Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nathan “N8.”. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nathan “N8.”, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
Originally, I didn’t know I was going to pursue anything in the creative or artistic path professionally. I didn’t even view that as an option growing up because none of the people around me took that route. The plan all throughout grade school was to graduate high school, major in one of the STEM categories in college, and maybe get a career in finance. This was the mindset due to math being one of my strong suits at the time and thinking that jobs like that were the only way to make a living. I always had creative skills, but didn’t really realize what they could do for me.
After graduating high school, my parents saw that I wasn’t enthusiastic about starting that career path, so they gave me an assignment. They gave me a week to research and find three professional positions that I would do even if I didn’t get paid for it. Positions that wouldn’t even feel like work because I liked doing the job. This lead to me discovering what a creative director was and finding out graphic design is one path to get there.
Nathan “N8.”, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Nathan Butler but in the creative world I go by “N8.” or “N8. the Producer”. I’m currently an intern for the Milwaukee Bucks and a Communication Design senior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). After discovering the route I wanted to take, I completed by associate’s degree in graphic design at Milwaukee Area Technical College before transferring to MIAD for my bachelor’s degree.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my versatility in different creative mediums. Graphic design is just one creative outlet I enjoy, alongside music production, photography, screen printing, etc. I just found a love for creating no matter what form it’s in.
I’m most proud when projects that I’ve worked on are up for display where others can see. Whether they’re physical projects from school or graphics made for the screens at my job, I’m always happy to contribute in filling a space.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I believe the best thing society can do for this is continually having more ways to connect creatives to each other. It’s important for creatives to find communities where they feel welcomed and are open to collaboration. This can result in new products and ideas to come forth from groups of people that wouldn’t be made individually.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The original goal was to continue down this path to reach the role of a creative director. Now, I still view that as a great option but I’m not closing the door on anything else that could fit me. I’ll continue creating and see where I’m going to end up down the line.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @n8theproducer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-butler-693879231/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTMf3b61vEQoXfw7cEcnLSA
Image Credits
Portrait of me in grass – Bubbz (@_bubbz_)