- What is your name / organization / title?
Matt Dawson aka StayGrayPonyboy
- What motivated you to become a maker?
I’ve been “creative” my entire life. Never knew I could make a career out of it until I was almost done with a different degree in college. I was like “hold up... I can do that for a living?!”. Haven’t looked back since.
- Looking back on the early stages of your journey, what advice would you give yourself now?
Adopt better working habits NOW. Tough to change em once you’ve been at it for 15 years. Oh, and get more sleep. You look tired.
- What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? Why?
I “made” a conference called Crop that has been an infinitely exhausting yet equally rewarding experience. A true labor of love. We didn’t get to do it this year, but I miss it & all of our people everyday.
- What’s the next evolution for you (or your industry) going to look like?
Personally, I’m looking to get more into design education.
For the industry itself? Hopefully more innovation and less imitation. I’d like to see us push ourselves as designers, creatives, makers. - Who would you partner with (living or dead) for your dream collaboration? And what would you work on together?
I’d love to work with the band Queens of the Stone Age.
- You're on death row and it's time for your final meal. What'll ya have?
Wow. That’s dark. Hmmm. You know those Brazilian steak houses where you turn your table card to green for more meat and turn it over to red to stop? I’d just see how long they’d let me keep it on green.
- In a world where you have two hands, all of your pets and loved ones are safe, and your studio is on fire, what do you try to save?
My musical instruments, maybe some vinyl, my Jaws Mondo print.
- What is one piece of pop culture (movie, tv, artwork, song, etc.) that no matter how many times you return to it you still draw excitement, movement, or inspiration?
Opening drum fill for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. After that, I can skip the rest of the song. Not that the song is bad, but more so that the drum fill is that good.
- I love useless facts. Impress me with a seriously useless fact!
Bears eat beets.
- If you could try any profession other than your own, what would you choose to do?
Theme park critic
- What is your personal strategy/philosophy when it comes to using social media for your work?
Be yourself. You might meet some of your digital friends in real life one day. Post the kind of work you want to be doing. And for the love of God, ease up on the triptych posts.
- Speaking of social media, where can people find you?
Instagram @staygrayponyboy
You've reached the bottom of today's box
Check back tomorrow for more tasty treats
Served fresh to your inbox
Sign-up to never miss a tasty interview