monsieur relax
NEW SLANG Opposites attract & fate it seems was keen for us to meet. I clearly remember our first conversation which went something like this.
“I know you from somewhere,” Anton calls out as I walk past. (he’d been freelance with us for a few days.)
‘No way Freelance.’ I was thinking. After connecting the dots over a cider, it turned out that not only had we grown up in close proximity attending the same college, we’d also lived in the same remote Cornish town at the same time. We had many mutual friends & had multiple chances to be on a similar path, we were inevitably (it seemed) destined to work together at Glue. I don’t believe in coincidences & the more I collaborated with Anton the stronger this feeling became. Whether it was winning awards, smashing pitches or drinking together we were always on the same team & became affectionately (I think) dubbed,
‘the west country crew’. I was always excited about our future collaborations & often made deals or engineered opportunities for them to become a reality. Anton’s unique ability to tell you something about yourself – something surprising even to you – was often an eye opener. Somehow balancing wisdom with inebriation, but always coming from a place of unquestionable truth. Never sugar-coating a sentence or telling you what you wanted to hear. I greatly admired his honesty in all things & I know I’m not the only one. Anton’s unique charm is evident throughout these pages. I feel extremely lucky to have met such an unforgettable young man in his prime who packed so much living into everything he did. I hope while reading this you will look back on a life not with sorrow, but with a renewed passion for all life’s pleasures.
I don’t say this lightly but for me Anton was the family that you choose, a collaborator, teacher, mystic & brother all rolled into one. You will be greatly missed but I take comfort in the knowledge that your indomitable spirit will live on in the countless lives you touched & the positive action you encouraged in others. The brightest fire burns the fastest & brother you were like the sun. Radiating an unstoppable warmth come rain or shine. Anton’s spark will live on through our own actions. I often think,
‘what would Anton do?’ It is a constant source of inspiration for myself & many others.
This is not the end, but a new beginning. — Matt Daniels Designer @matt_daniels
NE W S L A N G
01
THE CREEP When I first met Anton, I was briefing him on some really simple & bland banners for Toyota. It was really easy work for a designer, the kind of work I always feel a bit guilty asking them to do.
When I told him I was from Melbourne, It was after then that I started a smile the size of the city itself came affectionately referring to him as across his face & he said, ‘The Creep’ because of how happy he always was. Everyone in the agency ‘THAT’S AWESOME! knows that when I feel like a natter HOW COOL!’ the first place I go is over to the design department. I think Anton played a Anton was a freelancer at the time, Any Australian living in London will big part in that. He was always ready so we didn’t know each other at all. tell you this is a totally abnormal for a chat & whenever I was feeling a I was immediately taken aback by how reaction from an English person. bit homesick, he was a good person to friendly he was. Not many freelancers Totally abnormal. speak to because he had such lovely are like that! They generally want to things to say about Australia (again, come in & get their work done, get In the end, the brief for that little not normal). Although, there would through the expected small talk, then project took 10 minutes, but the always be a point in the conversation get out for the day. But I learnt very small talk that everyone otherwise where he’d say something along the quickly & rather abruptly that Anton dreads, went on for at least half an lines of ‘you’re mad for leaving wasn’t like that. hour. Anton was asking me questions! Australia & coming here’, which & not about work! Shock! Horror! wasn’t always helpful. As I started talking him through the He was telling me about his recent brief, I knew he wasn’t listening to trip to South America & about plans I think about him quite a lot, about a word I was saying. It was in one for another trip in the near future. how happy he was, always. I think he ear & out the other. Mid-sentence he I remember going back to my desk made his time on this planet worth stopped me & said, ‘Steph... where & telling the other producers every second & we could all do in Australia are you from?’ like it around me. ourselves a favour & try & live was a matter of life & death. like Anton did.
“there’s a new freelancer in & he’s REALLY nice & friendly!”
I will always remember him for that.
— Steph Chybowski Senior Project Manager @StephChybowski
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
FIT I have great memories of chatting to Anton over hot beverage making sessions, & being blown away by all the stories he recounted of things he had done & the places that he had been. I once came over to brief Matt in some last minute changes on a project, & I believe that Anton was in the same situation with another producer. Matt & Anton happened to be chatting on MSN at the time, & just as I came over I saw a message pop up in the top of Matt’s screen saying something along the lines of,
‘at least your producer is fit . . .’ or something like that. At the time, I was too flustered & embarrassed to say anything about it, but I’ve always remembered that, & it makes me chuckle when I think about it. That is, if I remembered it correctly . . .
CREEP—FIT
I also feel tremendous guilt at once lying to Anton. It was at the time that he was thinking of going permanent at Glue & he made me promise that I wasn’t planning to leave the company to go freelancing along with lots of other Gluers. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was about to hand in my notice, & it pained me to not be able to tell the truth. Despite me not telling the truth, he stayed perm & seemed to bloody love it, or at least all the friends that he made.
— Jenny Smart Digital Producer @daSmartster
Quite pants stories really as my memories are just of a great guy who was fun to be around. I have massive regrets that I didn’t get to work with him for longer as he was such an awesome man, but I’m happy at least to have known him for that short while. I think about him a lot & especially all the stories that people have put up on Facebook.
He touched so many people’s lives & I feel quite inspired by the short life that he did live.
02—05
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
SECRET ALLEY I first met Anton at Glue’s Halloween pub-crawl, 31st Oct 2012. Anton left a very lasting impression, despite me not being an official employee yet & face covered in zombie makeup. That evening Matt & Anton spent time getting to know me & I remember teasing them about being best friends (in the sweetest way of course). I got to learn about their friendship & how the UK actually has beaches where you can surf! I could tell Anton was a surfer boy by just looking at him... his long blonde locks gave it away! Anton was very kind & always smiling, he had a certain charisma about him. I clearly remember that evening; he was concerned about getting home to get a presentation done for his sister Sophie as she had a job interview the following day.
SECRET ALLEY
He spoke so fondly of her & it was lovely to see the amount of love & concern he had over her. Not having met Sophie, I could tell their relationship was something special. After finishing a drink at The Queen’s Head & Artichoke the group split. I thought I’d show Matt & Anton a different route to Camden. Despite them both being sceptical – thinking I might get them lost – they both came along with me. I won’t forget Anton’s earfull that I was taking them to a secret alley. Silliness & laughs aside, I left the boys at the station & went off feeling instant warmth & welcoming.
tough at work, Anton was a real team player & passionate about his work, putting in extra hours. No matter how stressed he was when I used to go over for a chat he would instantly stop, smile & be happy to catch up. It was always a pleasure to talk to him & the days we didn’t talk,
his smile would say a lot. Anton was full of life & didn’t take life seriously. He was far too concerned about people in every corner of the globe & how he could help them. One thing I learnt from him was to live life to the fullest. I thank him for reminding me to not take work so seriously & just to live. His memories will never be forgotten & every time I see someone surfing, it will always remind me of Anton, a dear friend.
— Sabina Begum
Anton & I worked on a few ‘joyful’ projects at glue… one in particular ‘Special K’. Despite when things got
Senior Designer @sabzie_bee
04—07
FRESH AIR From Anton’s first interview I could see what a talent he was &
what an insatiable energy he had. His appetite was infectious & I ended up just chatting to him during the interview for well over an hour. Mostly just about nonsense, but with the occasional work-related references thrown in. As a designer he had all of the qualities & skills you’d expect, but I was most impressed & affected by his attitude & positivity.
Working as a designer in an ad agency is not easy, it requires great self motivation & belief as well as the ability to build genuine trust within your team. All of these things Anton possessed in spades. We did everything in our power to get him to join us. I was so convinced he would make a huge impact on the department & the agency that I fought to get permission to delay his start date & hold the position open so that he could go travelling even though we were desperate for him to start.
When he did eventually join us he didn’t let that faith down for a second. He was such a breath of fresh air & immediately loved by everyone he worked with. He was adored by the team & I hope you’ll take some consolation knowing that
he had a huge impact on us all & won’t be forgotten. — Dan Griffiths Head of Design @gingerdan
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
SURF’S UP Anton was a master storyteller, always at his best when raging against the absurdity of life, & about the things people could be doing to make the world a better place. Storytellers make this world a happier place to be in, &
WHAT AN
INSATIABLE
ENERGY
Anton had a way of drawing you into a story. He didn’t relay a story, he animated the damn thing making you a part of it, with every gesture, leap, bound & facial contortion. I remember him surfing a table in a bar showing me his skills, where to lean your weight on the board – much to perplexity of those on the next table. He didn’t care what people think, but he cared what people did with their lives, & he led by example in the things he achieved. I think of you enjoying your travels right now Anton. Surf’s up!
— Ian Byrne Design Director @byrnzey
F R E S H A I R — S U R F ’S UP
06—09
PADRE Within just a week or two of Anton joining glue, I considered him a friend. He had a rare warmth & humour that made him a joy to be around & his enthusiasm & positivity were infectious. I always looked forward to seeing him. He slotted comfortably into the design team straight away, immediately immersing himself in the work & social aspects of the company. He inspired confidence in anyone who worked with him, & though he probably didn’t know it, I think he played a large part in unifying his immediate colleagues at a time of great change within the company when a lot of people were talking about leaving. When I met Anton, I’d been at glue for about eight years, & for me it really was time to move on. He was freelancing & often laughed about how he’d been brought in for two weeks work, & several months later he was still there. There was no official contract, it seemed simply that nobody had asked him to leave. When I talked about leaving to go freelance, he would tell me over & over again how much he loved the freelance lifestyle.
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
“It’s the way forward! The pay’s so good you just have to do one or two jobs & then you can spend a month on the beach!” he’d tell me. I think he sensed that the only thing stopping me was my own fear of what was next – I’d become used to the security full-time employment provided. He gave me constant encouragement & alleviated my worries. “You’ll be
fine! Just do it, mate. DO IT! You’ll love it!” Finally I quit, & in the same week, Anton took a full-time position. When I asked him about his change of heart regarding freelancing, he told me that he’d just really come to love the place. “It’s all about the people” he said, “I love the people here.” There was no doubt the people loved Anton. I remember one afternoon, Anton received a hug from a friend in the office. Much as he enjoyed hugs, he felt compelled to explain that the hug was not quite as good as it could be. It was too brief, he stated, & there was too much back slapping. & so he proceeded to give hugging lessons right there & then.
Those Anton interludes brought the sun out on the cloudiest of days.
Shortly after I left Glue, I moved into a studio in Dalston. Anton called me up one afternoon saying he’d heard about a rooftop cinema in Dalston & that night they were screening Searching for Sugar Man, a documentary about mysterious 70s folk legend Rodriguez.
“they’ve even got blankets mate, & Vietnamese street food! Its’ going to be ACE!!” It certainly sounded that way, so I agreed to meet him there. It was a fantastic setup. The projector pointed at a wide brick chimney stack on the neighbouring warehouse, with huge speakers either side, blankets & cushions laid out on the astro turf lining the roof & a clear starry sky above. Anton secured a spot near the screen & I went in search of beer. He talked excitedly about his latest projects & his unexpected weekend camping on a cliff top in Devon (with a camping van full of super hot girls) & he showed me some A4 black & white photos he’d had printed that day of a very beautiful Canadian girl he’d met on his latest travels. He talked about the time they’d spent together & how he hoped to visit her in Canada. He planned to post her the photos so she’d remember the night & “so she can see just how amazing
she looks.”
He left to grab us some food & after about fifteen minutes I started to wonder ifhe was ever coming back. Two young french girls sat down in Anton’s spot, & I thought about saying something, but decided against it, imagining Anton would no doubt relish the opportunity to talk to them. When he appeared he started chatting to them as if they were old friends. He’d been charming them in the food queue & he’d told them where we were sat. Their appearance was no accident. We all shared a joint & sat back under the stars to watch the movie. The film was full of oddball characters & American cityscapes, peppered with Rodriguez’s prophetic lyrics & soulful melodies. I’d catch Anton swaying quietly to the music & grinning from ear to ear. There was a moment in the film where we see a window from outside, with a character opening it & leaning out. The scene projected on to the bricks with the character about life size, it looked almost real. I remember Anton pointing out what an incredible moment it was. It was an evening I’ll never forgot, & looking back now, everything about it seems so perfectly Anton. We finished with a dark rum & a high five & spent the next day firing Rodriguez tracks back & forth on Spotify. Sharing music became a daily habit after that.
PAD R E
If there’s one subject other than girls that I’ve just been away again, this time to got Anton pounding his fists & jumping India, & on my last days there I sat in up & down, it’s travelling. We’d talk a bar facing the sea, watching the surf at length about the places we’d visited crashing as the sun set & sipping & those we wished to explore. We sugary tea. Anton was at the forefront both had trips coming up – his to Bali of my mind. It was his kind of place, & & Nicaragua & mine to Cuba. At the I wished he was there. I’d been reading mention of Cuba, Anton insisted on a Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts rum & cigar evening. He happened to & I came to a passage in the book have some rum at his place – not any old which seemed to sum up how I felt at rum of course, but the best rum you’ve that moment. ever tasted. I’d also promised to do a design on one of his boards before he left, “At first, when we truly love someone, so we planned to make a night of it. This our greatest fear is that the loved one happened on the night before I left, & will stop loving us. What we should we managed to empty a couple of bottles fear & dread of course, is that we of red wine before starting on the board. won’t stop loving them, even after It was an inebriated collaborative effort they’re dead & gone. For I still love with Anton directing. When I considered you with the whole of my heart. I it about half finished, Anton told me to still love you. & sometimes, my stop. “That’s it mate! It’s BANGIN!!” friend, the love that I have, & can’t On my return from Cuba he sent a give to you, crushes the breath from couple of shots of him on the board. my chest.”
“She’s been blazing colour all over this archipelago on the small days. thanks again bro. see ya soon yaaaaar.” When he returned from Indonesia, he dropped his stuff off & came straight to our local pub, still in his shorts & t-shirt, despite the bitter cold & driving rain. He refused to shake off his holiday vibe. He spent the night telling us all about his trip, the surf, & the efforts he’d made to get clean water to the village he was staying. His stories were as lively & animated as ever & it was a real joy to see him again after so long.
I feel very lucky to have known you & learnt from you, Anton. You were 100% good vibes & the world was a brighter place in your company. I miss you still brother, & I always will. I’ll think of you whenever I see a sunset or the sea, & I’ll love you always.
— Ben Pearce Illustration Director
08—011
ANTON THE LEGEND There are so many people in the world that pass you by. People you don’t give a second thought. Not Anton, no.
Anton had his own gravitational pull. He would draw you in with his aura. That of joy, positive energy & sheer relentless enthusiasm. How could you ever turn away from that smile!?
“Leon, would you like a cup of tea?”
“Leon would you like a drink of water..? His hands already bursting with about as many cups as they could hold.’ He would always make the time to talk. Tell you about the next swell, the weather patterns. Whether, in fact you knew who this guy was, or not. He had a true passion for the things he loved.
I’ll always remember after a few beers at the end of the day, how many times he’d tell you he loved you... hilarious, but somehow you knew he was genuine with his affection. I had great pleasure in working with Anton. We would pride ourselves on the characters we hired. Anton was a true character.
There was always a bright side. Mr Brightside!! — Leon Ostle Design Director @LeonOstle
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
FAVOUR I remember the first time I saw Anton. I was walking into a lecture theatre at Bournemouth University & looking at my future course mates all sitting there excitedly. Anton immediately stood out from the crowd – his messy blonde hair & charming smile made it obvious he was someone you could get to know really easily. I don’t think it took him very long to become the most popular guy on the course & become great friends with everyone. During my three years there with him, I can’t remember anyone ever saying anything bad about him. It was impossible not to like Anton. Over the length of the course we spent more time together. Anton’s positivity was infectious & during tough times speaking to him had a way of putting a smile on your face even though he may not have realised why he had. Just being around Anton meant that something exciting was going to happen, & his appreciation of the world around him made you look at things with a new perspective. During our final year at Bournemouth University, our bond became stronger. After handing in my final practical
ANT ON TH E L E G E N D — FAVOUR
project, I felt exhausted & just wanted to sleep. However Anton was nowhere near finished & had hardly begun writing the code for his project. It was a highly graphically intensive piece that, unsurprisingly, was focused on surfing. Luckily Anton was able to get an extension, & then spent the next two days in my house as I helped write the code for his project. Anton was a truly brilliant designer, a skill which has always evaded me. The project looked brilliant, it was very rewarding to help Anton & when he passed the course it was great to know that I had been able to help my friend in a time of need.
When I found out that Anton was working at glue I was so excited. I hadn’t had the opportunity to work with him on anything outside of the course & it had been a year or so since I had last seen or spent time with him. Unfortunately we never got the opportunity to do project work together, but I was still able to appreciate having him around the office & enjoy his company. It made things feel like the ‘good old times’ again.
This favour was soon to be repaid when I needed a helping hand. Anton kindly allowed me to stay at his house until I found another place to live. He helped me pack my belongings, load them into his car & then drove it all to his place, letting me stay on the sofa. It was a great time to be there – those couple of weeks were full of smiles, laughter & relief of reaching the milestone of finishing the course. I’m really happy to have spent that time with him. It was brilliant to see him that happy & proud of our achievements in our final projects.
If everyone had even 10% of his personality, the world would be a much better place.
Anton brought fun, happiness, kindness & a sense of adventure to every situation he came across.
We will all miss you, buddy.
— Craig Beswetherick Developer @GrindheadGames
10—13
CHARACTER
HIRED
I can’t claim to have known Anton for a long time, but with a personality as warm & vivacious as his I don’t think that mattered.
I think Anton packed more into his twenty five years than most people do in a lifetime. If only everyone lived their life with the spirit & generosity that he did, we’d all be much better off.
His character was such that you immediately got a real sense of who he was – kind, friendly, spirited, engaging, with an enormous lust for life & a curiosity to see the world from his surf board!
I’m glad I knew him, I’m glad we talked nonsense in the pub & I wish he was still around on the old glue nights to see that incredible smile & hear about his next adventure.
Anton was freelancing at glue in my last few months there. I was keen to enjoy as many pub lunches as I could before I left & he was always more than happy to indulge in a lunchtime beer. We spoke at length about travelling & were agreed that it was much more fun than real life. But real life was pretty bloody good too.
I hope wherever he is, he’s having the best party he ever did.
— Debbie Ferguson
I hired Anton as a freelance designer who we never let go. He was a brilliant designer, enthusiastic about everything. More importantly, as everyone who has ever met him agrees, he made the everyday better by just being there & smiling. He took the time to talk to everyone, get involved & listen to what everyone had to say. The ripple effect of his death has been incredible to follow. People who had only known him for a moment in his life were still moved by him.
What an amazing legacy for his loved ones to see.’
Senior Producer
— Holly Peacock Creative Services Manager @HollyAlexandraP
Over the last few months, I’ve heard much more than I ever did from Anton himself about the amazing work he was doing to get clean water to everyone. It says a lot that he wanted to do that, to help the people in the places he loved.
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
CHARACTER — HI R ED
HAPPY TOASTER Let’s be honest, it was a boring as hell brief to skin up a coupon voucher app for Pop Tarts. But Anton still approached it with his usual level of enthusiasm, & even managed to squeeze some of his happiness in to it in the form of a toaster! He created the idea of a happy toaster that popped out its Pop Tarts when they were ready, & we laughed about this crazy, stretchy toaster he produced. I remember vividly him explaining how
he wanted to make sure the toaster was really happy, in between telling me about his upcoming trip to Bali I think it was, which was way more interesting than the coupon! We swapped a few Bali recommendations before he went away as I’d only recently got back from there. Anyway it’s great to remember him even putting a smile into his work, literally on this occasion!
— Josh McCarthy Account Director @josh_mccarthy
HAP PY TOA S TE R
12—15
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
WINNERS When I received the email about Anton’s book my mind went blank. I couldn’t think of anything to say. But once I started I couldn’t stop! I’ve just read back over everything & I can’t put it all in. It’s been so nice to finally open up all those memories of Anton & have a laugh & a cry over them. Anton was a top bloke, even when he was ranting on about it raining again, how grey London is, or the CS suite. He always had something to tell you, a story, an inspirational quote or even just something nice to cheer you up. My last email from him was titled,
‘The casual smirky one.’
W INNE R S
We’d just got back to the office after a lonnnnnng ‘lunch’ in the pub. Anton dived into any project handed to him with such enthusiasm, & that’s expected of you when it’s for a client this is a job. But when it’s a competition two of your mates have decided to enter & left it until the night before the deadline, you could just walk away. But Anton didn’t.
Well they did a fucking awesome job & we only went & won! The final video was so tight thanks to Anton spending ages perfecting every detail.
Thanks Anton & Matt. — Rachel Clough Creative @RAClough
Jan & I had the idea, we just didn’t have a presentation – an awesome video that was going to sell it & win us 1st prize! So what probably came across as more like begging, we asked Matt & Anton if they would be willing to help us out. We told them both the idea & they jumped at the chance.
14—17
I was talking to Jan & Rachel when they mentioned a great idea they’d had for a competition called ‘Ocean – the Art of Outdoor’. They’d won the previous year & wanted to try again.
They asked if I could create a key visual to help sell the idea. I thought their concept was genius so eagerly offered my services to help bring it to life.
Having completed the visual we felt it needed to be animated to truly sell the concept & I knew just the man for the job. Enter Anton.
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
Each light needed to be triggered when a silhouette passed over it. This took some time...
I knew Anton had the passion & drive to add that extra something that takes an idea from great to exceptional. Anton was extremely busy that day so I offered to take some work off his hands in exchange for his help (I don’t do this for any old freelancer). I couldn’t expect a freelancer to stay after hours – especially for a self initiated project.
“This Is. What It’s. All. About.” Getting characteristically animated. Slapping the back of his hand against his palm at every word, driving home the point. We had no expectations to win. We were simply proud that a plan had come together. Turns out.
This didn’t go quite to plan... But to my surprise Anton was in it for the long haul, cancelling his plans to work on a project he believed in. We must have stayed until midnight. Anton supplied the tunes that made it seem as though we were at a festival rather than work. He made sure every detail was considered, timings were tight & how about those floor lights. Those took some time to get the timings right! It really felt like a truly collaborative team & Anton nailed it when he proclaimed,
We won the thing! My only regret was not being able to attend the awards ceremony & celebrate the hard work & fun we had producing ‘Toyota – get your energy back’, with a guy who put his heart & soul into everything he did. To put it simply,
our boy done good. — Matt Daniels Designer @matt_daniels
W INNE R S
16—19
GIFT I didn’t get the chance to spend much time with Anton. Or rather, nowhere near as much as I would have liked. Despite that, my memory of him is sharper & more vivid than that of people I’ve known far longer; some my entire life (my Uncle Colin, for example). When he was plonked on the desk next to me upon arriving at glue, I spent about a minute & a half thinking,
‘who booked this horribly chatty freelancer & can he be moved elsewhere?’
1a.jpg
That was the gift he had.
A man-sized cup overflowing with warmth & openness, he made people feel totally at ease & excited about the world & he did this without any effort; it was natural to him. Wind blows, birds sing, Anton made you feel alive.
#goodmorning #ldn
A very special & sadly very rare kind of person. Imagine if more people in the world were like that. It would be better.
However I spent the next hours & days talking & laughing about anything & everything. It’s usual for old hands to make new starters feel at home, but it was Anton that made me feel at home.
F OL L OW YO U R F E E T
— Henry Proudlove Art Director When asked to make a boyband pose
FIRST WEEK It was my first week at glue Dani & myself were already working on a big project – so I was working late – & after the masses had left the office I got speaking to a friendly blonde chap that looked like he should be on a beach rather in an office… it was Anton. The friendly blonde chap was eager to show me what he had been working on, I can’t remember what client it was for, but Anton had animated an asteroid hitting Covent Garden. I was blown away.
“You did that?” I asked... “Yeah,” Anton replied, with a shrug of the shoulders like it was nothing.
Awesome. — Nyall Cook Creative @nyallcook
GIFT—FIRST WEEK
18—21
WHERE’S ANTON? “Where’s Anton?” People would ask.
“He’s surfing in Nicaragua.” We would respond.
“Is he coming back?” People would ask.
“Yeah, he’s coming back here, he’s got a job to come back to.” We would reply.
“Wow, some people are just good at life.” They would respond.
— Nyall Cook Creative @nyallcook
4 months later...
W HE R E ’S A N TO N ?
20—23
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
RIGHT IN THE FEELS Anton set an example of how to live your life & live it to the maximum. I have two stories that really stand out for me, one of which was at a lunchtime outing. We sat in a small group talking about general stuff enjoying a pint when all of a sudden out of nowhere Anton jumps to his feet (on the chair) scrambles over the person sat next to him & runs out of the pub & down the road. About five minutes passes & we’re all slightly confused over his sudden outburst. Upon his return we all clearly have questions for Anton, ‘what was all that about?’ I remember someone asking him. With a huge smile he exclaims,
“MATE, I just saw the hottest babe, man I HAD to go & talk to her. Literally!” He ran off down the road to tell a hot girl he thought she was hot! I remember thinking at the time, what a legend. This was why I loved spending time with him. Not only was he funny, insightful, warming & impulsive, but he would challenge your perceptions of everyday life. If you want to go & tell a hot girl you think she’s hot, then tell her. It’ll make her feel special. He was good
R IG HT I N TH E F E E L S
at making everyone feel special. Another story is about his generosity & passion for surfing, all rolled into one. I was a week away from going on holiday to Portugal to chill out & to surf. I had many conversations with Anton about the best places & times to catch a good wave. Again he was honest with me, realising I was a beginner/mid-level surfer he explained what board I should use saying,
“mate it takes years to ride a short board & get barrelled, just get a long foamy & enjoy yourself.” I agreed. He offered me his wetsuit for the two weeks away & I thought it was a nice gesture so I accepted. He had some extra advice regarding the wetsuit exclaiming,
“dude it should fit fine, although it might be quite baggy for you around the crotch area…”
in. Upon returning to the hotel I rested his wetsuit on the bath ready to rinse the sand out & collapsed on to the bed. That’s the moment my phone rings with the news of Anton. I think rinsing the sand out of Anton’s wetsuit after hearing the news was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Having something so personal to him in my possession felt almost wrong & I couldn’t bear to wear it after that. But that’s the thing. I know I shouldn’t have had those feelings because you see, I know for a fact Anton would have wanted that baggy crotched wetsuit to have been enjoyed by someone, even someone of my surfing ability. It didn’t stop me sending it back to the UK as soon as I could. I felt it should be back home with his loved ones even if I secretly wanted to keep it as a memento of one of the most inspirational people I have ever met, even just to roll up & hug on the odd occasion.
— Ben Wilde
A couple of days into the holiday I went & had an awesome day out at sea catching some good waves & relaxing, thinking about his advice whilst I waited for the next sets to roll
Senior Designer @Sir_Benson
22—25
SUNSHINE KID On returning from Nicaragua Anton was understandably a little unsettled. Not only had he been fulfilling his dreams of bringing clean water to those who had none, he had also managed to fall in love on numerous occasions.
I had recently completed a set of prints that focused on an image of a bear. After seeing a picture of the print he casually asked if he could get a copy.
“Sure” I replied, He would tell me of how wonderful they were & share tales of campfire romance. However, there was one particular young Canadian lady that he had really taken a liking to & despite their many miles apart he still managed to stay in regular contact with her.
“but what do you want to do with it?” “Oh mate, you know that Canadian girl – well she just loves bears & I know if I sent this to her she would love it.”
However after some deliberation & a few forlorn stories of love lost shared over peppermint tea, he had changed my mind & I wanted his lady to receive this print. So, Anton happily walked over to his desk & started to write to his Canadian love. He did have one more request from me, however.
“Mate, do you mind if I say I did it? You know, it will make her so happy…” “Go on then…” I responded.
At the time I had been doing some screen-printing & Anton had been a fan. There was one however that seemed to really excite.
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
Confused, I argued that he couldn’t do that!
“I have just done this & now you want to send it over to someone I’ve never met in Canada?! Come on bro, you can’t do that!”
With that a sheepish grin he replied,
“I knew you wouldn’t mind… I’ve already sent it.”
This was just classic Anton. Ever the charmer, always a chancer he had the enviable ability to be able to work his magic on just about anyone – including a girl halfway across the world & a friend out of ownership of his illustration!
It was never easy to say no to the Sunshine Kid. *Anton did later also inform me that she liked it & was impressed he had done that for her!
— Steve Jude Designer @steve_jude
S UNS H I N E K I D
24—27
“DON’T.
MAKE.
HIM.
CRY.” A video of Anton on the phone to Fraser & Matt who are working late in the office. Anton, Rachel & Steve are in the Grafton Arms for Wayne’s leaving drinks & are randomly joining in on the conversation.
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
WE’RE WITH WAYNE BROWN Rachel: Anton:
‘Where are you Anton?’
‘We’re with Wayne Brown.’ (Former Managing Director of glue, who wasn’t actually there at that point.)
‘We’re with Wayne Brown, shit’s getting serious, get the fuck down here! Say it was a power cut, do whatever you have to do, just don’t make Matt cry, all right Fraser?’
‘Don’t. Make. Him. Cry.’ Steve: Anton:
‘FRAAASER.’ ‘I’m going to come for you. I will come for you.’ Hangs up smugly —
W E ’ R E W I TH WAY N E BROWN
26—29
HIGH FIVE Looking back it seems odd to only have been involved on one very brief project with Anton. & it wasn’t intentional either. In true Anton fashion he volunteered himself on to an Eristoff job when we were dry on design resource. It’s an account synonymous with doing late nights & shedloads of great work that never gets anywhere. Getting any creative (or human for that matter) motivated for the cause is like pulling teeth.
TEA? “No worries mate, we’ll smash this!” We worked until the early hours, but it never felt late. His enthusiasm was palpable, nothing was too much trouble & everything was done with a smile & a laugh. Sometimes even a high five. The work was awesome. Sadly, in the end it never went anywhere, again. But it didn’t matter, because this time we had fun. That’s what we’re in this life to do, & every time I think of Anton, I’m reminded of that. Rest in peace, fella.
But it wasn’t with Anton.
Ricardo Scappini Associate
—
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
It was clear that he was trying to help me feel very welcome, which he did.
—
Trust me, I know.
His response when I took him through what needed doing & apologised in advance for what would be a late night will always stay with me –
On my first day at glue I remember that I went straight to a meeting with the creative department & while I was still trying to connect people’s faces with names one person stood out among our team, & that was Anton. Not only because he was really funny through the meeting cracking some jokes, but also because he was one of the first to introduce himself to me, offering me a cup of tea.
Creative Director
Duncan MacLennan Account Director @duncanmaclennan
HI GH FI V E— TEA?
TAPPED Anton was taking me to his favourite coffee shop for lunch, telling me a story, while evangelising on the quality of the coffee. I don’t really remember the details, but the punchline stuck in my head. He’d been having a few drinks with some people from work & was talking to one of the girls. This was his story –
“So I told her I’d gone past this guy who had his hand out & I only had a few small coins to give him. Then he starts after me raving & I was like, Mate, everyone else is ignoring you & you’re having a go at me?? & then she says – Why are you getting so angry about it?
— Mark Light Art Director
TA P P E D
TAPCOFFEE.CO.UK © TAP COFFEE
& I said – ‘I’m not angry… I’m just…passionate!”
28—31
LIFE’S A PITCH I was asked to lead a pitch for Google. It was my first real test in my new position as Creative Director. I had little time & internal resource was non-existent. I desperately needed people I could trust & rely on to help me out. I asked Matt & Anton if I could have a ‘chat.’ They knew what was coming & it was blindingly obvious what I was going to ask. I had,
‘PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CAN YOU WORK ON THE GOOGLE PITCH’ written all over my panic-stricken face. They also knew damn well that if they said yes, it would be the start of two weeks of hard work, late nights, lost weekends & early hours pizzas. They both said “Yes” in a heartbeat.
NI CARAGUA—THE RETURN
I remember Anton was so excited about being part of the team.
“Definitely…yeah, yeah… I’m in…lets smash this.” The next two weeks were as predicted. Nevertheless, throughout Anton was always 100% committed, upbeat & smiling (actually this is not entirely true, he did cry once when his Mac lost a video render at 1am). However, for the other 99.99% of the time his boundless energy radiated & shone on the rest of the team.
It might have been brutal at times yet we actually laughed a lot & started to believe we could not only win the pitch but ‘Smash’ the competition. Without me needing to ask, Anton went the extra mile & then some. I stopped wanted to win the pitch for just the agency, I now felt I had a moral obligation to win it for Matt & Anton who had given so much of themselves to the process.
The pitch went so well in fact, that Anton’s work was subsequently presented to the head of Google in Mountain View who decided to run it all over the world.
I am eternally grateful to Anton for his unrivalled positivity. It’s how I’ll always remember him. He ‘smashed it’. —
On the day of the pitch, as predicted by Anton on day one, we smashed it.
Adam King Creative Director @AdkingUK
L IF E ’S A P I TCH
30—33
I was already ‘in’. I had been in the pitch team from the beginning, but as the weekend approached we still needed designers. Step forward Anton & Matt, rather involuntarily I may add. There’s nothing quite like walking past two people as they’re being told to cancel all the plans for upcoming weekend (it was a Thursday I believe) because boys we’ll all be here instead!
during the heat wave of ‘13, by then we’d found out we’d won the pitch & he was still talking about the buzz it gave him & the pride he felt upon winning it.
Cheers to you Anton, the natural born winner. —
The idea session for the Google pitch was when our paths crossed first. Anton still had a deep tan from his time in Nicaragua. After tearing through ideas Anton presented one he had worked on which basically consisted of him not being able to explain what it was, but reassuring everyone in the room it made sense & was crystal clear in his mind.
Nyall Cook
It was a long pitch, I mean loooooong.
‘Well done everyone, it’s been a hard 14 hour day but let’s meet again in 6 hours & smash it on Sunday” sort of pitch. But you do have to admit; the only plus side to these situations is the bond you grow with the ‘lucky’ pitch team members. This pitch will always be remembered as the pitch that Anton & Matt won. They became the design dream team – working above & beyond the call of duty to not just design, but animate & build an entire campaign for Google that when presented, was ready to go live. It was a painful process, but one that left Anton completely buzzing. I remember sitting in Regents Park shortly after, on one of those nice lunch breaks
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
Creative @nyallcook
We bonded over countless cups of tea I made for him & Matt in an attempt to keep them sane during the pitch as well as our shared love for sports that involved boards. Anton reassured me that it was perfectly normal for a 25 year old to skate to work, so we pencilled in a date to go for a skate. It’s hard to explain, but Anton was what I call
‘one of my people’ — someone who you can effortlessly feel connected with & happily introduce to your mum. I’m so thankful that I was able to be a part of his journey.
— Zade Al-Salim Account Excutive @zsgsas
1AM
Catia: “What are you doing Anton?”
Anton: “I’m exercising my biceps,
look at this” (showing his muscles).
Catia: “Need to be on my desk?”
Anton: “Yes, I don’t have time to go to the
gym” (he started doing pushups).
Sensitive client work often has a code name. Ours was project EAR.
3AM
Catia: “What happened with your hair?”
Anton: “I’m getting crazzzzzzzzzy.
I can’t do this banneeeeeeeer.” & suddenly, Anton turns on Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines & starts dancing.
(...)
Thanks for making me laugh Anton.
— Catia Oliveira Associate Creative Director #fuckyes #winning #saywhaaaat #booooom
L IF E ’S A P I TCH
32—35
When Adam asked Anton & myself over to have a ‘chat’ we knew a pitch was on the horizon (Adam’s panicstricken face was a dead givaway). We were both well up for the challenge whatever it my be. Agreeing with only a second’s thought to the weekends & evenings we’d be giving up in the process. On discovering we’d be working on a pitch for Google Play Music, combining our shared love of music & design, the energy levels hit an all time high!
I’ll find difficult to surpass without Anton’s boundless energy. At one point in the project we worked three solid days from 9am until 3am. Tempers flared & energy levels were running low, but with Anton’s constant reminders,
“Come on boys, we’re Smashing it” the team kept on going, pausing only for that day’s takeaway of choice. Burger Monday, chicken Tuesday & sushi Wednesday all flew by.
ourselves before the imminent pitch. As soon as we got back I was surprised that without pause Anton set to work on another design project he’d promised to his friend & fellow surfer, Tom Butler. So dedicated was Anton to the promises he made & the craft he practiced, not only as a career, but a tool to help others. For me the project was without a doubt the highlight of my professional career to date. No small part of that being Anton’s unique spark that kept us motivated, positive & focused throughout.
— Anton’s excitment for the project was instantly infectious, heightening my reserved dedication to a manic level
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
On one of the last nights of the pitch I crashed at Anton’s much nearer flat for the three hours sleep we’d allowed
Matt Daniels Designer @matt_daniels
After 15 years in advertising the Google pitch was without doubt the best pitch I’ve ever been involved in – I will never forget the camaraderie, heart & soul everyone poured into it & none more so than Anton. The Client response in the presentation speaks for itself… Holly:
“Anything you were hoping to see today that we haven’t shown you?” Head of Android Marketing:
“No. You nailed everything.”
Note from Google Europe:
“Myself & the others at Google would like to extend our commiserations. It is terribly sad & a real shock. He was doing an excellent job & his designs will be going live in a week or two. We’ll think of him when they do. Please extend our gratitude for his work to his friends & family if appropriate.”
Holly:
“These are all actually built so you can run them tomorrow.” Head of Device Marketing:
“No way!”
C 2C —TE TR A Head of Android Marketing: The track ‘happy’ was selected for our Google play advert.
© ON AND ON RECORDS
“You can tell how much hard work & effort has gone into this. Thank your designers – we need to treat them.”
In Tetra we discovered not just a great track but an incredible album. We must have listened to Tetra hundreds of times, it really kept us going & will
A force of nature in the pitch & in the Agency day to day - it was a privilege to present Anton’s work. I’ll never forget seeing him leaning against the breakfast bar, his chest swelling with pride as the pitch win was announced to the Agency & Adam singled out the reason we won…Matt & Anton.
— Holly Maguire
Product Marketing Manager:
Business Development
(on showing us out):
Director, EMEA
“Thank you so much guys, that was amazing. Amazing.”
always remind me of Anton. Holly:
“Enjoy the rest of your day”
(inferring the other pitches)
L IF E ’S A P I TCH
Client:
“Meh!”
34—37
THANK YOU Anton, mate thank you for being such a great friend to me here in London & making me feel welcomed. You were a pleasure & inspiration to work with. You helped remind me to live life to the fullest no matter the surrounding, to see the best in people & to do everything with passion. I’ll never forget you mate & the impact, influence you carried. Thank you for always bringing out the good in me, for those moments I was in tears of laughter, for always making work a playground & for challenging me to become the best that I can be. You are surely one of the greatest to have walked the planet. Love you beyond words & I’ll miss you greatly.
Thank you. — Julio Ramirez Designer
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
T HANK YO U
ORBIT I gained my first lesson from Anton over a beer at the Queen’s Head & Artichoke. It included insights into what makes a truly epic campervan epic, some sage advice on how to make the most of our talent in the creative team, & like any encounter with Anton a master class in enthusiasm, optimism & humility. I came away refreshed, wiser, & looking forward to more. I have no doubt that had I had the opportunity, every subsequent encounter with this extraordinary man would have been equally instructive. The world is undoubtedly a poorer place without him. But it is immeasurably better for having had Anton in its orbit for even a brief period of time.
PRIVILEGED It strikes me in hindsight that Anton was that rare, rare thing: a person who makes other people better people. No matter who, no matter what context, no matter even if he particularly liked them or not (although I got the impression that he liked pretty much everyone). In common with everyone whose life Anton touched, I have good reason to be grateful for that.
— Nick Bailey Executive Creative Director @Baileyology
Someone once asked me what do you look for when you’re hiring people. How do you build a stellar team? Well let’s do the easy bit first. You have to be really good at your craft. Anton was a bloody good designer. You have to be really hungry & passionate. Anton loved what he did. You have to be one resilient bugger. Hours are long & Clients are demanding. Anton was always the first to put his hand up, to work the additional hours, to make the solution better. But what really makes the difference is your positivity & sense of fun; the ability to gee up your fellow men, to make people laugh & to always believe. Anton did this in spades. We were privileged to have you on the team, Anton.
May your smile live on. — Penny Herriman Chief Executive Officer @Pennyherriman
OR B IT —P R I V I L E GE D
36—39
GIVE US A WAVE I didn’t really work with Anton. He’d send me little WhatsApp messages from his desk, where I could see him if I peeked over my monitor. Usually it would be ‘give us a wave’ in the mornings & then he’d pop over for a little chat – always with the offer of a cuppa or a biscuit! A lot of the time he’d try to mime entire conversations from his desk, very entertaining but often completely incomprehensible... unless it was ‘pint..?’. When the guys won the Google pitch I got a barrage of
‘LOOK UP’... ‘look over here’... ‘LOOK UP UP UP’ messages.
A group of us had gone to see a demo from a company that make holograms (as you do). We were all sat watching the hologram demos they had, like a woman underwater & a car floating around in mid air. They then put up a hologram of Mariah Carey & the guys asked if they could get up on stage with her. I’m pretty sure Anton was the first one up there, closely followed by Jan. The rest of us just laughing about watching their antics. The guy then mentioned he had one hologram which had a space specifically for someone to dance in between them. It was a really surreal cartoon hologram of ABBA. They asked who wanted to get up on stage to dance with them. Anton. Obviously.
He had a sign that just said
‘YES - we fucking won!!’
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
When he came back from Nicaragua I didn’t even see him before he’d jumped on to my desk. He was like a little excited child showing me the pictures he’d taken, the people he’d helped, & that little girl holding up a glass of clear water. He asked whether I knew of any new ways people had found to filter water & was just so adamant that someone needed to invent something, anything that would help.
MURAKAMI
Holograms
Give us a wave
Jan & I were chatting across our desks & he was telling me about his new book. Anton wandered over STOKED about heading to Glastonbury the next day & was just being ridiculously positive about everything – even more so than usual if that’s possible.
& then there was the music. We shared loaaaads of music when the sun started shining, it all kicked off with Daft Punk & then he just kept sending little funky tunes & albums, real jolly like:
João Gilberto – Desafinado (Music For Every Mood)
I don’t think he’d read the book, but gave it the thumbs up anyway!
& when we got bored of that: Unreleased Jai Paul – Untitled Album Anton:
Daft Punk – Pharrell ‘Get Lucky’ SNL Ad
“Makes my ears happy happs oweeeee!”
Anton:
“Such a juicy dangler. I want more of it.”
— Naomi Morton Innovation @NaomiBM
Then:
“If you’ve run out of daftpunkfunk... Spin ya chair n Go spanish. Goes well with the sunshine.” G I V E U S A WAV E
38—41
BOOM Having gone to uni with Anton, a large advertising agency in London was probably one of the last places I expected to see him again. So I was surprised when he got in contact to say that he would be joining me after ‘a wee holiday’, which turned out to be Nicaragua, & that me being there was
‘such good news bro, be like old times. BOOM.’ It was comforting to know that someone like Anton would be around in a place where I’d know no one. A couple of months went on & for a while I wondered whether he was actually coming back, but then I heard a familiar voice behind me shout ‘Mashheeeeerr!’, & then I saw his smile. Anton was back. At my last company, where Anton also freelanced briefly, I was talking with a colleague about him & I described Anton as the most positive person you will ever meet. I don’t think anybody can argue with that.
CLOSE-UP I remember Anton telling me he was off to do something cool & he would be back in ‘March 2013’ to be a permanent fixture at glue. He happily bounced away to a beach before happily bouncing back to a desk. All my memories of Anton just evoke happiness. Whether he was enigmatically telling you an interesting story whilst making a cup of tea, or showing you somewhere exotic he’d been whilst you were over trying to talk about work, it was always something engaging.
“Eurgh I’ve been cutting around his pubes for 20 minutes.” Of course, all done with a laugh & a smile after a week of no sleep. Nothing but the fondest of memories.
— Olivia Rawlinson Project Manager @livrawlinson
I often laugh thinking of a ‘post-day&-night-pitch’ Anton being given some ‘easy’ work to do – which meant that he had to zoom in extremely close on a semi-naked man in a Boratstyle Mankini & had to carefully cut around various parts of his anatomy. He made sure to give me minute-byminute visual & vocal updates on which specific part he was now on.
— Terry Masher Developer @terrymasher
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
BOOM— C L O S E- U P
WHO’S IN? To keep it brief, me & Jan worked on some banners for Jose Cuervo tequila. The concept was simple: the more the user clicks, the more random his outfit becomes. I wasn’t around to go to the shoot, but Jan did & he got some great shots of the actor in anything from shorts, a tutu to completely naked! & who do you think had the ‘fun’ job of cutting all these images out… Anton. One afternoon, I came to check how he was getting on, to which I got an earful off him.
“It’s making me sick. I’m gonna be sick, guys, honest I’m gonna be sick!” His whole screen was a man’s crotch. He must have zoomed in about 400%.
— Rachel Clough Creative @RAClough
W HO’S I N ?
40—43
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY A little while ago I worked with Anton on a series of animated banners for Special K. It was quite a challenge, as we had to use some existing illustrations & animate them. Anton & myself were working with a particular Project Manager who was a little stretched at the time to say the least. The project was one of those that anyone would usually try & get off the desk, but Anton made sure the banners were done to a very high level (even though he hated them!)
I remember we needed certain assets to progress with the work, which took a while to come in, then we had to address some client amends – on a couple of occasions I remember sitting with Anton at his desk telling him to count to ten as this project just wouldn’t go away! Needless to say we helped each other through with a few giggles along the way.The funniest thing was when we had to do a page take-over, which was to be seen in Europe & in some Middle Eastern markets. The client had asked us to use a certain image of a lady but there was one thing… our lady was in a red swimsuit & in the Middle East no legs on show equals no swimsuit.
I sat beside Anton & searched & searched image libraries for red dresses to digitally put over our lady & cover her up. We laughed so much as the whole situation was quite surreal: dressing a model in Photoshop was what it had come to. Needless to say Anton was a pro & made the dress fit like a dream. I have such fond memories of Anton & this is just one of them. His spirit lives on in & around the office with us all. It was great to have met such an awesome guy. Love & wishes,
— Dani Brown Creative @daniisbeing
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
CULTURAL SE NS I TI V I TY
GOOD PEOPLE A smart man (whose name I can’t find on google) said something like,
“surround yourself with good people, the dreamers & the doers, the believers & the thinkers.” Anton was one of those guys you just wanted to be around. Kind, generous & cool. A conversation with him left you dreaming ideas too big for your head. Always inspiring. Never boring. He’d start each day with that smile. That ridiculously infectious smile. Normally used by people the first time they see something special. He used his for the best of times, & to deal with the shitty times. I miss that smile.
When Anton found out I was into my running he’d leave daft quotes on my desk & send videos of athletes hitting their limit. He told me stories of his aunty & uncle completing endurance challenges with so much energy & insight that you felt you were there! One of the crazier notes he left me was a print out titled: the ultimate foot race.
The last time I saw him was on Sunday night just before the sun went down outside the John Peel Tent. He was wearing an electric blue suit & talking about an earlier encounter with some grannies on scooters. The last thing we said to each other was; “If I don’t see you later,
let’s got for a drink on Thursday.” The Glasto quote of 2013 was;
On it was the kit list for Marathon de Sables. I was prepping to run London Marathon & Anton was already preparing me for a 156 mile 6 day endurance race in the Sahara desert. With the right attitude, anything was possible in Anton’s eyes.
“life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Anton’s passion for life was huge. I’m so thankful for the moments we shared.
— Chris Watt Content Manager @chriswatt44
G OOD P E O P L E
42—45
RUM
FLOR DE CANA
On the many times I drank with Anton I would notice he would always drink this fancy rum (to impress the ladies). I used to ask him why he was drinking it;
After Anton went on & on about it at the pub, I finally downed my drink & got in the queue for the bar.
“because I had it in Nicaragua” he’d reply.
“What, you went to Nicaragua?” I’d reply. He really did never mention it.
— Nyall Cook
I’m only little so it takes me ages to get noticed & served, anyway I finally get a neat Flor de Cana & went back to the group. Anton takes one look at my drink & says:
You need more lime & ice than that! You can’t drink that, go back.” So back to the bar I went. I must say it was definitely worth the wait though. Beauty & Beast. Get me out there .
— Rachel Clough Creative @RAClough
NIC AR AG U A — TH E R ET URN
BOOM. 1st place. We smashed it. Yeeha
“What’s that?
Creative @nyallcook
N.ice ‘n stormy summer morning #iceicebaby #yes #kaffine #nofilter
ESCAPADES Anton truly was different. A bundle of energy & (sometimes) intolerably upbeat he would always entertain you with a story or two! To have only known him for a year seems like a travesty – & surely false! From the first moment I met him I felt his warmth & his knack for being just so damn welcoming.
Never has (or probably will) someone made such an impact on my life.
I have 1001 stories about the chap & I can only dream of what 1001 more would have been like. However the great thing about Anton is that he would claim a spot in your heart as his – I will always see that big smile & will remember his big hugs. He will always be out for every good night following up with the hungover phone call to tell me,
“it’s cool bro, we can chill & get a pint in...”
Anton, you are & always will be one of life’s gifts & I’m so honoured to have been able to share this gift with so many vying recipients. Love you always man x
— Steve Jude Designer @steve_jude
His tales & our escapades together are the reason to have friends. The reason to meet new people. The reason to have faith – the realisation that people are not all bad.
R UM — F L O R D E CA N A —E SCA PA D ES
44—47
T I T LAR NIC E— AGTI U ATL—E TH E R ET URN
S Q U EEZE
SQUEEZE The bowling night will forever be one of my favourite nights with Anton. We were on the same team, & he was definitely in charge; teaching people how to bowl & throw back their leg ‘like a pro’.
On the walk home I don’t think I’ve ever been squeezed so much whilst somehow still managing to walk! — Naomi Morton
Then Nyall introduced the ‘through the legs’ shot, & that was it basically... whole night of that.
Innovation @NaomiBM
Afterwards Anton rounded everyone up & I have this strange memory of him running around the streets of Finsbury shouting & making sure everyone followed him to the Faltering Fullback - even if they weren’t with us, just people on the street who looked like they were up for a drink. When we got there & up the top of the little treehouse bit I’m pretty sure he managed to compliment every single aspect of every one of us, entirely genuinely, as if he’d only just met us & was ridiculously excited about the whole thing.
46—49
—
—
V IT D —
ON SUNNY DAYS IT MAKES ME SMILE TO THINK OF THIS.
WHEN THE SUN WAS SHINING ANTON WOULD SMILE. LOOK TO THE HEAVENS & PROCLAIM.
‘VITAMIN D. GET IN ME!’
Matt Daniels
ANTON WAS ALWAYS FULL OF WISDOM.
— —
Designer
@matt_daniels
—
—
ANT W E R P ANTON NOTICED THIS WHEN HE WALKED PAST MY COMPUTER & PEEKED AT MY SCREEN, HE LOVED THE DIAMOND IN THE DESIGN.
I WISH THAT COULD’VE BECOME A REALITY & THAT HE WAS STILL AROUND HERE, MAKING EVERYONE’S DAY JUST THAT BIT BETTER WITH HIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE & GENERAL AWESOMENESS. I WILL MISS OUR RANDOM HIGH FIVES WALKING PAST EACH OTHER.
Creative
—
Jan Pruijser
SO I CREATED THIS DESIGN WITH THE ‘A’ WITHIN THE DIAMOND FOR HIM BACK THEN, HE SAID HE WANTED TO HAVE IT PRINTED ON A T-SHIRT.
—
I WAS DESIGNING SOME POSTERS TO CRAFT MY SKILL & ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE HALF DECENT.
—
@janpruijser
48—51
—
WE WERE DISCUSSING WHY ANYONE WOULD ENGAGE WITH A CEREAL BRAND & HE FOUND A FACEBOOK POST WHERE SOMEONE HAD TATTOOED SPECIAL K ONTO THEIR ARM & HAD 80 LIKES FOR IT..
‘S PE C IA L’ K THAT WAS A BRILLIANTLY SCARY MOMENT & MADE US LAUGH.
—
—
LIKE THE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SPECIAL K.
@gofftony Senior Designer Tony Goff
—
ALWAYS LOVED ANTON’S ENTHUSIASM & HUMOUR, EVEN WHEN DOING MUNDANE WORK HE ALWAYS FOUND THE HUMOUR IN IT...
—
— Dave Tokley
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I HAD A MOMENT YESTERDAY. A GOOD ONE. THERE I WAS WORKING AWAY ON A PRESENTATION USING INDESIGN,
Senior Creative
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CONSIDERING HOW TO MAKE THE TYPE MORE LEGIBLE. I CLICKED THE DROP SHADOW BUTTON,
THANKS ANTON. YOU MADE ME SMILE & YOU STILL DO.
@davvathebutler
JAN PRUIJSER @JANPRUIJSER @adobe big discussion in the pub right now. Out come, please set the standard drop shadow to 25% in InDesign. Imagine the hours you save. 8:29 PM - 12 JUN 13
THEN IT ALL CAME FLOODING BACK. ANTON’S RANT ABOUT THE 75% OPACITY LEVEL. ‘WHO USES IT? WHY? THEY MUST BE LOONS.’
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75%
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— Ben Wilde Senior Designer
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@Sir_Benson
JU S T RE L A X D U D E
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B E AC H H O U S E —
WE HAD BEGUN TO DEVELOP A LITTLE FRIENDSHIP & ALTHOUGH WE ONLY KNEW EACH OTHER FOR A FEW MONTHS, HE LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON ME. I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER ANTON & SMILE WHENEVER I SEE OR DRINK THIS RUM.
ONE EXPERIENCE WE HAD IN PARTICULAR STAYS IN MIND, & THAT’S THE FIRST TIME WE WENT FOR A DRINK AFTER WORK TOGETHER. ANTON INTRODUCED ME TO RON FLOR DE CAÑA GRAN RESERVE AÑEJO, A DELICIOUS TYPE OF RUM HE DISCOVERED WHILST TRAVELING IN NICARAGUA. HE WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS RUM,
THEN HE REFUSED TO LET ME ORDER ANY OTHER KIND OF DRINK THE ENTIRE EVENING. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN & I LOVED HEARING ABOUT HIS MANY TRAVELING ADVENTURES. HE SPOKE OF A BEACH HOUSE HE DREAMT OF BUILDING IN NICARAGUA, A PLACE WHERE FRIENDS & FAMILY FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE COULD VISIT.
Reception
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WHILST I WAS NEW TO ISOBAR, WORKING ON RECEPTION, ANTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THE COMPANY WHO SPENT A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW ME. HE WAS VERY ENGAGING, FULL OF ENERGY & ALWAYS EASY TO TALK TO. Amy Oldfield
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Dan Williams Designer
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ANT R ON
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@dw1987
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— Fraser Nicholas Creative @FraserJNicholas
There are few in life with more life than Anton.
The waves now dance to your dance, & the sun beams with the spirit the earth has taken.
S UN G O D
PEACE
NEWQUAY HARBOUR PADDLE OUT — JULY 2013
Now, as ever, he flies higher than us all. Keep true Anton.
PRINTED WITH KIND PERMISION FROM JAMES KEITH LIGHTCOLOURSOUND.CO.UK ©LIGHTCOLOURSOUND
He lifted each of us closer to Ra.
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Ben Pearce Illustration
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UNT I T LE D
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Director
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PADDLING OUT The event was born from an idea had by Anton’s younger sister, Sophie Hawkins.
“Anton’s life & soul was in the ocean, & it was his most passionate wish to spend all of his days on the waves. Now he can be with his family & friends wherever they go.” Holding hands to form a circle, a minute silence was held. Sunflowers were set afloat & at the very same moment that Anton’s ashes were scattered the clouds parted & the sun lit up the whole circle in the sea – later resulting in a rainbow over the harbour’s mouth. The 100 plus paddlers were a mix of professional surfers & complete novices who united in this special event. International Big Wave Surfer & good friend of Anton’s, Tom Butler, helped to arrange the paddle out in his hometown of Newquay along with support of local businesses, like the Newquay Surfing School who provided boards & wetsuits on the day.
I W I L L B U I L D YO U A C A ST LE
Tom said, “The day was special
for so many reasons. There was a huge group of happy positive friends that Anton had gathered on his journey. The ocean is free & accessible to anyone with a little equipment; it’s our Love & it was Anton’s too.”
water to those who need it. AH2O, appropriately named after Anton & water, is an organisation in the early stages of some potentially huge & exciting projects.
— Zac Bull Head of Operations
Anton, who died aged 25 in a car accident on the A303 in July, was renowned for traveling the world to pursue his passion for surfing in between his flourishing graphic design career. The last of his surf visits was in Nicaragua at the beginning of this year, where he took it upon himself to give something back to the community he had come to love. Anton, who once said ‘everyone deserves clean water’ self-funded a project whereby he sourced & fitted water filters for families in northern Nicaragua who would otherwise not have access to clean drinking water. Inspired by his selflessness & determination, a group of Anton’s friends & family have since taken on his ambition to deliver clean
& Logistics AH2O
“AH2O aims to ensure that all those close to Anton have a platform to get behind something that meant so much to him. He developed a passion to bring self-sustaining water resources to the different communities he had grown to love, this passion was caught by anyone who spoke to him. We will be working closely with communities, leaders & businesses to bring long-term solutions to issues relating to water scarcity & sanitation. The support so far has been incredible, & reflects the enthusiasm that Anton had spread with his vision,”
Following the days paddle-out, the crowd gathered at Fistral Beach Bar for an event co-hosted by AH20 & Surfing GB, the national governing body for surfing in the UK. AH20 made their presence known by telling Anton’s story & introducing the organisation set up in his name.
“If you loved Anton or believed in what he did then please get behind us & be a part of this journey.”
Prizes were donated for a raffle from international & local businesses & figures, including; drinks from Skinners Brewery, clothing from Finisterre, Quicksilver & Urban Beach & a signed Animal wetsuit from Anton’s friend & Pro-surfer Alan Stokes.
“Anton was always passionate about life & he was so in awe of the gratitude he received from the Nicaraguan families he helped. Upon his return to the UK in March 2013 he told & encouraged lots of his friends about the need & value to fit water filters.
Anton’s mum, Judi Hawkins, said she is overwhelmed by the response & the united strength of the group:
The turn-out for him this weekend & the support for the charity in his name, AH2O, has been inspiring & heart-warming.
‘Together we can change the world’ is what he said & believed. We are now trying to do just that – for him.” — Lisa Jenkins Friend & Co-Director of Fundraising AH2O
Anton’s dad, Sharna Hawkins, made a moving speech encouraging people to support Anton’s vision:
PAD D L I N G O U T
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AH2O Anton had stated his intentions to use what he had learnt in Nicaragua the moment he got back to the UK. He made it very clear that the bigger picture was obtainable, & that everyone would be involved, whether they knew it or not. Anton had always harbored plans to set up socially conscious projects, & had been following the surfer-led water relief charity Waves for Water for some time. After falling in love with Nicaragua, specifically the Chinandega region, he saw how these two interests could intersect. Anyone who knew him wasn’t in the least bit surprised to hear he’d managed to wrangle with customs, local politics & unforgiving transportation companies in order to successfully get a batch of filtration systems into the country.
I W I L L B U I L D YO U A C A ST LE
He then set to task on the distribution of the water filters to different families he had become close to. Fitting all of the technology himself, he was able to step back & see how the families benefitted from having reliable, self-sustaining water sources for the next few years. It is in this vein that friends & family have decided to use Anton’s work as a foundation of what he envisaged it would become.
Now a registered charity, AH2O will begin by learning the needs of those most affected by portable water scarcity. With a communally driven ethos, we hope that all those that shared Anton’s passion will get behind us, & help us drive forward the simple vision of helping communities allay the effects of living with restricted water access.
“Everyone deserves clean water” — Anton Hawkins
AH2O, aptly using his initials & the substance he was most driven by, aims to bring the appropriate tools to allow communities & individuals the ability to be selfsufficient in their water use. AH2O takes its energy from the same passions that drove Anton, & will be start where he left off in Chinandega.
2013
— Zac Bull Head of Operations & Logistics AH2O
“EVERYONE
DESERVES CLEAN
WATER”
#wavesforwater #nicaragua #everyonedeservescleanH20
ANTON HAWKINS ANTON_HAWKINS My last days in northern Nicaragua. Don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment right here... This Little one, so happy! Today is worldwaterday show some support for #wavesforwater #everyonedeservescleanh20
AH2O
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Thank you Kindly supported by
monsieurelax.tumblr.com/
ANTON HAWKINS 1987—2013