A Sneak Peak from Stacey!

Stacey Willey, our super-talented Art Director, is perhaps the most popular member of the team: in fact, Matthew and Ki liken her to Santa, because when an email from her pops into their mailbox, they know they are in for a real treat. There is nothing like opening a file to see a feature you have worked on come to life before your very eyes. It is new to me, of course, but Matthew and Ki tell me the feeling of excitement and anticipation never abates!

As busy as she is, Stacey has been generous enough to share a "Day in the Life of an Art Director", and not unlike Santa, allows us to peek at our present (the magazine) without giving it all away. Good things come to those who wait, and we all have to wait patiently for this one!!

Stacey's (Santa's) Workshop:

Stacey has done art direction and graphic design for some of the best known magazines in the industry. So, is it any wonder she also has great personal style, too? Check out her amazing office/work space. The art work alone speaks volumes about her artistic style and fun personality ( though I think the painting is of Matthew and his wife, Jenny!):

As Stacey explains: "My office floor...sometimes you can't even see it. It's covered with books, magazines, font ideas, color chips, pattern books, etc.... oh, and my little dog likes to hide under the books when the mood strikes!"

Here is Stacey's desk, where the magic takes place. Isn't she organized and tidy? I bet it's always like that, though she did say she tidied up first: "I had to take down the Cinderella stickers and Nemo drawings by little Claire. Or...maybe keep them up?  :-) Who says Nemo can't be inspiring? As Dory says in stressful times "Keep on swimming...keep on swimming..."

Now for the sneak peak of what Stacey likes to call...

 The Wall:

According to Stacey: "It's just the start of a wall, so not completely full. I am so anxious to see it totally covered with layouts!"

Now, read on to hear more about the artistic process of our wildly talented Art Director:

Stacey's design process:

1. 6:00 a.m. Get up early. Try to find sketch book buried in covers from previous night.

2. Brush teeth and shower before kids wake up.

3. Find sketch book. Can't make out what I was sketching last night. Try to remember my thoughts...
4. Kids wake up. Dress them. Brush teeth. Breakfast. Out the door to preschool and day care.
5. Drive to Caribou. Order a skinny mocha with an extra shot of chocolate. See a very cool poster hanging    in drive up. Try to figure out what font is used.
6. Drive back home. Wondering where I can get that font!
7. Boot up computer. Study sketches. Still trying to remember my thoughts from the previous night.
8. Dogs start to whine. Grab shoes and take them for a walk. Work off those additional 100 calories from that extra shot of chocolate.
9. Back at computer. Read through emails. Delete.
10. Stare at wall with layouts. What font was that again?
11. Design one layout. Don't like. Rework. Don't like.
12. Refill candy jar with sweet tarts. Snack while studying layouts.
13. Rework layout.
14. Run upstairs. Inhale lunch. Run back downstairs. I'm on to something here....
15. Study sketch book. Oh.... that may work...!
16. Nope. It doesn't.
17. It's Dektoria Pro. Purchase font. Play around with it. Don't like it.
18. Move on to another layout. Is it really 5:30 p.m.?
19. Pick up kids.
20. Dinner, baths, read books, tuck kiddos in bed. Kiss hubby goodnight.
21. Trot back downstairs.
22. Study wall with layouts. Sit down and start to design....
23. Now I am really cooking. 4 layouts down. 1 more to go.
24. Getting tired. It's almost midnight.
25. Fall asleep at computer. Wake up. Take one last look at my layout wall. Yay! I like it. Head upstairs feeling good, but a little tired.
26. Grab sketchbook. Start to doodle. Yeah, that may work tomorrow. Lemme just sketch that....

Stacey leaves us with one of her favorite quotes (from Storypeople):

"If you hold on to the handle, she said, it's easier to maintain the illusion of control. But it's more fun if you just let the wind carry you."

If you want to read more about Stacey, go here!

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Wasn't that fun?

And aren't you glad we didn't spoil the surprise?!!

(blogged by Linda MacDonald)