Creative direction and design that brings focus, clarity, and momentum.

I’m Mark Valkwitch, an award-winning senior art director with 20+ years of experience leading brand, digital, and motion work across teams and platforms.

Available for freelance opportunities.

  • Creative Direction

    Defining creative vision, setting clear direction, and guiding work from early concept through final execution. Focused on aligning strategy, craft, and storytelling to produce cohesive, meaningful outcomes.

  • Design Leadership

    Leading cross-functional teams with clarity, trust, and a shared standard of quality. Experienced in mentoring designers, partnering with stakeholders, and navigating complex organizations.

  • Brand & Visual Systems

    Building cohesive brand identities and visual systems designed to scale across platforms and touchpoints. Balancing consistency with flexibility to support evolving business and creative needs.

  • UI / UX Design

    Designing intuitive, thoughtful digital experiences rooted in user needs and real-world constraints. Collaborating closely with product, engineering, and strategy to ensure usability and clarity.

  • Motion & Visual Design

    Using motion and visual storytelling to add depth, clarity, and emotion to ideas. Creating work that enhances narrative, supports brand systems, and elevates the overall experience.

  • Mark brings strategic creative leadership and a rare ability to translate complex ideas into compelling visual solutions. He is a collaborative partner and steady leader who consistently elevates the work around him.

    — Senior Director, Visual Merchandising & Store Design

  • Mark led the design and UX for a highly complex, multi-year careers platform under tight timelines. Without his leadership and clarity, the project would not have launched successfully.

    — Recruitment Marketing & Branding Leader

  • Mark is a thoughtful and inspiring creative leader who consistently delivers high-impact work that drives real business results. He balances creativity with strategy and brings out the best in the teams he leads.

    — Senior Media Producer

  • Mark brings calm, clarity, and creativity to even the most complex projects. He is one of the strongest creative partners I’ve worked with and a leader who elevates both the work and the team.

    — Lead Copywriter

  • Mark is an exceptionally talented creative leader who is dependable, collaborative, and deeply committed to quality. I greatly valued his contributions and would recommend him for any senior creative role.

    — VP of Marketing

01 // FEATURED WORK

Kardea Brown’s
Southern Kitchen

  • Transform the visual identity for Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen restaurant while maintaining brand integrity across digital and physical touchpoints.

  • Led art direction and motion graphics on behalf of Delaware North, guiding design execution and cross-team collaboration.

  • Elevated the brand experience with engaging visuals that supported launch campaigns and ongoing restaurant storytelling.

View Project

02 // FEATURED WORK

Road to the
Ryder Cup

  • Showcase the long-term strategy and collaboration behind food and beverage partnerships for a major golf event.

  • Directed creative storytelling, conceptual visuals, and motion content highlighting the partnership journey.

  • Crafted a narrative-driven presentation that engaged stakeholders and strengthened brand positioning.

View Project

03 // FEATURED WORK

Delaware North
Careers Website

  • Redesign a global corporate recruitment platform with complex UX and visual requirements.

  • Led UX strategy and visual design, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and scalability across touchpoints.

  • Delivered a modern, intuitive platform that improved usability and supported multi-year growth objectives.

View Project 
MORE PROJECTS

Austin Vibes

Brand and logo development capturing the essence of Austin culture.

Delaware North Sportservice

Marketing and brand design for hospitality and sports food & beverage services.

Delaware North Business Development

Visual storytelling and collateral design for corporate growth initiatives.

View All Work

Viral Moment:
Bad Blood Waffle Fries (NFL Playoffs)

During the 2024 NFL Playoffs, Delaware North—food and beverage partner of the Buffalo Bills—introduced the Bad Blood Waffle Fries, a two-foot-long concession item for the Bills vs. Chiefs divisional matchup. With only days’ notice before kickoff, I went on site to Highmark Stadium to art direct and photograph a last-minute food shoot.

The resulting imagery quickly went viral, with coverage and shares across major outlets including NBC News, TODAY, CNN, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, TMZ, and Vanity Fair. The campaign generated millions of impressions and significant engagement, amplifying Delaware North’s brand presence well beyond game day.

Learn more