Design Interview :: J.R. Mahon at Gate Creative
This is the first in our series interviews with designers. We'll explore what's going on in the heart and soul of design from a Christian perspective. Today we're talking with J.R. Mahon of Gate Creative in Cleveland, Ohio. He spent 20 years inside the television industry. Everything from photojournalist to executive producer. J.R. has traveled the globe for broadcast and cable networks. He is a nationally known producer who has received some of television's top honors. A self-proclaimed Jesus freak, J.R. believes passionately in spreading the Gospel through highly creative concepts and imagery.
B L A N K :: So, what's the story behind Gate? Why didn't you stay where you were and keep moving up the ladder?
J.R. : Gate is all about two guys finally listening to God. I had been a Christian for years, translation..."Born Again lazy." God kept saying, "Come follow Me." and I kept saying, "not yet." In early 2004 I finally listened...I walked, left the great career in TV, the great money, respect among my peers and industry...I turned nuts for the Lord, I became a wacko Jesus freak. I loved every minute of it. No money, no prospects, just utter dependence on God and BAM! I meet Rob Supan who was to become my business partner in Gate Creative. Turns out I wasn't nuts, Rob was hearing the same call from God as I was. A few months later he had quit his agency job and became Gate's first Creative Director. By the way, Rob has five kids. Talk about a leap of faith. Gate opened it's doors about a year ago. We have been meet with provision from God in unbelievable ways. Our story is detailed in our new book "Starving Jesus" due out soon. Gate exclusively works with ministries. Design, marketing, consulting...our clients range from small local ministries to edgy ministries like XXXChurch.com. We love what we do!
B L A N K :: Inspiring. Can you tell us a little about your vision of design from a Christian perspective.
J.R. :: The hard questions about design lie in an honest walk with Christ. Sometimes images are born out of that incredible desire to recognize individual talent. Design is not about you and me...me clapping for you and you clapping for me. Design doesn't sit in a leather chair in a big office wearing black deciding who to take to lunch and what accessories to get for the I-Pod. Design should express itself through the incredible need to glorify God, because somewhere along the way we have fallen flat before the King and said "I am not You, and you are my Savior." He has given us all the creative edge we will ever need in the form of a cross. So we design to move people...piss 'em off, make 'em happy, give them peace, let them laugh, help them to their knees, most of all we let them know that design glorifies God.
B L A N K :: Do you ever feel your work getting caught in a Christian design ghetto? How do you break out?
J.R. :: "Christian Ghetto"...an interesting thought. Rob and I take lessons from Christ, how he spoke, how he taught. We love pushing the envelope in design and marketing with one hope—to help people to their knees and glorify God. We constantly remember the cost of salvation was the bloody body of Christ hanging on a cross for guy's like us. That pushes the deign landscape to another level for Gate Creative.
B L A N K :: That brings us to Gate's work. It's easy to see from your portfolio you've done some good and very diverse work. Can you share some stories about how your work has reached people's heart?
J.R. :: We help XXXChurch.com with some of there outreaches. It is by far the edgiest topic and message out there. We remind everyone Jesus was meet with a fight every step of his ministry. Edgy topics equal thought provoking messages . We have watched the founders of XXXChurch.com change the landscape of Christian thought as a result of well planned design and marketing. Gate was blessed to be on the ground floor of Wally the Wiener, XXXChurch's newest message. Our first reaction to Wally was NO WAY, but we realized this is a great way to take design to another level for the message of the Gospel. Wally is a dramatic icon for this message. He represents undeniable feelings of passion and offenses. Wally is the perfect spokesman for ideas that we should protect him by paying attention to what we are doing, buying, how we are raising our kids and how we are living our own lives. This is a world gone wild with it's overt sexual imagery. Wally's message is simply, "protect everything that I am by paying attention to what you are doing." Yes, it's dramatically hard to take at first, but man! It does get your attention, and people are talking about subjects that routinely get ignored.
B L A N K :: Thanks for talking with us J.R.. Any parting shots?
J.R. :: YEAH!!! Don't be born again lazy in design or your life. If you don't know Christ and love design, dial Him up today...we don't wanna lose ya. Go nuts, get Gate! B L A N K, thanks for having us!
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This interview has been conducted for B L A N K. Link to it. Reproduce it. Use it as filler copy for your next design comp. All we ask is you let us know when you do.
B L A N K :: So, what's the story behind Gate? Why didn't you stay where you were and keep moving up the ladder?
J.R. : Gate is all about two guys finally listening to God. I had been a Christian for years, translation..."Born Again lazy." God kept saying, "Come follow Me." and I kept saying, "not yet." In early 2004 I finally listened...I walked, left the great career in TV, the great money, respect among my peers and industry...I turned nuts for the Lord, I became a wacko Jesus freak. I loved every minute of it. No money, no prospects, just utter dependence on God and BAM! I meet Rob Supan who was to become my business partner in Gate Creative. Turns out I wasn't nuts, Rob was hearing the same call from God as I was. A few months later he had quit his agency job and became Gate's first Creative Director. By the way, Rob has five kids. Talk about a leap of faith. Gate opened it's doors about a year ago. We have been meet with provision from God in unbelievable ways. Our story is detailed in our new book "Starving Jesus" due out soon. Gate exclusively works with ministries. Design, marketing, consulting...our clients range from small local ministries to edgy ministries like XXXChurch.com. We love what we do!
B L A N K :: Inspiring. Can you tell us a little about your vision of design from a Christian perspective.
J.R. :: The hard questions about design lie in an honest walk with Christ. Sometimes images are born out of that incredible desire to recognize individual talent. Design is not about you and me...me clapping for you and you clapping for me. Design doesn't sit in a leather chair in a big office wearing black deciding who to take to lunch and what accessories to get for the I-Pod. Design should express itself through the incredible need to glorify God, because somewhere along the way we have fallen flat before the King and said "I am not You, and you are my Savior." He has given us all the creative edge we will ever need in the form of a cross. So we design to move people...piss 'em off, make 'em happy, give them peace, let them laugh, help them to their knees, most of all we let them know that design glorifies God.
B L A N K :: Do you ever feel your work getting caught in a Christian design ghetto? How do you break out?
J.R. :: "Christian Ghetto"...an interesting thought. Rob and I take lessons from Christ, how he spoke, how he taught. We love pushing the envelope in design and marketing with one hope—to help people to their knees and glorify God. We constantly remember the cost of salvation was the bloody body of Christ hanging on a cross for guy's like us. That pushes the deign landscape to another level for Gate Creative.
B L A N K :: That brings us to Gate's work. It's easy to see from your portfolio you've done some good and very diverse work. Can you share some stories about how your work has reached people's heart?
J.R. :: We help XXXChurch.com with some of there outreaches. It is by far the edgiest topic and message out there. We remind everyone Jesus was meet with a fight every step of his ministry. Edgy topics equal thought provoking messages . We have watched the founders of XXXChurch.com change the landscape of Christian thought as a result of well planned design and marketing. Gate was blessed to be on the ground floor of Wally the Wiener, XXXChurch's newest message. Our first reaction to Wally was NO WAY, but we realized this is a great way to take design to another level for the message of the Gospel. Wally is a dramatic icon for this message. He represents undeniable feelings of passion and offenses. Wally is the perfect spokesman for ideas that we should protect him by paying attention to what we are doing, buying, how we are raising our kids and how we are living our own lives. This is a world gone wild with it's overt sexual imagery. Wally's message is simply, "protect everything that I am by paying attention to what you are doing." Yes, it's dramatically hard to take at first, but man! It does get your attention, and people are talking about subjects that routinely get ignored.
B L A N K :: Thanks for talking with us J.R.. Any parting shots?
J.R. :: YEAH!!! Don't be born again lazy in design or your life. If you don't know Christ and love design, dial Him up today...we don't wanna lose ya. Go nuts, get Gate! B L A N K, thanks for having us!
--------------------------------------
This interview has been conducted for B L A N K. Link to it. Reproduce it. Use it as filler copy for your next design comp. All we ask is you let us know when you do.
posted by fivemcclungs at 2:10 PM
1 Comments:
J.R. was quoted as saying, "Wally's message is simply, "protect everything that I am by paying attention to what you are doing." Yes, it's dramatically hard to take at first..."
Perhaps, in the future, a different word than "hard" should be used - maybe "difficult" or "blunt" or "blatant"? Ya know, given the subject matter and all.
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