JESS SAND

Jess Sand runs Roughstock Studios, a solo communications practice (and certified San Francisco Green Business) that provides copywriting, design, and communications planning to independently-minded organizations.

As partner and content lead for the online sustainable graphic design toolkit Re-nourish.com, Sand works to make sustainable design information more accessible to graphic designers. Re-nourish has undertaken the challenging task of developing a new definition of "good design," one that addresses, in realistic terms, the social and environmental impacts of design work. The project was one of the top three finalists for the recent Cooper Hewitt People's Design Award, and continues to move the industry beyond politics, personalities, and trends by putting independent tools and information into the hands of working designers everywhere.

With a deliberately non-corporate background that includes stints as a prep and line cook, a bookkeeper, office overlord, honky tonk DJ, marketing manager, and bartender, Sand tries to reconcile the inherent challenges of commerce and culture in her work. She has a BA in creative writing and a certificate in sustainable business management, and her writing and design has been published in numerous books, magazines, and online publications.

Where were you born, where do you live, did this effect your design style or sensibilities? I was born and raised in Boston; I've lived in San Francisco for over a dozen years now. But because my father was an exhibit and museum designer who believed heavily in hands-on, experiential learning, I spent a lot of time in children's museums, art museums, science museums, all over the country. That, more than any geography, really taught me about design thinking (before I really knew what "design thinking" was).

If you were not a designer, what would you be? Forensic photographer. Tavern owner. Writer of bad poetry. Tri-county Jumble Champ.

What is your design process, do you sketch first, go to the computer, take days off to get inspired? My projects generally go something like this: Write. Sketch. Sketch. Computer. Sketch. Write. Computer. Computer. Sketch. Question everything. Computer. Computer. Computer. OK to print.

What is one thing you have done to help weather the economic downturn? I made a point to reach out to friends and colleagues, just staying in touch and connected, and I ran into Eric and Yvette (my Re-nourish partners). All of a sudden my slow times turned into a pretty huge social venture that has brought us fame and fortune. And by "fame and fortune" I mean "a massive workload" ... and some very nice words from a bunch of people we really respect.

What is your greatest strength and weakness as a designer? My constant need to question everything.

YOUR DESIGN HERO?
No official heroes. Though I did sleep under a poster of Seymour Chwast's robot logo for the Brooklyn Children's Museum as a kid. Definitely gave me colorful dreams.

WORST HABIT?
I cuss like a sailor.

FAVORITE COLOR?
Black (like my soul). Or blue. Even split.

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
Dunno, but it's well-kerned and has nice curves.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS?
Jeopardy. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. What is "the funniest bunch of degenerates on TV" for 200, Alex?

FAVORITE BOOKS?
The Poem's Heartbeat by Alfred Korn, and anything by John McPhee.

FAVORITE MOVIES?
The Hustler. The Blues Brothers. Caddyshack. Bullitt. The Outsiders. There are many, many more.

FAVORITE MUSIC?
Anything roots. Probably anything on Crypt Records. I used to be a honky tonk DJ, so my shelves are pretty well stacked with Waylon and Willie and the boys (and the girls, we cannot forget the honky tonk angels).

FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Paul Klee or Alberto Giacometti

FAVORITE GADGET?
Wine key

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES?
Re-nourish.com of course! Also: butdoesitfloat.com and design-altruism-project.org and lettercult.com and ethicurean.com

BEST GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED?
A 1936 portable Royal typewriter

ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
A sense of the absurd

ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?
The crazy sound engineer who's always baking bread in my kitchen.

TALENT YOU WISH YOU POSSESSED?
The ability to carry a tune.