Andrew Wagner is ready for next steps
21 Jun
The former ReadyMade editor-in-chief talks about a book and TV project after Meredith folds the “culture of making” magazine
ReadyMade staffers and readers were equally shocked when parent company Meredith announced its folding on June 16, 2011.
We learned the news while doing a final walk-through at DUMBO Loft, the location of our first conference, for which former Editor-in-Chief Andrew Wagner is a headlining speaker.
We’re still bummed about the brilliant publication’s departure, but, well, we’re happy that Wagner will still speak at the conference. Known for his “awesome attitude” (says fellow conference speaker Danielle Maveal, of Etsy), Wagner has a number of projects up his sleeve.
On June 26, Wagner will speak on the Gurus of Communication and Content panel at the Brooklyn DIY Business Association Conference. Tickets are nearly sold out, but you can try to score one here.
Here, Wagner talks about looking forward.
DIYBA: Were you anticipating the end of ReadyMade?
Andrew Wagner: No, I wasn’t anticipating the end. Publishing is an inherently risky business, so from that standpoint I’ve been ready for something like this my entire career. But I was feeling good about ReadyMade and had no real indication that I should feel any other way.
What’s your fondest ReadyMade experience?
Definitely pulling off the ReadyMade 100 with all of my colleagues and the RM community. It was a pretty incredible organizational feat and so multiple-faceted. I’m incredibly proud of everything we did with this.
What did you learn from your ReadyMade experience?
To never stop taking chances on things you believe in. I’ve had remarkably good fortune in my career and when I came on board at ReadyMade. I knew it would be a huge challenge. I regret nothing about it. I feel very fortunate that I had the chance to explore this side of the design world. To sum up what I learned would be extremely difficult, but in a nutshell, I would simply paraphrase Dr. Kwame Nkrumah: “The secret to life is to have no fear.” ReadyMade reinforced this belief in me.
What will ReadyMade staffers do next?
The entire ReadyMade crew is incredibly talented. You will undoubtedly see their names popping up in many forums very soon—from books to blogs to galleries and film, you will see all of their names shortly. They are self-starters who take everything in stride and learn from every experience.
What’s in your future?
I’ve been working on a television series with our incredibly talented contributor, Amy Devers. We’ve been pitching it all over the place, and I’m looking forward to having the chance to devote more attention to the endeavor. I’m also working on a book proposal tentatively titled Out of Print. We will see where life takes me!
What do you foresee for the ReadyMade community—intelligent, crafty, resourceful, design-oriented, self-starters?
This is one of the most inspiring communities I’ve ever had the chance to be a part of. They will continue to bring beauty to everything they do and challenge the status quo every step of the way while making the world a more beautiful place along the way.
