Dave DeCastris

Executive Creative Director, Artist, Dad, Peasant

One-man brand marketing services agency for businesses, and the artists’ artist to collaborators. Paved this hybrid career path during college—a graduate of Bradley University, majoring in Design—and moved home afterwards to discover an overwhelming lack of good opportunities for creative professionals in my region.  Too far west of Chicago and Milwaukee, and too far south of Madison.

Seeing that the region’s industries couldn’t meet a higher standard of work ethic that my diverse skillset in business and the arts strives towards, I learned how to quickly make my own opportunities to survive.  25 years later, here I am still despite my region’s lack of good jobs and quality leadership. I tell young creatives often who reach out to me for advice:

“Find a voice with your work, nurture it, and slowly step out of the box you work and live in to survive, freelance, establish yourself, be smart with time and charge what you believe is fair, and you can survive being anywhere.”

Argue me otherwise, but it’s true.

A working-class ethos led to launching a successful, disruptive brand vessel in 2004—Andy Whorehall—which could rise above poor regional socioeconomic factors.  I continue to utilize the nom de plume to direct national artists, as well as for publishing mixed-media work; books, film, music, and fine art.  There’s never a dull moment.

The moniker frees me up from the financial responsibilities I manage as an Executive Creative Director by day where I plan, develop, and lead 360° multi-channel brand marketing campaign projects for a northern Illinois based product developer.  It’s a dichotomy of sorts—to have polarizing career paths in business and the arts—but a deep dive into this site, the work, the collaborators and clients, and you can start to understand why I refuse to be pigeonholed by one-dimensional roles and titles.

Leading diverse paths in business and the arts while helping companies and peers achieve goals is an ongoing highlight that I continue to invest great time and care into.   Peer testimonials—and a body of work—says the rest for me.

How about you?  Talk to me—I welcome abnormal conversations.

Thank you and have a nice day on the internet,

dD