Cosmic Conversations: Tanner Stevenett
Tell us about yourself:
I fell from Mormon heaven.
JK. But kind of.
I’m originally from Utah but currently live in Los Angeles.
I’m a designer/art director and musician.
Most of my work is with/for Apple as well as having my own creative studio. I’m a semi-retired drummer and have recently been DJing a bit under the moniker LO.TS with my friend Liam. That’s been new outlet I’ve really been enjoying.
I love a lot of things. I love the people in my life. Finding a great vintage tee at the flea market for $20. Saturdays at parks and record shops. Lighting incense in the morning. House projects. ‘Supersonic’ by Oasis. Ocean swims. Discovering the perfect disco song. Guilty-pleasure stand up comedy. Well-designed restaurant matchbooks. The list goes on. :)
Sun / Moon / Rising:
Saggitarius / Cancer / Gemini (or so my Co-Star tells me)
How do astrology / tarot / esoteric arts play a role in your life?
I’ve, admittedly, never really dove that deep into it all. I’ve let others do it for me and relay the findings LOL. Over the years I’ve certainly read things about my sign and its traits and have obviously related… the adventurous, optimistic, and adaptable traits come to mind.
How did you get started as a graphic designer, and what about it brings you the most fulfillment / joy?
At 17 I downloaded an illegal copy of Photoshop to make flyers for my band that was going on tour. Years later a friend was drawing bananas for a university foundation design project while I was writing a ten page paper for who the hell knows what. That’s when I learned that graphic design was an actual career path and I changed my major the next week.
In regards to why it’s fulfilling… the cliche would be that I get to be creative every day. That’s great. Love that. But I get to do it with really wonderful and talented people. The collaboration part brings me a lot of joy. Whether it’s clients or co-workers, seeing a vision come together collectively is a very satisfying thing.
What challenges have you overcome to get where you are today? What goals are you still working toward?
Being from a small town in Utah— it was an interesting place to start out
in terms of getting into music and design. I think it made me have to work a little harder to meet people, network, travel, and really expand my worldview.
Goals— hmmm. Just remaining curious, finding new outlets, doing things I haven’t done before you know. In a work sense, I’ve always wanted to get into the styling game. Partnering creatively with a fashion brand sounds fun to me. My design practice hasn’t touched the fashion or hospitality industries very much so there is a goal to do that type of work in the near future.
Tell us about a project you’re most proud of – what was the original vision and inspiration behind it, and how did it come to life?
Seeing something I was a part of for Apple is always a cool thing.
The scale of that type of work is always astounding so I’m always proud to see that out in the world.
One specific project that comes to mind is the branding and packaging that my studio did for Preston, a men’s grooming brand. We wanted to create a subtle, not too branded, brand. One that blended into your vanity, etc. Pitching a monochromatic line of self-care products with very little branding present was an interesting challenge. But we had an open-minded client and it ultimately turned out great. Apparently Erewhon sells the hell out of it ha. You can read a bit more about it here.
What is your typical creative process like? Do you have any personal philosophies around design, beauty and creativity? We want to know more about how Tanner sees the world
I’m very much drawn to minimalism and the idea that less is better. That whole Dieter Rams thing you know. Maybe better sounds presumptuous— but creating something appealing with less is satisfying to me. Whether it’s something I’m doing for work, how I style my home, the clothes I choose to wear— there’s an intentional simplicity that works for me personally.
We hear there’s a new creative studio in town – tell us more!
The rumors are true! We’ve recently launched our studio No Bad Thing (give @nobadthing.co a follow on IG please and thank you). My friend Will Tuddenham and I went to school together and have collaborated a lot over the years on various types of projects. The frequency of working together naturally created No Bad Thing. It’s rooted in graphic design but I think the ethos is to just make great creative with great people.
What’s filling your cup this season?
Literally:
Maru fills my cup every morning. There’s the most East Los Angeles answer you didn’t ask for. But it’s my honest ritual and I don’t care what people say about the line. Embrace it. I find comfort in having a neighborhood cafe, where the staff knows your order and you see the same friendly patrons each morning before we all go out into the world. I love it.
For a dinner with friends? It’s usually a light orange wine of some kind if I’m drinking.
Figuratively: I’ve been hiking a lot. You’ll find me along Griffith a few times a week. I find it very therapeutic to throw on How Long Gone or one of my girlfriend’s playlists and hit the trails for a few hours. I also use that time to call friends and family who don’t live locally. Call your people. :)
Who and what is inspiring you right now?
My friends are all killing it in their own fields. That’s always inspiring
energy to be around.
I’m not personally on IG right now. I used to use that as visual inspiration. Too much of a thing will ruin it for you! So I’ve been reverting back to my library of reference books, etc.
I’ve just bought and am about to jump into reading ‘Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture.’ I’m sure it’s full of all sorts of DJ-related inspiration so I’m eager to get into that.
Dream dinner party guests – dead or alive.
I don’t know if I aspire to sit and chat with people of ‘note’ which is usually associated with this question! Good friends + good food & drink + good laughs. All you need.
What’s the best advice you’d give your younger self?
Embrace change and say yes.