Meet Two Creative Leaders Moonlighting as Fine Artists | Taylor Becker

Meet Two Creative Leaders Moonlighting as Fine Artists: An oxymoron since the business of being creative is the same creative force as being an artist. This talk was part of the One Club’s entirely digital Creative Month and was presented by Gavin Lester, the Chief Creative Director of Zambezi and Matt Murphy, Executive Creative Director of 72andSunny on Instagram Live. Both men are trained fine artist from the Bath Academy of Art and Rhode Island School of Design respectively. The prevailing theme of the talk was having the unbridled ability to let their creativity flow in their own art work, which has translated into a flow of bold ideas into the confines of their professional work.

"Our minds are our most powerful force"

Gavin reminds us. There are differences and similarities in both practices of art and advertising. Similarities include time constraints, budgeting, and the age old question of whether the material will mold and bend to ones needs. Matt claims that 

"Advertising is an art form more like acting. You are the voice of your client and consumer." 

You use your creativity to solve problems on behalf of your client to create and drive business. Both practices are also about the power of creativity and having the wisdom and ambition to create and express ideas.

Personal art work is more like an autobiography and an expression of ones true self. Both men agree that having “a second job or side hustle” (creating their own works of art ) is of profound importance. It has helped them both on their journeys to explore bolder ideas, find balance and learn from working in different art forms. Having the ability to work without someone else’s constraints releases new ideas of abstraction and beauty. A few other talks I had the privilege to listen to during Creative Month, like The Landscape of Remote Recruiting and Teamwork Makes the Meme Work also echoed the same thought. Side hustles are king. They will make you stand out and also have the extra perk of keeping you sane (and happy). Recruiters also love them and will remember applicants by them, according to Emily Elyshevitz, a recruiter from Ogilvy.

Art is an outcome. Matt says one of the most memorable lessons he learned in art school was the assignment of drawing an apple. But not just once, but rather drawing an apple one hundred times. It was on the twelfth time he realized that he needed to look and see the apple differently. You need to teach your brain to look at things in a different and unique way (or what we like to say in advertising— laterally) that you didn’t see before. The same as in advertising and marketing, looking at the opportunities and then executing your ideas. Releasing creativity will always produce art in all its forms.

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