Paul van Ravestein
Creative Director
background
My name is Paul van Ravestein. As Creative Director I am responsible for all visual output. I manage the designers and initiate the visually creative part of our projects. Together with Monique Mulder, I form the creative heart of Mattmo. Think of me as the bridge between strategy and the translation to the visual part of our projects. My pragmatic approach provides a balance between the two fields.
I think medium-independently and therefore also work as a film director or art director on photo shoots, and I continue to work on occasionally sketching the impetus for visual identities or spatial concepts.
I was born curious and started traveling as soon as I could.
Investigate what is on the other side of the horizon, see, feel and experience it with your own eyes. I like to do research, that feeds my creativity. I always delve into backgrounds, history and visual research. Call it visual anthropological curiosity. That context gives me more insight. The book “De Zure Stad” is a good example of this.
I like to find out how they think and who they really are – so I can serve them from pure empathy. This gives me the inspiration to express them visually. That’s where the conceptual layers arise. And so I can bring something unique to every project.
In 1989 I started at the Maastricht Art Academy, a romantic city, as un-Dutch as you can imagine. I chose agencies in Lisbon and London for my internships, because I could explore my limits there. After graduating, I started my working life for Kenmerk, a journalistic news program for IKON in Hilversum. That’s where I created my very first website – that was in 1995. After that I wandered around looking for the design agency that suited me. I found that in Mattmo, and I have been working there since 1996.
I TOUCH PEOPLE’S IMAGINATION
Growing up, I competed in athletics: I’m a natural sprinter. That side of me is also in my work. I have a no-nonsense sports mentality when it comes to speed in creation, that speed ensures that designs remain dynamic and spontaneous. I get satisfaction from switching between completely different projects and from one medium to another.