EBENZ AUGUSTAVE
New York City | ebenz.aug@gmail.com

PROFILE

I design digital and physical experiences that connect emerging technologies, storytelling, and thoughtful systems. With a background in fine art, photography, culinary management, and product design, I focus on creating work that balances creativity with practical function. My approach emphasizes clear thinking, human-centered design, and adaptable strategies for evolving industries. With roots in fine art, fashion styling, photography, and culinary arts, my journey across disciplines informs a uniquely layered approach to visual storytelling and interactive design creating experiences that captivate and resonate across diverse audiences.

Skills/Services

Tailored Visual Identity Design: Creation of distinctive, culturally rich, and timeless visual identities unique to your brand.

Strategic Visual Design & Conceptual Direction: Consultation to develop meaningful brand narratives that merge cultural symbolism with aesthetics.

Selective Art Direction for Campaigns: Focused art direction for select projects to ensure maximum impact and memorability.

Anthropological Mood-boarding & Concept Development: Culturally-informed mood boards and visual strategies for resonant brand narratives.

Culturally-Informed Brand Storytelling: Brand stories that go beyond the norm, using cultural and historical contexts to create deeper connections.



Core Competencies

  • Art Direction: Generative art integration, surrealist narratives, visual identity systems

  • Product Design: Voice UX/UI, inclusive & accessible interactions emotional AI integration

  • Brand Strategy: Anthropological mood-boarding, brand storytelling, strategic repositioning

  • Technical Proficiencies: Adobe CC (Photoshop Illustrator, InDesign) Figma (Component Systems & Prototyping), Framer (Interactive Prototyping) Midjourney & Stable Diffusion (Generative AI Art Direction), RunwayML (AI Video & Motion), Cargo (Web Design CMS) etc.



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Current Role

  • Freelance Art Director & Creative Technologist | 2023 – Present

  • Conceptualized and delivered generative-art-driven visual systems tailored to emerging tech brands, enhancing brand presence and driving a up increase in client engagement through immersive visual storytelling and adaptive user experiences.

  • Leading design and development of "Shepherd" an AI-powered emotional voice assistant-to  train strategic and critical thinking.

  • Teaching : 101 Creative - AI for creative  speed adaptation/initiation for creatives cutting adaptation time to 50% or less.

  • Founder, ART DIRECTOR ROCKS (ADR) | 2024 An art-driven digital commerce,  curated visual experiences and strategic storytelling.

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Culinary Leadership | 2015 – 2021

  • Managed operations in fine-dining establishments, 50best restaurant of the world / South America.


FINE ART & FASHION

  • "Mujeres" Solo Exhibition at Museo Evita - Buenos Aires - Argentina.

  • "Glass Diary" Group Exhibition at "Le Chien Noir." - Buenos Aires - Argentina.

  • Fashion Styling and Photography: Cultivating strong visual composition, narrative development, and trend forecasting skills - photography and styling for independent labels/zines and branding actions/event.

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EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

  • CareerFoundry - Product Design – Specializing in Voice User Interfaces (Ongoing)

    Udacity - Business Intelligence and Analysis Nano Degree (Ongoing)

    Shillington Graphic Design Bootcamp – Graphic Design & Art Direction [2023]

    Awwwards Masterclass – Art Direction in Artificial Intelligence and Automation [2023]

    Contemplative Care (Chaplaincy/Doula) - New York Zen Center [2021]

    Teacher Meditation Certificate - MNDF - New York Zen [2020]

    Digital Marketing Certificate - Digital House [2018]

    Culinary Arts (IAG) - Bachelor in Culinary Arts [2016]





    My first CPO - In Paris  in 1970’s  read 
    our story here  :  
    The Unlikely Product Design Lessons
    from My Father
    .








    . Multilingual Proficiency: Fluent in English, Haitian Creole, French, Spanish. 

    . Visionary Thinking: Develops forward-thinking ideas and pushes conceptual boundaries 

    . User-Centric Design: Focuses on intuitive design and positive user experience especially with AI.

    . Creative Problem-Solving: Adapts quickly and finds innovative, unconventional solutions.

    . Communication & Collaboration: Clearly articulates ideas and collaborates effectively incorporating feedback.

    . Strategic Thinking: Links specific actions to broader strategic goals with strong systemic understanding.



    Learning Style: My preference for visual-spatial learning and hands-on experimentation is a significant asset in design. It informs my approach to problem-solving and creativity, making me particularly adept at visual communication and iterative design processes.

    Risk Tolerance: My willingness to take risks and embrace challenges is a key strength. It enables me to push boundaries and explore unconventional ideas, which is essential in innovation-driven fields.