Spotlight: Derrick Castle of Strawcastle

As you all know we have a talented and diverse group of makers, doers and creative ballers within the CreativeMornings/Nashville community. This month we want to tip our hats to the one and only Derrick Castle, owner of Straw Castle, Derrick’s detailed woodblock prints and high-level client work can be seen from maker pop-ups to cans of Miller High Life… and in his uber-successful Etsy shop.We’ve loved having Derrick (and the HCA creative crew) at our monthly events from the very beginning. And, Derrick totally rocked our current CM/NSH t-shirt design. Have you picked one up yet? (we sell them at events from time to time). We are happy to sit down with Derrick and talk shop.

1 - Hey Derrick thanks for chatting with us today. You and the HCA crew have been one of our most consistent group of attendees since our inception a year ago! What about CMNSH got your folks excited to participate and how hard was it to get your employer to give the green light on early-Friday absences from the office?

One of the things that our team likes the most about Creative Mornings is the sense of community. It’s so encouraging to see the creative community in Nashville grow and have a place to congregate once a month. So many talented folks all in one place!Honestly, it wasn’t that hard to convince our leadership. HCA is a really flexible company and they understand the value of our engagement in the local creative scene and the inspiration that we bring back with us.

2 - So I’ve given a little introduction about the work you do, and there are plenty of resources online highlighting your background and recent projects. What types of things are you looking to make in the future, and are there any “Dream Projects” that you’d love to get your hands dirty with?

Yeah, I’m really enjoying the path that I am on. I have noticed a lot of momentum with Straw Castle, which is great because it justifies me investing even more time developing the brand.If I was to think of a dream project, it would have to be the branding and development of a retail space. I have long dreamed of having my own retail space, that would just be the icing on the cake.

3 - You balance web/digital work with HCA and your own designs and products. What is the greatest perk of working in two distinctly different creative areas? Does the difference in approach keep you fresh with each?

You are absolutely correct! When I get home from a hard day’s work from HCA, I can’t wait to dig into an illustration for a client or step away from the computer all together and do something with a a little more craft to it, like block printing.I also feel like it helps me be a more balanced designer. Having the opportunity to work with other organizations outside of HCA has exposed me to many different styles of collaboration, which in turn helps me to be more versatile.

4 - We are known as Music City. What type of music is currently in rotation in your home studio? What keeps the midnight oil burning while you work?

For the longest time, Nashville hasn’t felt like Music City. I guess that’s because the music coming out of Nashville just wasn’t my bag. Recently there seems to be more of a developing indie scene, I find myself listening to more and more local artists.One of my favorites is Nikki Lane, she’s a local country outlaw type. I’ve also been listening to artists like Lindi Ortega (local as well) but still a lot of the punk rock classics like the Cramps and Black Flag. I also have to mention, the whole Third Man Records scene. I absolutely love what Jack White is doing for the music of Nashville.

5 - Where can people find out more about you and see what you are working on?

You can pretty much see my life by following me on Instagram @strawcastle. You can follow me on Twitter @strawcastle and search strawcastle on Dribbble as well. Last but not least strawcastle.com.