justin thomas kay is a new york city based creative director and graphic designer with a strong focus in creating work based on basic explorations of shape, color and typography. he was chosen as one of the 50 young guns for 2008 by the art directors club of new york city. currently justin is creative director of FADER magazine & media group and freelances for various clients out of his studio in new york city.

upon arriving in nyc in 2004 he has worked with a range of clients mainly based in editorial/print and apparel – both in a individual capacity and in collaboration with longtime friend steve green as upnorth. along with the occasional project as upnorth, justin and steve also publish a zine together by the name of oneonenine. he served as assosciate art director/graphic designer of complex magazine from september of 2004 through may of 2006 and designed under the creative direction of joshua liberson and ethan trask at helicopter,llc from may 2006 through september 2007, assisting in projects ranging from identity/branding to magazine redesign. he then served as art director for the final issues of mass appeal magazine as well as acting as designer-at-large for swindle magazine. he taught as an adjunct professor at the milwaukee institute of art and design for the spring semester of 2009.

selected clients:
2k by gingham
atlantic records
burton snowboards
complex magazine
computer arts magazine
conde nast (jane magazine)*
fenchurch clothing
graniph tees
hachette fillipachi (car and driver)*
hydrahead records
k-swiss
mass appeal magazine
mtv networks
new york magazine*
one modeling agency
plus et plus
sixpack france
swindle magazine
zoo york
*=under the direction of josh/ethan at helicopter,llc

photograph by sunny shokrae