Mike McQuade currently lives, works and plays in Chicago. He believes that hard work, persistance, insane optimism and mistakes lead to better work. Mike describes his graphic design and illustration methods as a raw and always transforming. He gathers most of his inspiration from everyday happenings. “I am obsessed with visual communication, sometimes it’s strange & awkward, other times beautiful & moving, most of the time it’s outrageous and full of insults. Nevertheless, it’s fun to observe and it indirectly informs all of my work.” Mike believes strong concept in design is as important as the the visuals themselves and says, “No matter how good the execution or style of a piece, it will not work without a great idea.”