Hello. I am John Hogan the MD of Crum.
By: John Hogan
Tags: Artist, Business, Illustrator, Designer, Blog

Hello. I am John Hogan the MD of Crum. Crum as a design studio is an accumulation of many years ( I am now 52 ) of image making. I actually had the concept of Crum when I was a young boy. I remember thinking that it would be a good name because it defined my reasoning at the time. The reasoning that the world and the universe is a massive place, and I am just a tiny speck, but even though I was tiny, I had hope and aspirations for the future, which implied that I was also huge. I then married the analogy of a Crum with the hugeness of aspiration, It was then only a small step to the idea that by devouring the whole of life, left you with a Crum, small but huge at the same time. The logo for this concept for Crum was realised, red denoting the strength and power of the concept of tiny but a part of a massive whole, devoured by everyone. and the grey textured surface denoting the hard but very tasty whole.There is also the satiation concept, in that you have devoured the whole and left a Crum, suggesting that the whole that was devoured in the first place must of been good to only leave a Crum remaining.

Related to the idea of what it means to be a small part of a whole, are, the definitions of the whole. In my personal case it is useful maybe, to outline the ways and methods of my journey through a huge life eating spree. I am not going to detail my whole life story in this post, suffice it to say, every tiny detail of my life, just as for yourself too and every other human being that lives and has lived during the earths existence. Every individuals detailed life, every moment marks their place, makes them what they are, and guides them in the actions they take. All my life I have been involved in image making, From the first time I made things as a young boy, i realised that this is what I was, what i felt the most comfortable and happy doing. And what I would like to continue to do for the rest of my life. Little did i know however, that there where huge life experiences ahead of me that would place both barriers and questions of self that would make the transitions as a creative difficult. At various stages in life I have been questioned as to what I am. In school I was asked what i wanted to do, and when i said i want to be an artist, they immediately disqualified the idea and convinced me to choose a different direction. My parents were the same, born into a working class family. They had no time for creativity and discouraged me constantly. After many so called dead end jobs from farming to roofing, to packing chickens. I also managed to find employment as a graphic designer in a local design studio, this is where I gained valuable insight into the design industry, it enabled me to build up a portfolio. a few years later I then managed to attain a place on my first degree course. (on the strength of my design and drawing portfolio, because I didn’t have the right amount of qualifications ) I did poorly at secondary school, not my intellect you understand, but rather an accumulation of a mixed up creative mind, and a lack of good teaching with poor encouragement. At university, I was asked again, what I was, was I an artist, illustrator, or graphic designer. I postulated, I believed I was a creative, with no definition. however, labels ensued and I ended up receiving a BA (hons) Graphic Design/Illustration.

On completion of my degree, (1998) I traveled to London with portfolio under arm. I managed to find employment in an Illustration agency, as an in house graphic designer. I completed many design projects here, but they also realised that I had drawing and painting abilities. and so I also completed many illustration projects with both national and international clients. I produced an oil painting for an EA Games cover. After which time, I began to receive many more oil painting work, I completed work for Redrow homes, the London philharmonic orchestra, who was playing at Carnegie Hall in New York. I designed the poster, brochure and tickets, and a number of historical film book covers, amongst other work. I was employed there for 2 years. After which time Freelanced as an illustrator for 18 months specialising in subversion of old master paintings for advertising. I enjoyed this time, after all I was beginning to feel successful. It was around this time that I met my future wife. I was then subjected to much soul searching, I was in love, and my girlfriends family did not like the prospect of my career as a foundation for their daughters future happiness and security. I experienced once again the seemingly ingrained discrimination of anything creative, and art and design was frowned upon like you may be weird or unhinged. And they told me in no uncertain terms, that its best to change career. I conceded, I then retrained (4 years) as a psychiatric nurse. We found a house, (my girlfriend trained for 4 years as an occupational therapist) I found employment as a psychiatric nurse first in the priory hospital, then onto the NHS. I was employed in a secure hospital for the criminally insane. I worked there for 4 years. Suffice it to say that I was not a happy man. My work suffered as did my mental health. I was transferred to admin posts, but I was lost. I had a nervous breakdown. I then lost my house and my wife, and my then 2 years old daughter was estranged from me. ( because of divorce ) I struggled for a year. Until I began to make images again, and my life returned for the better.

Again I struggled with the concept of definition of what I was as a creative, was I an artist, and illustrator, or a graphic designer? It shouldn’t matter really, but society makes a clear definition between artist /illustrator/graphic designer. Graphic design is generally considered a genuine career with clearly defined perimeters. Illustration is an overlap but in itself is not very highly regarded, especially in uk culture. It maybe because of its close alliance to art and artist, and to fine artist, which in my experience has very little regard, bordering on the insane, certainly in uk society. ( unless you belong to some very elite, subgroup where you can exist in a specialist vacuum) although there are some quarters that would totally disagree with the notion that illustration is closely aligned to fine art. For example when I entered into my second Masters degree (2014) The definitions of the three disciplines where both integrated and fiercely diferenciated, which, only confused me more. I was told I was not an artist, that I was a designer, by numerous lecturers. Of course a masters degree entails comprehensive research. Not long after After I completed the degree, I arrived at the conclusion that it didn’t matter what others thought of me as a creative, all I knew was that it was natural for me to engage in making images in a creative way every since I was a boy old enough to interpret the world in images, and delight my classmates with my designs. I knew I was both an artist, an illustrator and a graphic designer. ( I actually completed a year of an animation MA too)

Today I Reserve the right to categorise my self as a designer, distinct from graphic designer. The term Designer, I feel illustrates the complexity and dynamism of my practice as a creative. Some say diversity is good, others disagree, As I have previously said in other posts, artist, illustration, animation, and graphic design, are one of the same thing. I am not the only creative that can pass through and around the individual disciplines with ease, Each discipline has its own individual nuances, however, they all require the facilitation of design skills, and indeed, all have thier collective roots firmly within design principles. I am therefore a designer. I am the managing director of a design studio. I am not weird or strange (Fine art) I am not worth less, and a joke, the lowest of society (illustration) I am not a plastic graphic designer either, I dont reside in a pretentious smoke and mirrors world. Design is central to every single thing man has produced in the history of the world, it is intrinsically embedded within all of us. Its just that some individuals like myself posses a genetic pronunciation of the creative design gene. Here is a link to some samples of my illustration and art that I have completed throughout my life. As you can see its very varied in style, and media used. Both traditional, and completely digital works. The examples are a reflection of my creativity at the specific time in my history, made because it was required both professionally and personally. Just as a design is made with text, it is made with a focus to a problem or inquiry, it exists for a reason, for a purpose, I have used skills to make the images, and I have been highly educated to understand why I make images, and the context to which they belong. Design is important, designers are professionals, designers are the bedrock of society.