Written by Hanna Lee
The three founders of Help Ink, Drew Carson, Tim Moore and Jonathan Witt, always had an eye for beautiful things. The trio sought a fulfilled way to use their passion for design to work in the space. Carson, who had a career in engineering and construction, aspired to join designers Moore and Witt in the creative sphere. The trio had always discussed their shared passion for design, ranging from graphic design and illustration to architecture and furniture design. They independently built a knowledge of the designers and illustrators that were coming up in the design industry. Organically, they devised the idea for their company, Help Ink. “We said to ourselves what if we could take all these designers we admire and collaborate,” recalls Carson. “They’d submit their work and then we’d sell it to help others.”
Carson, Moore and Witt listed the designers they admired and connected directly with them to explain their concept and idea. The response was overwhelmingly positive and beyond their wildest expectations. “The art community has impressed me immensely with their willingness and desire to benefit and help others, one of the easiest part of this endeavor has been finding the artists,” says Carson.
Once they signed on a few artists and posted a few pieces for sale on their newly created website, Help Ink was formed. The company’s mission is to “curate world-class art, provide aid to real people in need, and inspire others to do good.” Today, Help Ink has curated 40+ artists that have contributed or agreed to contribute. Every Monday, an exclusive piece of art, designed to inspire others to do good in the world, is released on Help Ink and made available for purchase.
Carson focuses more on the management side of the company and its day-to-day operations, but Help Ink provides the perfect outlet for the creativity he’s always craved. He admits that the artist selection process is subjective and mainly attributed to the trio’s personal tastes. “Ultimately we are looking to curate some really great art from designers who have done some sort of high-profile projects or worked with some outstanding clients,” Carson explains. “A lot of our designers have done work for major brands and publications like The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, etc.”
Help Ink’s social good component comes by partnering with a variety of charities. When the company started, they selected nonprofits that they’d heard about and causes that resonated with them. Now, their nonprofit network has grown tremendously. Help Ink’s supported causes are listed on the website and every print sold supports a different, specific cause. Some causes, like The Children’s Hunger Fund, Charity Water and Smile Train, will be supported by multiple prints. “There are a few artists who specifically designate a cause because it is close to their heart and tell us they want the sales from their print to go to supporting that specific nonprofit,” Carson explains. “We think it’s great when an artist has a heart for a cause because that’s part of the reason why we’re doing this; to give them an opportunity to use their art to support something they really care about.”
All of Help Ink’s founders grew up valuing philanthropy and sought to dedicate their lives to helping others in some small way. “Helping out those in need has always made a lot of sense to us, and we feel like we can have a real impact,” says Carson. “Especially for me, coming from a career environment that was very bottom-line driven. With Help Ink we can be a company that makes the world a better place for other people.”
