MASON GOOLSBY

is an art director and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, NY.

He currently serves as the designer and associate art director at Maude, while concurrently upholding a versatile freelance practice encompassing multiple disciplines.

He holds a BFA from VCUarts and a MFA from The Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Reach out and contact me with inquiries, opportunities, or collaborations!

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WORK EXPERIENCE

Maude
Brooklyn, NY
Associate Art Director + Designer
Aug 2023 – Current

Led the creative direction and visual identity for Maude, a leading sexual wellness brand, contributing to its growth through innovative design and cohesive brand storytelling. Oversaw the development of digital and print assets, including website design, product packaging, social media content, and marketing campaigns. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to create strategic visuals that aligned with the brand’s mission of inclusivity and wellness. Managed a team of designers, ensuring project deadlines and client expectations were met while maintaining high design standards.


Private Design Practice
Freelance and Contract Designer
2019 - Current
Worked with a variety of small and medium-sized businesses and clients. I specialize in editorial design, branding, social media content creation, and website development assistance. The delivery of design assets to clients includes clear and thorough communication, timelines, organized rounds of design reviews, pricing options, and professionally packaged and presented design assets.

Cranbrook Academy of Art 
Detroit Metropolitan Area

Development & Alumni Relations Assistant
2021 – 2023
Assisted with fundraising and alumni engagement initiatives, conducting in-depth research on prospective donors to support development efforts. Assisted in the planning and execution of key events, managed and maintained comprehensive databases of alumni and donors, and fostered relationships with alumni through strategic communication.

Cranbrook Academy of Art
2D Program

Detroit Metropolitan Area
Department Assistant
2022 – 2023
Oversaw the management of social media content and the maintenance of student work archives. Coordinated departmental events and handled logistics for visiting artists, including payments and accommodations. Provided technical assistance to students on design-related challenges, ensuring smooth project execution and high-quality outcomes.

Lifestyles By Ramco
Concord, NC (Hybrid)
Junior Graphic Designer
2019 – 2020
Developed designs for high-profile clients including Collage.com, Carnival Cruise Line, Walmart, and Disney. Created promotional ads, product designs, banners, and presentations to support client acquisition and engagement. Managed large-format printing operations, ensuring efficient production and high-quality output.

Tuleste
New York, NY
Junior Graphic Designer
2019 – 2020
Designed and executed email marketing campaigns, retouched and edited product images for e-commerce platforms, and created printed collateral. Developed engaging graphics for social media platforms, ensuring brand consistency across digital and print channels.

VCUarts
Richmond, VA
Development & Alumni Relations Assistant
2016 - 2019
Assisted with fundraising and engagement efforts for development and alumni connections.Designed printed materials and email messages to send to donors and alumni. Responsible for researching potential donors, organizing and executing events, managing databases, and keeping in touch with alumni to make sure everything ran smoothly.

EDUCATION 

Cranbrook Academy of Art 
2021 - 2023
2D Design and Critical Theory 
MFA
An MFA graduate of Cranbrook's 2D Design program. A two-year program that emphasizes design experimentation and exploration in the studio. The focus of the studies was typography, art's intersection with graphic design, and engagement with academic dialogue and criticism relating to contemporary design work and industries.

Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts (VCUarts)
2015 - 2019
Graphic Design
BFA
VCUArts' BFA program in Graphic Design taught students visual communication, digital media, and typography comprehensively. Various studio courses and hands-on projects gave students an in-depth understanding of color theory, composition, visual storytelling, and branding. Print, web, and interactive media designs are created using industry-standard software like Adobe Creative Suite.

ACCOLADES & RECOGNITION
Feature in It’s Nice That - 2023
GDUSA Students to Watch List - 2022
Cranbrook Academy of Art Merit Scholarship - 2021 - 2023
VCUArts Dean’s International Travel and Study Grant - 2018
VCUarts Merit Scholarship - 2015 - 2019


SKILLS & PROFICIENCIES
Tools:
Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Lightroom), Canva, Figma, Large Format Printers, Google Analytics, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Blender.

Skills: 
Performance Marketing & Creative, Brand Strategy, Market Research & Trends Analysis, Campaign Development, A/B Testing & Iteration, Art & Creative Direction, Team Leadership & Mentorship, Creative Brief Development, Social Media Strategy & Content Creation, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, E-commerce Design, Image Retouching & Editing, Budgeting & Resource Allocation.