Like a Prayer Recited ~ April, 2024
Friends of the studio,
In December, Jordan Smith at the South Bend Tribune published an article about Vested Interest that, to our surprise, was a profile of me and my work. It ran on the front page, equally fun and funny, pushing Notre Dame’s announcements of a new president and their first downtown building purchase below the fold.
This observation resonated most:
“Titus says the big brick behemoth that houses his studio on Tutt Street has become a kind of muse. But what sharpens his creative intentions is a persistent question that's become less vexing as he's aged: Should I stay in South Bend?
The question is like a prayer recited by every ambitious and creative young person in town whom he knows, he said.”
Like a prayer. Jason once spoke of prayer as: “When you’re really focused on a question intensely, and it’s kind of with you all the time—and you develop a sort of intuitive relationship to that question. So, your brain is working on it, but your gut is working on it too.” He said that in 2018, coincidentally while telling the story of his decision to stay here.
I was once a cheerleader and a loud one at that—recorded in a documentary saying, “I’ll be in South Bend the rest of my life.” Last summer, I wrote about why I stopped saying that. But Jordan’s article suggests that, beyond the practical matter of living here or elsewhere, asking the question may sharpen the creative intention we bring to our life here and now. Because it’s like a prayer recited, and our gut is working on it.
These months in client work, I traveled to New York with Ryan and Zac to help produce a broadcast commercial for Viewrail (if you’re in Bridgeport, CT we recommend the 7 Seas), continued a communications project with the South Bend Community School Corporation and a video project with iNDustry Labs, and am collaborating with Kath on her studio’s ongoing work with Terra Spice. All of this work will be in the world soon!
In newly released client work, I designed a new website for INVANTI and graphics for a new series on Mike Goldsworthy’s Space for Faith podcast—and, with Kath, launched websites for The Foolery and Becoming Native and helped South Bend City Church communicate about their move to The Tribune. Through Bronson Book Strategy, we worked with Steve Carter on a brand and website for his new book Grieve, Breathe, Receive—and designed the cover for another pastor’s forthcoming title (our first clients!)
One of the pleasures of studio life this season is watching friends make things. Kath hosted a dinner series called Kath’s Dinner Club and continues to publish on Food Belt—Dustin is starting a new podcast called Anchors about the companies that anchor the small cities of America, Zac produced a lovely video about parking for City Church, and Ryan is hosting another Yeah, Totally vintage market at Vested Interest on April 20th.
On the radio waves, a new spring playlist is coming soon… until then, we’re playing the seasonal backlist: The New Spring Style Vol. 1, Spring Fever is Not a Disease, Says Doctors, Spring Sounds, and The New Spring Style Vol. 2.
And last but not least, if you are reading this letter and wondering: “Can I work with Jacob?” the answer may be yes. Here are four ways you can work with me in this season:
Hire the studio for a design or communication project.
Commission me to write and/or photograph a story for publication.
Lease space at Vested Interest (inquire).
Contract me as a fractional employee—I am exploring partnering with a company in a case where your needs don’t fit the scope of a typical studio project.
Good times at Tutt Street. Until next time,
Jacob