We’re happy to announce some new (unicorn) blood joining the flock.
Hailing form the fast-paced backwoods of Wyoming, Mary Rauzi is our newest Art Director, who has an amazing way of seeing stuff with her eyes and hearing things with her ear parts. We’re super excited for the particular set of skill’s she’s bringing to the table, and everyone’s looking forward to all the dope work she’s about to unleash. Despite an ever-hectic schedule, we managed to sit her down long enough for a little Q & A session:
Where are you from?
A ‘large’ town in Wyoming, where the trees grow sideways and tumble weeds actually exist.
Where have you worked in the past and what did you do?
Growing up I spent summers in the shop with my dad, helping with car alignments and oil changes as a tiny grease monkey. After giving up on my dreams of becoming a magician, I began the fateful journey that brought me here. This involved the literal flipping of hamburgers, sandwich artistry, concierge, clinical massage therapy, retail, more retail, bartending and finally landing my first design internship until finishing school and getting a big-kid job, that involves coloring all day. At least I’m no longer encouraged to stay in the lines…
What do you love most about being an Art Director?
Being a good Art Director or designer has three parts to the job: 1-Research and Analytics, 2-Making Shit Look Good and 3-Selling it Like a Used Car. You need to have the research discoveries to make design decisions relevent to the brand as well as the target audience. This is just as important as making it appealing visually. Secondly, it has to be beautiful as well as functional (ie. the “artsy-fartsy” part). Finally you have to be able to explain design decisions you made and get everyone as excited about it as you are. If you don’t, it goes in to the black hole of “great designs no body understood”. Womp womp.
What’s your favorite food?
Thai curry is my favorite food, however if I am feeling healthy, I will opt for Nachos. Now, I know what you are thinking and yes, Nachos are a health food. Think about it: Tomatoes (antioxidant packed fruit/veggie), Olives (good fats), Sour cream (calcium and probiotics), Beans (fiber), Cheese (more calcium), Corn chips (veggie…kind of… ok, I’ll give you that one). See? Healthy.
What do you like to do on the weekends?
Yoga, clean, play with my herd of dogs, survive my toddler.
Favorite vacation you ever took and why?
I would say either the year we took a drive to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore and the Black hills. We went to a weird house in the woods that defied gravity, saw the giant heads of presidents past, drove through bear pastures, and I made friends with a tiny black goat … or … our family reunion in Florida. We poked dead crabs, got Mickey Mouse’s signature and survived high humidity (barely).
If you could have a super power what would it be?
Easy. Stopping time, but I’m still able to move about while everyone else remains frozen. I could get more done, save people’s lives, sleep in EVERY DAY and avoid rush hour traffic. In addition, if I am touching someone when it occurs, they get to be in stopped time, too, but I do that very rarely as I can’t having many people knowing my secret. The only downside to the power is that you continue to age while everyone else is stopped, so I’m still working on finding the anti-aging stone*.
*In theory, obviously. My only real super power is the amount of wineries I keep in business. I should probably opt for an invincible liver power, however… that would be much more practical.