Or not taken. Where is your creativity leading you?
In 2015, PRINT Magazine was 75 years old. Debbie Millman, our then—and now—editorial visionary, along with Zac Petit, our then—and now—touchstone for creativity, asked each New Visual Artist to not only design a cover for PRINT Magazine, but also answer a customized “Proust Questionnaire.”
Joey Cofone, the then—and now—CEO of his then start-up Baronfig, answered the questionnaire, and told us about the path that led him to design.
I went to school for eight years. There’s no way in hell I would’ve agreed to that from the outset, but a series of events led me inevitably down a path I never saw coming. First, I went to school for literature and philosophy, where I got to study ideas from the greatest minds that ever graced this earth. I wrapped up in 2008, during the heart of the storm we now call the 2008 Financial Crisis. There were zero jobs for newbies like me. So, what did I do? I went to SVA as an illustration major. I had so many credits from my first go-round at school, that I didn’t need to take any humanities. Instead, I took a typography class. That’s where my teacher, Lara McCormick, changed my life when she introduced me to design, which allowed me to combine my passion for words with my love of visual art. I switched majors and never looked back.
Joey Cofone, 2015
Paths are like that. They don’t often progress in a straight line. They meander. They hit roadblocks. They surprise us and challenge us to make decisions that—sometimes—we don’t feel we are ready to make. One of the reasons PRINT expanded NVA to include artists over 30 for 2024, is because of paths like Joey’s.
Supporting thinkers around the world through imagination and inspiration, Baronfig and Joey continue to flourish.
Being recognized for my work helped me convey the quality that I deliver. Whether that’s for my own business or for clients, it’s much easier to convince a non-designer with an award like this.
Joey Cofone, 2024
If your path is off the beaten one, or if you’re heading straight into the creative stream and feel you can be the next creative visionary for your generation, PRINT New Visual Artists is calling your name.
Find out more here.
