Simon Griffee

I am a curious, visual people-person somewhat like a sponge for information who likes to daydream, to think, and to use tools to help bring smiles to the world with problem-solving and communication. ¶ I publish a candid notebook — also known as a blog — and edit a small project called imgtlk where people write about art that touched them. ¶ Have a look around and feel free to contact me to say hello or inquire about art direction, design and photography for your project. I am particularly interested in art, music, education, gender equality and basic income projects.

Work Samples

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  Detail of imgtlk logotype. imgtlk is a project where I ask people to write about an image (or a piece of art that can be represented visually) that was important to them, or inspired them somehow, whether they created it or not.
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  Drawing and poster for concert of Italian music from 1650 to 1720 by women featuring soprano Marguerite Krull and the Mango Baroque Chamber Ensemble.
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  Poster design for a concert featuring the music of Julius Eastman.
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  Pencil illustrations for United Nations Archives.
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  Poster for pianist Taka Kigawa.
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  Poster for Bears Ears dedicated to the Public Domain. Download a high-resolution version for printing at Archive.org.
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  Poster for the Italian Academy, a Columbia University research center for multidisciplinary inquiry.
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  Polar bear with map illustration made with pencil, a brown paper bag and Photoshop.
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  Pencil illustration representing “time” for United Nations Archives.
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  Various websites I have worked on. I am attracted to simple design patterns that scale across input modes from mouse, pen and keyboard to touch and eventually virtual and augmented reality. I learned all I know from trying and failing, from viewing source, and from nice people who share their knowledge in books and on the internet like Dribbble’s Dan Cederholm, PyLadies’s Lynn Root, and design maestro Milton Glaser.
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  HTML/JavaScript form (also on GitLab) that saves user input into a text file in Markdown format with YAML front matter for use on your local computer. Use to quickly create a post for publishing with a static website generator such as Hugo or Jekyll.
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  Good design involves good writing and good typography. To offer the latter to anybody looking to make reading easy on a web browser or a mobile device I made an HTML & CSS template (grab it on GitLab) using the first chapter of Olaf Stapledon’s Star Maker as example text.
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  International Symbol for an Observer, for Unicode Consortium.
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  Logotype design for a web startup
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  Logotype for Columbia College Alumni Association’s Odyssey Mentoring Program.
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  IT Works, a small software company with big clients.
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  Columbus Circle, New York City, 2015.
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  42nd Street & Broadway at Times Square, New York City, 2015.
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  Waldorf Astoria, New York City, 2015.
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  Union Square Park, New York City, 2015.
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  Rome, 2014.
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  Fez, Morocco, 2014.
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  Paris, 2013.
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  Isola del Giglio, 2010.
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  Notte Bianca, Rome, 2009.
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  Opera singer, London, 2008.
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  Joshua Tree, California, 2007.
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  Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, 2006.
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  Blues guitar legend Buddy Guy at The Filmore West, 2006.
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  Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, 2005.

See more design or photography work, or take a peek at the notebook.

Kind Words

I’ve had the opportunity to review Simon’s professional work and have found it sound and appropriate and, at this point, shows significant growth.

For a designer of such creativity, Simon also demonstrates all the essential qualitities of a good colleague. He’s reliable, punctual, patient and good humored.

Simon?! I didn’t recognize you without the camera!

It was a privilege to have known and worked with Simon for six years. He did an excellent job and was an asset to our organization.

Thank you to everyone who has read my stuff over the years and given me such positive feedback. I would never have had the balls to apply for this job otherwise. Especially Simon Griffee who by encouraging me to write in the first place has unwittingly changed the course of my entire career. I owe you a visit and copious beers :)

Simon is a brilliant designer, a pleasure to work with, an open and creative person, honest and direct. I would recommend him for any position or assignment.