ABOUT ME

Hi! My name is Zachary Selter and I am a creative professional based in Louisville, KY.

I went to school at the Kansas City Art Institute where I established foundations in various media but quickly decided that graphic design was where I belonged. Unlike other arts where often it is an individual’s subjective imagination leading the way, design provides me with an outside source of challenges to work through, each with individual constraints that make the process so much more interesting. I continue to learn as new projects require an understanding of things that were once unknown to me. Plus, it’s just fun and satisfying to get your hands ‘dirty’ and make something that will actually be used and interacted with by a larger audience.

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PHILOSOPHY

MAKE CREATIVE MATTER

It’s a phrase I hit on randomly one day and I like the double meaning it imparts. I feel they are both important aspects of who I am and how I work.

mat•ter | noun

physical substance in general, as distinct from mind and spirit; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses rest mass, esp. as distinct from energy.

The act of creation is essential to man, and we all participate in the process whether we realize it or not. Everything from the complexity of new life to the simple task of putting words together to express thought is a creative act. Without the human capacity for creativity we wouldn’t have made it into the stone age, and the only way we will continue advancing is to exercise our brains and use that creative impulse we all have. Whether we’re doing it for ourselves or for a client, we should sharpen whatever skills we have and harness the inspiration when it comes. If we’re lucky enough, maybe we can find a way to turn that constant drive into a means to maintain our livelihoods.

mat•ter; verb

be of importance; have significance.

It is not enough to call ourselves designers simply because we know how to use the tools of the trade, if we do not give thought for what our creations are and how they will be used. Just as inventing a new word means nothing without an established structure for understanding, a design intended to convey a specific message or function will fail without an appreciation of its purpose. To make our designs successful, we must practice discipline and creativity while focusing on the details. We must be informed about the product, the client, and the audience, and strive to make something that effectively and, we hope, beautifully communicates the intended message in a meaningful way.