We recently connected with Andrew Binder and have shared our conversation below.
Andrew, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My purpose, as it pertains to my work and business, is simultaneously for myself and for others. For me, art is the only thing I have ever been confident in doing. My brain is rooted in creativity, and I never have been able to grasp more concrete things like math. Art and design are the first spaces where I wanted pushed myself to be better because I knew I could. I wasn’t a very ambitious kid until I found the confidence that the world of art afforded me. Once I began walking down that path, I wanted to go as far as I possibly could.
Now that art, design and screen printing are my profession, I have found a whole different level of purpose. It’s the way I help my wife better our way of life. It’s the way I help feed and educate our kids. I want to show my daughter and son that you can follow your dreams and pursue your passion whatever it is, and however unlikely or unusual it might seem to others. I can’t think of a more worthy purpose than that.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a graphic designer and screen printer living and working in St. Louis Missouri. My business, Icon&Ink, is a graphic design and screen printing company that specializes in logos, branding and posters for all kinds of industries. I am also a professional screen printer working out of Encapsulated Studios here in St. Louis.
I began doing design work in high school when I played in bands. It started out primitive, designing posters and album artwork for my own music projects as well as my friends bands. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to make it my major when I went to college. After college I began working as a production designer for a design firm that put together advertising for retail and grocery chains. It was fine, but wasn’t the creative outlet I needed. I decided in 2015 to strike out on my own with Icon&Ink to pursue projects I was truly passionate about and clients I wanted to work with. I haven’t looked back since.
I believe my true value as a designer and printer is the ability to pull my client’s ideas out of their mind and execute them in a creative and succinct way. There is no bigger thrill for me than to be the bridge between my client’s vision and its end product. I love solving problems using all the creative tools I possess and helping my clients achieve their goals. I also love coupling design and printed materials together, giving clients both digital and physical options when establishing their brand.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the three things that brought me to where I am today are ambition, versatility and the ability to take criticism. None of these skills are easy to obtain, but are essential in the work I do.
I love what I do and I am lucky to be in a position to design and print everyday. But I am always striving to get better, to hone my craft and I think that is very important in any profession. I can admit I am not a terribly ambitious or disciplined in general, but I always strive to make my work the best it can be. I feel like if creating art is the one thing I can do well, its my duty to put 100% of my effort into making it shine.
Being a versatile artist has also been a helpful and lucrative skill. When I began as a designer, I only wanted to do projects I preferred, mostly things surrounding music like show posters or album layouts. When clients approached me about doing things like wedding invitations, business advertising, etc I’ll admit I was hesitant to take the work on because it wasn’t something I was super passionate about. But after doing a few of the projects, I realized I could still use creative flair to help bring a vision to life. I am thankful that I shed that narrow minded attitude, because it opened so many doors for me professionally.
Lastly, and the skill I had to work hardest to possess is accepting feedback and criticism. As a whole, most of my clients are amazing and open to letting me run with ideas. But I sometimes find myself in situations when I am going back and forth with a client who’s ideas and endgame don’t line up with mine, creatively. I’ve learned to take a step back, take a deep breath, and realize that it is about getting the client where they want to go, not where I think they should go. And it is my job to put that above everything else, however difficult it might be.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents are integral in my path to becoming what I am today. People who know me well often say that am a perfect mix of my mother and father.
My mother was very social and very easy going. Both of those attributes serve me well when interacting with existing clients or trying to acquire new ones. I find it easy to consult with clients and use the conversational skills and personable nature my mother taught me to get to understand the needs of and motivations of clients to ensure I steer a project in the right direction.
My father can certainly take credit for my artistic ability. While I definitely didn’t inherit is ability to do math or things technical in nature, I definitely got his ability to problem solve with creativity. He also has an amazing drawing ability, although he doesn’t showcase it as much as he probably could. I without a doubt have him to thank for my illustration skills and to be able visualize something artistically before trying to execute it.
Contact Info:
- Website: iconandink.crevado.com
- Instagram: @iconandink
- Facebook: Facebook.com/iconandink
