#sparkchamber 050624 — Nate Williams
A throughline we see at #sparkchamber is that there is a kind of almost inevitability from the perspective of where you are that never seemed clear or obvious on the winding road to get there. We are delighted to share one of those stories today, as we welcome artist and illustrator Nate Williams.
A passionate artist devoted to bringing ideas to life through art, Nate employs hand-lettering and illustration in books, magazines, packaging, advertising, games, events, and apps. “His varied clients include cultural and educational institutions [Utah Symphony, Brown University], newspapers [The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal], technology [Microsoft, Facebook], publishers [HarperCollins, Puffin Books], and global brands [Converse, Starbucks, Coca-Cola]. Widely respected in his field, he gives lectures on creativity across the globe [Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ireland and Spain].”
Top of his game! But the path wasn’t always so clear. Nate grew up around skateboarding and punk culture in the Bay Area. And he is dyslexic. “[M]y mom was always very encouraging of curiosity, learning and figuring out things: so I kind of gravitated to art like most kids do [and especially being dyslexic]. It was a really good way I could express myself whereas in other mediums it might have been more difficult.”
Nate went to the University of Utah as an anthropology major. He chose anthropology because he was interested in different cultures. And, although that field of study “didn’t teach him perspective, figuration, or shading, it did provide him with a certain understanding of the world, an understanding readily apparent in his illustrations. He often turns to the human form — almost always in profile or silhouette — not isolated and alone, but surrounded by rich environments of warm hues, verdant greenery, and fellow humans and animals. It was not until later that he started delving into the arts, when he decided to take some sculpture classes. Only then did he begin to see art as a viable career — casually, at first. ‘I initially got my start by calling up some snowboarding companies and asked them if they would be into trading artwork for snowboards.’”
The beautiful theme: to start where you are, build on what you know, move in the direction that fuels your soul, and land right where you are meant to be.
1.] Where do ideas come from?
I believe ideas originate from innate curiosity, connecting the dots, and having the time to explore and play.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
I love the process of making and discovering something new. It’s like an elaborate game of finding faces in the clouds or a Rorschach ink-blot test. You intentionally do something, discover something new, amplify it, and so on.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
I heard a great quote: “The activity that you do when you are procrastinating is probably the thing you should really be doing.” [ — Jessica Hische]. No matter how busy I am, I always find time to create, draw, learn, read, and create. A simple notebook is a good start, but any type of stimulus can help; a conversation with a friend, learning about something new and extrapolating something from it, being in a new place, or breaking a routine.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
I would usually say “done for now” because something else often captures my interest. However, I frequently revisit old projects with a new perspective.
