Brian Ponto graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2004. His thesis, the Proactive Project, bled the line between design, authorship, media, and public space. This experience brought him to some of the most renown design studios in New York City, including James Victore Inc. and the Pushpin Group, Inc.
The Studio of Brian Ponto specializes in serving clients with a conscience. Recent work includes: the United Nations Food Program, the City of New York-Gates to Harlem, the Gaia Institute, FEED projects, and independent publishers and music groups like Dim Mak, and North Drive Press. He’s been published in the New York Times, Step Magazine, Communication Arts, Print Magazine and Paper magazine. He can be found living, working, and riding his bike in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
If you have a project idea, go find someone who you respect to work with. Don’t be intimidated, if they’re interested they will help.
BP: LANDFILL is an annual conceptual printed zine, made with the partnership of the Greg Barber Co., and a paper sponsor. The idea is: to create THE printing sample from the Greg Barber Co. and a paper sponsor, showcasing their most sustainable products available in that year. Taking the newest issue for example: we used Greg’s new HP digital printers that utilize a completely non-toxic toner, and papers from Neenah that are both 100% post-consumer and made partially with sugar cane. I learned that soy ink, though delicious in name, is completely poisonous if ingested. Digital toner, on the other hand, is safe to eat. The edible issue concept was born. We began reaching out to restaurants—finding a nice recycling metaphor in the composting for the post-consumer papers—and the rest is history…or at least, online.
Sometimes you have to sell the idea.
Jump on your bike, and ride! It keeps you feeling healthy, its fun, its good for the environment, keeps cars off the road, its easy to park and its a great way to see the city!