Jessica Walsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessica Walsh
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Walsh (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 on October 30, 1986, is a talented American designer, art director, and illustrator. She also teaches design. She used to be a partner at the design studio Sagmeister & Walsh from 2010 to 2019. Later, in 2019, she started her own creative agency called &Walsh. Her agency, &Walsh, is special because it's one of the very few creative companies owned by women. Jessica Walsh has also taught at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).
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Early Life and Design Journey
Jessica Walsh was born in New York on October 30, 1986. She grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut. When she was just 11 years old, Jessica started learning to code and design websites. This early start showed her passion for design. She later studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She earned her degree in 2008.
Starting a Design Career
After finishing college, Jessica Walsh moved to New York City. She began an internship at a famous design company called Pentagram. She even turned down a high-paying job offer from Apple to take this internship. Jessica wanted to learn many types of design. She knew her goal was to open her own studio one day. The internship at Pentagram, working with Paula Scher, helped her get closer to that goal.
After Pentagram, she worked as an associate art director at Print magazine. Her designs and illustrations also appeared in the New York Times and New York Times Magazine. Working at Print magazine was very important for her. It helped her find and develop her own unique design style.
Working with Sagmeister & Walsh
In 2010, Jessica Walsh reached out to famous designer Stefan Sagmeister. She was looking for career advice. Sagmeister was impressed by her work and offered her a job. Just two years later, in 2012, she became his partner. Together, they formed the design studio Sagmeister & Walsh. Jessica often worked directly with clients. Stefan focused more on his film projects and traveled.
Jessica Walsh's design style is very unique. She mixes traditional art forms like handcraft, photography, and painting with digital design. She mostly works on creating brand identities, designing fonts, building websites, and creating art installations. People describe her style as "bold, emotional, and thought-provoking." Her art often looks "hand-made" and can be quite daring.
In 2013, Walsh and Sagmeister created an art show called Six Things: Sagmeister & Walsh. It was at the Jewish Museum and explored the idea of happiness. For the show, they made a sculpture that reacted to sound and five short films.
Big Clients and Projects
Jessica Walsh has worked with many well-known brands. Some of her clients include Levi's, Adobe, and BMW. She also helped redesign the look for places like The Jewish Museum of New York. Her work has reached many people around the world.
Starting Her Own Studio: &Walsh
In July 2019, Jessica Walsh decided to leave Sagmeister & Walsh. She wanted to start her own design studio, which she named &Walsh. This was a dream come true for her since she was a teenager. Her new studio is special because it's one of only a few creative agencies in the United States led by women. &Walsh helps new and growing brands develop their unique look and feel.
Creative Projects and Experiments
Jessica Walsh is known for her creative projects that go beyond just design.
40 Days of Dating
In 2013, Jessica and her friend Tim Goodman, who is also a designer, started a social experiment. They decided to date each other for 40 days. They wanted to see if they could solve their relationship problems and fall in love. They shared their journey on a website called 40 Days of Dating. The website was like a blog. Both Jessica and Tim wrote daily entries. They answered the same questions each day, such as:
- Did you see the other person today?
- What did you do together?
- Did anything interesting happen?
- Did you learn anything new about the other person?
- How do you feel about this project right now?
The website became very popular. It had over 5 million visitors in less than a year. Jessica and Tim even appeared on TV shows like Today and The View. They also wrote a book about their experience called 40 Days of Dating: An Experiment in 2015.
12 Kinds of Kindness
In 2016, Jessica Walsh and Tim Goodman started another project together. They called it 12 Kinds of Kindness. This was a 12-step experiment. It was designed to help them be more open-hearted and understanding. They set up twelve tasks where they showed kindness to others. They then recorded what happened. The experiment ran for about two months.
Talking About Mental Health
As part of her 12 Kinds of Kindness project, Jessica Walsh created "Let's Talk About Mental Health." This part of the project aims to reduce the shame around talking about mental health struggles. It features stories from different people sharing their honest experiences with mental illness. Jessica was inspired to start this after one of the kindness steps. She shared her own past struggles. Her friends and colleagues also shared their stories. She published these stories on the website. She invited everyone to add their own experiences.
Ladies, Wine & Design
In 2016, Jessica Walsh started a non-profit organization called Ladies, Wine & Design. This group encourages women and non-binary people in the creative industry to work together. It helps them support each other instead of competing. Jessica created this group because very few women hold leadership positions in the creative field. She also wanted to address her own experiences with unfair treatment in the design industry.
Ladies, Wine & Design started small. Eight women met in Jessica's apartment. They drank wine, talked about design, and discussed their careers. By 2022, the organization had grown a lot. It now has over 280 local chapters around the world. Joining a chapter is free. The events, like mentorship circles and talks, are also free and open to everyone. The group hopes to inspire future generations of women and underrepresented people in creative jobs.
Other Creative Work
Jessica Walsh teaches design and typography at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She also has a project called #SorryIHaveNoFilter. This project started as an Instagram series. It has continued to grow with her throughout her career. It is now featured on her &Walsh website.
Awards and Recognitions
Jessica Walsh has received many awards for her amazing design work. Here are some of them:
- New Star of Design, Computer Arts, 2010
- Young Gun Award, Art Directors Club, 2011
- New Visual Artist Award, Print magazine, 2011
- Forbes “30 Under 30: Art & Style” List, 2015
- Webby Award, Best Home/Welcome Page, Sagmeister & Walsh, 2014
- 25 People Shaping the Future of Design, Complex, 2013
Personal Life
Jessica Walsh lives in New York City with her husband, Zak Mulligan. He is a cinematographer, which means he works with cameras to make films. Jessica's sister, Lauren Walsh, also works with her at &Walsh. Lauren helps manage the company's operations and new business. Both Jessica and Lauren experience migraines.
