SPOTLIGHT
Alison Matheny, Founder/Creative Director at BEST
Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? And how long you’ve been in your current position. I’ve been a creative director since I popped out of the womb. At BEST since we formally became a creative studio in 2017, before that we were an artist collective as I worked in NYC both fractionally for brands and in-house at Condé Nast. Our studio is all-remote, so a typical day for me is a decent mix of: getting outside, answering emails, organizing and reviewing creative deliverables, strategizing how to keep integrity in brand stories while also selling product, Zoom, eating little treats, Google Drive, Quickbooks, LinkedIn, Instagram, checking in with my girlfriends, talking to my mom and spending time with my dog.
Use three words to describe yourself: Thoughtful, Witty, Caring
What brought you to the Hudson Valley/Catskill Mountains? After I left corporate and began working contract I needed space to think, a lower cost of living and a cush life for my aging Ridgeback, Violet. I didn’t want to move to the South (where I’m from) and had some friends upstate. I sublet in Coksackie before buying my first home, Oak Hill Estate, in Claverack.
What do you love about your job? Being able to work with some of my best friends. My #2 and designer of the UAW rebrand, Mia, I hired at DETAILS magazine and we’ve been together in spirit and the Figma ever since.
What exciting things do you have planned for UAW? BEST refreshed UAW’s branding this year and we are looking forward to sharing it with the community! Shockingly I just met Helen this year also, so getting to (and continuing to) collaborate with such a kindred spirit has been a big highlight.
Best place near you to get:
Breakfast? Mel’s Bakery - the most delicious biscuit egg sandwich
Lunch? Talbot & Arding - muffuletta sandwich + oat milk cortado
Dinner? Stissing House - you know it, you love it. Dirty martini, snacks and the coco cake
What’s your favorite local store? Guido’s + Agway double-header. Please see my five-star review.
What’s your favorite art/creative space to visit? Mary MacGill Studio in Germantown. The curation of this small but gorgeous space is unmatched, not to each piece of jewelry is a work of art. I especially loved their photo series by Matthew Johnson, mixed media color work by Colleen Herman, and sculptural lighting by Sylvia Estes.
What is one tip for people experiencing UAW for the first time? Get out there early! There is so much to see and half the fun is covering a lot of ground, seeing how your sense of place changes across county lines.
What is a fun fact about you that might surprise people? I’m not a hugger.
Now for the speed round! Pick one or the other:
Valley or mountains? Valley
Car or train? Truck
Walk or hike? Walk
Sun or snow? SUN
Indoors or outdoors? Outdoors
Diner or restaurant? Both!
Market or shop? Market
Clear or clouds? Clear
Sunglasses or hat? Sunglasses
Abstract or realist? Realist
Contemporary or modern? Contemporary
Sculpture or painting? Painting
IRL or digital? IRL
Look or listen? Listen
See or feel? See