Debbie Millman’s ongoing project “What Matters,” an effort to understand the interior life of artists, designers, and creative thinkers, is now in its third year. Each respondent is invited to answer ten identical questions and submit a nonprofessional photograph.
Brian Ponto is associate creative director at Conran Design Group’s New York studio. Conran Design Group is Havas’ global brand and design network, with offices in London, Paris, New York, Mumbai, Mexico City, and Dubai. Ponto has helped shape the visual stories for brands like Nikon, Opalescence, New Balance, Sofitel, and eBay. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Ferris, their son, Wesley, and their pup, Lil.
What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
Solving problems. The dopamine hit that comes with connecting and organizing ideas is my favorite thing. It’s why I’m one of the few designers I know who loved math in high school (and had terrible grades in writing and English). It’s how I see patterns on a guitar fretboard – and why I love baseball stats, playing The New York Times puzzles, or putting together a menu for a dinner party. For me, it’s the same as fitting together a set of brand guidelines.
This question usually reveals what people should be doing for their careers. Perhaps I’d like to be in a vineyard, problem-solving wine.
What is the first memory you have of being creative?
I was a kid who loved to draw. I think the first “This is creative!” feeling came from copying my favorite cartoon characters into my own comic strips. I could always draw well enough, but the connotation of “creative” is different from, say, simply following elementary art class instructions well.
Being able to recreate recognizable characters and get a reaction from my parents or friends felt like: “Oh, this has my expression and personality in it—this is creative!” I now draw cartoons with my seven-year-old son (would you believe it was his idea?)
What is your biggest regret?
When I graduated from the School of Visual Arts, I was lucky to find work with two of my teachers—Michael Kaye and James Victore—then later in boutique studios like Push Pin and the Valentine Group. Those early years were incredibly influential, and I was fortunate to have inspired mentors who were also entrepreneurs.
When I first left school, I wanted to emulate their independent practices. So I wouldn’t call it a true regret, more like an occasional thought: What if I’d pursued my own practice? Where might my career have gone? Still, I wouldn’t change anything about my journey. In a way, I’ve carried those principles into the agencies I’ve worked for. And the future is unwritten; there could always be new challenges in my career path.
How have you gotten over heartbreak?
I don’t think you ever get over true heartbreak. You work through it and wear its scars.
What makes you cry?
Related to the previous question, I lost my mom unexpectedly in March (hi, Mom). It’s changed me in a lot of ways. Previously, I couldn’t remember the last time I cried. Now, I’m feeling more open and vulnerable to emotion. There have been moments when someone’s simple generosity regarding my mother has made me cry. Now, it seems, I cry a lot.
How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
Not long, I suppose it varies depending on the accomplishment itself and your champions.
Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
If energy can’t be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another, wouldn’t the afterlife be just another manifestation of our energy? Might it be that we can traverse space and time—existing somewhere, everywhere, and anywhere at once? Perhaps that world is already around us, just tuned to a different frequency. That’s my inkling of the next plane.
What do you hate most about yourself?
I’m too kind to myself to really ‘hate’ anything. I have some social anxiety, and if I don’t connect with a room quickly, I can feel quite lonely and awkward. I do hate that feeling.
What do you love most about yourself?
I grew up as a child of the DIY music and art culture of the ’90s. I don’t wait; I make it, whatever it is, happen.
What is your absolute favorite meal?
Christmas Eve. Sharing great food with your favorite people is one of the best human experiences there is. If that’s too contrarian and you’d prefer the order, please make mine the baked clams, crab (anything), a glass of white wine (from Frank Cornelissen), and seconds on the bread.
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