mcville: Rich McCoy Interview

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Rich McCoy Interview

Sep 10, 12:45 PM by Marko

Interivew with Rich McCoy at mccoy.co.uk

Marko: Hello Rich !

Rich: And a good day to you too.

Marko: For our reader’s could you tell something about yourself? (year old and other stuff)

Rich: Okay, I am a 33 year old Freelance Web Designer and Creative Director. I live in the UK at the moment but was brought up in South Africa and Botswana, have recently lived and worked in Brisbane, Australia running a studio for a Social Enterprise. I have a poet for a wife and 2 daughters, I have been working in web design for about 10 years after graduating as a fine artist. And am looking for the next big adventure most possibly to settle in Nova-Scotia but will probably go where the wind takes us, the UK is to expensive for a freelancer with a family to support even one who seems to be doing quite well at it.

Marko: How are you doing these days?

Rich: Not so bad, thanks, a bit knackered from trying to service clients, my portfolio, family and get some other ventures up and running that don’t involve me in having a direct work to finance link.

Marko: When did you first encounter a keyboard or computer?

Rich: My late father has always been in computing, since the days of punch cards and before I was born so I suppose I don’t remember there being a time when computers where not a part of my life, although I do remember getting a ZX Spectrum when they first came out, I went with my dad to the factory and got one, I still have it in my office.

Marko: What is your favorite art work /website!?

Rich: You know I haven’t though about it that much, I don’t really have favourites, I like the look of something enjoy it then usually forget it exists, I do however generally like the work of Vaughan Oliver, Hans Bellmer, oh and I do enjoy films I love “The Big Labowski” which is quite funny as I have started working for a impressive and successful business man who shares my name, thankfully no nihilists have pissed on my rug, that would be a bad thing as it really does hold the room together.

Marko: When you launched mccoy.co.uk are you happy with the result of the site?

Rich: It was about 8 years ago that I launched it and I have changed it hundreds of times since, I am fairly happy with the site as it is now, its quick to update, looks cohesive and its friendly, I don’t think I would want to present myself as a cold or nerdy designer like a lot of my contemporaries do, its just not who I am, I am a dyslexic prat who gets over enthusiastic about stuff and talks nonsense but that’s what makes me who I am and I am not going to pretend other wise

Marko: What do you do in your spare time (We realize that spare time, in this context)

Rich: Usualy I work on other personal projects in my spare time, or I watch films and drink cider with my wife, or I go out with my kids looking for nuts, berries and mushrooms, or just on an adventure.

Marko: Do you have a favorite drink? How much of it do you drink?

Rich: Oh yes, I am fond of a good Organic Cider, Cider has a lot of anti carcinogens, and it reminds me of my family origins form the west country and Oxfordshire, that’s the excuse I use anyway, but anywhere they grow a lot of apples cant be that bad.

Marko: Would you care to give us a brief overview of what a typical day is like for you ?

Rich: I usually get woken at about 6:30 by my youngest coming in asking what she is going to do that day then Louise my wife gets them dressed and I make breakfast and start work at 8, stop for half an hour to walk the eldest to school come back and work through till about 5:30 – 6:00, eat dinner play with the kids and put them to bed with a good story, hen sit upstairs for an extra hour or two working on personal projects then go and watch a film with my wife and have a drink then its bed and a good book, or if I am lucky the book gets ignored.

Marko: I am always wondering how people such as yourself go about getting work? How do you do it?

Rich: I have no idea I have been very lucky and it just comes my way.

Marko: Who are some of your biggest influences?

Rich: My Dyslexia, music and politics.

Marko: Is your background in design? What was the progression into web development and design like?

Rich: No My background is an early exposure to computing and a Sculpture degree, I graduated and then took on a postgraduate course in Business management and ended up working in an early multimedia agency, then for news papers and then on and on.

Marko: If you where not a designer/programmer what would you be?

Rich: A sculptor or film maker. Or a fisherman like my great grandparents.

Marko: How do you like our site mcville.net?

Rich: Its not at all bad, it’s a great concept.

Marko: If you could change something on mcville what would it be?

Rich: Specify the questions to the designers a bit, and solidify the design into a specific brand as there is a mix of styles.

Marko: What kind of music do you fancy?

Rich: I like all sorts, Jazz, Rock, Punk, Experimental its all good as long as its got something to say and its not dull I’ll give it a chance and fit it into my moods somewhere.

Marko: What’s your favorite food?

Rich: Seafood I love, and decent healthy honest organic food, thank fully my wife is a fantastic cook as well as a beautiful woman and a great mother so I am well taken care of.

Marko: Where do you get out on Saturday’s?

Rich: Usually for a walk with the family, anything but shopping.

some relaxing question to follow

Marko: Chinese or Thai (food)?

Rich: I believe that Seafood Laksa is Chinese / Malayan and this is my favourite, I haven’t managed to find any in the UK though so that a good enough reason to emigrate again.

Marko: Coke or Pepsi?

Rich: Water or coffee! both Coke and Pepsi are just sugary polluted overpriced water.

Marko: HTML or CSS?

Rich: You cant have one without the other effectively so for me its xhtml strict and css2

Marko: Do you watch television? If so, do you have a favorite show?

Rich: Sometimes I watch the tragic lantern when I do I like, Grand Designs , Globe Trekker and Max and Paddy.

Marko:What OS do you use ?

Rich: Win xp.

Marko: What would we find in your favorites bookmarks-bar?

Rich: Usually my own sites and there admin consoles

Marko: What inspires you? This doesn’t have to be design related.

Rich: To be honest, making a honest living.

Marko: Thank you for having this interview m8 ,cya!

Rich: No worries, take it easy.
Rich McCoy

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Rich McCoy Interview

Sep 10, 12:45 PM by Marko