Copy of who is whereforeart?
Bob has worked in the creative space more than 30 years directing, designing and producing graphics for a diverse mix of print media, including advertising, collateral, magazine layout and design, product packaging, book covers as well as video graphic animation.
Bob began his career at D.W. Newcomer's Sons, a Kansas City family-owned funeral home and preened company with locations all across the Greater Metro area, leading the creative. In an industry that can be difficult to market, Newcomer's was the leading competitor during that period with excellent brand recognition. D.W. Newcomer’s Sons and Fox 4 TV’s “Symbols of Caregiving” campaign won the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver ‘Prism’ award for excellence the four consecutive years that it ran from 1996 through 1999.
In 1999, Bob signed on with Jim Browne and Associates as Art Director working with clients including Lee Jeans, Riders Jeans, Marley Cooling Towers, Herald House Publishing, Mortons Steakhouse and more. The move was a leap of faith as he learned graphic animation and video editing 'on the job' in addition to print work and creative overflow for clients as needed.
In 2007, Bob took yet another bold leap to Polsinelli, a regional law firm at the time. During his tenure there, Polsinelli entered a time of rapid expansion to become a nation firm with 850+ attorneys with offices from LA to NY. In 2012, he was part of a core group of five who led a rebrand of the firm from the ground up. Over the next five years, the firm achieved numerous accolades, rising 50-spots in the AmLaw 100. Polsinelli was also recognized for brand excellence.
In 2019, Bob left Polsinelli to launch his own creative consulting and graphic design business, WhereforeArt?.
how can we help get your message across?
I’ve worked as an art/creative director and designer for more than 30 years directing, designing and producing graphics for a diverse mix of print media, including advertising, collateral, magazine layout and design, product packaging, book covers as well as video graphic animation. This eclectic mix of experience working in the publishing world, product design and professional services has shaped an approach to design that will efficiently progress from concept to completion. By first understanding the strategic business objective of your project, I focus on creative solutions and visuals that are memorable and convey your message. It’s about creating a genuine connection.
We'll help you get your message across with creative that resonates for projects including:
Advertising Creative and Design
Environmental Graphics
Video Graphic Animation
Any type of Print Design
Website Design with Squarespace or WordPress
Creative and Design Overflow and Consulting
Brand Strategy and Integration
Social Media and e-Communication Design
“Bob recognizes that ‘the devil is in the details’ and works to execute projects flawlessly, delivering a high level of service to his clients. He identifies the steps needed in order for a project to be successful and moves through those steps with precision and purpose. People trust his judgement and have learned to count on him to deliver a product that will exceed their expectations.” –APR
bio
Bob has worked as an art/creative director and designer for more than 30 years, directing, designing and producing graphics for a diverse mix of print media and digital animation projects. The scope of Bob’s creative talent runs the full design gamut to include:
Print advertising
Collateral materials
Magazine layout and design
Product packaging
Book jackets/covers
Event invitations
Video graphic animations
Brand development and brand integration
Bob brings an eclectic mix of experience working in the publishing world, product design and professional services industries that has shaped an approach to design that enables him to efficiently progress from concept to completion. He begins by first understanding the strategic business objectives of each project and then uses that knowledge as the lens for creative solutions and visuals that are memorable and convey critical messaging.
Described as an imaginative yet practical and productive graphic artist, Bob brings a rare combination of creative, analytical, and applied skills from which to draw – a rarity among design professionals. Clients remark on Bob’s easygoing and approachable communication style and it’s no surprise his professional relationships span decades of creative project delivery.
experience
Polsinelli PC | a national Am Law 100 law firm based in Kansas City with 825+ attorneys serving 170+ services/industries across 21 offices from LA to NY
Design Team Manager and Creative Lead, 2007 until October 2018
Art director for a design team that included a full-time designer, design contractor(s), as well as an external ad agency. Responsible for the design execution of an extensive portfolio of creative output ranging from marketing collateral to event logos and environmental graphics to video content/design and special projects. Worked in close collaboration with Marketing Director to build and further the firm’s brand identity and reflect that brand across all aspects of creative, written and visual. Worked with a core team of five on a major firm re-brand which resulted in achieving significant industry accolades and rankings including a 50-spot rise to a No. 20 ranking in brand strength.
Jim Browne and Associate, Inc, | a video production company
Art Director, 1999 through 2007
Provided creative direction and graphic design for client’s including Lee Jeans, Dillard’s, Kansas City Life, Marley Cooling Technologies, Morton’s Steakhouse and others. Integrated client’s established brand in the video space as well as events and other types of print design, as needed.
D.W. Newcomer's Sons | a fourth generation funeral home operation with multiple locations across greater Kansas City
Manager of Creative Services, 1988 through 1999
Planned, designed, and produced graphics and copy writing for ads, video and other promotional materials. Hired and provided art direction to free-lance artists and photographers as needed. Maintained market focus in all graphic design/advertising, resulting in successful marketing campaigns in a difficult-to-market industry.
Penguin-Putnam, Inc | a New York publishing company
Contract Design, 1998 through 1999
Designed and produced ads, packaging and licensing materials such as style guides, etc., on a contract basis for the publisher (which also included design work for several other imprints under the Penguin-Putnam umbrella – Dutton Children’s Books, Dial Books for Young Readers, Playskool Books and G.P. Putnam Sons/Philomel.
an acorn fell from the tree
I would say that my course as a designer was first set in motion when I was about seven years old. My dad, a graphic artist, had started an ad agency with two other partners in the early 70’s and I would sometimes land there for an hour or two after school, undoubtedly the result of a logistics matter. And that was alright with me!
During those occasional after school layovers this kid with the highly active imagination and the wee beginnings of artistic ability discovered wonderland. There, I learned what ink on paper smelled like when freshly off a printing press—and how engaging a good design on that paper could be. There, I first heard words like ‘slogan’ and ‘campaign’ and witnessed creative people collaborating around an idea and then bringing that idea to life in some unexpected form. And, there, I knew for sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. Since those young days visiting the little agency building with the quintessential 70’s architecture and the orange shag carpeting that went along with it, I’ve also learned how to weave solid business insight and strategy into the creative process for an end-product that delivers both substance and impact.
If you would like to learn more about those career experiences, my resume from in-house days is available here. However, I prefer to close with a few insights that a resume can’t necessarily convey—the qualities I’ve learned to value and to bringto my work and those I work with:
like collaboration above competition
like taking ownership of every endeavor as if the project and its stakes are my own
like embracing new opportunities to stretch and grow into with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of Seven-Year-Old-Me
like remembering that creative work is my wonderland—still.
“I worked with Bob on our rebrand over the past year. The roll out was a massive and complex initiative that seemed to be forever moving and changing. He demonstrated an impressive ability to respond to challenges with a positive, professional demeanor. He offered critical insight and solutions to some of our bigger challenges which allowed us to avoid some pitfalls that could have otherwise derailed our progress and timeline.” – SJ
Contact: J. Robert “Bob” Farley II | WhereforeArt? Graphic Design and Creative | 816 820 5760 | bobf@whereforeartdesign.com | resume | vCard