Kevin Lane—aka Lunar Rabbit Creative—is a graphic designer that moved to the Queen City roughly a year ago. To view his work you can check out his portfolio, but you can also learn more about him at Society6, INK361, Instagram, Lunar Rabbit Creative, and Facebook.
1. Where are you from?
Born in Florida and raised in Alabama, Ohio and Texas … yes, military family. We settled in Arizona in the mid-80’s, where I’ve spent the majority of my life. I just arrived in Charlotte last January with two cats, a computer, and a guitar.
2. What attracted you to the design profession? Did you have particular mentors or experiences that opened the door to the profession for you?
As an only child, I spent a lot of time doodling. My father owned a sailboat when we lived in Florida. When sailing, I spent a lot of time drawing in the cabin underneath. I’m told that I used to keep my pinky finger in the cup of crayons to keep them from rolling off the table.
Once I got older, I started reading magazines like Surfer, Freestylin’, and Transworld Skateboarding. I remember I would sketch the products in ads (i.e., Oakley sunglasses) and rebrand them as my own – I had a logo and everything.
By the time I got to high school I became obsessed with Keith Haring. The margins of my school notebooks were filled with my doodles trying to mimic his style, figures, and beautiful use of balanced positive and negative space.
So when I sat down and looked at all the college majors to choose from, Graphic Design seemed like a natural direction to go in. At the time, Fine Art just seemed too “stuffy” for me and I figured the term “starving artist” exists for a reason.
The four years I spent at Arizona State earning my B.S. degree were amazing and gave me a solid foundation to begin a career. I feel blessed to have been molded by Rob Roy Kelly, Mookesh Patel, Andrew Weed and Al Sanft. It was utterly time-consuming and hard work, but I loved college. After graduation, Darren Davis and the rest of the Blenderhaüs crew taught me the “real life” side of graphic design. I owe a lot to them for their guidance, their patience, and their friendship.
5. Where do you get your inspiration from?
From a lot of places. Sometimes it’s a word. Sometimes a person or a place. Sometimes a feeling or a song lyric. I’m drawn to symmetry and geometry. I like juxtaposition. I like that when graffiti gets covered over with grey paint, that same grey paint makes an entirely different, unintentional and somehow valid art composition.
16. What’s one goal (professional or personal) you have for the future?
Professional: surviving the transition from the West to East Coast. Personal: When I was in 5th grade, my teacher Mr. Little had everyone in class write down what they wanted to be when they grew up. My response at the time was author (comedian was my 2nd choice). Life has taken taken me pretty far from that path, but given the dramatic events of the last few years and the intermittent, gentle reminders from the universe, I think I may finally have enough material. So, if you ever see a copy of “Two Cats, A Computer & A Guitar” at your local book retailer, you should buy it.
20. What sound or noise do you love?
Laughter, brewing coffee, raindrops, crackling fire, cat purrs.
Each month, AIGA Charlotte strives to highlight one of its members. If you have any ideas for our next spotlight, please contact Mark Iafrate at miafrate@charlotte.aiga.org.
