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What do Meow Wolf staff do in the morning to get ready for our completely conventional 9-to-5s? Find out how we summon our creativity.
Photo by Kate Russell
Meow Wolf is known around the world for its creativity — whether that be immersive experiences, public art, festival activations or for the stories they tell — Meow Wolf’s out-of-the-box worldbuilding is a tour de force of creativity.
Knowing this firsthand, working at Meow Wolf challenges employees to ditch convention and explore different ways to interact with the world in order to feed the wolf and create at the quality the company is known for.
We interviewed three creative leads at Meow Wolf to see how they start their days. Let’s crack open these craniums and see how our team finds inspiration.
What do you do here: I make products for Omega Mart and lead brand-related creative adventures through our multiverse.
What’s a nickname you wish you had: Knuckles McGee
What creative exercises do you do in the morning to get the brain juices flowing: I have a giant dictionary that I use to prompt my thinking. I set a timer for 15 minutes, and I open up to a random page. I write down as many ideas as I can think of based on the terms on the page. Once the timer goes off, I flip to a new page and do the same exercise. I'm not trying to solve any problem in the morning; I just treat it as a workout.
Do you have different exercises for different things you work on: For me, creative concepting is usually a very similar path. I spend the majority of my upfront time understanding what we are trying to say. Then, I research what has been done and how it was talked about. Once I have a full understanding of the landscape, it's only then that I start really exploring what might be funny or interesting to mix in that allows us to tell a new story about a familiar topic. Acts of creativity are really just a new combination of existing things or occurrences. The more you're able to combine, without losing the form, the more original the expression becomes.
Pieces of art that inspire you: I'm most inspired by work that's not considered art. I love looking at products on the shelf at the hardware store. I love old corporate annual reports. I love reading industrial catalogs. When something earnestly attempts to get a message across and you can feel that they don't care what it looks like, that's inspiring.
How do you stay funky fresh and up-to-date: I'm not up-to-date or funky fresh.
Advice for writer’s block: Everyone feels uninspired and uncreative from time to time. You have to shake up your routine. Do 15-minute experiments. Give yourself small assignments with no end game. Set a timer. Once it's up, try another. If you find an amazing idea, set it aside for later. Don't perfect anything; just go.
Creative resources for those looking to up their creativity: Go to the library. Get off the internet. Take a class on anything. Stop worrying about being better; just tell better stories. Stories come from living not from perfecting art.
What do you do here: As the director of creative for our larger marketing campaigns and brand partnerships, I oversee and guide projects that push boundaries and resonate with audiences. My most recent endeavor was the Houston launch campaign and commercial, while past work includes the KNEW5 content series and various social videos, including collaborations with artists Freakbait and Joe Cappa. While my specialty lies in live action and content creation, my background in photography and art direction allows me to manage numerous initiatives focused on photo and exhibition documentation as well.
How do you stay funky fresh and up-to-date: In my free time, I indulge in a variety of hobbies—perhaps too many to count! From birdwatching and camera collecting to sewing, printmaking, zine-making, and rollerblading. My interests are diverse and I think it’s important to have multiple hobbies to keep things interesting.
Recently, I began exploring a new body of work that involves taking found images from the computer games I played as a child. By creating my own negatives from transparency paper, I've crafted cyanotypes, transforming digital memories into tangible artifacts. I find joy in blending ancient photographic processes with contemporary digital techniques. It saddens me how fleeting the digital landscape can be, even though it plays such a significant role in my memories. This project allows me to merge the craft of analog with the ephemeral digital memoryscape of my childhood.
Creative resources for those looking to up their creativity: When I find myself creatively stuck—which happens more often than I'd like to admit—I make it a priority to take myself on an "artist date." This concept is taken from Julia Cameron’s *The Artist's Way*, which I highly recommend if you’re in a creative or artistic rut. Whether it's watching a movie on the Criterion Collection or at Jean Cocteau, visiting a toy store, or checking out a new art show somewhere in Santa Fe or Albuquerque, these outings allow me to soak in fresh experiences and reconnect with that raw, childlike wonder. It’s a chance to see the world through new eyes, away from the distractions of my phone and computer.
Advice for Writer’s Block: Sometimes story telling isn’t only about words on paper, and changing outlets can help you break out of that brain mush! One exercise that has also greatly helped me as a creative—and is simply fun—is to turn the camera around on myself. Create a series of self-portraits that explore different facets of your identity, using props, costumes, and anything that helps tell a visual story of how you feel at this moment in time. Here is a portrait I recently created:
Pieces of art that inspire you: I find myself profoundly inspired by artists who boldly reject traditional artistic values in favor of the absurd. Ring Bao's distorted self-portraits resonate deeply with me, capturing a unique perspective on identity. Additionally, my friend and local artist Chaz John impresses me with his bronze sculptures, which not only explore his Native American identity but also skillfully transcend common stereotypes associated with Native American art.
Moreover, I am fascinated by the resurgence of Dada on social media, particularly through an account known for its videos about "Donghua Jinlong Industrial Grade glycine." This content embodies an anti-establishment ethos in the most subliminally absurd manner, and I absolutely love that.
I also recently had the opportunity to see “The Substance," and it left an impression on me. It stands out as one of the few films that visually articulates the experience of aging as a woman in corporate America, all while employing a grotesquely absurdist approach. I must note, however, that this film is not for the faint of heart—if you’re sensitive to gore, you might want to steer clear. But if you can handle it, I wholeheartedly encourage you to see it now!
When it comes to music, I find myself drawn to anything dark, heavy, and a bit melancholic—sounds that allow me to luxuriate in the depths of despair. My musical journey began with the titans of rock: Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, The Cramps, Sonic Youth, and My Bloody Valentine. From there, I’ve wandered into a myriad of subgenres that would take me ages to recount, and yes, even Chopin has found a place in my heart; I’ve probably listened to Nocturne No. 15 in F minor around 20,000 times! There's something about piano music that resonates deeply with me.
I still hold a special place for Sabbath in my playlists, and lately, I’ve been exploring the stoner doom metal scene, immersing myself in the sounds of Boris and Sleep. This summer, I discovered Kumo99, an all-female industrial band that has completely captivated me with their unique sound and energy.
Dave Jasmon | Creative Director
What’s a nickname you wish you had: This feels like a trap.
What creative exercises do you do in the morning to get your brain juices flowing: I think good creative exercises are whatever brings peace to your brain. For me, it's eat cereal. Play pretend with my 3-year-old daughter. Also somber rollerblading.
Do you have different exercises for different things you work on: Yes.
Pieces of art that inspire you: 1993's rollerblading tour de force: Airborne. That's it.
How do you stay funky fresh and up-to-date: I go undercover as a high school student every other week.
Advice for writer’s block: See a movie at the theater, particularly 1993's rollerblading tour de force: Airborne. OR...try to reboot by sneezing and farting at the same time.
Creative resources for those looking to up their creativity: Rollerblades
Well there you have it, folks. Here are some new creative approaches for your artistic and professional pursuits. The next time you hit a block or need to think outside of the box, give this blob a read. Now go back to bed.
