I felt a bit intimidated to meet Jay Schwartz, the founder and chief creative officer of IdeaWork Studios, which is an advertising, marketing, branding, and graphic/web design agency based in Santa Barbara’s Balboa Building but with offices in New York, London, Las Vegas, and, as of October, Austin, Texas.
I’ve long admired his work for high-end clients in the hospitality industry such as chefs Jean Georges and Daniel Boulud and for properties like the Hard Rock, Caesars, and MGM in Vegas. And while Jay was a master of interactive media long before the days of broadband, I’ve thought most highly of the street paintings he produces during the I Madonnari Festival, for they showcase his background as a fine artist.
All of his work, whether it’s personal art or for professional clients, draws inspiration from his love for Santa Barbara, which he’s called home for years. Our sense of community, natural beauty, and peaceful lifestyle motivates his style, which he takes into a much broader urban spectrum around the world.