Terry Marks is principal of tmarks, a multi-disciplinary design and marketing firm in Seattle, Washington. His clients include DC Comics, Weyerhaueser, Adobe, and Microsoft. Terry speaks and judges advertising and design competitions regularly around the U.S.

Besides his involvement with his AIGA both in Seattle and nationally, where he was instrumental in the initial development of the AIGA National Design Explorers program, Terry is active in a number of non-profit organizations including several initiatives to help sick children like The Friends of Arthur, Art with Heart, and Make-A-Wish Foundation--which makes him an interesting speaker on the intersection of graphic design and non-profits. Terry Lee Stone spoke to him about his work, his life and himself.

What are you going to talk to us about and why?

Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows and everything...Mostly, I'll review some of these efforts we've been involved with and what the situation was and how solutions were created to meet a need. There'll be eye candy that any designer will find interesting, even hilarious, and some movies that outline the plight of some and call for some sort of action. Then, I'll review why it's not simply good, but vital, for us as designers to be involved in such.

What are you busy with these days?

How much time do you have? Being a bit giddy about being a newlywed. My wife Laura and I are in the third month of wedded bliss. I'll stop now before I make somebody puke. Working hard to grow as a businessman as well as a designer/consultant. I recently took a sales development course. It's amazing. No, it ain't Amway. It's given me a better map and understanding to get to what really matters. It has changed the way we work with potential clients for the better. Amazing. It's helping us craft a business that we would ultimately hope for. More, I work with great people. I couldn't be happier in that. Writing more projects for myself. Both short story and movie bits. Doing what we think is the best work of the studio. We're having a ball.

You seem to write a lot of short stories…

I’ve always written short stories. I like doing a variety of things. I design, illustrate, make movies, write. It’s all part of what I’m interested in. We all have so many facets to ourselves. I think we are only limited by our desires. For me, it’s knowing what you care about. It isn’t only about making money. I think designers need to be more intentional about the kinds of work we do. It comes from knowing what you value. Let’s face it, pleasing a client isn’t doing good design work. If you get the wrong client, you can do some bad work.

Design is sometimes a hard way to make a living.

It is a hard way to make a living. It also seems to be a young person’s realm. Every 10-12 years when there is an economic dip, a whole lot of designers bail. They just get out of the profession. I have great respect for people who take great risks to follow their heart and go for what they want. I guess that’s something I have to say: be more intentional and think about how you spend your time.

What are you doing with your various non-profit orgs? And why do you do that stuff?

Weeeell...We are finishing the Annual Report for Powerful Voices, a non-profit that works with adolescent girls. We just completed the auction materials for the Experimental Education Unit at UW. They earn about $400,000 at the event and it helps fund the operation and research for the world-class facility that puts typically developing children with those with autism and Down's syndrome. It's remarkable.

We are also assisting ASTAR Center where a noted neurologist has devoted his professional life to developing a center to guide families with members with autism for assessment, therapy and care--over one's lifetime. It's landmark here in the Northwest. We're helping with fundraising efforts, movies, web, signage, etc. I recently MC'd the fundraising event for Art with Heart, a non-profit that's developed Oodles of Doodles for Your Noodle. It's a book for chronically and seriously-ill children. The best part is that it's free to them. An ongoing involvement is LINK, a non-profit that works with high school students, using art to help them develop the confidence to use their inherent talents for their future. Six area high schools participate and we are able to dole out $20,000 in scholarships a year.

WHY? That's a damn good question. No, I'm not working out my penance nor am I putting too much weight on karma. Why do I do it? I think I have to blame my father. He worked for the Red Cross for 38 years. Growing up, we were constantly volunteering for something. It's part of who I am, I guess. It doesn't cost me anything but time and it makes some sort of difference, I should hope. And making a difference for the better, I should hope we might all want to be able to do that. It's not about being seen as a nice guy or about proving anything. I've wondered that. The fact of the matter is that nobody even really knows you do it. And truthfully, I usually do it because I either think the idea is great or I find that the people who are doing the real work really care. It's compelling. And I want to help.

What's going on with your collaborations with other designers?

We recently completed a project with Justin Ahrens and Rule29 called Mr. Cato. We wrote multiple versions of the story and helped frame the moral (I guess you could call it) as well as sculpting the character himself. I met Justin, who lives in Elburn, Illinois, through AIGA. You know how you meet great people and say, "we should collaborate on something"? Well, Justin and I did. That’s how our book Mr. Crumbly Dreams A Tiger was created. It’s a children’s story about overcoming fear. We're going to be writing a major promo for O'Neil Printing in Arizona as well. That'll be good. Other than that, waiting for lightning to strike for the next one.

(Note: A self-promo piece that Marks and Ahrens did called Rule29: Make creative matter was a recent HOW magazine Self-Promotion Contest winner. "The 'rules' theme is so appropriate here, and the copywriting has just the right mix of cleverness and sincerity," said juror Bryn Mooth. The designers will speak about collaboration at the upcoming HOW Conference this summer in Las Vegas.)

What's up with your movies and character performances that are another one of your collaborations? Aren't those playing into racial stereotypes?

I'm laughing. Everybody loves Eddy Wang. EVERYBODY. It's funny to me that the only people who ask about stereotypes and such are, well, white. And that makes me laugh, too. My litmus test on Eddy was playing it for a friend Kong Lu, who as you might guess, talks nearly like Eddy. He was dying. Because I think he got it. It's not about stereotypes, it's about a guy who is somewhat of an innocent who tries to appropriate what media tells him is 'cool' and basically fails at it. The guy could have been Italian or Russian or redneck. It's mostly about an innocent stepping into uncharted waters with real hopes and stepping on his own toes. But ultimately, it's a compliment to Eddy's nature that he can't pull it off. Women always say "Oh, I love Eddy...! I'd date him." Which is a huge lie. Or if they did, they'd go to the bathroom and leave him there, waiting.

Well, not everyone here in LA likes these movies. I have heard from some young Asian men that they don’t think this character is at all funny because it emphasizes old prejudices, especially about Asian guys being goofy and not getting the girl…

I'm very surprised to hear this. For me Eddy isn’t about race, he’s just a guy who’s a fish out of water. He’s a smart guy with social skills that don't apply to the dance club. He wants something, but he can’t seem to get it. Eddy’s trying to appropriate things and ways of being that aren’t him. It’s funny, but sad. That’s common to many people, it’s not a race-specific thing. I think because I grew up with all over the world since we traveled because of my Dad’s work with the Red Cross and because my Dad is white and my Mom is Korean.

But even merely saying my Dad is white sounds like a throwaway, a stereotype in itself. There's a lot more behind that and just hearing the mix of places that make up his background screams of stories. German, French, Finn, Irish, Scot, etc. etc. It's fascinating. Like my mother being Korean but being born in Japan. Like my grandfather welding the ladders on the Arizona that eventually made it to Pearl Harbor and my uncle working in underground overseeing workers in munitions factories for the Japanese. There's so much there. And we all have it.

Eddy Wang was from the get-go an experiment that we allowed to happen. Instead of going to what is real, Eddy goes to the clothing store. He is simply searching for identity. It doesn't fit. And we've all done it. A good chunk of it that makes it funny is that every guy (unless you are Elvis) has felt exactly like Eddy does. You go from feeling somewhat normal or human to feeling like a big goon in the face of the prospect of romance.

I suppose I enjoy it because it IS the thing which so many might think I--or any number of people--might be. And a piece of it is real, which is why it's funny. But I should think it's obviously not all of who or what I am.

What ideas and notions are filling your head (even obsessing you) these days?

Furniture design. We work with a custom furniture manufacturer. I designed a new meeting table that they are making out of custom bent plywood. I'm stoked. We recently moved and I love creating the solutions for the space. On that tip, I'm slowly looking for the right place to buy and refurbish. Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment. Aside from that, it's about growing the business and writing more. Those are hand in hand. I realize with my business, I've been given a platform to do just about anything I might choose. And I'm taking the risk.

So what have your many multi-disciplinary creative efforts taught you?

I believe that you can do what you really want to do. We limit ourselves. Many of us live lives of muttled frustration. Our creativity can line up with financial success or not, but I think the world’s a pretty big place. Sometimes you work and think you’re making something happen, and something else that’s huge surprises you. Some of the best things that have happened to me were surprises. I kind of slid in the side door on many things. It all comes down to being willing to accept your own desires. Do things that matter to you.

Terry (Marks) recommends these books for inspiration:
Hatch Show Print: History of An American Poster Shop
Nine Stories by JD Salinger
The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller

Terry Marks will be speaking at the upcoming AIGA/LA event Instant Karma: Design + Non-profits is Wednesday, April 26, from 6:30 to 9pm at MOCA. Register now.

Terry Lee Stone is a design management consultant and writer who teaches the business of design at CalArts and Art Center College of Design. She’s the author, with AdamsMorioka, of the recently published book Color Design Workbook.