Mary Jo Thomas

About Mary Jo Thomas

I’m at my best when I’m creating experiences that matter — experiences that resonate, connect, and bring people together.In my career, that means shaping meaningful retail and wholesale environments.In my personal life, it means building Casual Creatives Craft Club, a growing creative community centered on craft, experimentation, connection, and joy.Currently serving as Sr. Art Director, Marketplace Experience at Patagonia, I lead the design direction for physical spaces across our global retail fleet. I guide seasonal refreshes, shop-in-shop concepts, and bespoke graphic-led initiatives that reflect and reinforce our brand ethos.My work sits at the intersection of retail design, storytelling, and strategic brand expression. I partner closely with cross-functional teams — from product design to wholesale, VM, and marketing — to translate seasonal campaigns, color stories, textile design, and graphics into immersive Marketplace experiences that feel cohesive, intentional, and human.I thrive in roles where I can:• Drive holistic creative direction for retail marketing initiatives• Collaborate with community artists and craftspeople to bring local identity into store spaces• Build systems that scale while still allowing for craftsmanship and soul• Lead and mentor teams through clear creative vision and thoughtful executionBeyond Patagonia, I’m building Craft Club, a space dedicated to creativity, community, and hands-on making. It’s a continuation of what I value most: creating environments where people feel inspired, welcome, and connected.I bring deep expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, layout and typography, illustration, and environmental design — but above all, I bring a passion for crafting experiences that bring people together.

Experience

1. Global Art Director - Marketplace Experience

   Patagonia

   Oct 2022 — Present · Ventura, CA, US

   Lead designer for all physical spaces and experiences across Patagonia stores, overseeing seasonal store refreshes and bespoke graphic-led initiatives.• Ensure seamless integration of campaign designs into cohesive retail and wholesale channels.• Collaborate closely with apparel product teams to integrate color, textile design, and graphics into the Marketplace Experience, developing comprehensive style guides for cross-channel designers and regional teams.• Provide strategic creative direction for retail marketing initiatives including brand campaigns, events, and activism.• Partner with community artists and craftsmen on special projects such as store identity, murals, and displays.• Collaborate with and develop directives for the Visual Merchandising Team to ensure cohesive visual storytelling across all touchpoints.

Education

• University of Louisiana at Lafayette

  Visual Arts, Graphic Design

  1999 — 2004

Skills

• Email Marketing
• Art Direction
• Advertising
• Magazines
• Typography
• Concept Development
• Pre-Press
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Catalogs
• Marketing Strategy
• Indesign
• Photography
• Brand Development
• Layout
• Image Manipulation
• Illustrator
• Copywriting
• Web Design