Jim Augusto Art Direction

JIM AUGUSTO
I AM AN ART DIRECTOR.
For over 15 years, I have devoted myself to design.
My personal mantra is, “There’s no excuse for bad
design.” I truly believe that with a little ingenuity and
creativity, there is always a way to improve upon something.
I strive to instill this principal in others, particularly young
designers, and I apply it to my life on a daily basis.
I became a designer because I have a deep abiding love and
respect for the art form. While other students were painting
or sculpting, I was seduced by the interplay of typography,
color and image. As a practicing designer, I still find myself
mesmerized by the simple beauty of a typeface such as
Helvetica or the elegance of Mrs Eaves. I am inspired by
photography and the world around me. I love the act of
designing and would be happy doing nothing more for the
rest of my days. Sometimes people ask if I would like to try
another career and I always answer, “No.” Shown here are
some examples of my work. Please visit jimaugusto.com to
see more.
MY WORK (clockwise from top right)
Cover of C, the Crystal Bridges Museum member
magazine
FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION
(clockwise from top)
Crystal Bridges Museum brochures
EF People book spread and cover
EF Teacher Appreciation Week calendar, month
of October
EF Educational Tours Traveler’s Handbook
spread and cover
EF Teacher Appreciation Week calendar illustration
detail and cover
I LOVE WHAT I DO and have an innate passion for the
creative process. I would like to help you understand a bit
of who I am by sharing some of my interests with you.
People who know me well might liken my interests more
to obsessions (and they may be right). I hope they will
give you greater insight into who I am and how they help
spur my creativity.
WHERE I’VE BEEN
NORTH AMERICA
Canada
Mexico
CARIBBEAN
Bequia
Mayreau
Mustique
Petit St. Vincent
St. Martin
St. Vincent
Tobago Cays
SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina
Chile
Uruguay
EUROPE
Austria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Monaco
The Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
MY NAME IS JIM AUGUSTO.
My middle name starts with a J for Joseph, but it really
should be Jetsetter. My father was born in Portugal and
when I was seven years old, my parents took me abroad
for the very first time. I haven’t been without a passport
AFRICA
Botswana
Namibia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
ever since.
ASIA
Cambodia
China
Japan
North Korea
Thailand
1973 FAMILY PASSPORT PHOTO
My parents instilled in me a passion for travel and an
overwhelming desire to see the world. Education was also
incredibly important in my family. After immigrating to the
United States in 1934, my father dropped out of school to
earn money for his family. He wanted to be sure that his
children received the education that he was not lucky
enough to have. As a result, I have two bachelor’s degrees.
I was actually in my second year of law school when I
decided that I wanted to pursue a degree in Graphic Design.
I left law school to attend the Corcoran College of Art and
Design in Washington, DC, where I earned a BFA. It was the
best decision I ever made.
...WILL TRAVEL
(clockwise from top)
Salute da Roma!
Ready to board the Concorde
Iwatayama Monkey Park, Kyoto,
Japan
Gulfoss, Iceland
The Acropolis, Athens, Greece
On the Zambezi River, Zimbabwe
Visiting the DMZ, North Korea
HAVE PASSPORT...
(clockwise from top)
1973, Little Portugal, Coimbra
1973, Fatima
1973, Bom Jesus do Monte, Braga
1977, Sagres
I have always been interested in photography, but when
I began working in the travel industry, I started to take it
more seriously. I am inspired by the way the sun plays off
of concrete or water, by the blur of a passing streetcar
and by the beauty that can be found in the mundane.
I would like to take my photography even further by
photographing people in their own environments.
I feel that photography truly captures the magic and adventure
of travel and can lead others to discover the world.
THE WAY I SEE IT
(clockwise from top)
In a Xi’an Temple, China
Jon takes in the sunset
Sundown on Isla Holbox, Mexico
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
Streetcar, Prague, Czech Republic
In order to furnish our first apartment, my partner and I started
buying furniture from the 1950s for the simple reasons that it
was easy to find, pretty cheap and incredibly cool. Eventually
what began as a means of decorating our home became a
serious collection. While we own original “high-end” furniture
by designers such as Charles Eames, Arne Jacobsen and
Harry Bertoia, we also love the kitch produced for the masses.
Our devotion to all things mid-century modern eventually led
us to the Mecca of the period, Palm Springs, California, where
we purchased a 1962 Donald Wexler home in 2009 that we
are now starting to renovate.
My interest in graphic design was directly influenced by
my obsession with mid-century modern printed works and
decorative arts. Today, I surround myself with things of
aesthetic beauty and that beauty finds its way into my work.
MODERN HEAVEN
(clockwise from top)
Art Glass by Blenko and Venini.
A few of our 400 pieces of
Higgins glass.
Pixie Ware by Holt Howard.
Our large Diamond chair by
Harry Bertoia was used in a
photo shoot I art directed.
Alexander Girard Dolls.
Syrup pitcher and salt and
pepper shakers by Eva Zeisel in
the Town and Country pattern.
I love shoes and a large part of my shoe obsession revolves
around sneakers. Sneakers are constantly being re-styled,
re-designed, and updated so there is a never-ending supply
of amazing footwear waiting to be worn. I love their versatility,
their style and their comfort. I believe they are also examples of
incredibly creative design that reflect my personality. My
most recent pair? The orange Pumas designed by Alexander
McQueen to the right. And I got them for just $48!
I LOVE DESIGN. I live and breathe it every day. I surround
myself with objects of aesthetic merit and am inspired by the
genius design of the mid-century. It’s more than just furniture and
decoration to me. And it truly influenced my decision to
become a designer. I am a huge admirer of graphic designers
of the period such as Paul Rand and Alexey Brodovitch. Their
creative innovation is something to which I aspire.
I live to travel. I will always draw inspiration from where I go,
what I see and who I meet. I also love the physical act of travel.
I am one of the few people I know who enjoys the actual travel
part: going to the airport, taking the flight, arriving at a new
destination. But once I’m there, that’s when the magic really
begins.
I love to capture that magic through photography. I love the
idea that my images could inspire someone to visit a place
they never thought of going before. I think everyone should
see the world. It’s an amazing way to learn.
My sneakers are a direct reflection of my personality: laid-back
and comfortable. They are an expression of my design sensibility
and they help me get around the world in style. Their design
excites my eyes and my mind which I hope my design work
does for others.
I am very passionate about what I do and my entire being goes
into the creative process. For me, design is a physical as well as
emotional process. It feels more complete when I am actually
doing the work. But I also like to share the experience with
others and am a strong believer in collaboration.
I hope I’ve given you greater insight into who I am as a
designer and as a person. More of my photography and
design work can be seen at www.jimaugusto.com.
JIM AUGUSTO
412 NW A Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712
MOBILE 617-230-0085
EMAIL jim.augusto@gmail.com
PORTFOLIO www.jimaugusto.com