Colm Conn | Designer | Art Director | Curious Californian

Graphic Designer.

Art Director.

Curious Californian.

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Graphic Designer. Art Director. Curious Californian. The power of having all 3 has lead me to work some pretty amazing projects and brands.

I’ve had the privilege of art directing, designing, and concepting standout creative for brands you already know: Disney, California Grown, Visit California, Pebble Beach, California Raisins, NASCAR, and more.

My experience spans both agency and in-house environments across industries including Agriculture & Culinary, Travel & Tourism, Healthcare, B2B, Meetings/Conventions, Youth Education, and Sports. Each offering unique perspectives that inform my approach to design and storytelling.

Through my work, I’ve inspired people to explore new destinations, eat more fruits and vegetables, and engage with causes that make the world better. I believe in creating advertising and design that move people. Work that’s memorable, meaningful, and motivates action.

Let’s make something that changes minds, stirs emotion, and reminds us to love and appreciate the world we share.

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WHO I'VE WORKED FOR

Noble West __ Senior Art Director / Graphic Designer

•Developed strategic, visually cohesive campaigns that elevate brand perception and storytelling.
•Executied creative for annual reports, social media, sales materials, and print assets, ensuring consistent adherence to brand and campaign objectives.
•Partnered with account teams and marketing strategists to translate complex sustainability narratives into clear, engaging visual communication.
•Strengthened client relationships through proactive design leadership and presentation of forward-thinking creative solutions that drove campaign adoption.

Vision Service Plan (VSP Vision) __ Senior Creative Specialist

•Served as a hybrid Art Director, Account Manager, and Brand Steward for the Premier Program and enterprise-level initiatives.
•Managed multiple creative campaigns from concept through production, overseeing external vendors and internal teams to maintain design integrity across channels.
•Elevated brand cohesion through new visual frameworks and refined asset standards, resulting in measurable consistency across digital, print, and partner communications.
•Delivered design solutions that supported strategic marketing goals, increasing engagement across internal and external audiences.

MeringCarson (now The Shipyard) __ Senior Art Director

•Oversaw design direction and mentored junior creative staff while supporting major client campaigns.
•Trained and supervised junior art directors and interns, establishing efficient workflows and improving creative quality across deliverables.
•Provided art direction for video and digital campaigns, ensuring brand fidelity and visual innovation in client-facing materials.

MeringCarson (now The Shipyard) __ Art Director

•Collaborated with writers and creative directors to deliver integrated advertising campaigns across print, digital, and broadcast.
•Directed on-set and post-production activities for photo and video shoots.
•Designed presentations and marketing decks for executive leadership and clients.
•Enhanced project turnaround time through improved layout and asset organization practices.

Mering & Associates Advertising (now The Shipyard) __ Junior Art Director / Junior Graphic Designer

•Partnered with copywriters and senior art directors to produce multi-platform campaigns.
•Executed digital, social, outdoor, and print deliverables under tight timelines.
•Supported new business pitches through research, concept design, and presentation layout.

Mering & Associates Advertising (now The Shipyard) __ Production Designer

•Managed final mechanical preparation along with rigorous quality control for print production.

Raley’s Family of Fine Foods (Corporate) __ Production Artist / Designer

•Produced and designed weekly mailer campaigns and in-store print materials for corporate promotions.
•Ensured color accuracy and brand consistency across high-volume print runs.

Marketing By Design __ Junior Designer

•Executed foundational brand identity, logo, and collateral design projects for small business clients.
•Collaborated closely with senior designers to develop cohesive visual systems and presentation-ready deliverables.

Associated Students Chico __ Designer

•In-house designer and account manager for Associated Students, Chico. Marketed in-house products from food services to electronics, other bookstore essentials and club/organizations promotional materials.
•Managed workflow of fellow student designers to keep projects on time.
•Interfaced with university faculty to ensure all proper branding was used.

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EDUCATION

California State University Chico – B.A. Communication Design with Option in Graphic Design
Butte Community College – Graphic Design, Fine Art, General Education

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WHAT I DO

Art Direction — Brand development, creative concepting, light copywriting. Presenting ideas in formats to craft and tell stories. On-set art direction, working with directors/photographers to fulfill my vision. Create design at scale, bringing story, idea and system together.

Design — Graphic design, typography, photo compositing and photography. Designed for every medium imaginable, digital, social, online, outdoor, print, video/broadcast and activations. Knowledge of principals of online/website design. Collaborating with production companies, illustrators & photographers.

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WHAT I'VE WORKED ON

Ag Code/Agility.ag

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

Associated Students Chico

Arden Hills Resort

Auto Club Speedway

California Community College Chancellor's Office

California Dry Bean Advisory Board

California Department of Pesticide Regulation

California Earthquake Authority

California Grown