juan.

I am Juan Cuervo, an Art Director based in Brooklyn. I first enrolled at SVA as a Fine Arts student before switching into advertising, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. That move gave me the freedom to combine my love for art with storytelling, design, and collaboration, and it shaped the career I have today.

A lot of my creative energy has always come from skate culture. As a kid I spent hours skateboarding and taking the train into New York with my friends, exploring neighborhoods, looking at street art, and learning from the rhythm of the city. Those experiences still fuel the way I see things. My photography in particular carries that influence, gritty and observational and rooted in real life.

Over the years I have worked across print, digital, social, and TV, designing for brands that range from global names like Dove, Magnum, and Hellmann’s to new launches breaking into the market. No matter the platform, I aim to make work that feels alive and connected to people.

Outside of work I am always looking for ways to stay creative. Lately I have been painting again, which has helped me reconnect with the part of myself that first pushed me toward art. I also spend a lot of time in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes and cooking for friends. I would still call myself an amateur chef, but I like to think I could hold my own on Chopped one day.

Creativity has always been the through line. Whether I am directing, painting, photographing, or cooking, I approach it with curiosity and a love for making things that feel honest.