We were lucky to catch up with Marty Fitchen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Marty, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Early on during the pandemic, we were still wiping packages and attempting to “flatten the curve.” I had just lost my job, creative projects had come to a screeching halt, and I honestly thought that I may never design again. But a neighbor in our “bubble” told me that her cousin was headed to New York City—then epicenter of Covid-19—to setup and head a field hospital with a bunch of former US Special Forces medics. They needed credentials with an official logo in order to get through secured buildings and heavily policed areas. I was reinvigorated! Not only was I excited to work on a creative project, but to have my designs on the frontlines of the pandemic felt amazing. The Ryan F. Larkin Field Hospital (named for a highly decorated US Navy SEAL who had sadly completed suicide) was setup in the Columbia University Baker Athletic Complex near NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. Ultimately, this was the catalyst for my freelance business, Fitchen Creative Co. as well as my mantra “design with purpose.”

Marty, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey there! My name is Marty… Fitchen (just like “kitchen” with an F), and I am a dedicated freelance creative professional heading up my shop Fitchen Creative Co.

I’m from Portland, Oregon, born-and-raised in southeast PDX. I love Portland! I’ve been drawing inspiration from this city my whole life. Whether you call it the Rose City, RipCity, Bridge City, or Stumptown, there’s plenty in Portland to influence creative projects.

My mother owned an interior design business and her office was in a building in the Pearl District (an area known for art galleries and creatives). I used to love going with her and being surrounded by tiles, paint and carpet samples, custom furniture and fixtures, artwork, all inside an exposed brick building and huge nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. Seeing my mom draw her interior designs at a young age was incredibly influential.

I also grew up loving maps and flags (which I now describe as the world’s first graphic designs), I thought sports team’s logos were the bees knees, and I was enamored by early 1900s poster art (i.e., Leonetto Cappiello). I took art classes all throughout grade, middle, and high school, but it was in high school that I became graphics editor for the newspaper and fell in love with creating content and layout.

For years after graduating from the University of Puget Sound (with a BA in Communication) I bounced around in various marketing departments and small agencies but the work wasn’t always fulfilling. Nevertheless, I cut my teeth designing all sorts of collateral and digital assets and learning how to *speak* client.

The truth is I love creative projects and my approach with every one is simple: help your client. There really is nothing like seeing an idea become a reality—and when you’re able to create exactly what a client has been dreaming of but couldn’t bring it to fruition themselves, that is the most fulfilling work. I’ve had clients across all sorts of industries, creating everything from signage to apparel designs, brand identities (logos) to social graphics. Whether you are starting a new business and you need the essentials to get going or a corporation that needs a campaign fleshed out I am ready to bring your creative needs to life.

Today, I stand as a seasoned creative professional, fueled by my passion for design. Check out my work at: fitchencreativeco.com

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I had a client who wanted a brand identity (logo) and I knew that I had *the* one in my first round of five (5) concepts. The client wanted to explore different ideas from new colors and iconography to a completely different name. We went back-and-forth through five (5) rounds of design and after a great deal of debating and me fighting for my first-round design the client ultimately went with that concept from the first round. Today the client is thrilled with their logo, they have it displayed everywhere and wear it with pride.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The hardest thing I had to unlearn is saying “Yes!” to every project (or walking away from a project that is not working). As creatives, we want to get our work out to be seen and we want the client to be happy (for freelancers that happiness turns into referrals and repeat business). But there is an ugly side to creative work. There are late nights and weekends, unpaid invoices, “Can you do this real quick?” questions… I can go on and on. And while I’m still learning how to pitch my business, back up my estimates and invoices, and work with criticism, I have learned to not take on every little project that comes across my desk. Sleep, time with family, and my sanity are far too important to mess with. Not saying “Yes!” to everything helps me keep those things paramount.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fitchencreativeco.com/creative
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitchen_pdx/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyfitchen/

Image Credits
marty-fitchen-creative-co.jpg • Tim Trautmann