During our brand update, we quickly knew that Phillip Clark was the designer for the job. From doing good things with Keep Fish Wet and the Fly Fishing Climate Alliance, to his co-owned brand Ten and Two Co., Phil is a proven creative supporting the fly fishing industry with fresh and well thought out branding.
Considering a good portion of our team has time on the water with him, we think Phil is a pretty great guy and that the work he does deserves to have some light shown on it! So, take a few minutes, and check out our Q/A with Phil below about the exciting projects he has been able to shape and how he blends his career and fly fishing passion.
Get To Know Designer, Phillip L Clark!
Q: What love came first, design or fishing? How do you feel the two are related?
A: I grew up casually fishing in Florida, but I wouldn’t say it was an obsession. Even my love for design came much later in life by the way of a 10 year journey for a 4 year degree. As far as their relationship with each other, they both require a good amount of upfront basic knowledge followed by experimentation to keep things interesting.
Q: What is it about the design process that you have a passion for?
A: I’ve come to really enjoy the beginning phase of a project. It’s that intersection of brand discovery and client collaboration where ideas and trust start to take shape.
Q: How does your fishing experience impact your design work?
A: I’m a strong believer in the less is more philosophy and I think that shows in how I approach my life, angling and design.
Q: Are there any other mediums/forms of art you work in?
A: I find myself on the weekends and evenings crafting one-of-a-kind Lego sculptures with my 6 year old son and 2 year old daughter. 😉
Q. What are some projects that your connection to the outdoors has allowed you to be a part of?
Q: What project that you have worked on, in the fly fishing industry or not, has made the biggest impact on you as a designer?
A: Back in 2010, when I worked in house at Target, I got connected with a small, but talented team of marketers that focused on creating experiential moments for our athlete program. Athletes like Shaun White, Paul Rodriquez, Kolohe Andino, Carissa Moore and Torin Yater-Wallace. This team trusted me to create modern and thoughtful moments for Winter and Summer X Games, apparel launches in NYC and the surf house along the North Shore of O’ahu. This time spent creating for the action sports industry through the lens of a respected design house taught me a lot about how you can change the perception of what things should look like because of what trends had followed. Today, I apply that same thinking for all of my clients no matter what industry they’re attached to.
Q: How do you think the fly fishing industry can be impacted by good design?
A: This is a challenging one to answer so I’m going to focus it on beginner tools and conservation.
From a tools (apps, books, internet, info, etc) perspective, I think things can get way simpler. The amount of information on how to “become” an angler these days is overwhelming, causing a collision course of do’s and dont’s. In this instance, design in the form of graphic and illustrations, communications skills and editing can give the viewer everything they need to get outside and learn through exploration without the needless hours spent looking for the right answers(s).
Regarding conservation, design can impact the cause by visually elevating the materials and how the materials are delivered. It can create a cohesive conversation from the campaign’s brand identity to a social post to a keynote presentation. Having everything dialed in gives a potential sponsor or donor a better understanding on what the group is looking to achieve and ultimately creates trust.
Q: Favorite camping or fishing snack?
A: Ellsworth Cheese Curds and a bag of regular chips
Q: What is one drink ( besides water) that you always have with you on trips?
A: Besides the obvious answer of beer, I love an ice cold coke on the boat.
What is one song on the drift boat hits playlist even when you’re getting skunked?
A: It’s funny, I feel like music only gets turned on when the fishing is off. If it’s during the day, Float On by Modest Mouse. If it’s in the evening, it’s gotta be jazz.
Q: How did you begin the ideation process for TroutRoutes new logo?
A: The new logo was born out of a pure collaboration with the TroutRoutes team. From the project kickoff to the full team working sessions, the information learned from those meetings translated directly to the creative concepts and ultimately the final mark.
Q: When you aren’t on a computer or on the water, what is your favorite way to spend your time?
A: I’ve recently rediscovered how much I love sliding down a hill/mountain. In 2020, I shifted from 20 years on a snowboard to taking ski lessons with my son. Now during the winter months, you can find us at one of our local hills or trying to shoot out to Montana for a long weekend of skiing. This year, we’re gonna attempt to get our youngest on skis so the whole family can get out and enjoy the winter landscape.
Q: If someone wants to work with you, what is the best way to get a hold of you?
