YG15 Showcase: Theo Pinto

Shining the spotlight on this year's Young Guns winners

Young Guns 15, arguably the most prestigious portfolio-based competition for creatives under 30, is going out with a bang! This year's winners were unveiled earlier this month, and it's safe to say that this is one of the most eclectically talented classes in Young Guns history. 

This Thursday is the traditional Young Guns ceremony and party, (you've scored your tickets, right?) and nearly all of this year's winners will be travelling from across the globe, across the country, or across the Williamsburg Bridge to attend. Ahead of the festivities, the One Club for Creativity is highlighting many of the winners you'll be able to meet.

THEO PINTO
Art Director + Environmental Designer
Based In: Brooklyn, NY
Originally from: Belo Horizonte, Brazil 
theopinto.com

SEE THEO'S YG15 PROFILE + WORK

What does winning this award mean to you?

This is a big milestone in my career. I've looked up to Young Guns winners for years, and had ambitions of winning this award before I was 30. This has been deeply humbling, considering the immense pool of talented designers this year.

"I have always had a certain amount of stubbornness, that over many years I have gradually learned to channel into something much more useful called persistence."

What sorts of challenges have you encountered to get where you are today?

I think this industry can be pretty brutal when you start out, and art schools don't teach young creatives to stand on their own feet. Moving from Brazil forced me to figure out things on my own, a quality that gave me a strong foundation and taught me how to hustle and sell my work.

Since Young Guns 15 allowed you to submit six projects for consideration, some self-curation was required. How did you decide what to enter?

I focused on showing the most diverse breadth of work  possible to really illustrate and emphasize how multidisciplinary my work is.

What keeps you going, creatively speaking? What drives you and your work?

I'm interested in learning, failing and the potential that good design has to change things. The freedom design gives me in its many forms from concept to structure, hobby to career. It all feeds this on-going craving to continue learning and creating keeping me engaged, keeping me curious. I’m also eager to take on work that combines media, from film and photography to architecture and interaction design. I’ll continue to seek out innovative design work that works across disciplines and media.

Now that you’re a Young Guns winner, what’s next?

Working at Local Projects has renewed my focus on creating experiences that inspire and connect with everyday people. I’ll continue to expand my design skills, and hope to incorporate my renewed interest in film and photography into that work wherever possible.

Theo and his fellow winners will be honored at the Young Guns 15 Ceremony + Party, taking place on Thursday, November 16 at Highline Stages in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. 

Young Guns 15 is presented in proud partnership with Shutterstock, Levene/Leavitt and MTV.

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