Jesse Gregg

Available to hire

I'm a visual development and design professional with more than 20 years in the entertainment industry, specializing in visual development, art direction, design and set dressing.

About

I’m a visual development and design professional with more than 20 years in the entertainment industry, specializing in visual development, art direction, design and set dressing. I contributed as a concept artist on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and served as an assistant art director at LAIKA Studios, honing how visual storytelling supports the script and production. I’ve learned that cohesive teamwork, clear dialogue, meticulous script analysis, and the development of comprehensive build bibles are essential to team-based creative projects.

From marketing campaigns to heartwarming animated series like Nickelodeon’s The Tiny Chef Show to immersive worlds in feature films, my work consistently strives for beauty, storytelling, and connection with audiences. I value collaboration and curiosity, and I bring a hands-on approach to turning ideas into tangible sets and visuals that audiences feel a part of.

  • Joined January 2025

Industry experience

  • Media & Entertainment

More experts in Portland, United States

Projects · 15

Work experience· 11 roles

Freelance Illustrator · Self EmployedNov 2024 – Present · 2 yrs 1 mo

Created compelling concept art, visual design and illustration for clients that ranged from international comic book studios such as Dark Horse Comics to animation studios and personal private collections. Work displayed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Portland Art Museum.

Set Dresser · Shadow Machine StudiosJun 2023 – Oct 2024 · 1 yr 5 mos

On-stage, creating compositions and dressing sets for Nickelodeon’s Emmy winning The Tiny Chef Show and Peacock’s In the Know animated television programs. Actively participated in daily creative decision making while keeping in mind the intended audience.

Set Dresser · LAIKA StudiosAug 2022 – Jun 2023 · 11 mos

Headed up visual artistic charge of multiple sets on the stop motion animation feature film, Wildwood. Co-composed shots with the lighting and camera teams by arranging set pieces and elements to create aesthetically beautiful frames. This required an intimate knowledge of composition as well as traditional sculpting, scenic and traditional special effects techniques.

Concept Artist and Set Dresser · Netflix/ShadowMachine (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio)Jan 2022 – Dec 2022 · 1 yr
Assistant Art Director · LAIKA StudiosJan 2019 – Dec 2019 · 1 yr
Assistant Art Director and Head of Set Dressing · LAIKA StudiosMar 2016 – Jul 2018 · 2 yrs 5 mos
Set Dressing and Lead Set Dressing · LAIKA StudiosJan 2011 – Mar 2016 · 5 yrs 3 mos
Compositor - End Title Sequence · Sony AnimationJan 2009 – Dec 2009 · 1 yr

Education

Master of Fine Arts - Experimental Animation Techniques · CalArts (California Institute of the Arts)2005 – 2008
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Illustration · Grand Valley State University1997 – 2001
MFA in Experimental Animation · California Institute of the Arts2030 – 2026
BFA Illustration · Grand Valley State University2030 – 2026

Certifications and awards

Distinguished Alumni in Residence - Grand Valley State University2023

Presented to numerous college classes about production design for animation.

MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, NYC) - "Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio"2022 – 2023

Exhibit included my concept art and my stop motion on-set work.

Portland Art Museum - "Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio"2023

Exhibit included my concept art and my stop motion on-set work. I was also a guest speaker.

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