David Polito

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David Polito (born March 26, 1974 in Melrose, Massachusetts) is a contemporary, award winning, American graphic designer and illustrator. He is most recognized for his corporate branding and the large format design and graphics he produces for Logan International Airport and the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Polito graduated from Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School in 1992 and immediately began a degree in illustration from the Art Institute of Boston. It was during his two years at AIB where David's signature style took shape, drawing influence from the strong graffiti culture within the school where notable street artists such as SEX, NINEL, and the TUMS POSSE were also students. It was also at this time that Polito first encountered his biggest influence Shepard Fairey who was graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1992.

Polito left AIB in 1995 and began working a series of odd jobs until 1998 when on a whim he joined City Year Boston. During his time at City Year Boston, Polito won the Starfish Leadership Award and the CYZYGY Outstanding Curriculum Award in Washington D.C. for his work in leading his team in creating an HIV/AIDS curriculum for the Boston School system and Department of Youth Services. It was during his two years at City Year that Polito regained interest in design as he assisted with their internal newspaper and designed flyers for local Boston punk and hardcore shows.

After leaving City Year and receiving an Americorps education grant Polito returned to school at Bunkerhill Community College where he received an Associate of Arts Degree in 2001.

Upon graduation Polito began working as a production artist and designer at Economy Printing in Malden, Massachusetts. Polito worked on projects for notable clients such as the Boston University Medical Center, Dockside Restaurants, the City of Gloucester, and Boston Conservatories. It was at Economy that Polito was introduced to large format poster design and printing. During his time with Economy Printing, Polito began taking night classes at Salem State College to finish his Bachelor of Arts degree.

In February 2004 Polito began working for the Massachusetts Port Authority as signage layout coordinator designing and maintaining all the large format signage and grapics for Logan International Airport, the Black Falcon Cruise Terminals, the Tobin Bridge, the Worcester Airport, and the Massachusetts seaport. Polito was also named one of the "people to watch" for 2004 from from the design trade magazine Graphic Design: USA. In November 2004, Polito won three American In-House Design Awards from Graphic Design: USA for work signage and point of purchase work done for Logan Airport and his work appeared in Graphic Design: USA's Design Annual in June 2005.

In early summer 2006 Polito finished his bachelor's degree from Salem State College graduating cum laude and winning the Arthur W.Smith Award for Excellence in Art in Continuing Education from Salem State College. It was also at this time that Polito's worked was first shown in exhibition at the Winfisky Gallery in Salem, Massachusetts.

In 2006 Polito won two American Design Awards from Graphic Design:USA and Adobe for poster designs he did as freelance work.