Brendan Vail is a New York–based creative director, designer, and artist. Over 20+ years he has worked across branding, print production, apparel, publication design, and site activations, for clients ranging from independent brands to Fortune 500 firms and NFL franchises.
He comes from the world of action sports, underground music, and community organizing, and brings that same D.I.Y. work ethic to everything he makes. He studied Communication Design at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon, then cut his teeth in print shops, agencies, and in-house design teams. Along the way he built a hands-on knowledge of production that carries ideas from concept through to the finished object.
In 2011 he founded a non profit for Mullaly Bikepark in the Bronx, turning an underused ramp park into a nonprofit community hub for BMX, art, and education. He has directed it for more than a decade, including design oversight of a $10 million capital rebuild with city partners. The park’s print lab offers a free public studio for screen printing, photo transfer, and digital printing.
His own studio practice includes hand-transferred wood prints made from his photographs, printed on upcycled lumber so the grain and imperfections become part of each one-of-a-kind piece. His work is held in the libraries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the New-York Historical Society.
Brendan has worked with brands and organizations including the New York Giants, Starter, The New Jersey Devils, Front Inc., PJT Partners, CBRE, Museum of the City of New York, NYC DOT, NYC Parks, New York Public Library, Bicycle Film Festival, Cinelli, Chrome, Hyper Bicycles, Ortlieb, KB Books, Sabit NYC, Lafayette, Privilege Brand, Ethik Clothing, Wbase, Meseroll Shop, Big Cat Bikes, Two Roads Management, The Pop Bar, and many more.
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SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS
STARTER x ROUGH CIVILIAN | 2022–2024
Directed three consecutive years of Super Bowl activations, from event design and talent booking to custom apparel and bespoke bicycle builds.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Apparel graphics fusing streetwear aesthetics with team branding, including the “Sunday Services” tee.
WOZU | 2025, 2026
Visiting artist on the Standing Rock Reservation, leading photography and printmaking workshops in Cannon Ball and surrounding communities.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | 2023–2026
Guest instructor leading printmaking, collage, and zine-making workshops at Bronx branches.
FRONT INC. | 2019–2024
Produced a hardcover monograph of the firm’s most iconic global architecture projects.
SLOW LEAK
Founder and creative director of an independent outdoor lifestyle brand.
KB BOOKS
Visual identity, logo system, and book layouts for an independent art-book publisher.
CYCLING IN THE CITY | 2019
Video for the Museum of the City of New York marking Mullaly Bikepark’s 30th anniversary, featuring new and archival footage of the park’s history.
PRESS
The New York Times, Museum of the City of New York, BMX Union, The Bronx Times
AWARDS & GRANTS
COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT | 2021
Bronx Council on the Arts
COMMUNITY PARKS INITIATIVE AWARD | 2017
Partnership for Parks
ARTS IN THE PARK GRANT | 2017
NYC Department of Health ($13,500)
GOLDEN TROWEL AWARD | 2016
Partnership for Parks
CAPACITY FUND GRANT | 2015–2017
Partnership for Parks
NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT AWARD | 2012–2017
Citizens Committee for NYC