DANNY VARILLAS






e: varillasdaniel@gmail.com
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Danny Varillas is a graphic designer, artist, and educator based in New York City. He works across mediums in graphic design, textiles, and printmaking. He is a currect adjunct faculty at The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Previously at Pentagram.
ABOUT




Education
Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Graphic Design)
Employment Pentagram
Graphic Designer
2019–2025

Maryland Institute College of Art
Adjunct Faculty (Graphic Design Department)
2023–2024

Glenstone Museum
Museum Guide
2019
Notable Clients
American Express
Comcast Xfinity
Under Armour
The Vilcek Foundation
The Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Rizzoli 
Museum of the City of New York
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Doris Duke Foundation for Arts and Culture
The Estate of Jean Michel Basquiat

Last Updated 25.06.20
SELECTED WORK





1.    Monterey Bay Aquarium
       (Identity Design)
      The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, has inspired ocean conservation since opening on Cannery Row in 1984. With more than 200 exhibits and 81,000 plants and animals, it is a global leader in science, education, and advocacy.

For its 40th anniversary, the Aquarium refreshed its identity, elevating the iconic kelp logo into a flexible visual system. A broader ocean-inspired palette, custom typography, and adaptable applications ensure the brand resonates with audiences from families to scientists while embodying the wonder of the living ocean.

2.    ‘Art and Ideals’ at The Kennedy Center
      (Exhibtion Design)
Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy, a permanent interpretive exhibition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, as part of its 50th anniversary season. This immersive exhibit transforms a 7,500 sq ft atrium into a narrative space exploring JFK’s personal and cultural connection to performing and visual arts.

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4.    Anna Sui — The Nineties
       (Publication Design)
Full Case Study Coming Soon

This book explores the lasting influence of the 1990s through the words and work of designer Anna Sui. Blending fashion with music, film, art, and photography, it captures the era’s defining styles—from slip dresses worn by Winona Ryder and Madonna to the baby-doll looks of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Chapters trace punk, grunge, rock, and vintage-inspired aesthetics, with insights from Marc Jacobs, Sofia Coppola, Christy Turlington Burns, and others on Sui’s singular vision.


8.    The National — Light Years
      (Publication Design)
 Light Years is a new book created with photographer Graham MacIndoe
and the rock band The National. Documenting over 20 years of portraits, concerts, and rehearsals, the book features images from more than 30 shows across the U.S. and eight recording sessions, tracing the band’s evolution from their early days in New York.

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5.    Studio Theatre
      (Identity Design)
 For almost five decades, Studio Theatre has produced the best of contemporary theater in Washington, DC. The identity captures the “made-in-DC” culture of the non-profit theater company and expresses its creative ambitions as a force for engaging, socially relevant, and artistically daring performances.

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6.    Under Armour Mission Run
      (Brand Identity)
Under Armour Mission Run is the pro running team sponsored by Under Armour, with teams in Baltimore and Flagstaff. The branding system features custom blazons inspired by aerodynamic and NASA aesthetics, with each team's unique identity—Baltimore's urban energy and Flagstaff's rugged outdoor spirit—represented through various lockups and city-specific typography. This versatile design ensures the branding adapts seamlessly across all merchandise and gear, creating a cohesive yet flexible visual identity.



3.   Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery
      (Exhibtion Design)  
     Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery, a community-curated exhibition featuring over 100 historic and contemporary Pueblo ceramic works, selected by members of the Pueblo Pottery Collective and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition launched at the Vilcek Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2023 and is now touring.

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7.    Operation Match
      (Publication Design)
 A striking visual narrative recounts how Harvard freshman Jeff Tarr invented the first computer dating service in the mid-1960s. The story, told by his wife Patsy Tarr in Operation Match: Jeff Tarr and the Invention of Computer Dating (2wice Books, 2024), is brought to life through a bold mid-century modern design. Clean type, bright primary colors, archival photography, die-cut covers evoking punch-cards, and original artifacts—including the full dating questionnaire—create an immersive blend of storytelling and design.

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