Welcome to the Rogue Creators Video Series, a limited series featuring various artists that inspire the Go Rogue Team. Throughout the episodes, which release bi-weekly, Bryan Fittin and Loren Lewis sit down with five of our team’s favorite artists to discuss their work, what inspires them, and how they stay creative. Join us every other Friday, now through July 8.
In this installment of the Rogue Creators Video Series, Bryan Fittin is joined by Alec Ward, co-founder of Hone Creative, a creative agency in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that helps businesses, organizations, and other creatives share their passion with their audience. Together, Bryan and Alec discuss a few of Alec’s favorite Hone Creative projects, what a typical day looks like for Alec and Hone Creative, how to stay healthy as a creative, and You’ve Got Mail, among many other subjects.
Alec’s passion for visual art has always been obvious. As a child, his parents introduced him to several classic movies, unknowingly spawning his eye for photography and video. From a young age, Alec loved the way that colors worked together to create different compositions. Even still, he enjoys watching how individuals interact with art at museums—each person standing at a different distance, observing a work of art with their unique eye.
Alec founded Hone Creative in June 2020 with his wife Claire, who has an eye “for the words side of things,” according to her husband. She handles all of the copywriting and
editorial work, while Alec focuses primarily on the visual media.
The couple had been passionate about their creative skill sets for a long time, but it wasn’t until a friend recommended they combine their powers that they considered creating an agency together. It was a significant risk at the beginning of the pandemic, but it quickly transformed from a dream into a reality.
Several individuals within their circles reached out about needing help updating their website, improving their instagram presence, and clarifying their message, and just like that, the business was off and running.
Ultimately, Hone Creative is about more than merely creating a logo. Alec and Claire’s goal is to get to the sole reason behind why their client believes in what they are doing, and share that with their client’s audience.
We asked Alec to share a Hone Creative project he was particularly proud of, and he was quick to choose his work with The Wordsmith Salon + Beauty Space.
In August 2020, Jenni Ashford, an old friend of the Ward’s, reached out about grabbing a coffee and creating the brand of her dreams. She had always wanted to build a salon, spa, and beauty space that was inviting, elegant, and encouraging to every individual who entered its doors. The approach: Bring in an upscale, elevated version of a salon that could exist in New York or Los Angelos but also pays homage to its Northwest Arkansas Roots.
Hone Creative’s initial aim was to create a simplistic logo that would be immediately recognizable and associate with The Wordsmith. For Alec, it was crucial to include the messaging behind the original idea for the business. When you come into a salon or beauty space to get your hair cut, eyebrows waxed, or prepare for prom, you’re in a very vulnerable position. Jenni wanted to create a space where individuals could feel completely at ease and trust their stylist, and Alec wanted the logo to reflect that. Alec also consulted with much of the interior design, paint choices, cabinets, and much more.
It’s no wonder why Alec chose to share this project, as it showcases his eye for elegance, simplicity, and messaging across several mediums.
While we asked Alec to share a Hone Creative project, we chose a couple pieces of their work to feature as well. This first piece is the music video for the song “Good Girl,” by Jasper Logan. Alec and Jasper have worked together for several years now, and when Jasper approached Alec about this project, he was immediately on board.
Jasper introduced Alec to Rob Jordan, a friend who taught a dance class at Likewise in downtown Fayetteville, and the trio created an elaborate idea for the video, which was centered around a dance Rob had choreographed for the song. After hours of shooting, the whole team felt discouraged by their progress, and they knew something needed to change.
The sun had set outside the windows, affecting the lighting drastically. In an act of desperation, Jasper suggested scrapping much of their plan and trying something new. They placed a chair in the middle of the room and told Rob she could do whatever she wanted. Alec turned his light to its maximum brightness and pulled it far behind him, and two takes later, they were done. Saying they captured magic in those two takes is far from an exaggeration.
For the second piece, we chose the promotional videos and branding that Hone Creatiive produced for the Together We Can Conference. This project, also in partnership with Jasper Logan, aimed to create a space where individuals from marginalized groups could express themselves and discuss trauma, emotions, and difficult things they’ve experienced throughout their lives.
Because the focus of the events was centered around emotions and difficult subjects, Alec wanted to use color theory to visually communicate emotions. While there are three primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—they create several different colors when mixed together in different ways. Similarly, our emotions mix and blend to create the feelings we experience every day.
Connect with Hone Creative
To connect with Alec and follow Hone Creative’s journey, checkout out their Instagram!
