Frank Gargiulo is the award winning Creative Director at Art Dictator, a multidisciplinary design practice, based in Portland, OR, specializing in art-direction and design for print and motion graphics.
In 1982, Gargiulo arrived in Manhattan to attend the School of Visual Arts with just the ambition to create. Studying both illustration and design, he chose to pursue design because it offered the challenge of problem-solving and an interesting opportunity to be a visual chameleon. Early on, he had the great fortune to work with, and be mentored by some of his idols, including Alexander Isley, Helene Silverman and Tibor Kalman. As Silverman’s protégé, he was given the task to develop a logo and album package for Red Hot + Blue, a compilation of Cole Porter songs interpreted by contemporary artists. Both revolutionary and a commercial success, its proceeds went towards the education and prevention of HIV/AIDS. A hard act to follow, it lead to a rewarding 15 year career in the music industry.
Frank has mostly worked with lesser-known bands that share his love of experimentation and even some biggies, such as Pete Townshend and Everything But The Girl. In addition to creating CD packaging, he has left his mark on a number of book jackets, magazines, and posters. In 2002, with no formal training, he was hired by MTV to art-direct and design titles for various shows, including the redesign of the station for the 2003 Video Music Awards. His work has been showcased in several books and magazines that focus on contemporary commercial art, such as American Illustration, Communication Arts, Print, and Eye magazines, and he has been recognized for excellence by various organizations including the AIGA, and American Center for Design. Some of his clients to date include Sony, Island /Def Jam, Oxygen Channel, Bellocq Tea, Vosges, Three Little Figs Jam and Knopf, to name just a few.
Due to an adventurous streak and career opportunities, Frank has lived in Denmark, New York City, Japan, Los Angeles and Atlanta.