Jim Griffiths
Nga Puhi
1966

I am a very easy going sort of guy that doesn't get too stressed about things. It's a trait that I inherited from my father who managed to stay calm even though he had at least a half dozen kids creating havoc in the house at any one time. He managed to keep alive during world War II, seeing action in Europe and Africa so I guess our home wasn't so bad after all?

I love what I do, sometimes I have to pinch myself as I still find it hard to believe that I make a living from drawing and making cool looking things on a computer. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I was growing up, perhaps a signwriter or commecial artist, whatever that was? I learned my trade the old way, drawing on tracing paper and hand drawing type for mock-up designs, using letraset and a waxer for paste-up, getting type 'set' by a typesetter then making corrections so that I could get it back again!

Thank goodness for computers, especially the Mac. I love my machines they are just beautiful, functionally and aesthetically. The internet is the focus these days, you can publish your work instantly which is so powerful. Although I am in the thick of the information age I could easily put things aside and enjoy a more simple life with my family. There's a piece of land out there somewhere calling our names and I'd be happy sitting by a nice warm fire or enjoying the view in the sun... that day will come, and with our mobile and connected world maybe I can have both.