Available for freelance Available for freelance
15-time webby Award-Winning
3-time emmy Award-Losing
20-time awwwards sotd-winning
2023 dad of the year award-Winning
15-time webby Award-Winning

Art Director & Creative Developer

Hi! I’m Joey Maese, a Brooklyn-based creative developer who makes pretty little websites and has done so most recently at ESPN, Hello Monday and Huge.

With 18 years of experience as a creative developer, I like to emphasize motion and UX to create fun moments which enhance the content without distracting from it.

I’ve had a variety of creative roles on projects for many major brands, including several Emmy-nominated experiences. Here are some of my favorites:

Project
Main Role
Recognition
Year
ESPN
Carlos Alcaraz
Art Director
2023
Description

As the #1 ranked men's tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz attempted to defend his U.S. Open championship title, but what makes him so unique? ESPN broke down his explosive style of playing using data, reporting, illustrations and webgl.

Fun Fact

We started this project six months before it launched, as Alcaraz was coming back from an injury layoff. During that period, his 53-6 record (including a win at Wimbledon) eked him into the #1 ranking just before launch.

My RolesArt Director, Creative Lead, Developer
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design & Concept: Studio 28k Lead Developer: Jarret Gabel VP: Chin Wang Sr Creative Director: Heather Donahue Creative Director: Luke Knox Visuals Lead: Robert Booth Video Editor/Producer: Leon Belt Data: Dominique DeMoe Visuals Editor: Jason Potterton Designer: Dan Pellegrino Developer: Garrett Siegel Project Manager: Rachel Weiss Editor: Elaine Teng Illustrations: Dave Flanagan
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Ovechkin 800
Art Director
2022
Description

As NHL superstar Alexander Ovechkin joined the elite 800-goal club, ESPN wanted to commemorate the rare achievement using their extensive NHL video rights and creating an interactive documentary telling the story of Ovechkin’s career.

Fun Fact

A coded layer above the video ties into the timestamp, enabling responsive HTML elements (ie: interactive data charts) along with traditional TV elements: chapter titles, closed captions and lower thirds.

My RolesArt Director, Creative Lead, Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design & Concept: Studio 28k Lead Developer: Jarret Gabel VP: Chin Wang Sr Creative Director: Heather Donahue Creative Director: Luke Knox Visuals Lead: Robert Booth Video Editor/Producer: Leon Belt Visuals Editor: Jessi Dodge Data Editor: Dominique DeMoe Project Manager: Rachel Weiss Editor: Peter Lawrence-Riddell Editor: Tim Kavanagh Reporter: Emily Kaplan Talent Acquisition: Stacey Pressman
Standout AchievementEmmy-Nominated: Outstanding Interactive Experience
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Year In Review
Art Director
2022
Description

As 2022 came to a close, ESPN recapped the year in sports with a timeline-centric look back at the year's most memorable moments. With roughly 100 moments using photos and videos, the story is a true archive of the year in sports.

Fun Fact

Between each month is a fun sports moment, using quizzes, factoids, and of course, everyone's favorite: bloopers.

My RolesArt Director, Creative Lead, Developer
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design & Concept: Studio 28K Lead Developer: Jarret Gabel Sr. Creative Director: Heather Donahue Project Manager: Michelle Bashaw Video: Leon Belt Photo Editor: Jessi Dodge Copywriter: Alecia Hamm Branding Art Director: Rami Moghadam Designer: Daniel Pellegrino Photo Lead: Miller Safrit Project Manager: Rachel Weiss Branding: Andrew Footit
See It LiveLaunch Site
Andscape
The Black Gaze
Art Director
2021
Description

Originally launched in 2021 and updated in 2022, Andscape's two-volume series The Black Gaze features hundreds of photos that widen the lens and depicts the strength, innovation and magnificence of Black culture.

Fun Fact

Surrounding the content with a playful layout and simple animations allowed photos to be the star of the story while enhancing moments of joy.

My RolesArt Director, Designer, Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Concept: Kasper Laigaard Studio Lead Developer: Jarret Gabel Creative Lead: Rami Moghadam Designer: Sarah Pezzullo Project Manager: Ashley Melfi
See It LiveLaunch Site
Side Project
10x19
Sole Developer
2019
Description

Thirty-four artists re-imagine the album artwork for their top-10 albums of the year. Released over a two-week period each December, 2019's rendition had a whole new vibe for everyone involved.

Fun Fact

The site displays 340 unique artworks and features each one as its own centerpiece. As a whole, the 10x album series has 1,120 artworks on display.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Art Direction & Design: Eric Mortensen Co-Creator: Richard Perez Organizer: Jen Derosa
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Body Issue '19
Various
2019
Description

ESPN's annual Body magazine issue was accompanied by a digital experience to show all of the photography as well as behind-the-scenes and interviews.

Fun Fact

This experience contains all Body content from past years as well as the newest release, accounting for well over a thousand assets.

My RolesArt Director, Sole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design & Concept: Kasper Laigaard Studio Sr Creative Director: Chin Wang Creative Director: Heather Donahue
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
History of UFC
Various
2019
Description

As ESPN gained the exclusive broadcast rights to UFC events, a History of the UFC concept was planned to take new viewers through the organization's growth and show off the old guard as well as the new superstars.

Fun Fact

ESPN MMA Reporter Ariel Helwani narrates the audio-centric story through time, easily allowing the user to jump around while showing off some nice little UI player details throughout.

My RolesSole Developer, Story Pitch, Concept, Motion, UX, Wireframes
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design: Kasper Laigaard Studio Sr Creative Director: Chin Wang Creative Director: Heather Donahue
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Hype Hits
Various
2019
Description

Counting down the top 10 Stadium Anthems featuring celebrities and sports trivia centered around each song.

Fun Fact

What does Metallica, Eminem, Cardi B and Journey all have in common? Probbaly a few things, but specifically they're all top stadium anthems played throughout the sports world.

My RolesSole Developer, Concept, Motion, UX, Wireframes
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design: Kasper Laigaard Studio Sr Creative Director: Chin Wang Creative Director: Heather Donahue Branding Art Director: Rami Moghadam General Editor: Alecia Hamm
See It LiveLaunch Site
Side Project
10x18
Sole Developer
2018
Description

Thirty-three artists re-imagine the album artwork for their top-10 albums of the year. Released over a two-week period each December, 2018's rendition had a whole new vibe for everyone involved.

Fun Fact

The site displays 330 unique artworks and features each one as its own centerpiece. As a whole, the 10x album series has 1,120 artworks on display.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Art Direction & Design: Eric Mortensen Co-Creator: Richard Perez Organizer: Jen Derosa
See It LiveLaunch Site
“The website [Joey made] is a MASTERPIECE”
Ben FoldsAcclaimed-Musician
ESPN
Body Issue Archive
Sole Developer
2018
Description

In 2018, ESPN's annual Body Issue release was accompanied by a Body Issue Archive to explore all past shoots and athletes.

Fun Fact

Allowing for sorting and filtering abilities was part of the initial ask, so those functions are quite extensive, allowing for hundreds of photoshoots to be sorted by: sport, gender, alphabetical, date, live search, search from anywhere, etc.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Design & Concept: Kasper Laigaard Studio Creative Director: Chin Wang Art Director: Heather Donahue Associate Art Director: Sarah Pezzullo Project Manager: Lori Higginbotham
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Body Issue '18
Sole Developer
2018
Description

In 2018, the ESPN Visual Storytelling team worked with Stink Studios to create the digital experience for the annual Body Issue, focusing on UX and showcasing the photography at the forefront.

Fun Fact

Featuring 16 athletes, there are roughly 200 content pieces in the Body 2018 campaign site, each using the appropriate interactive module to best show off it's artistic beauty.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Agency: Stink Studios Creative Director: Olivier Gillaizeau Designer: Maxime Rimbert UX Designer: Maggie Bryan Project Manager: Katie Sharrow-Reabe Creative Director: Chin Wang Art Director: Heather Donahue Associate Art Director: Sarah Pezzullo
See It LiveLaunch Site
ESPN
Lebronland
Various
2018
Description

As Lebron James moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to play for the Lakers, ESPN took a look at Lebron's expanding empire as well as his previous investments in the entertainment industry.

Fun Fact

The intro preloader features a "traveling king" animation, inspired by the Super Mario Bros. 3 style and leaning into the map-centric story movement.

My RolesSole Developer, Designer, UX, Motion
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Sr. Creative Director: Chin Wang Creative Director: Heather Donahue Project Manager: Lori HigginBotham Illustrations: Down The Street Sr Deputy Editor: Cristina Daglas Senior Editor: Adam Reisinger
See It LiveLaunch Site
Side Project
10x17
Sole Developer
2017
Description

Twenty-size artists re-imagine the album artwork for their top-10 albums of the year. Released over a two-week period each December, 2017's rendition had a whole new vibe for everyone involved.

Fun Fact

The site displays 260 unique artworks and features each one as its own centerpiece. As a whole, the 10x album series has 1,120 artworks on display.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Art Direction & Design: Eric Mortensen Co-Creator: Richard Perez Organizer: Jen Derosa
ESPN
Body Issue '17
Sole Developer
2017
Description

In 2017, the ESPN Visual Storytelling team worked with Ueno to create the branding and digital experience for the annual Body Issue, focusing on UX and showcasing the photography.

Fun Fact

Featuring 23 athletes, there are roughly 200 content pieces in the Body 2017 campaign site, each using zoom and pannable module to best show off it's artistic beauty.

My RolesSole Developer
Full Credits
Produced at ESPN Agency: Ueno Creative Director: Steffen Christensen Designer: Marco Coppeto Creative Director: Chin Wang Art Director: Heather Donahue Photo Director: Tim Rasmussen Photo Director: Karen Frank
See It LiveLaunch Site
Side Project
10x16
Sole Developer
2016
Description

Twenty-six artists re-imagine the album artwork for their top-10 albums of the year. Released over a two-week period each December, 2016's rendition had a whole new vibe for everyone involved.

Fun Fact

The site displays 190 unique artworks and features each one as its own centerpiece. As a whole, the 10x album series has 1,120 artworks on display.

My RolesSole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Art Direction & Design: Eric Mortensen Co-Creator: Richard Perez Organizer: Jen Derosa
See It LiveLaunch Site
"I don't like flashy websites, but this is really cool."
Someone on Twitter
NASA
Astrobiology
Lead Developer
-
2016
Description

Astrobiology is the study of life in space, so Astrobiology at NASA is NASA looking for aliens. If you're interested in that sort of thing, then this is the website for you.

Fun Fact

The website design and development began at Hello Monday and was later transferred over to Sunset City, but I remained the Lead Developer throughout the process.

My RolesLead Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Agency: Sunset City and Hello Monday Designer: Eric Mortensen Designer: Dana Steffe Art Director: Mads Bjerre Developer: Julia Wallin Developer: Arne Van Kauter Project Manager: Megan Potter
See It LiveLaunch Site
National Geographic
Yellowstone Bears
Lead Developer
2016
Description

Four bears in Yellowstone National Park wear collar cameras and provide us with a first-person POV of their travels and adventures with berries, wolves and rival bears.

Fun Fact

I took on this project as a freelancer shortly after leaving Hello Monday full-time, which was a dream client and dream team. What else can you ask for?

My RolesLead Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Agency: Hello Monday Creative Lead & Designer: Morten Solvstrom Sr. Art Director: Steffen Christensen Technical Director: Anders Sønderby Jessen Project Manager: Megan Potter Creative Director: Johanne Bruun Rasmussen
See It LiveLaunch Site
Google
Ideas
Lead Developer
2015
Description

Google Ideas (later renamed to Jigsaw) explores threats to open societies, and builds technology that inspires scalable solutions.

Fun Fact

The website features stories from people affected by various digital attacks and how Idea's products became crucial to their cause.

My RolesTechnical Lead, Lead Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Agency: Hello Monday Creative Lead & Designer: Morten Solvstrom Designer: Jonas Emmertsen Developer: Lasse Korsgaard Designer: Casper Holden
See It Via Web ArchiveLaunch Site
NASA
GeneLab
Sole Developer
2015
Description

GeneLab focuses on experiments on within the International Space Station and how life responds to variables in space.

Fun Fact

Hello Monday developed a DNA-centric branding to tie the elements together across the branding and website design.

My RolesTechnical Lead, Sole Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Agency: Hello Monday Art Director: Sebastian Gram Designer: Mads Bjerre Project Manager: Megan Potter
See It Via Web ArchiveLaunch Site
Guggenheim
Zero
Lead Developer
2014
Description

The digital experience for Guggenheim's Zero exhibit, exploring the post-World War II experimental practices developed by this extensive ZERO network of artists, whose work anticipated aspects of Land art, Minimalism, and Conceptual art.

My RolesTechnical Lead, Lead Developer, Motion
Full Credits
Agency: Hello Monday Design: Mathias Høst Normark Developer: Julia Wallin
See It LiveLaunch Site
MoMA
Century of the Child
Developer
2012
Description

The digital experience for MoMA's Century of the Child exhibition, bringing together areas underrepresented in design history and often considered separately, including school architecture, clothing, playgrounds, toys and games, nurseries, furniture, and books.

My RolesDeveloper
Full Credits
Agency: Hello Monday Art Director: Marchus Fuchs Designer: Johanne Bruun Rasmussen Lead Developer: Anders Sønderby Jessen Developer: Torben Dalgaard Developer: Younus Abdalla
See It Via Web ArchiveLaunch Site

While my primary focus has been creative development, I’ve steadily grown that into a much more robust skillset, including all aspects of the creative process.

Being hands-on from the beginning to the end of a project allows for rapid creation of any new ideas, pixel-perfection and clean code to create an ideal final product.

Creative Services
  • Art Direction
  • Concepting
  • UX Design
  • UI Design
  • Prototyping
  • Motion
  • HTML/CSS
  • JavaScript
  • Backend
  • Asset Compression
  • Video/Audio Editing
  • Photo Editing

I’ve had the pleasure of working with many top-notch creative teams across numerous agencies, both big and small.

Creative Teams

Now that I'm freelancing full-time, I'm happy to be considered for any fun collaborations or amazing projects.

Feel free to reach out using the buttons below. In fact, if you're still reading this, reach out anyways. Say hi.

Get In Touch
Site Notes
Website by me
Last Updated May 2024
Nohemi typeface by Rajesh Rajput