Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Bijasa
Hi Mark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the 562 area and got exposed to a lot of Hip Hop Culture growing up. I was fascinated by graffiti then started dancing in the early 90’s which lead to DJing and music production. In the late 90’s, I was inspired by my cousin who was in the Navy and travelled at an early age. I joined the Air Force and got stationed in ALASKA! From there I would tour around the world a couple of times. During this time I discovered my passion for art, fashion, design, photography and just creativity in general. After my time in the Air Force, I moved back to Long Beach and started getting into Graphic Design, taking community college classes. Eventually, I would go to Art School and get more serious with design which landed me my first Agency gig. From there I got a chance to work on a couple of cool commercial art campaigns with brands like Adidas, Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, Fat Sal’s and more. Design opened a lot of doors for me. I would get my first design job at a streetwear brand. From there I started an art project/music label called Strictly Cassette which would play a key role in reviving the Cassette tape format. This lead me to working with several labels like Fat Beats, Mass Appeal, Stones Throw Records and artists like Taz Arnold, DJ Shadow, Koreatown Oddity and NAS! I would also end up in a Time Magazine article for the 50th anniversary of the Cassette Tape! I also got to do some cool Freelance projects and one of the most known would be designing the STIIIZY logo. There’s so much to talk about as my creative path touches on so many different industries. Did I mention I’m the Chief Brand Officer of Fat Sal’s Deli? lol
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never a smooth road. Many of the struggles have to deal with imposter syndrome and many times feeling like I shouldn’t belong. Also getting gatekept by fellow creatives was another struggle. Just dealing with certain personalities who have different values is a challenge I face daily.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a CREATIVE SOLUTIONIST. What does that mean? I use creativity to solve people’s problems. But my creative toolbox includes GRAPHIC DESIGN, photography, videography, music production, fashion styling, and more. I’m the best at taking on things I’ve never done before and finding a way to the end goal.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
That I was in the Air Force and one of the first troops deployed overseas after 9-11. I don’t know creative who has seen this interesting turning point in the world. We all thought that something big was going to happen in the year Y2K. It did happen…just on 9-11 and I got to see it during my late teens.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sctapeco.work
- Instagram: @incogneeto
