Where are you located?
Madrid, Spain, though I’m originally from London. I’ve lived in Spain for nine years.
What do you like most about being a designer?
More than anything, I feel privileged to work in a field that I’m deeply passionate about, that the world needs, and that I can make a living from. The Japanese concept of ikigai. When I really thought about this question, all of my answers drifted back to this in one way or another.
To give a more concrete answer, I’d say what I like most are the “eureka” moments in brand design: when you land on a direction or design that you just know, instinctively, has real potential.
The napkin-drawn logos. Or the rare moments in a career when you have an idea so good, it scares you.
And all the messy exploration, research, teamwork, and frustration that lead up to these moments.
What’s an aspect of design that you are really into?
To give just one of many: I like noticing emerging patterns across trends, and diving deeper into what they reflect from a broader cultural context—how they might relate to the way real people are currently living and working.
What’s something you’ve learned about yourself recently that has really helped you?
Until joining Automattic, I hadn’t fully realized that a potential strength of mine lies in how much I enjoy reading.
In the past, I often found myself responding to colleagues like, “This reminds me of this article I read on…” But Automattic has such a writing-first culture that it feels especially useful here, and it’s helped me see a side of myself I hadn’t considered before.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in your design career?
I’m sure that what I’d consider the “best” piece of advice has repeatedly changed for me at any given moment, or as my career has developed.
I’ve been fortunate to learn from many amazing mentors. But I don’t tend to remember small pieces of general advice they’ve given. I remember lots of specific pieces of advice they’ve given on very specific things. And mostly, I’ve learned from how they’ve designed, how they’ve strategized, how they’ve carried themselves, and how they’ve led teams. Things that are more nuanced than a neatly packaged “work hard and be kind” message.
There is one piece of framing that comes to mind right now (though I’m still reluctant to give it the “best” label—perhaps just most presently relatable): “We’re not doing brain surgery here; we’re not saving lives.”
I think a lot of us put too much pressure on ourselves.
But Automattic has such a writing-first culture that it feels especially useful here, and it’s helped me see a side of myself I hadn’t considered before.
This isn’t to say we shouldn’t care. I truly believe in working hard, and I think the small details do matter. But there have been times in my career where I’ve drifted too far to the wrong end of that scale. This framing helps me rekindle the joy I found when first designing—and I think the end result in the work is all the better for it.
What else should we know about you, Russell?
I’m also really into photography. This month, I bought a couple of new photo books that I’d like to shout out:
Servilletas by Felipe Hernández, which is a mammoth collection of the typical napkins found in Spanish bars/restaurants.
And from the same publisher (Ojos de Buey): El Rocío by Fernando Herráez
Connect with Russell:
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