Art is all around us – especially in the business world. Today we will hear from Austin Russo about where he finds art and inspiration for his craft. Austin in the co-founder of StyleCraft, a startup with the aim of bridging science and art for unparalleled hair styling equipment. With a firm belief in the importance of the arts, StyleCraft is giving back from day one to arts education initiatives like Art in Action. Read Austin’s interview below to learn more about why he and his company value art.

Interview with Austin Russo, Co-Founder of StyleCraft

Tell us about your company  – The beauty industry is in our DNA. Decades of heritage and experience have given us what it takes to understand the importance of innovation and quality craftsmanship without the gimmicks. We create the best possible products, for exactly what they should cost. It’s a very simple system at the heart of everything we do.

What’s an early memory you have about art? Everyone has their favorite medium of art and for me it’s music.  At a very young age, I can remember dancing and the joy that music would give me.  To this day, no matter what mood I’m in music can still lift my spirits and bring a smile to my face.

Does art play a role in your business? Art plays a role in our business every single day.  Whether it is designing a package, a product outlook, an ad concept, or even just an Instagram post, art is a part of everything we do and believe in.  Not only do we create art throughout our branding, but we are constantly inspired and influenced by the art around us.

Tell us a story about a time when art influenced your work – There is not a day that goes by where art does not influence our work.  Most recently in building our website, our designer Natalia, has been creating interactive line-art icons that are playful and convey an action.  Natalia researched different line-art examples to find inspiration to create her own.

Why is arts education important to you? To your business? On a personal level, the way I style my hair, the clothes I wear, the person who I identify is all inspired to some extent by art I was exposed to in arts education and the art I continue to be exposed to today.  I grew up very involved in music education programs, playing piano, alto saxophone, violin, and drums. After stressful days at the office, when I get home I play the drums. Having a creative outlet helps me to decompress and relieve stress.

Art could not be more important to our business and our daily activity.  We are constantly looking for inspiration. Our customers are often creative professionals such as barbers and stylists, where art and creating is critical in every facet of their daily activity.  We would not have the tools or foundation to create the art of our brand, without the arts education we were exposed to. Similarly, all the creative people we work with and who will use our products, owe much of their own artistic vision and ability to arts education of their youth as well.

Talk briefly about the overlapping worlds of fashion and art – Whether a look, a style, or personal expression, art can be found everywhere in fashion. We believe art inspires fashion and in turn, that fashion becomes a form of art.  Fashion could not exist without art.

What is your favorite example of fashion as a form of artistic expression? Our Instagram page (@stylecraftus) is based on the concept of fashion as a form of artistic expression. There are so many great examples we come across every day.

Close us out with StyleCraft’s Mission – Every painter needs their brush, every writer needs their pen, and every stylist needs their tools. Creativity and art are found in all walks of daily life and it’s our mission to provide the best scientifically crafted tools to facilitate your art.

Like other creative professionals, stylists and barbers, need inspiration and support to live up to their creative potential. We believe much of this foundation comes from arts education, and exposure. We understand arts education is often the first department in schools to have budget cuts. So, with a firm belief in the importance of the arts, we are giving back from day one to arts education initiatives like, Art in Action. Our tools. Your canvas. 

Follow StyleCraft’s journey on Facebook, and Instagram.