Art Director
Artist
Sculptor
Occasional
SAM
ABOUT
SAM ROWLANDS - (SHE/HER)
NATIONALITY: AUSTRALIAN
LOCATION: AMSTERDAM NL
CURRENT EMPLOYER: AKQA
TITLE: ART DIRECTOR
OTHER FACT: OWNS A DINGO
With a main focus on digital and integrated solutions, Sam is an art director with an eclectic past in Fashion design, UX/UI, Sculpture, Illustration and Art.
SAM'S BIO -
Sam is an Australian contemporary artist and Art Director living in Amsterdam, Netherlands. From a working property outside a tiny town called Mandurama, Sam has worked as a fashion designer, UX/UI, print and branding designer before finding her career as an Art Director.
Awarded 1st class honours at UTS University for fashion and textile design, GQ titled Sam one of 'The Menswear Designers to Watch'.
Sam was offered a full scholarship for a PhD in philosophy at Oxford University UK for her thesis on societal gender and conformity.
Watching the world turn digital, she completed a Postgraduate degree in UX/UI Web and App design in half the time while working full time at the Grumpy Sailor Agency. She soon after acquired a role at The Works Agency as a UX/UI & Print Designer before becoming an Art Director.
While constructing multiple light sculptures for Vivid, Sydney fringe festival and Tortuga night studios and working full time, Sam placed in the top three in the Award School competition
Sam has recently been awarded creative finalist for the B&T 30 under 30 awards and has also placed 2nd internationally for the Young Glory competition (2021).
Sam has been apart of many Juries, from the Dutch Creative Awards to the international PHNX Creative Awards.
AWARDS -
2023
D&AD
1x Shortlist - Future Impact / Initiative
2022
Cannes Lion
1x Finalist - Social and influencer
D&AD
1x Shortlist - Experiential Technology
1x Shortlist - Digital Mobile
WEBBY
1x Winner - Social media
1x Finalist - Advertising, Media & PR
The One Show
1x Bronze - Mobile
EFFIE
1x Shortlist
Award Awards
1x Silver - Film & Entertainment - Branded
1x Silver - Entertainment - User-generated content
1x Bronze - Digital Tool / Utility
1x Bronze - Social media - User-generated content
2x Bronze - Innovation
1x Bronze - Brand Innovation
Spike Award
1x shortlist - UI design
The Creative Shop Lighthouse Award APAC
Winner
The M+C Heart Global Award
Gold - Innovation/Use of technology
2021
2020
Creative Pool
1x Finalist - Innovation
B&T Awards
30 Under 30 award - Shortlisted
30 Under 30 award - Finalist
Young Glory
2nd Place Global winner.
Effie
1x Finalist - NGO Campaign
Award School
3rd place NSW
Art Exhibitions
KVNRM || 2020
Vandal gallery || 2021
Sculpture Exhibitions / Events
Sydney Fringe Festival || 2019
Sydney Commune || 2019
Vivid || 2019
Tortuga Fire Garden || 2019
Tortuga Night Garden || 2018
I met Sam while I was running an Award School application workshop. The moment she started talking, I just knew there was something special about her. She’s articulate and smart. I realised since then that she’s lived many creative lives - fashion, design, UX and now as an art director at M&C Saatchi. This wealth of diverse experiences shines through in the maturity, clarity and downright ‘cool’ Sam brings to every project she touches. Sam is deserving of all the recognition that is sure to come her way.
Mandie van der Merwe
ECD M&C Saatchi