VP & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MOHAWK FINE PAPERS, COHOES NY
Chris is the Vice President & Creative Director at Mohawk Fine Papers. In this role, he has responsibility for brand management, strategic market development and creative direction for the company’s product and marketing campaigns. Chris joined Mohawk in 1990, and has held several positions from sales to marketing and played a pivotal role establishing Mohawk as a market leader in digital printing. He has been published in a variety of industry journals, is a Lynda.com author, and speaks extensively on the role printing and paper play in design today. Chris holds an undergraduate degree in Art History from SUNY Oswego and an MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology College of Imaging Arts and Sciences. He and his family live in beautiful Troy NY.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
Born in Oswego NY and now live in Troy NY
DID YOU GO TO DESIGN SCHOOL?
MFA Fine Art Photography at RIT
LEFTY OR RIGHTY?
Righty with no aspirations to be ambidextrous
MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Up at 5AM
FICTIONAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTER YOU IDENTIFY WITH?
The Prodigal Son
ARE YOU MUSICAL AND/OR DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
I’m a Pandora and Spotify virtuoso
FAVORITE BOOK?
Naked by David Sedaris
FAVORITE MOVIE?
Grand Budapest Hotel
FAVORITE TV BINGE WATCH?
Boardwalk Empire or Shameless
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
Instagram
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Mark Rothko
FAVORITE CHARITY?
My Kids and Habitat for Humanity
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY?
A nap on a day off is my favorite
COLLECT ANYTHING?
Vintage cameras
COLOR USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN?
CMYK
TYPEFACE USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN?
Chalet New York Nineteen Sixty
DOES PRINT HAVE A ROLE IN YOUR DESIGNS?
Print on paper is the main event
DESIGN MENTOR/INSPIRATION/HERO?
Hard to choose so I will submit 3: Mentor (blending photo + narrative) Duane Michaels; Inspiration (color and cross-media genius) David Hockney; and Hero (for his general design influence and pivotal role at Strathmore Paper) Will Bradley
GREATEST STRENGTH/WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER?
As a fine artist: not making time to do my own work
ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
Be original and true to your convictions
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
A college art professor (and photographer)
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
This above all … to thine own self be true
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