Today we’d like to introduce you to Mustafa Horton.
Hi Mustafa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am really thankful and fortunate to enjoy the livelihood as an Artist/Creative/Designer. The path I traveled was unlike most to arrive at where I am today. My love for the Arts started at an early age, around the 5 or 6 years old. At the same time, I was introduced to the love of athletics, teamwork, and competition. I immediately fell in love with Basketball. Throughout my elementary and Junior High School years, Art (drawing, sketching, and coloring) was a hobby, however, basketball was my lifeline.
As I entered high school the love for basketball eclipsed my love for the arts. During my senior year of high school, I was able to combine these two loves. Our high school basketball team advanced to the Colorado Basketball State Championship tournament, and I designed a graphic t-shirt highlighting our team’s season accomplishments. To my astonishment, over 100 students and faculty purchased my design to show their support for our team. I can remember telling myself back then one day, I would love to do this for a living. I received a full basketball scholarship to Radford University and then later on to the University of North Florida (UNF).
During those college years, I was committed to playing basketball, but my love for the arts never wavered or faded. I continued to sketch and draw; it was therapeutic in a way. It gave me a break from the daily grind of classes and basketball practice. During my junior year of college, in 1993, I lost my full scholarship at UNF due to my lack of academic discipline and maturity. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. To deal with this adversity, I turned to my first love, art.
I never played another game of college basketball, and at that point, I was determined to make it as an artist. I started pursuing opportunities to showcase my artistic talent. I ended up taking a four-year hiatus from college to draw and sell my original ‘Abstract Realism’ artwork at art shows and solo art exhibitions in the Southeast region of the US.
I was making ground as an artist, but financially I was struggling to survive, actually, I am proud to say that I was a “starving artist.” It was at this point a good friend of mine gave me a piece of advice that changed the trajectory of my artistic career.
He stated, “You’ll never make as an artist simply by selling your originals; you need to bottle up your artistic talent and market it as a designer.” To that point in 1997, this was the best advice I ever received. Hence, I pivoted and began down the path of graphic and digital design. I taught myself Abode Creative Suite software (Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign) and started marketing myself as graphic designer.
In summer of 1998, I returned to University of North Florida to complete my undergraduate studies, and I received the bachelor’s degree in marketing in the fall 1999. I also embraced the Islamic faith and became Muslim at this time. I relocated to Virginia and Maryland to begin building my portfolio of graphic designs within the Muslim community. I worked with start-up businesses, small companies, and non-profit organizations designing logos, flyers, adverts, and small publications.
I attended a senior graphic design portfolio review in 2002 at the Art Institute of Washington, DC. I wanted to see how I stacked up against graphic design graduates about to head into the design industry.
My portfolio was well received, but I was challenged by one of the professors to create a better brand/identity for myself. This led to creating a very vibrant and colorful logo. I felt it really reflected who I am as an artist and graphic designer. I titled it United Colors of Design. It was a pivotal point in my artistic/creative journey. I always believed in my talent and abilities as a creative but the positive feedback from that portfolio review really helped boost my confidence.
I would attend another senior portfolio review in 2003 at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. Again, I received excellent feedback from a panel of professors reviewing my work. So, I decided to approach the Dean of the College about taking courses at the college. He gave me permission to take coursework towards a certification in publication and advertising design. Another confidence booster and tremendous learning experience from working professionals like creative directors and art directors.
I thought surely I was on my way to land a full-time position as a graphic designer with an Ad Agency or in-house creative team for an organization. However, I was wrong. Therefore, I kept freelancing year in and year out. During these years I worked for the home furnishing giant IKEA in North America, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai for 6 years.
I transitioned into Adult Education service organizations and Higher Education sales, working with Cambridge University Press in the Middle East. Which focuses on Humanities, social sciences, science, medicine, engineering and technology, English language teaching and learning.
I lived abroad in the Middle East for six years (2005-2011) and continued freelancing in the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC is an alliance of states that currently consists of six countries in Western Asia comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. All member states comprise of 58.86 million people and with an economic output of 2.197 trillion US dollars annually.
I never lost focus of my goal to obtain a full-time graphic designer role and consistently feed my creative fervor every step along the way. One highlight during this time was the United Colors of Design logo I created back in 2002 was chosen and published in LogoLounge’s Master Library Series, 3000 Shapes and Symbols book in 2011. My creative journey took a turn for the better after relocating to Dallas, TX, from Denver, CO in 2016. I worked as the office manager for a small education publishing company and was given the opportunity to create all new marketing and sales collateral. I also contracted to work with several global relief and development nonprofit organizations. Designing annual reports, social media designs, brand & visual identity design, direct mailers, and exhibition designs.
Fast-forward to 2018, I found an opportunity with Aidan Gray Living, a manufacture of high-end furniture, lighting, and decor. The position was Designer and Assets Manager. This was the first time in my professional career I was hired as a full-time graphic designer. Unfortunately, in 2020 due to the CV-19 pandemic and the pending recession, I was laid off. Over the next 18 months, I worked as contracted Senior Graphic Designer for Wiley Education and Rockwell Automation, and in 2021, I joined the non-profit organization for humanitarian aid and global relief called Baitulmaal as a Graphic Designer.
I couldn’t have made it this far and end up where I am today without the love and support of the people in my life: my mother and father; older sister and younger brother, two artistic uncles on my mother’s side, and my loving wife and growing children.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road was a bumpy one at the beginning when I first started graphic designing. I didn’t even have a computer system to work on until I was gifted an old Macintosh/Apple computer. I used that system for approximately six months, and it barely had enough memory to run the Adobe design software I installed. But I made it work, and eventually, I made enough money to purchase myself a Dell desktop computer. So even during the hardship, there is ease. I would also say just the consistently being rejected for design gigs was a struggle. But passion has way of making you resilient when encountering challenges. The proverbial phase, “patience is a virtue,” is so true. You stay the course, don’t get upset, but become more determined to see it through. Learn and grow from every negative circumstance you encounter. I believed and had the support that I had a greater purpose to contribute to the community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
So there a couple of creative/artistic endeavors I have going on at the moment. First, Mustafa Horton Art & Design Studio is my sole proprietorship that handles freelance print and digital design projects for mid-size companies, startups, and non-profit organizations. I also create ‘Abstract Realism’ digital art as well as paintings from this art studio.
Secondly, I’m the founder and Executive Director of United Colors of Design (UCD), a non-profit creative studio that embodies color, modern, minimalistic and aesthetic design in the graphic, digital, industrial and architecture design disciplines. United Colors of Design periodically hosts a speaking series titled “Leadership + Design” that invites some of the country’s most talented and influential creatives from different design disciplines. Over the past six months, we have had the pleasure to host Apple creative director Abdul Wahid Ovaice, co-founder of UnderConsideration Bryony Gomez-Palacio, Jesse Reed, the co-founder of Standards Manual and Order Design, and Dallas-based multi-disciplinary artist Benjamin Muñoz.
Lastly, I have Dawah Ink, a contemporary Islamic Design House that advocates the authentic meaning and message of Islam through Art, Graphic Design, Clothing, and Home Goods. Dawah Ink’s mission is to provide aesthetically pleasing designs that are unique and propagate the great Islamic heritage. Dawah Ink’s undertaking is to help Muslims who are less fortunate and in need of a better quality of life. We have collaborated with non-profit relief organizations: UMR, Baitulmaal USA, Amoud Foundation, and Pure Hands to make this a reality. We have pledged to donate 20% of all proceeds earned through our sales monthly to these organizations for different causes.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As a creative – I believe “risk” is the contribution and share of being a true Artist. Unbeknownst to me, I actually looked forward to it. I am always striving to be unique, distinct, and authentic. Honestly, throughout my life, I have been a risk-taker. I would say during my 20s, ‘the recklessness of an immature young man’ defined my risk-taking. The decision I made to pivot from an artist to graphic designer was monumental because of the unknown. In hindsight, it by far the greatest positive impact in my life. As I moved into my 30s, I was more concentrated on the benefits and rewards for the short term. Moving me and my family to the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council was another opportunity in my journey as a Creative. Raising my family while working in a foreign land was an adjustment but invaluable experience to say the least. With more life experience, risk became second nature to me. I even looked forward to it because I have always challenged myself. Even when things didn’t go as planned there is still a sense of accomplishment. And now that I’m 50, my perspective on life is viewed through a lens of wisdom, gratefulness, and resilience. I have better understanding of the positive risk-taking. Most recently I launched a speaker event series in February to try and inspire the Dallas/Fort Worth creative community. I stepped outside of my comfort zone, full of optimism that the outcome will yield positive results. There are no regrets because ultimately, it’s about achieving personal change and growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: mustafahorton.com / unitedcolorsofdesign.com / dawahink.com
- Instagram: @mustafahort / @92ucd / @dawahink1419
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mustafa-horton/ |.https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-colors-of-design/
