Ideas. Art Direction. Design.
About
Big ideas get my attention. Making them great keeps it.
I’ve spent my career turning creative problems into ideas people actually want to engage with, from big brand platforms and integrated campaigns to digital, social, experiential, OOH and print. I love the entire process: finding the idea, building the visual world around it, collaborating with talented people, and pushing the work until every piece feels like it belongs.
Along the way, I’ve created work for Samsung, Allstate, Bank of America, Capital One, Gatorade, Men’s Health, T-Mobile, Wells Fargo, American Airlines Cargo, Silversea, Terminix and more. I’m comfortable moving between concept and craft, leading creative direction while staying close enough to the work to obsess over the details.
I’m always looking for the next problem worth solving, the next idea worth fighting for, and the people who can make it better.
A note from my former Creative Director:
"If you’re looking for someone who can turn a line of copy into a concept, or make a banner ad come to life, or solve a layout issue in five minutes that no one else could in five days, or create a logo from a half-thought on a bar napkin, or turn an email into a Clio Award, or make a client’s Frankenstein look like Brad Pitt…well then, you are going to have to look somewhere else…Publicis-Hawkeye can’t afford to lose Matt."
- Ajay
Experience
Senior Art Director, Cheil — 2021–Present
Since joining Cheil to work on the Samsung account in 2021, my role has grown alongside the work. Today, I’m a Senior Art Director on the Product Team, creating and leading work across Samsung’s full ecosystem of phones, foldables, tablets, watches, Buds and computers.
As a design lead, I help shape the visual direction and creative thinking behind product launches and campaigns across North America—from early concepts and key visuals to toolkits, video, digital, social and everything in between. I stay hands-on with the work while also directing and reviewing creative from our internal studio, fellow art directors and outside partners to make sure the idea and craft stay strong from concept through execution.
An equally important part of my role is helping other creatives grow. I mentor Art Directors and Junior Art Directors, share what I’ve learned, and try to create the kind of collaborative environment where people feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table and pushing them further.
The best part is that none of this happens in a silo. I work closely with an incredibly talented team, our Samsung clients, production partners, and teams across the agency to turn complex product stories into work that feels simple, engaging and distinctly Samsung.
Senior Art Director, Hawkeye — 2017–2021
I stepped into my Senior Art Director role as the design lead for Allstate, overseeing 30+ active projects while establishing a consistent creative standard across the account. What began as a single email assignment grew into a much larger relationship, driven by the quality of the work and the trust we built with the client.
From there, I brought that same approach to FCA, leading creative for RAM and Dodge, before joining the USAA team. Across each account, I worked at the intersection of concept and craft—leading and creating work across video, social, email, direct mail and digital experiences while adapting to very different brands, audiences and creative challenges.
One of the highlights of my time with USAA was having my design selected for the brand’s credit card redesign. It was chosen from an extensive range of concepts developed across the creative department, making it both a proud design moment and a reminder that the strongest solution can come from anywhere.
Art Director, Hawkeye — 2012–2017
As an Art Director, I had the opportunity to work across a wide range of brands, mediums and creative challenges. One day might mean developing a digital campaign, the next designing for an event or concert stage—experiences that taught me how to think beyond a single execution and adapt an idea to wherever it needed to live.
Over time, I took on greater creative ownership, becoming someone teams could rely on to solve problems, maintain a high level of craft and move projects forward independently. That combination of creative thinking, versatility and trust ultimately led to my promotion to Senior Art Director—and set the foundation for the kind of creative leader I continue to work toward becoming.
Studio Artist, Hawkeye — 2011-2012
Breaking into the agency world meant finding my own way in. During another challenging stretch for the industry, I created personal marketing materials, put my work directly in front of people, and eventually earned an opportunity to prove myself through a freelance trial. That trial turned into a full-time role as a Studio Artist.
Once inside, I built a strong foundation in the craft behind great creative, working across direct mail, brochures, packaging and large-scale signage while learning how ideas move from design through production. But I kept looking for opportunities to contribute beyond the studio—bringing design ideas to the table, taking on creative assignments and showing what else I could do.
Those opportunities grew into greater responsibility and, ultimately, a promotion to Art Director. It was my first major step forward in the agency world—and proof that sometimes the best way through a closed door is to create your own opening.
Lead Designer, Thomas & Gray — 2009-2012
My creative career didn’t begin with a traditional path into an agency. It began during a challenging time in the industry, when I found an opportunity with an emerging luxury furniture company called Thomas & Gray—and decided to make something of it.
I became the company’s design lead, working directly with the CEO to shape the brand across print and digital. With a small team and no established creative department,I learned quickly, took on whatever needed solving, and discovered that I could build a career around something I had always loved doing.
Thomas & Gray was eventually acquired in 2012, but by then it had given me something much more lasting: a way into the creative industry and the foundation for everything that came next.
Education
Master of Fine Arts – SUNY at Albany
2006-2009
Bachelor of Fine Arts- University of North Texas
2001-2006