Leslie Wallick
Contact: lwallick@gmail.com / Linkedin
Hi, I'm Leslie, a former art historian turned brand and graphic designer, and I promise that career pivot makes more sense than it sounds.
I spent close to a decade studying and teaching art history, which really just means I spent a decade obsessing over how people actually look at things: what draws the eye, what sticks, what gets ignored. Eventually I wanted to make the visual stuff instead of just study it, so here I am, 6+ years into a design career split between agency and in-house, building brand systems, templates, and campaigns for Fortune 500 companies that move the needle on engagement and traffic.
My favorite kind of problem is a brand system that has to hold up under pressure: templates and toolkits that still look sharp no matter who's using them or how tight the deadline is. I'm AI-forward but I still start every project the old-fashioned way: research, then pencil and paper. Old habits (and art historians) die hard.
Whether it's a logo, a slide deck, an event activation, or a full brand refresh, I bring the same thing to the table: a strategic eye for the big picture, and the hands-on chops to actually execute it well.
Experience:
Graphic Designer | Techstars, NY (Nov 2023 – Aug 2026): Sole designer for a global accelerator and VC firm, owning visual identity from strategic direction to hands-on production across digital, print, events, and office space.
Graphic Designer | Edelman, NY (Mar 2020 – Jul 2023): Designed brand campaigns at a global agency for enterprise and public-sector clients including American Express, American Heart Association, El Pollo Loco, and the State of Colorado.
Graphic Designer | Freelance (2019 – Present): Independently conceives and executes annual creative concepts and branding for two ongoing partnerships in music and film.
Adjunct Professor, Art History | William Paterson University & CUNY (2010 – 2017): Taught undergraduate art history courses, advised students, and developed new seminars in ancient art history.
Skills:
Tools
Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Nano Banana, Firefly), Hand Drawing, Fine Art
Graphic Design
Print Design, Presentation Design, Typography, Illustration, Motion Graphics, WCAG Accessibility, UI/UX Standards
Brand Design
Visual Identities, Brand Guidelines, Strategy, Brand Consistency
Education:
Shillington Education, Certificate in Graphic Design
NYU Institute of Fine Art, MA Art History & Archaeology
University of Vermont, BA Art History & Anthropology/Studio Art