We’re very excited to welcome our newest edition to the Murmur family, Tory Cunningham! Tory is a designer with a whimsical yet versatile aesthetic. Prior to joining us, Tory worked as a designer at GDSO before he left Louisiana then freelanced in Portland until he found us!
In an effort to get to know Tory a little better we asked him a series of questions meant to get straight at the core of “who is Tory?” Check out his cheeky (and hilarious) answers below.
Let’s start easy—If you were an animal, what would you be?
If I was an animal I’d have to be a platypus. Why not the llama as my spirit animal, you ask? Well as much as I love llamas and probably act like one, I’d much rather be a platypus because they’re such an anomaly in the animal kingdom. They have a duck like bill (which uses electrolocation, so essentially a super power). The males are poisonous, and they’ve got a tail that does an assortment of weird things. The list goes on, but the little guys are pretty rad.
Could you describe your relationship with llamas and why you like them so much?
When I lived in Ohio growing up, I joined 4-H with a group of amazing kids. Working with llamas, we would take care of them, attempted to somewhat befriend them, and show them off for the big fair at the end of the run. I made my llama show off in front of judges, jump through literal hurdles and over hoops, and also took three months to sow one of the ugliest dragon costumes alive for my llama while I wore a ninja costume. That leaves a lasting impression on you.
Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?
Besides my openly hidden talent for being able to drive stick shift, I’m also good at having the ability to contort my face into many different reactionary poses which tend to scare, amaze, or make people hate me with one look. I can’t always control it though, so it’s a double-edged sword.
What do you miss most about Louisiana?
Some of my closest friends come from Louisiana through jobs I’ve had and places I’ve worked and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. While a few have moved across the country, I still have had the pleasure of being able to call them my friends and for that I am lucky. Can I also just say that I miss drive-in daiquiri shops?
What’s your favorite spot in Portland?
I’d have to say my favorite spot in Portland is either Huber’s Cafe or the Baghdad Pub behind the theatre. Both are old buildings with a lot of history, character, and charm that I can’t help but enjoy when I go. I tend to take most friends who are visiting Portland there if I can.
What’s your all time favorite comic book?
Oof, that’s a hard one. I honestly love DC and Marvel a ton, but I’d have to say that my favorite comic book has been the Wicked + the Divine created by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie with consistently bad ass art by Jamie McKelvie. The series is an interesting take on the nature and effects of pop culture, interwoven with reincarnated deities, death, and drama.
When you watch Netflix, what is your go to show?
Like many at Murmur, I love The Office and Parks & Rec as classic go-tos. But in the past year, Dark ( a german sci-fi drama) has really captured my attention for its attention to detail and awesome cast. Anytime I meet anyone who hasn’t watched it I tend to try and sell it as a must-see.
Tell us the craziest thing that happened to you on the bus?
Looong story short, I generally avoid sitting directly in front of the back door of the bus. But one day I decided that “who cares, no biggie”. While minding my own business reading the news I heard some shuffling behind me. Glancing behind me to make sure everything was ok, I turned back around to continue reading. Apparently the fella who was doing the shuffling decided that I was making fun of him and as he walked off the bus felt that punching me in the back of the head was the appropriate response. After coming out of my daze, a passenger in front of me told me that “he did it on purpose”. I agreed with her 100%.
How did you get into design?
When I was younger, I loved drawing. I would do it constantly. Any project at school that I could use illustrations with was very much my jam. As I got older, one of my dad’s friends had given me a copy of Photoshop to use. I immediately started using it any chance I got and eventually that turned into 2 years of design in a vocational school, college, and now a career.
Lastly, if you weren’t working at Murmur, what would you be doing right now?
I would be curled up watching Netflix, or out hiking the gloriousness that is Oregon’s forests.