Matt Gorton, the graphic whisperer 

ON FEAR THEN AND NOW

I think it’s a bit of a two fold answer right now, in these weird times. Number one is for the health of my family and the fear of how long the pandemic will be around for and if it will come back stronger and more deadly.
The second is the fear that things will keep going downhill and halt my industry, leaving me to struggle to provide for my family. I honestly do not think this will be the case, as i’m optimistic things will turn around and this will be a weird time we look back at and remember years from now. Totally different three months ago. I honestly can’t remember what i was most afraid of. This whole experience has been all consuming.

I got into graphic designing growing up in the Long Island punk and hardcore scene and skateboarding as a young teenager. Everyone wanted to start a band, so artwork for cd’s, shirts and flyers was constantly around you.

The vibe and consistency in my work is  a continuation to how I started designing. The design style of the skateboard companies and punk / hardcore bands overlapped so you were surrounded by a very specific look. That design aesthetic was definitely imprinted on me at a young age.

Wow, I’m trying to remember the exact year I was introduced to The Brooklyn Circus. I think in 2005, right out of college, I responded to an ad on craigslist for a freelance t-shirt designer. This was at the exact time I was starting a design studio with my college friend and co-worker Jon Contino. Ouigi, Jon and I worked very closely for the next handful of years helping The Brooklyn Circus evolve it’s style and design in every aspect. (Graphic  T-shirts, Photography, Website, a BKc coffee table book)

ON INSPIRATION

There are a lot of really super talented designers that I’m inspired by and follow. I do worry that when you follow so many different designers on social media, and are constantly inundated with design, certain ideas and constructs seep into your brain. You then think you’re designing something original, or you just thought of, but it could be recycled from something you had seen. There is just such a tremendous amount of content constantly at our fingertips. I still get the most inspiration from early 1900’s-1960’s ad design.

The happiest moment of my life was the day my daughter was born.