STEPHEN GOSS CREATIVE

As far back as I can remember, I’ve had some sort of drawing implement in my hand.

 

As a child in Japan, I drew my first passion, airplanes, no doubt fueled by my father’s active duty tenure in the United States Air Force. 

 

I won my first art contest in the first grade; this added encouragement led me to explore other mediums, and by my senior year of high school (in Hawaii) I had a relatively developed talent.

 

As Hawaii is pretty much the Tee Shirt capital of the world, I parlayed this talent into employment and freelance opportunities for many of the local screenprinting companies, designing over 1,000 designs while attending the University of Hawaii.

 

A friend needed help designing a cookie package. This small project opened me up to the world of design, and I liked it so much I decided to make a go of it.

 

I opened my first design firm, and uncreatively named it Goss, Magpoc, & Tom (sounds like an accounting firm). Three years of fun, trial and error, led to amicably parting company with one of the partners. After a much-needed rebrand, we became the multi-disciplinary design firm Studio Ignition. A few more years led to a team that had grown to 6, a few awards (Ok, a LOT of awards), and a slew of satisfied clients. But I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to have a say in the larger campaign for which we were creating so many elements.

 

Around the same time, a local adman split from a large agency in which he was a partner to strike out on his own. He needed a creative team, and sensing a challenge, we partnered up and took the leap to the advertising world.

 

I assumed Creative Director duties, and helped grow the fledgling firm from 5 team members and $4.5 million to 19 team members and $13 million in billings. We accomplished this in two years, but it took its toll on me. I was doing a lot more admin and a lot less creative. Not what I had in mind when I started down this road.

 

So I left, and have since guided a focused group of clients in their design, branding and advertising needs.

 

Design, advertising (print, radio, and television), logos, branding, packaging, print collateral, publication design, signage, web, product hierarchy systems; you name it, I’ve done it.

 

When you enjoy what you do and care about it, it shows, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be recognized by my peers. I’ve received over 90 design and advertising awards at the local, national, and international level, among them 12 Gold Regional ADDYs, a Best of Show, a National Gold and Silver ADDY, a slew of Communicator and Summit International Gold Awards, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts Top 5 and Top 50 awards. I’ve also had work featured internationally in Communication Arts, Print Magazine, and Graphis Design Annuals.

 

I’ve served as past Vice-President of the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and have guest lectured on topics ranging from fashion to design. I’ve conducted workshops teaching the fundamentals of design and their practical application in today’s business environment to high school graphic design students. We’ve got to show an interest in the next generation, they are the future after all.

 

I love design, and everything that benefits from it (which is pretty much, everything). Art, architecture, fashion, photography, comics, cinema, sports, and pretty much anything that makes you feel. And I'll try almost anything once.

 

So if you have a project that I can help with, or you just want to chat, let's talk. We might do something truly great together!