Troy is an American artist, designer, and creative director.

I'm a plain-spoken Midwestern American who grew up on well water, 80s movies, biscuits & gravy, and country values.

Bio
Building & mentoring design teams with empathy, empowerment, critique, and mutual respect in mind. Helping shape and grow brands such as Google, Facebook, and eBay. Crafting custom brand identity for both a heritage whisky label, and a new cannabis brand. Fostering creative culture. Creating impact through art & design. Inspiring humans through creativity, laughter, and kindness.

Brand approach
A brand is defined by its "special sauce", the distinct characteristics which make it unique & desirable. I strive to capture this essence to create something iconic & timeless — whether that's preserving a brand's heritage, or crafting something fresh & new.

Traits that define me

All seeing eye inside of hand

Seasoned creative mentor & leader

I’ve managed large creative teams and I believe empathy, empowerment, critique, and mutual respect go a long way when mentoring others.

Coffee cup

Coffee & humor fueled human

It’s proven that humor enhances the creative process.  Coffee doesn’t hurt either. Count on me making fun of how you take your coffee.

Art tools ruler pencil and mouse

Art, design & code background

Prior to 19 years professional experience, I obtained a Fine Arts + Computer Science degree, so I value the intersection of handcraft and technology.

Truths I believe

I believe in looking one another in the eye, respecting your elders, and not being too good for small talk.

I believe in old-fashioned storytelling, and that good stories always have a beginning, middle, and end.

I believe in standing for something bigger than yourself, and committing to an ideal.

I believe in the old-school, the happy accident, and doing things by hand.

I believe in the diner, the donut, and unlimited coffee warm-ups.

I believe in jazz, improvisation, going off-script, and that life is too short to be boring.

I believe that data does not account for taste.

I believe in the value of preserving history and upholding traditional methods, as it pertains to art & culture.

I believe sometimes you need to see the darkness in order to see the light.

I believe humans are bound by forces beyond our collective comprehension & consciousness, and that through art, we can begin to understand our place in the world, and our true identities.

I believe in ghosts. And I’ve seen one. On the beach in Santa Cruz, California. If you'd like to hear the story, ask me.

I believe life is worth searching for love, truth, and the perfect cup of coffee.

I believe it is a good day to be alive.

Self portrait photo of Troy Chafin