Why did you leave fashion design? Do you hope to incorporate design into your life again
at some point?
I still love designing and everything about the design process. Fashion can be a very
ingrown business, it's not so accessible. The reason I moved away from design however
was due to the downsizing of the industry. My main client went through an
organizational change. I had to do something to put food on the table. Before my
departure, I worked several years as a freelance designer and produced two small
menswear collections under my own name. I am currently planning on starting a brand
of my own that will eventually bring design back into my life. I will always be both an
artist and a designer. It's in my genes by now.
You're the creator, editor, publisher, contributing writer and artist for K-oodi Magazine.
How did you end up here?
I've seen how it is for independent artists. I have done a lot of creative things ranging
from visual art to video work to composing music. So I have firsthand experience on
trying to get my stuff out there, to make people take note. I wanted to create a platform
where artists could talk about their work. I also love doing graphics and planning, and
each issue demands a lot of both. Before I founded K-oodi, I had experience in doing art
& photography books, creating album art, and other merchandise. Brand identity was a
big part of my job as a designer. I didn't know much about being a publisher, creative
director and an editor. I did research, developed the concept of the magazine, decided
on the look, and the rest has been a constant learning process. It's been almost two
years now and I can say I have learned a lot. In 2017, if not sooner, K-oodi Magazine will
go through a transformation. I need more time to build my brand so K-oodi will need to
take a backseat. I am still trying to figure out how to keep it going.
So, aside from your varied work with the magazine, you're also a painter, sketch artist,
and photographer. Plus, you're a writer, songwriter, vocalist, and musician. How do you
juggle all of these roles?
It's not easy. (laughs) K-oodi is a lot of work. I spend 3 to 5 months a year on it, that
includes the planning of each issue, recruitment process, all the way to the moment I
am ready to publish. It's a balancing act, because all that time is away from my solo
projects. I express myself through many different mediums so I just listen to what I
crave the most. In the future I will need to devote time for my business so I can no
longer afford to break my focus as much. Being an entrepreneur is hard work.
What does this magazine mean to you, the artist?
It's the embodiment of my vision. Through it I am able to execute a vision, together with
other people. A big part of the magazine is about supporting artists and creativity but it
is also about building an issue with coherent content. Since I recruit, interview, write,
design layouts and more I can also exercise my many creative sides. While it's a
collaborative process, in the end it's still my baby. One of the greatest things is the
interaction with other artists. At its best it is very rewarding, at its worst it drives me
insane.