Jason Schragger
I was born in Zimbabwe in the second largest city, Bulawayo. My family later immigrated to Australia where I stayed until I was 25. In that time I had just about every job possible, from working in a bank to delivering pizzas to even selling poop scoops at a gardening fair. Finally I started concentrating on writing advertising. I wrote ads in Singapore for Ikea - where I was lucky enough to win a Gold Lion at the Cannes Advertising Festival - for Levis in Tokyo, Heineken in Amsterdam and for MINI in Berlin.
However, The Book of Conversations project has been the most satisfying experience I’ve ever been a part of. Together with Mark, we have worked for almost four years to take an idea from our minds, onto paper and into stores. We’ve had ups and downs, learnt from mistakes and experiences, and had a lot of fun along the way. I would not change a thing. Everyone involved has made this dream an even better reality.
It is a collection of art, design, illustration and philosophy and I hope it opens up as many conversations for you as it did for me through the process.
Mark Carolan
I’ve always had a passion for creativity, which has made this project all the more special. I’ve been extremely fortunate that my career in advertising took me to some incredible countries, working alongside tremendously talented people, many whom are featured in this book.
Jason and I first met in 1998 when we were both working in Singapore and although we’ve worked on many advertising projects together, this book is the first of our own personal projects (with many more to come) and by far the most enlightening.
I’m now about to launch a new venture with my brother which is a lifestyle brand producing fabulous interiors products, work from some of the worlds top photographers and artists, as well as on-going collaborations with product and graphic designers. Shameless plug over.
Mark is the Co-founder and Creative Director of ‘Gallery of Wonderful’.
