Meet Polo Waltrip | Graphic Designer, Content Creator, Data Driven Marketing, Daydreamer for Hire

We had the good fortune of connecting with Polo Waltrip and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Polo, what are you inspired by?
So many of my interests inform my design in unexpected ways; brutalist architecture and 80s music, anime and science fiction, art history, fashion, and pop culture. More than anything , I would say the majority of my inspiration comes from how all those things interact and intertwine with my senses. I experience synesthesia, which is just a fancy term for when senses involuntarily trigger other senses. When I listen to music or tastes food, or feel a texture, it automatically becomes a visual representation or manifestation in my mind. A song with sinewy vocals may feel like gauze or velvet, and a saxophone solo becomes a gradient of teals and pinks (I even encode names of others by the color they trigger to make it easier to remember lol).

For a long time, I thought this experience was the norm until I’d share it with others and get confused looks. But I can understate how useful it is in my design process. Anything can be fodder for creativity, and I encourage my clients to send me any sources of inspiration they can think of. I have built brands around vases, a color swatch from home depot, and even a favorite vintage jacket of a client. If it speaks to you, it can speak to your brand and your audience.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

How much my design and art are driven by science and data is something that sets them apart from anyone else’s. My background in psychology and neuroscience research gave me a lot of training in analytics, pattern recognition within data, experimentation, etc. This, coupled with insights into human psychology and behavior allows me to make designs that speak to both client’s conscious tastes and also the unconscious parts of people’s minds that interpret design as good or bad.

You may not take note of it but everything from the mathematical spacing between letters, lines, and proportions can ease or heighten tension and strain on the brain. Arranging things in a way that eases psychological and visual tension, and follows a clear logic, hierarchy, and visual neuro markers can take a design from “meh” to something you can’t seem to pry your eyes away from but “you just can’t put a finger on why”. Good design is science.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

First and foremost, calle ocho is top of the list, since it’s pretty much the epicenter of the Cuban-American experience here in Miami. Azucar’s guava and cheese ice cream is my emotional eating food of choice but the double-decker buses can get annoying as hell.

A huge part of what I love about Miami is how much the local architecture drips in that 80’s feeling and in many ways, South Beach’s art deco district is a time capsule of the height of the Miami aesthetic. A tour of the buildings and the pastel-painted gothic of downtown is something so unique to Miami and I always find it inspiring. The local thrift shops are a frequent haunt of mine. So many people in Miami are so focused on the new, they throw out some treasures without realizing it, and I always find something dope! As cliche as it may be, the art and design district is a must since it’s something too specific about the city. A drag show at Gramps is also an event unto itself haha.

That being said, I can’t deny I am a huge homebody and often need to seclude myself to create or get inspired. I’ll find any little corner of the beach or cafe, or time with my family. So much of the soul of Miami is the culture and families that make it so colorful, so maybe a Lechon Asado roasting in a Caja china while playing some dominos is the most authentic way to connect with the city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My mother and sisters certainly deserve much more than a shoutout for my success, but we will start with this dedication (Hi Ma!). Before dedicating myself to design, I was actually a medical researcher, and getting my applications together for med school. In that process, I realized medicine was for sure a passion of mine, but not something I could be happy dedicating my life to. That being said, I called my mom and told her I was leaving medicine and turning towards a career in design and branding.

What I expected was an explosion of anger for “wasting time on a psychology and neuroscience degree”. Instead, I was met with understanding and support while I made that transition. Hell, my eldest sister took the photos for this interview! Throughout the whole transition, and my life really, they have been my backbone and what keeps me on track. Without their unconditional support, I would not be where I am.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypnagogia_design/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/polo-waltrip-57406374/

Image Credits
Loren Blando @thatpicturebox on instagram. https://www.thatpicturebox.com/