Kyle Tezak

In middle school my friends and I would sit around the kitchen table with pencils and paper, drinking juice, sketching those present in the most unflattering and hilarious scenarios, drawing comic book characters, and listening to music. We’d do this for hours. Unknowingly, I was setting a standard for what I considered a suitable way to pass the time. We shared ideas, we made things, and we had a great time. A career in design would soon follow.

I served my time at school and graduated with a degree in Communication Design from Southern Illinois University. There I learned to think conceptually, to express ideas visually, and sometimes what you don’t say is more important than what you say. I also learned how to make wine, that cooking in studio apartments makes everything you own smell like onions, and riding a bicycle for transportation will make you feel more connected to your city.

My professional life is not much different than my middle school days. Its full of creativity, collaboration, fun, and good people. Each day I try to become a better craftsman. Materials, method, function, and budget are as much a part of visual design as they are carpentry.

When I’m not at my desk you might find me cooking, looking for something to ferment, or reading science-fiction.

• 
• 
• 12.02.10 | Thrift Store Carboys
• I found these two 4 gallon glass carboys at the thrift store last weekend (an unprecedented find) raising my total potential fermentable volume from 6 gallons to 14 gallons!

• 
• 
• 12.02.10 | The Move
• Moving is tough but as you can see, we found a spot for our computers. The kitchen is shaping up, though.

• 
• 11.04.10 | Week 1
• Tomorrow marks my first week of work here at Swink. Not counting the week I spent inside a computer.

• 
• 11.03.10 | Goodbye Chicago
• Emma and I are picking up and moving to Madison. Our new place is amazing but I'll never forget this view from our old apartment building.