Today we’d like to introduce you to David Landry.
David, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up, I was always the artistic kid. I wasn’t hugely into sports because I was more into creative things such as experimenting with materials and creating artwork. I knew I always wanted to be involved with design and/or architecture so I attended Prairie View A&M University to major in Architecture and Art. During my tenure at PV I taught myself graphic design which is where I.N.T.K. began as a creative agency specializing in branding and graphic design and I served clients all over the world through craigslist ads. It was then that I realized I should use my gifts that I used for my clients on myself to grow a brand of my own.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wouldn’t say the road to ‘now’ has been smooth at all. Being a multidisciplinary artist is a gift and a curse because the ability to do multiple things and always feeling as though you need to hone in on only ONE discipline can be very stressful when your heart is all over the place. But, that is where you just have to decide what is best for you and what makes you happy. It took time for me to be fine with being a jack of all trades and master of none. Because that is what makes creating fun for me… the opportunity for growth. Over the years, I bought books and took online courses for disciplines such as carpentry, sewing, photography and graphic design to further my growth as a creative. I am now 29 and spent many years exploring and nurturing my crafts and I have finally refined what makes me happy and what I want my voice to be in art and design.
Not to mention, working full time, having a wife and kid, along with normal life occurrences such as anxiety and depression can all seem to slow you down from reaching what you have planned. But it isn’t until now in life that I am in my best mental state ever and understand that this is just all a part of the journey and inspiration for my work and my reason to go harder. God’s plan.
Please tell us about Inatank.
I am part owner of I.N.T.K. Brand LLC (inatank) alongside my longtime friend and business partner Kay Jackson. Our mission is to generate opportunities for creatives to thrive because no one ever helped us get to where we are.
We have lifestyle merchandise under INTK Brand, Building 6ix is our nonprofit aimed to support and mentor young creatives looking to begin careers in art, and Our House which is a print shop and co-working space anticipated to open by the end of the year.
I am most proud of how we have our own aesthetic and we stick to that. We do not conform for sales or clout. Either you love us or you don’t. We have consistently focused on the quality of our site, merchandise, and packaging. We only want to give what we would expect from other brands and we look forward to continuing to elevate and give the people true experiences through events in the future.
I personally have always been known for I.N.T.K. but my personal passion is set design which is where I will be investing most of my time and finances to make a name for myself outside of I.N.T.K. I am currently getting my Masters of Architecture to elevate this skill and I am anxious to build more sets for clients as well as I.N.T.K. events and media. I know that one day my gifts and talents will take me around the world.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I would have wasted less time turning up in my younger years and used that time to invest in my future. I never really realized my potential and the importance of time until it began to seem like too late. Time is something you can never get back. Parties and bullsh** will always be there. I had major fun raging when I was younger but I would much rather have sacrificed that to get to where I wish I was right now.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8524 HWY 6 N
PMB #144
Houston, TX 77095 - Website: INTKbrand.com
- Phone: 346-249-9999
- Email: info@intkbrand.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/davidlvndry
- Twitter: twitter.com/davidlvndry
Image Credit:
My cover picture was taken by @TroyEzeq
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