel. The tattered backdrop makes the Boot the main focal point because of its placement in the forefront. I was really trying to keep in mind the border which houses the ad as well. I wanted to do something that would sit well within the page frame we were given.
On winning the FluevogCreative 1611 First Avenue contest:
I feel very fortunate to have won. I thought the 2nd and 3rd place pieces were fantastic. Both of them have a unique style and choosing mine was only a matter of opinion, it could have swayed either way. I’m Super stoked to have won and I am looking forward to adding some Fluevog’s to my collection…
On what the future holds for Matthew Mackay:
For the next few years I will continue to do what I am doing now: working on my blog in the evenings and doing agency work during the day. Ever since I was three years old, I’ve been filling sketchbooks with random stuff. I am twenty-five now and the hard work has paid off. It is super rewarding to have a career where work doesn’t feel like work.
Keep an eye out in Bust, Juxtapoz, New City, and Wax Poetic magazines for Matthew’s winning design in print.
