Interview with Eric Kass: Commercial Artist

Monday, June 13, 2011

Interview with Eric Kass: Commercial Artist

Meet Eric Kass. I was going to write about how interesting his vintage typeface and design boards are, but after being nominated for the 2011 Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, there’s really nothing else I could add to make Eric sound like a guy you should follow. Just know that you’re missing out if you don’t, and here’s our pinterview with the hardworking, word-loving, commercial artist himself:

Hi Eric. First, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a forty-year-old teenager one time farmer turned commercial artist.

You have some of the most niche boards I’ve seen on Pinterest (including Vintage Film Titles and Vintage Beer Labels), but what are some other things that inspire you?

(two of Eric’s pins)

So inspired by all of my patrons and friends, passions and insanities. The eleven thousand plus songs in the studio itunes library are perpetually on, coloring everything. Oh, and the friction that lives between contradictions.

Is there anything in particular about vintage typefaces and design you really love?

I love the original ingenuity of often naive individuals of days past working with limited technologies and resources designing to simply fill a need. Creating unique, imperfect designs gloriously weathered by the passing decades and changing cultural context becoming filled with sentimental triggers and romantic remnants.

How did you become interested in vintage typefaces and design?

(logos by Eric Kass)

Have always had a somewhat unnatural love of typography that first showed itself in grade school as I discovered different typestyles in the “H” ( under handwriting for some reason ) encyclopedia. I would write love notes to pass in class illustrating girls names in blackletter. They didn’t necessarily swoon over my lettering skills but it was certainly the beginning of my type fetish.

Does Pinterest figure into your work?

Absolutely, it’s a perfect place to share inspirations, observations and obsessions with patrons providing a peek into my style and perspective. I also have patrons who make boards for themselves providing extremely useful easily accessible insight as I develop their brand narratives.

Are the words on your site really random or did you pick them for a secret reason?

They are spontaneously snared and saved surfacing from subconscious depths. Flowing fragments of feelings and thoughts revealing hidden connections and insights into the events and relationships of my life. Editing is everything. That magic moment when our heads and/or hearts tell us what stays and what goes determining the direction of our work and lives. I believe our collections reveal us to ourselves, as well as, everyone else.

Thanks again for your time, Eric! Best of luck to you in commercial art, or rather: “snafu resolution / niche identification / essence distillation / gist enhancement.”