The Art of Direction: Intro
I want to welcome everyone to my first installment in “The Art of Direction” series. After years of working as an Art Director + Visual Strategist in the fashion and advertising world, I’ve finally decided to take a moment to reflect, share, and bring you into my world. This space is where I’ll talk about the art of storytelling, the craft of creating campaigns, and the little details that make it all come to life.
I won’t bore you with a long list of clients or projects—that’s what the other side of my site and my resume are for. Instead, I want to share my perspective as an art director, the person behind it. My work isn’t just about making things look good; it’s about crafting stories, evoking emotions, and making a brand’s intangible essence tangible for its audience. It’s about creating a bridge between what you feel when a campaign truly resonates and the product you’re inspired to own. It’s how you blend your own personal life experiences and perspective to create meaning. This blog is my way of sharing what inspires me, how I work, and the behind-the-scenes moments that shape my process.
To get it started, I want to take you behind the scenes of one of my favorite campaigns still to date: Billy Reid’s Spring ’22 campaign, “The Open Road.” This project remains important for me, because it wasn’t just about clothes; it was about capturing the essence of freedom, exploration, and rediscovery as an artist.
The campaign’s concept was deeply rooted in the moment. We were coming out of the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the world was starting to feel alive again. After months of isolation and uncertainty, “The Open Road” was about getting back out there—as Michael B. Dougherty, a friend of mine and collaborator on this project, wrote, “It’s about being with good friends, finding inspiration in new experiences, and seeing more of our own backyard.”
This campaign was one of the first times in my career where art wasn’t just an escape from reality—it was directly tied to it. Often, art serves as a mental break for all of us, a way to distract or detach. But this time, what I was creating and directing mirrored exactly what we were all experiencing: the longing for the joy of reconnecting, rediscovering, and reevaluating what really mattered in life.
The journey began in December 2021, just a few weeks before Christmas. I landed in El Paso, where I met up with the team for a three-hour drive to Marfa, Texas. The drive itself felt like a prelude to the campaign’s story: passing the famous Prada Marfa installation, navigating checkpoints where border control made sure we hadn’t forgotten any crucial documents, and soaking up the wide-open landscapes. It already felt like we were on a creative mission, heading to what felt like the edge of the world to create something meaningful.
Arriving in Marfa was like stepping into a parallel universe. The small town is known for its eclectic art scene, top-rated chefs, and endless desert landscapes, and it all buzzed with inspiration. Our host, Elena Karaytcheva, greeted us warmly and gave us a quick tour of the area. She introduced us to the quirks of Marfa—the kind of place where the local breakfast burrito spot opens and closes whenever the owners feel like it. It only being 1.6 square miles, a town that you could walk edge to edge in 15 minutes (a New York walk of course), was nothing short of a creative’s paradise.
After checking into the Thunderbird Hotel, I dropped my bags, grabbed one of those legendary burritos, and got straight to work. Armed with my campaign production and concept deck, I explored the town with the team. Every detail mattered: scouting locations that matched the vision, assigning each shot a home, confirming styling for every look with our stylist, checking the weather, and ensuring the angles, lighting, and composition were just right, just some of the many details that come along with creating a campaign.
Myself with producer/stylist Hilmar Skagfield
This wasn’t just another campaign—it was also the brand’s first jump into film. That was something I was especially excited about bringing to the brand, as I wanted the project to feel cinematic. Not just a typical video of models standing around acting—I wanted the film to immerse the audience in Marfa’s unique vibe. I wanted the viewer to almost hear the wind rustling through the desert, smell the crisp dry air, and feel the warmth of the sun as the horses ran across the open desert. I brought my guy, Director Donovan Johnson along to help me bring that vision to life, creating something that felt like a true movie rather than an ad.
Have a watch below. ↓
Also one of the most memorable parts of the campaign was the 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, a classic American icon that became a star in its own right. The car perfectly captured the spirit of the road trip we wanted to convey: freedom, nostalgia, and a bit of wanderlust.
What made this campaign memorable wasn’t just the stunning visuals or the storytelling—it was the process. Balancing real-life restrictions, brand expectations, and the creative vision taught me so much about what it takes to make something truly special. This campaign showed me that when vision, execution, individuality, and even difficulties come together, they create something beautiful. That’s what art and life is: the balance of opposing forces, the yin and yang.
It wasn’t all work, though—which honestly made the experience that much more memorable. One night, we were treated to a private dinner by a Michelin-starred chef, a meal that felt as artful as the campaign we were creating. During our downtime, we also wandered through Marfa’s museums, hit the local coffee spots, browsed vintage shops, and admired the work of the town’s art sellers. We even managed to hit the local late night spot, which felt like something out of a movie, not to mention the “Marfa Meats” vending machine, which is exactly what it sounds like…grass-fed steak right within the convenience of a bag of chips.
Myself, photographer Brett Warren & model Dominique Hollington
We were there for about a week, long enough to truly live in the space. By the end, we felt more like locals than visitors. That immersion—the experience of walking the town’s quiet streets, soaking in its creative energy, and connecting with the community—gave us a deeper sense of the place. It allowed us to create from the most authentic space possible, and I truly believe that connection shows in the work we produced. This project solidified why I love what I do, and it’s the kind of creative tension I plan to explore more here on the blog.
In the coming weeks and months, I’ll dive into how I build concept decks, how art direction has evolved with technology, and the lessons I’ve learned working alongside some of the most talented creatives in the industry. A place to let my thoughts live, everything can't be instagram caption or just another carousel, some things need a place just to live on their own. Eventually, I’ll also be sharing some premium resources too—templates, e-books, courses, and more—for those of you who want to dive deeper into the art direction and design world.
Myself, hair artist Giovanni Delgado & model Courtney Pizzimenti
I thank you for reading all the way to the end if you’ve made it this far. I’d love to hear your thoughts—what you’re curious about when it comes to art direction and fashion and even just the things you’d love to see me speak about. Drop a comment, an email, or even just DM me. Let’s keep the conversation going. Hopefully I didn’t do too bad.
Check out the full campaign here.
Film photography by Donovan Johnson.