Welcome to FINE: Yasmin Stewart

Our team of eccentric geniuses continues to flourish. Our newest addition is the lovely Yasmin Stewart. Yasmin is a multi-disciplinary designer who explores the relationship between physical and digital, and how stories can be told through both. Read on to get to know her.

Where do you hail from?
Aotearoa aka New Zealand. I lived in a city called Wellington which is very similar to Portland (bikes, beer, beards) but much smaller with steeper hills and a lot more wind. Maybe that’s why Portland feels so much like home.

How did you find lil ol FINE?
On the internet somehow. I did a lot of research into creative agencies when I first moved to Portland and FINE definitely stood out - in part because of the work/culture etc etc but mostly because of the cute dog on the homepage.

How do you most often get your ideas and inspiration?
From people, especially people who have side hustles and passion projects and are just trying out new things because they want to solve problems, I love that and it makes me want to push myself to do the same. Also listening to people smarter and more experienced than me via podcasts, blogs or conferences. And also going to new places and being immersed in different cultures, people do/think about stuff so differently all over the world and I always find myself picking up new habits and getting ideas from this.

What is your special talent?
I’m pretty good at writing backwards. I feel like that’s more impractical than special though.

If you were a super hero – what would your super power be?
I like to think about what the ‘least super’ powers I could have, like ‘Always getting green lights’ or ‘Knowing the identity behind a blocked caller id’ or ‘Being able to adjust the temperature but only by 40°f.’
My ‘least super’ power would be ‘Being able to say hello in every language’ - it’s not very hero-ish but it would be pretty cool I think.

If you were an animal – what would you be?
Maybe a Koala. They sleep up to 20 hours a day then wake up and eat perched in a tree in the sun. I too like to sleep a lot and eat a lot and be in the sun outside so that just really ticks all the boxes for me.

What’s your favorite Pantone color? Why?
I really don’t know any Pantone numbers but my favourite colour is the blackest black. Close favourites are the dark purple of Vivid Marker pens and the blue of Lake Tekapo on a sunny day.

What are your favorite treats?
Any type of berries. Dark chocolate. Potatoes (so many ways to cook them!). Any food I don’t have to make myself.

What is your ultimate vacation?
Getting to spend a few months traveling around Europe, South America or SE Asia would be sweet. Places that are hot, cheap and coastal are generally where I gravitate toward.

What is your favorite type of work to create?
Anything that I haven’t done before, it’s always exciting to try learn a new skill, or about a new industry or a different medium. Keep it spicy.

What are you doing when you’re not working?
Anything outside - Hiking, mountain biking, camping, surfing, snowboarding, reading a book. Or in the car en route to a new place - my PNW bucket list is extensive. Or at The Standard which is the best neighbourhood bar and whose hot toddy drinks got me through the snow storms this past winter.