Justin Ardrey

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

My nature:

Enjoys finding beauty in all things. Lover of design, books and culture. Gets inspiration from looking at things upside-down. Makes it a point to shuck off complacency and work toward evolution. Perpetual daydreamer. Subscribes to an altruistic, countercultural world view. Invests wholeheartedly in friends and family. Purpose-driven in life, love and community. Closet Hippie.

My journey:

From small town to big city. Graphic Design and Interactive Media. Semi-homeless. Struggle. Finds purpose. Mess becomes message. Memphis becomes home. Apprenticeship in sorcery begins. Continued search for purpose. Discovers that good design helps us interpret and influence the world around us. Strives to be a good steward of the talents and abilities that have been given him.

I’m good at:

Finding perspective and facilitating new ideas. Motivating others. Discovering new and interesting ways to do old things. Helping others who are less fortunate than myself. Taking on the fatherly, first-born child role. Rooting out new music and sharing it with friends. Playing the ocarina.

I’ve been blessed to work with:

Jay and Suzanna of Perdue Creative. Jacob Savage and crew at Speak Creative. Professors Daniel Adams and Stacey Schoen at Harding University. Fellow designers Zach Fonville, Candace Bennett and Meredith Smith. I’ve also been blessed to work with various organizations such as The Red Cross, SOMA, MUM, FIT, Invisible Children, Agape and AIGA.

My mantra:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." — Mohandas Gandhi