our team

Jim Shanman

Jim Shanman, Director of Strategy and Creative

A Los Angeles native (9th generation, if you can believe that), Jim brings over 24 years of design and strategic thinking to the table. He is an outdoor enthusiast, being an avid mountain biker and hiker who has also done his share of backpacking, rock climbing and river rafting. Raised in an environmentally friendly household, Jim’s current passion is helping to educate others about sustainability.

Jim is one of those oddballs that left high school knowing what he wanted to do for a living. Drawing constantly since he was five, it never occured to him that you could make a living at it until a high school art teacher mentioned Graphic Arts. This immediately appealed to Jim as it was a way to combine his creativity and problem-solving skills.

Jim graduated California State University, Northridge, with a BA in fine art in 1985. At CSUN, he thrived on resolving design challenges by thinking concept first, image second. Upon graduation, he served as the in-house art department for a small record company before embarking on a freelance career that landed him in the production rooms of some of the largest international advertising agencies. Working first-hand on national campaigns for Apple Computer, Taco Bell, Honda and others, brought a new understanding to the value and power of good design and advertising.

Jim’s freelance clients soon outnumbered his agency contacts and in 1989 he decided to concentrate on building the reputation of his studio. In 1999, the studio was renamed Asylum (to capture the bi-polar essence of design; safe retreat and psych ward) as his focus shifted from being an independant graphic designer to developing a full-service Design Studio. Shortly thereafter, he began seeking clients that were striving to make a difference in the world, including non-profits and "green companies". Jim's passion for finding solutions to design problems continues to drive his enthusiasm for every project at Asylum. back to top

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