Hi, I’m Justin Lee Gilman. I’m a creative director, graphic designer, puppet artist, and musician who loves creating all kinds of things with all kinds of people.

I studied graphic design at MICA and have spent years working across various creative spaces — from global agencies like Leo Burnett to small studios, and eventually running my own design studio, which I founded in 2011. Alongside that, I’ve been lucky enough to tour the world playing in bands, which has shaped a huge part of who I am and how I approach creativity.

Over the years, I’ve acquired a range of new skills on the fly — including illustration, animation, video editing, fabrication, and even film scoring — typically by jumping in and figuring things out as I go.

During lockdown, I started building monster puppets just for fun, and I fell in love with it. That hobby turned into Gilly Goons — a little universe of kids’ music videos and handmade monster puppets you can actually buy. For every puppet sold, I send another to a children’s hospital. It’s become a wide-open space where I can write and record songs, design merchandise, build a website, and bring fuzzy creatures to life.

These days, I freelance as a designer and creative director, make monsters for cool collaborations, and play music in a couple of bands. I strive to remain curious, continue learning, and invest genuine care into everything I create.

If you have a project you'd like to chat about, get in touch!