To celebrate DART's fourth anniversary, we are launching a new regular feature: The Proust Questionnaire for Creative People. Our first respondent is Florian Bachleda, who takes over as Creative Director at Fast Company today. A former president of the Society of Publication Designers, Bachleda has served as creative director of Latina, Vibe, and several other magazines. At his own design studio, FB Design, he has done work for Condé Nast, Time Inc., Hearst, and The New York Times, among others. He has taught at the School of Visual Arts and served on the SPD board for five years. As well as designing American Photography 23, he created the DART logo, in 2006.

Left to right: Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Latina magazine; 'Color Blind' art for Wired magazine; America Ferrara, Latina magazine. Courtesy FB Design.

What you like most about being creative.
The ability to make a living from it.

Your best quality.
That's for others to say.

Your main fault.
That's probably for others to say also.

The natural talent you wish you had.
I wish I could retain every single thing I've ever read.

What you would change about your appearance.
It depends how good I'm feeling about myself on a particular day.

The qualities you most appreciate in a wife/husband/life partner.
The qualities I most appreciate really depend on the individual person.

What you appreciate most about children.
I have no children, but what I appreciate most about my 5-year-old nephew Brandon is that he instantly made our family stronger just by being born.

What makes you happy.
My cat, Chairman Mao.

What makes you miserable.
Hurting those I love.

What you would do on a midweek day off.
Afternoon movie.

Your most admired living person.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Your favorite writers.
Robert Wright, and interviews by Lawrence Grobel.

Your favorite New York neighborhood.
Chinatown, by the East River.

Your favorite food and drink.
Steak and coffee. (not together)

What you are listening to now.
Addiction by Maxine Ashley.

How you would prefer to die.
Like my father: in my room, surrounded by family.

Your motto.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

08nov10