On this episode of I art Asheville we spoke with brewer, distiller and label designer, Zak Rutherford. This was a cool one for me for many reasons, First, Zak is one of the very first people I met here in Asheville at my brewery job, so it was very cool recalling the history of how we met and how our stories intertwine. It Seems so long ago now, nearly 5 years, but what a path Zak has weaved for himself in the world of craft beer and spirits here in Asheville, a town that is no stranger to those industries as it has been voted for years consecutively as “Beer City USA”. As one who has been inundated, excited and enamored with the craft beer scene for many years now, even prior to living here, I jumped at the prospect to feature Zak and talk about what has done as it is a perfect fit for the show: a blend of the arts and a very Asheville specific approach to them. After working together for a year or so, Zak decided he wanted to formally approach the world of Craft that we enjoyed discussing so much by enrolling in the well-respected school of fermentation at the local ABtech. This is a 2-year program which covers all aspects of commercial brewing, distilling and fermentation, with some really cool courses mixed into the program, including one semester of marketing and design; a class that would change the course of his overall approach to his place n the industry. Being curious in photoshop and editing naturally growing up, Zak was rather comfortable and embraced the idea of designing for his newfound career, and quickly upon his first hiring at HnH distillery here in Asheville, found himself in positions that he would have never imagined himself in the industry, the commercial side. And it all stemmed from that one design class, where after being pleased with one of his projects, he figured, hey, might as well send this out to the brewer y I designed it for and see what they think… that leap of faith and confidence in his work, was all he needed to start his transitions into the world of label making and design for the craft beer world. Now you can see his work all around town, at the many retailers who sell these fine liquids, on well-known Asheville brands such as Pisgah Brewing, Greenman Brewing, and Urban Orchard cider. So freakin cool! There’s a good chance you’ve seen one of his designs if you’ve been out hunting for craft here in town. We got to geek out a little bit on design elements, printing styles, and the legalese regarding designing for an alcohol label, which can be a bit challenging on your artistic vision. Zak and I got to talk about some of our favorite Asheville staples, geek out on some old music that brought us together, and just talk generally about being creative and that the only thing stopping anyone from their dreams of supporting their creative ventures, is just doing it. What a perfect Asheville oriented episode! I hope y'all enjoy it!
