I was born in Poland in 1970, a time when the country was under the grip of the Soviet regime. It was also the year of the first major civil unrest—an early spark of the movement that would eventually bring freedom. I grew up between two small towns in southern Poland, splitting my time between my parents’ and grandparents’ homes.

From an early age, I was fascinated by art and music, spending hours drawing and creating sounds on any instrument I could find. At the same time, I was endlessly curious about how the world worked. I devoured science books on physics and biology and watched every science program on TV I could find.

When I was eight, I saw Star Wars for the first time, and my imagination exploded with visions of science fiction. Around the same time, I read Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Däniken, a book that shifted my worldview forever. I loved comics, spaceships, and monsters, filling sketchbooks with my creations. By the end of primary school, I was also drawn to the rebellious energy of punk music, all while facing the choice of what to do with my life.

At first, I considered becoming a coal miner—high pay and a simple life had its appeal. But after winning several art competitions, including an international UNESCO award, my teachers encouraged me to pursue art. At the same time, I was training in judo and even defeated a young champion, which led coaches to push me toward a sports career. In the end, I chose art.

Getting into art school was no small feat. At 14, I had to present a portfolio, pass oral exams in art history, and then complete practical tests in drawing, painting, math, and literature—competing against three candidates for every available spot. I passed with ease.

For five years, I immersed myself in an intense curriculum, mastering drawing, painting, etching, sculpture, typography, industrial design, screen printing, fabric design, architectural drafting, and more. Living in the student dorms surrounded by musicians and artists, I picked up guitar and learned basic music theory—sharing space with peers who would later become well-known names in their fields.

After graduation, I failed to get into the university, but I wasn’t disappointed. A new era was emerging: computer graphics. There were no schools teaching it yet, so I worked hard doing signage, murals, and art commissions to save for a computer. My dream was a Macintosh—at the time, outrageously expensive. Eventually, I bought one and launched into desktop publishing, designing brochures, posters, newspapers, and packaging. I quickly attracted clients and built a full-service advertising agency, complete with cutting plotters, printers, and soon, website development capabilities.

I expanded into studio photography with Bowens lighting, Mamiya and Toyo cameras, and later ventured into video production with one of Europe’s first Canon XL1 digital video cameras. I embraced motion graphics using Premiere and After Effects, while diving into 3D design with StrataVision, 3D Studio Max, and ultimately Cinema 4D on the Mac platform. Music production followed naturally, leading me to Logic Pro long before Apple acquired it.

In the early 2000s, I needed a change of scenery and moved to Mexico, where I worked as a tour guide for a year, learning Spanish and falling in love with Mexican culture and history. Soon after, I freelanced for MTV Latin America and TV Azteca, then joined a company producing in-store television ads for major retailers. A few months later, I was hired by McCann Erickson as a Creative Director, working on campaigns for Coca-Cola and Nestlé.

In 2003, I moved to the U.S., joining a Sacramento-based brand identity firm before transitioning to web development roles in Silicon Valley for the leisure industry. Eventually, I landed my dream job in the gaming industry with Cryptic Studios. Since then, I’ve collaborated with numerous game studios, tech companies, and global brands as an art director, designer, consultant, and multimedia producer—creating websites, apps, CRMs, ERPs, video content, ads, 3D animations, and immersive digital experiences.

Over the years, I’ve worked on countless projects across design, branding, UI/UX, 3D, video, and marketing—too many to list here. But every piece shares a common thread: creativity fueled by curiosity, and the drive to craft something exceptional.

Bio