by Aiyda Khan, Operations Manager, Cutout

Cutout: Telling a Story through Design

Aiyda Khan, Operations Manager, Cutout

Above: Graham and Ross Kenneday, father and son duo changing how the laser cutting industry designs.

Below: St. Francis Xavier Primary School’s feature Bird panels installed to block out the sun and educate the young minds. In 1971, Cutout’s Head Designer Graham Kenneday, had just graduated from Swinburne University with a four-year long Diploma of Graphic Design and that, was just the beginning. Now, 50 years later he works alongside his son, Ross Kenneday, to create laser-cut screens, signs and art commissions that focus on the design with an aim to go international. Rather than a repetitive pattern or generic house signs, Cutout aims to connect with owners keen to promote special natural aspects of their properties.

A fresh graduate in the 70s, Graham’s first supervisor, a leading designer who handpicked him for a project, will always be one of his biggest inspirations to think fresh and delve deep, never just scratch at the surface. An ideology he prides in having passed on to his son at the right time, for the right reasons. Ross’ business journey began out of a need to assist with Graham’s business which lead to Ross obsessively reading.

Graham believes his passion for design runs back to his school days and if he had to pin it to a single moment, it would be the day he was gifted a large print paper pack by a family friend. A few years later, it was his vocational teacher that discussed the difference in Graham’s plumbing and art grades with his father only to convey that he could be a teacher with his skills. In the not very distant future, he met his wife, who aided the process of his design journey while also playing a significant role in Ross’ journey. Graham’s training according to him, “labels me as a dinosaur”, a time of set squares and tee squares and paste up. Fortunate to have had training in areas of type design, illustration, and photography, by those who were the best in their fields, Graham’s ongoing passion for design has been nurtured alongside the appreciation of what can be accomplished with good design.

Over the years, he has been fortunate to have worked with Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, and a host of local councils! After having spent several years in advertising, appreciating the power its influence has and just how well it could be used in the right hands, Graham opened a studio with the aim of working with organisations who are making a difference through their work, such as the Salvation Army, Foster Parents Plan and then the Fitzroy Aboriginal community. His father’s vision was fulfilled, Graham finally taught the production process of newspapers and brochures, as well as educational photography seminars at Camp Jungai at Healesville. To now, Cutout’s Head Designer and Co-founder, Graham says, “it is a privilege to be part of the Cutout team and importantly realising my greatest passion, environmental design.”

After many years in design, he began Gardens of Steel for Leah. Following his footsteps, after many years as a chef, Ross started Cutout. Both companies began out of a need to improve the quality of products and customer experiences. Ross’s inspiration has been impacted by business leaders such as Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, who at every stage have had the mindset of ‘We can do it, just need to decide How’ which he has implemented. The product design has been managed by the fatherson duo over the last decade and the focus more recently has shifted to educating people and improving the world with a story. At the start of Cutout, the aim was to create something different, not continue the cycle of mediocre design that lacks meaning and purpose.

Cutout Environmental will provide the opportunity for Cutout to make an impact in more ways than just design. The ability to connect with owners that would eagerly promote special natural aspects of their properties, to revegetate, to grow the trees that are indigenous to specific regions and to give back to organisations that are working towards the same cause. Cutout Environmental will look at entire ecosystems, an approach deeply embedded in our work. Cutout Environmental and the upcoming projects will depict a host of invertebrate species through to mammals, birds and plants that often don’t often have their story told. A great interest in conservation on private land, wetlands, valuable wildlife corridors and particular plant and animal species present. The emotional connection and drive that Ross had towards Cutout is the reason behind Cutout’s growth and success so far which according to him is just the beginning. With the same drive and connection to nature is what he aims to do to propel Cutout Environmental.