Take 10 with… Graeme Blake CEO Of Blutui
In 2020, during level 4 and 3 of Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID response we launched Take 10 With… an article series with you – to do a pulse check on how our community was feeling, working, what you missed, and learn about your hopes for the future.
We had feedback that you really enjoyed the series so we have tweaked the questions and invited more of our friends and peers to participate in these candid profiles of Aotearoa NZ designers today as we navigate this lockdown throughout August and September 2021 in levels 4 and 3.
Twitter Beach at Cannes Lions
1. Who are you? What’s your day job and where do you work?
Graeme Blake, founder and CEO of Blutui
2. Who’s in your bubble this lockdown?
My wife Jules and 5yr old Daughter Pixie
3. What do you like about lockdown?
Gives me a chance to spend time with my daughter at home and work on our gully property. Now that Pixies a bit older 5 she loves adventuring, she found a genuine dinosaur bone 🙂 on our last trip to the bottom of the Gully which has since been turned into a trophy for bravery and adventuring.
My daughter Pixie with her trophy for bravery and adventuring.
4. What do you miss in lockdown?
On the work front, contact with the studio, we have regular video calls but it’s simply not the same – the creative ideation process isn’t quite the same without face to face collaboration.
5. What are you working on this week?
We are working on a partnership with a creative sector tech brand so lots of legal stuff.
6. What are you struggling with at present?
Not so much struggling as juggling time with a high energy short attention span 5yr old, keeping our digital design studio on task and working the northern hemisphere time zones. Never boring.
My pet plant
7. What did you do this week to relax?
I’ve dived into cooking for the family and rediscovered some short kids stories I started writing for Pixie. Both take my mind off work.
8. How are you taking care of yourself and others?
Going for lots of walks to get fresh air, a change of outlook and to kick a ball about with Pixie.
9. What’s a book or podcast you’re enjoying at present or one you’d recommend and why?
Time doesn’t permit
10. What’s a movie or series you watched this week or one you’d recommend and why?
I’ve stumbled on a Netflix series that seems to be unfolding Untold: some extreme untold stories of bizarre sports related events and personalities from a Pacers-Pistons all out brawl to the real story behind the world famous “coal miners daughter”. I’m no sports junkie, but these back stories are simply incredible.
View from my desk
