Each month, we are privileged to work with artists from all over the world. Their unique styles and points of view make for an especially diverse sense of inspiration in the art that arrives in our monthly Holstee Subscription. From Austin, Texas to Bunbury, Australia and everywhere in between, each piece of art is a true collector's piece. View past subscription art here.  

Nick D’Amico is a graphic designer and Jeanie Mordukhay is an art director. They both currently live in Los Angeles, CA.

Get your Kinship Kit including our 2017 Kinship Guide and 2017 Kinship Print by Nick and Jeanie here.  

Holstee: Where is home for you? 

Nick: Los Angeles, California.
Jeanie: Los Angeles, California

H: What is your definition of a successful life?

N: A continued growth and understanding in whatever you pursue.
J:  Peace of mind – knowing that I’m always trying my best in my work and all of the relationships in my life.

H: Describe your perfect day.

N: It’s got to start with a good cup of coffee. After that, my best days combine a good flow of creative energy, some time spent outdoors, connecting with friends, and a quality meal.
J: Sunny, bagels for breakfast, lots of puppies to play with, a project that I’m excited to work on, time to be by myself, and time to be around people I love.

H: How did you get into design? 

N: I grew watching my dad draft architectural plans in pencil on the floor of his office. He designed our home, which was carefully considered and you might say modernist. My mom is a little more free-spirited and always had some creative project going on, so you could say I was raised in an artistic environment. I spent a lot of time drawing, and as I got older that extended into photography, ceramics, and graphic design. I like design because as a field, it’s so expansive. I can think about a poster, a pot, and room with the same principles. I’ll never get bored!
J: I knew I was going to do be a designer ever since I was about 10 years old. From a very young age, I was always excited about typography, colors, and shapes, and was constantly trying to find new mediums to express myself. Design has so many applications in our world. There are countless ways to learn and grow through design, and so many ways to connect with others through it.

H: Where do you find inspiration?

N: Literally everywhere. It can come from the endless amount of amazing shared work on the internet, but it can also come from a crack in the pavement, or a conversation with a friend. You just have to be willing look at things that way.
J: Nature, imperfections, emotions.

H: What's your dream design project?

N: I get excited dreaming of identity systems where there are a lot of opportunities to express a brand in different ways. My dream project doesn’t have to be for a big brand, just a creative one. I also love a chance to work on a great team. A collective effort typically yields better results. It’s finding the right mixture of people that’s a challenge.
J: Any project where I can combine both digital and analog worlds. I love being able to work with my hands, and also admire how technology can help us achieve more.

H: Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you?
N + J: Right now we are both really inspired by the concept of Wabi-Sabi, specifically from a book we’ve been reading written by Leonard Koren. As a designer, it’s easy to easy to over-manufacture things – reducing every detail and effectively hiding any trace of humanity. We want to enter this year trying to appreciate the nature of things and making sure we maintain emotional connections between our work and those who experience it.

H: What was the inspiration behind the Kinship design?
N + J: The concept addresses that sometimes you are up when your loved ones are down, and vice versa, but you are always connected throughout different waves of life. Kinship is about caring for someone enough to help them back up. Aesthetically, we wanted to create something minimal and fluid – bold shapes that are geometric and organic as a means to tell our story simply while maintaining the humanity.

H: At the moment, what is your favorite …

Jeanie:
Color: Peach
Food: Poke!
Song: “I’ll Come Running” by Brian Eno
Quote: "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - Zora Neale Hurston

Nick:
Color: Foggy, flat sky kind of color
Food: Burritos – the most efficient food out there
Song: "E.V.P." by Blood Orange
Quote: “Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view.”  – Leonard Koren

Thanks, Nick and Jeanie!