Today we’d like to introduce you to Ray Fontaine

Hi Ray, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

Where did it start? I spent a lot of time alone as a child. My parents worked a lot. We moved in the pursuit of advancing my father’s career. I was insatiably curious, and would join lots of clubs, anything my school offered for free. I danced and choreographed. I sang and acted. I drew and wrote. I stayed after school talking my teacher’s ears off.

In high school I was lucky enough to have an abundance of art classes available to me, and I took ALL of them. When I landed in AP Art with a focus on digital media, I discovered I could bring together photography, illustration, and collage through the Adobe Suite. This was the start of developing one of my favorite skills, mixed media design (2D, 3D, 4D).

Born in New Orleans, in my youth I moved to San Diego to Dallas to New York to Tokyo to London and back to NOLA exploring various career paths, learning new ideas and creative skills along the way. I explored multiple media to bring visions to life for the likes of Saturday Night Live, MTV’s Wild N’ Out, RedBull Music Festival, Elements NYC, Figment Festival, Camp Bisco, and Buku Music + Art Project. While studying at Pratt Institute for my Masters of Industrial Design, I got my first paid photography gig through the Center for Sustainability there. After school I shot events and music photography and started designing graphics for my friends. As an internationally acclaimed designer, I have led teams to exhibit in Dubai Design Week, Mobile Asia in Singapore, and IE KMD Venture Day in Tokyo in addition to holding a residency at the Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator.

Upon returning to New Orleans, I played major roles in the marketing department of Tulane University School of Architecture, LifeCity, and Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, before building a large enough client base with my side hustle to venture out on my own.

Today everything I have done has added up to some mish mash of skills and experiences that give me the confidence to tackle almost anything I dream up. Whether that confidence is warranted or not… well – I’ll say this: I’ve failed before. Those have been the moments I’ve learned the most.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Ha! It has been a rollercoaster ride. My creative career at times felt like offroading in a 2002 Corolla (I know from experience).

When I was in graduate school, I decided to make decisions as if I were writing an epic future biography of a woman who had achieved greatness and thought leadership in her field. This took me on some epic adventures, and I’ve hit major pitfalls along the way. The greatest struggle has been recovering after a failure. I used to take it pretty hard when my sheer will, talent, and vision didn’t manifest glory and abundance. Humble pie is not a tasty treat. On the plus side, I learn and live on to face another day. A little wiser for the wear and tear of my youth, I’ve gotten better at asking questions, finding mentors, and setting achievable goals.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I maintain a dynamic multidisciplinary art and design practice. I learn quickly because I am unafraid to ask questions. It’s better to borrow my lessons than to earn them the hard way.

In business, lately my work has narrowed into strictly brand identity development, in which I create the look, feel ,and message of a company or organization. Still, I look back at the music videos and photoshoots I directed and produced at the launch of Bywater Branding with great pride and adoration. For fun, I collaborate with my romantic partner and best friend on industrial design projects including lighting, furniture, and interior design in our shared pursuit of beauty and master craftsmanship.

Whether in business or pleasure, what sets me apart is my experience in so many mediums and applications of art and design. I’m production minded, working backward from the desired result to the start of the project, considering the necessary timeline and budget. I navigate the tradeoffs and pitfalls my team may encounter in my mind before starting. I’m proud to be a powerful and pleasant creative collaborator. I like to play with others and to be on a team.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?

During the Covid-19 crisis, I discovered that life, the economy, and even the smallest aspects of our daily routine can change in an instant—and that’s okay! I actually enjoyed the pandemic period. With fewer social gatherings and networking demands, I embraced long walks, bike rides, and calls with loved ones. I used the time to practice guitar, illustrate, read, and garden. It was like a dream come true, finally getting to dive into all those activities I had always wanted to try but never had the time for.

The biggest lesson? Prioritize yourself. Slow down and take a break from the relentless pace of the world. It’s perfectly fine to step back and pursue your passions and interests, no matter how unproductive they might seem.

Pricing:

• $3500 Get Online & Get Found Bundle
• $9500 Branding Bootcamp
• $1500 Design Sprint Day
• $500 Game Planning Session
• $2500 Get Aligned to Get Ahead Leadership Workshop

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bywaterbranding.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bywaterbranding/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BywaterBranding/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bywater-branding-services
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bywaterbranding/playlists