We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Greg Chinn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Greg, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Growing up in Hawaii, I was always interested in art. My parents didn’t really understand my creative endeavors but supported me anyway. I was always enrolled in painting classes and my mother still has my beach scenes all over her house (even though they make me cringe sometimes). While my parents might have preferred me getting a steady job with the state (job security, great benefits!) I eventually got my BFA in Graphic Design & Packaging from the Art Center in Pasadena and stayed in Los Angeles for a time. After moving to the East Coast with my family, I took some time away from working in design firms and adhering to someone else’s vision.. But seeing the world through my young daughter’s eyes led me back to design (Mid Century Modern flashcards for my kid’s room) and to my own independent design studio. We ultimately journeyed back to LA where I entered into a brand studio partnership, then transitioned to once again running my own firm, The Local Brand Co. in Laurel Canyon.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Living here in Los Angeles, my neighborhood design firm currently focuses on crafting engaging stories with an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) mindset. My goal is always to produce upbeat visual language with an eclectic brand of modernism. Illustration has become one of the focal points of the studio and which I currently get the most joy from. I am influenced by the vintage California Cool aesthetic as well as the products/music/culture/style of the era. Each project I produce teaches me more about what I want to see, what I want to say. I allow myself to explore new styles and new interests and try not to type cast myself. The world is changing, and so are we all. I hope my work will always embrace evolution.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One of the key qualities that was most impactful to me was a belief in what I was creating. There is no roadmap for creatives and how to put the kind of work you want to do out into the world. Having friends/clients who support you that have a similar shared vision is key. Lastly, getting your personal narrative front and center, so potential clients/collaborators know what you’re about. For me that means leaning into my roots in Hawaii, my love for our Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles. Graphic design means connecting to the audience as quickly and effectively as possible. Telling a story with often minimal shapes, just a few images. Inviting a second and third glance. I want to give the viewer as much information as possible – about my subject, but a lot of the time about me as well.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
For a time it seemed that design programs and templates might make designers obsolete. But I think the market is coming back around and realizing artists bring a layer of humanity and personality to their work that can’t be replicated by a template. It reminds me to keep pushing forward on the kind of work I want to create while growing as an artist. Uplifting small businesses that have a meaningful impact in my neighborhood will always be important to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelocalbrandco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelocalbrandco_la/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalBrandCoLosAngeles/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-chinn-63180238/
Image Credits
Profile photo by Paul Grandchamp
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