Meet James “jim” Salvati

We were lucky to catch up with James “jim” Salvati recently and have shared our conversation below.

James “Jim”, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I feel that I can tackle two questions with this one answer, the other question is “How do you develop your ability to take risks”. Creativity and risk for me are the same thing and come together as one. You have to avoid being complacent and take risks to develop more ways to create. I love playing in different art markets.
How do you keep your creativity alive?
When I graduated from Art Center College of Design, I knew I needed to take a different path than other artists. That path was not to live a long career with one voice or style.
As a designer and illustrator, my career has been a journey through virtually every art market, including film, theater, music, surf culture, publishing, and fine art.
This diverse experience has shaped me into a creative chameleon, seamlessly adapting to various mediums and aesthetics to keep things fresh and my creativity always being challenged.
My ability to navigate and innovate within so many creative arenas has not only defined my career, but also fueled my passion for pushing the artistic boundaries of creativity.
My work is deeply influenced by legendary figures such as, Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, from the UK design group Hipgnosis. Others are Saul Bass, Andy Warhol, Rod Dyer, Milton Glaser and Alberto Mielgo—visionaries who have redefined the visual language of their respective fields.
While design is at the heart of my craft, I consider myself a designer who can paint, blending the precision of graphic design with the expressive depth of fine art. This fusion allows me to take risks creatively to create compelling, multifaceted works that resonate across industries and audiences. Never be complacent as an artist; stay creative, evolve and change to stay fresh and happy.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Born and raised in Southern California, I have been a fish and surfer my whole life. I come from a very artistic family. I was influenced by my parents, uncles, who were architects, photographers, artists and collectors. The surf and skate culture has been a major mark in the early part of my career. That culture and lifestyle are still with me. I worked in the surf industry for many years and played a lot with some incredible famous designers that had the same influences that I have had. Early on I was introduced by Phil Hays for the great honor of working with Andy Warhol and Interview magazine for a year when he was developing a potential west coast studio. Andy passed, and that door closed. I transitioned into the film, theater and music industries. The bulk of my career has been in the film industry. I have worked with Disney, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures, Fox Pictures and most of the studios for decades. Still working in this industry, I have now leaned into the music industry. The music industry is growing creativity in an area that really interests me, and I have jumped in to expand my art market. I have been honored to work with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Radio City Music Hall, Rolling Stone magazine, and many record labels. One of my favorite things that I have done for decades, in an exclusive group, is with Disney Fine Art; DFA lets me play and develop new styles and voices. Non-profit charities are always something I participate in; giving back is important, and I love paying it forward. My wife Linda, also an ACCD grad has been working in the movie studio business as well and is a big part of my nonprofit work. The frosting on the cake is that I have been an instructor at The Art Center College of Design, since I graduated from this incredible college. Sharing my knowledge and experience is another part of giving back to young students. I owe so much to this great institution.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Risk-taking, the passionate love for art and design, and being someone who people love to work with are some of my best qualities. If I could add a fourth, it would be my work ethic, the ten thousand-hour rule to develop my skill set. My advice for young people who are early in their careers, would be to take the blinders off, lose the tunnel vision, and start thinking big. Diversity is paramount. Focus is so important to find your art markets and attack them. Networking is crucial to expand your network. Think big, and good things will happen. This is always my advice to young people and students starting out their career.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, my newest venture is looking for more creative people to collaborate and partner with in the film and music industry. I love developing IP’s and have some amazing ideas being developed. I want to collaborate with producers, directors and creatives to develop my Independent properties. Furthermore, I also want to work on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which is a target for which I have already started the connection process. There are many more in the music and theater industry. My fine art career is in a solid place and very comfortable with the people that I am involved with.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All art by James “Jim” Salvati

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