Introducing Brightly’s Newest Team Member: Jon Vlasak
Posted October 21, 2021
Words are great and all, but what would they be without someone to make them look bold, colorful and downright beautiful? That’s part of what Jon Vlasak, Brightly Creative’s newest team member, aims to do as a part of his job as associate creative director. He’s been a designer and developer for almost 20 years, and he comes to us from just around the Bend — Oregon that is. We’re a tight crew at Brightly Creative, so I asked him a couple of questions to break the ice and get to know him better.
Jon with Chicago Blackhawks Center Tyler Johnson and Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach John Cooper
What’s your professional background, and where do you find creative inspiration?
I attended Penn State University, received a psychology degree and moved to Seattle before attending art school. Growing up I always enjoyed drawing and was influenced by the artwork on Iron Maiden, Metallica and other ‘metal’ album covers. Wanting to be an illustrator I enrolled at The Art Institute of Seattle where I received a degree in visual communications. While in school my focus shifted from illustration to web design. I started designing and building sites, interned at a startup during the .com era (early ‘00s) and have worked as both designer and web developer since. As for my aesthetic, I enjoy clean, classic design but know that each project has its own unique visual solution.
You’ve been with us for a couple of weeks now; what’s your favorite part of the job?
There are several things. First and foremost is the team. It’s a smart, welcoming group that loves puns! I also love the variety. I can go from working on a website for a small business to creating videos for social media, all while jumping in on various print projects along the way.
What programs or technology could you not live without, either personally or professionally?
My job would be extremely difficult without the Adobe Creative Suite. I live in Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign on a daily basis. I also can’t work without VS Code when developing websites. But the most important thing is my music library. Life is so much better with a soundtrack! My go-to playlist would either be Wu-Tang Clan or High on Fire, shuffled, depending on the mood.
Tell us about your family life, hobbies and … do you even have spare time?
I’ve been married to my wife Kate for over 20 years. We have two boys Max (12) and Sully (16). They keep us extremely busy with ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, golfing, biking and more. In my spare time I enjoy mountain biking and fly fishing. During the colder months you’ll find me coaching and playing hockey at the local rink here in Bend, Oregon.
If we looked at your desk right now, what would be the weirdest item on it?
That would probably be the bobblehead Santa my kids found Geocaching about six years ago. Either that or the strip of Gear Aid fabric tape. No idea why that is on my desk.
Tags: associate creative director, Brightly Creative, creative agency, website design
CATEGORY: Brightly Creative
