Jessica Walsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessica Walsh
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Walsh in 2013
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| Born | October 30, 1986 New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Rhode Island School of Design |
| Occupation | Art director |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Spouse(s) | Zak Mulligan |
Jessica Walsh (born October 30, 1986) is an American designer, art director, and illustrator. She became famous for her creative and colorful design work. She was a partner at the design studio Sagmeister & Walsh and later founded her own agency, &Walsh. Her agency is one of the very few creative agencies owned by a woman. She also teaches design at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).
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Early Life and First Website
Jessica Walsh was born in New York and grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She discovered her passion for design and computers at a young age. When she was only 11, she started to learn how to code and build websites.
She first got into coding to make a homepage for her Neopet. Soon, she created a website that taught other kids how to code with HTML and CSS. Her website became very popular, with about 50,000 visitors a day. By placing ads on her site, she started earning money from her hobby. This experience showed her that she could have a career in design.
To improve her skills, Walsh decided to attend art school. She studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and graduated in 2008.
Beginning a Career in Design
After graduating, Walsh moved to New York City. She took an internship at a famous design firm called Pentagram. She worked with the well-known designer Paula Scher. Walsh chose this internship even though she was offered a high-paying job at Apple. She knew that at Pentagram, she would learn more about different types of design. Her goal was to one day open her own studio.
Later, she worked as an art director for Print magazine. Her designs and illustrations were featured in major publications like the New York Times. She said her time at Print was very important because it helped her develop her unique artistic style.
Working at Sagmeister & Walsh
In 2010, Walsh sent an email to a famous designer named Stefan Sagmeister. She was looking for advice on her career. Sagmeister was so impressed with her portfolio that he offered her a job. Just two years later, in 2012, they became partners. They renamed the company to Sagmeister & Walsh.
To announce their new partnership, they took a famous photo together. This was a nod to a similar photo Sagmeister had taken years before when he started his own company.
Walsh's design style is often described as "bold, emotional and provocative." She mixes handmade crafts, photography, and painting with digital design. She has worked on branding, websites, and art installations for many big clients. These include Levi's, Adobe, BMW, and Snapchat.
Starting Her Own Agency: &Walsh
In July 2019, Walsh left the partnership to start her own creative agency, called &Walsh. This was a dream she had since she was a teenager. Her studio is one of only a few in the United States that is led by a woman. &Walsh helps new brands develop their look and style.
Creative Projects
Besides her work for clients, Walsh is known for her personal creative projects. These projects often explore human relationships and kindness.
40 Days of Dating
In 2013, Walsh and her friend, designer Tim Goodman, started a unique experiment. They were good friends but had trouble with romantic relationships. They decided to date each other for 40 days to see if they could fall in love.
They created a website called 40 Days of Dating to document their experience. Each day, they both answered a set of questions about their feelings and what happened. The blog became a huge success, with millions of visitors. Their story got so popular that Warner Brothers bought the film rights to it. Walsh and Goodman also wrote a book about their experiment.
12 Kinds of Kindness
In 2016, Walsh and Goodman teamed up again for another project. This one was called 12 Kinds of Kindness. It was a 12-step experiment where they performed acts of kindness for others and recorded what happened.
One part of this project was called "Let's Talk About Mental Health." Walsh was inspired to start this after sharing her own past struggles with mental health challenges. She created a space on the website for people to share their own stories. The goal was to make it easier for people to talk openly about mental health.
Ladies, Wine and Design
In 2016, Walsh started a nonprofit group called Ladies, Wine & Design. She created it after learning that very few women hold top leadership jobs in the creative industry. The group aims to support women and non-binary people in design. It encourages them to work together and mentor each other.
It started with just eight women meeting in Walsh's apartment. As of 2022, the organization has grown to over 280 chapters all over the world. The group offers free events, talks, and mentorship to help creative people grow in their careers.
Awards and Recognition
Walsh has received many awards for her work. She has been recognized as a top young designer by the Art Directors Club and Print magazine. In 2015, she was named to the Forbes "30 Under 30" list for Art & Style.
Personal Life
Walsh lives in New York City with her husband, Zak Mulligan, who is a cinematographer. Her sister, Lauren, also works with her at &Walsh.
