About MAD

Creativity and human flourishing

Hello! I’m Martin Alexander-Drake, affectionately known as MAD. I’m a multidisciplinary creative type with a passion for storytelling, design, art and music. I have a degree in product design and colouring in.

I always have a personal project on the go. For me, creativity and craft are fundamental parts of being human. Some of these adventures have included: design and branding projects, becoming a Humanist Wedding Celebrant, street photography, writing short plays, filmmaking and trying to fulfil my teenage dream of making a guitar album.

I’m also super interested in human flourishing — positive psychology, mental health, self-help, therapy and the odd cold shower when I can stand it.

I like to consider myself a life-long learner and creator. I live in Bristol, UK, with my wife, Caroline, and spaniel, Yosemite (Yosey for short). My favourite thing in the world is to walk in the woods, by the sea or in the mountains — being present with nature and discussing life’s big and small questions with my wife.

Art director

For 15+ years, I’ve been the Art/Creative Director at preconstruct.com, a small creative studio specialising in CGI, animation and communications for the built environment. I enjoy taking tangled stories and messages, and unsnarling them into something concise, captivating and graspable.

I spend my days: running projects; directing and mentoring the team; liaising with clients; crafting CGIs, animations and the odd app, website or presentation; taking architectural photographs for planning and marketing CGIs; creating verified views / AVRs; storyboarding; previzing; and art directing.

I’ve also done similar roles at Uniform (now wearesomewhere.net), a short stint at neoscape.com, and during an alpine adventure in Switzerland at businessimages.ch.

Weddings and relationships

From 2018 to 2022, I moonlighted as a Humanists UK Wedding Celebrant. I collaborated with amazing couples, diving deep into their relationships and lives. We used the insights to craft creative, heartfelt, and deeply personal wedding and partnership ceremonies. 

I’m still a card-carrying Humanist and have since ran workshops on creativity and sustaining love at the yearly celebrant conference. I’m fascinated by the dynamics of loving relationships and what it takes for them to thrive and grow.

I’m extremely proud to be included in the Little Book of Humanist Weddings.

My big mouth

As well as my experience in conducting wedding ceremonies, I also enjoy the odd bit of public speaking. I’ve guest lectured at UWE Bristol, given talks at Aardman and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, and ran workshops and creative sessions for various clients.

Core values

BE: be present with the world and those around me.
LOVE: nurture my relationships and foster kindness and empathy.
CRAFT: create, practice and pay attention to the details — craft meaningful and beautiful work.
GROW: embrace a life of growth and self-actualisation.

Favourites

Films: Up, Interstellar.
Colour: yellow with fleeting love affairs with orange.
Music: ‘90s Britpop, folk, alt-country/rock, jangly guitars.
TV shows: The Good Place, Motherland, Game of Thrones, This Is Us.
Influential books: On Becoming a Person by Carl Rogers, The Five Invitations by Frank Ostaseski, snippets from every self-help book ever written.
Activities: walking in nature, watching films.
Current obsessions: cheap guitar pedals, hunting for vinyl.
Favourite foods: crisps & pizza (you know, the healthy stuff).