Ryan Hunter went from playing soccer to building a one-man design studio that now shapes the visual identities of some of San Antonio’s most beloved businesses.
Athlete and artist, influential graphic designer and Trinity alum (‘19), Ryan Hunter carved a distinct path in San Antonio, blending his love for sports with a bold, authentic visual style. Known for designing logos and branding identities for local hotspots like Local Coffee, Curry Boys BBQ and The Newstand, Hunter’s work is reshaping the look and feel of the city’s hospitality and creative scene.
“I often talk about how branding and visual design are the first thing that people see to bring them in,” Hunter said. “If you’re driving down Broadway and you see that badass retro sign, you’ll be like, ‘Oh what is that? That’s a cool logo,’ and then you may look over and see that it’s a really beautifully designed space, and you’re like, ‘Okay, I want to go there.’ It’s a really powerful tool.”
Hunter’s journey started on the soccer field. A passionate player on Trinity’s team, he eventually chose to forgo his extra year of eligibility to dive full-time into his growing freelance design business.
“I always liked art, but I grew up playing sports, and once I decided I wanted to play college soccer, that’s all I did. When I got to Trinity, I hated being on campus 24/7. You know you can easily be trapped there for weeks and never leave. I would bike to coffee shops and before starting homework, I would sketch or draw, just to do something different and focus,” Hunter said. “Eventually, someone asked me to design a T-shirt, and once I got paid for it, I thought, ‘Wait a second, this could be a business.’”
Hunter began working for Bexar Goods while still a student, helping him develop design and marketing skills. The gig introduced him to a “who’s who” of local business owners.
“By the time I started taking design seriously, I already knew a bunch of people who’d want stuff,” Hunter said.
A big break came through a project with San Antonio FC, the city’s professional soccer team. A simple illustration for a jersey release photoshoot snowballed into a season-long brand partnership. Hunter’s art appeared everywhere — from warm-up jerseys and commercials to in-stadium animations.
“That was a fun crossover of my two worlds because I played in that stadium at Trinity,” Hunter said. “They’re great people, great clients and a great team. I hope to work with bigger sports teams in the future.”
His business administration professor, Jacob Tingle, remembered seeing Hunter’s creative potential long before it hit the big city.
“A decision to hang up your cleats before you have to is not easy,” Tingle said. “The reason why I really value this place is the opportunities students have to go down multiple lanes.”
Tingle, who taught Hunter in Leadership for Sport Professionals, recalled an assignment where students wrote and acted out a play. Hunter’s group created a reimagined take on “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” centered around NBA draft pick Zion Williamson.
“Ryan dove in headfirst and fully embraced the liberal arts spirit. It gives me a sense of pride,” Tingle said.
Today, Hunter runs Studio RH, his one-man design studio, creating mostly for hospitality brands. He describes his work as fun, pop-arty and streetwear-influenced.
“A lot of people say it’s simple, but really fun,” Hunter said. “You can easily clutter a design with stuff that doesn’t need to be there. I try to keep things intentional.”
He’s the creative force behind some of San Antonio’s most memorable brand identities, like the rebranding of Local Coffee in the Pearl, one of his first major projects.
“That was a really big deal for me,” Hunter said. “It’s this awesome coffee shop everyone in town knew about, and when I helped rebrand it in 2020, people were like, ‘Whoa, you did that?’ It was an awesome feeling.”
Most recently, Hunter designed the brand identity for The Newstand, a beloved coffee shop and retail space opened by couple Page Pressley and Dez Rodriguez. Their collaboration was effortless.
“Working with Ryan, the naming and logo was easy,” Pressley, former director of operations at the Pearl, said. “He just got it. He understood the vision and what we wanted to express.”
Rodriguez also emphasized how they resonate with Hunter and his work because he is so “authentically himself.”
“He doesn’t try to fit into what everyone else is doing, but he still knows how to support other people’s visions,” Rodriguez said. “That’s why we align with him so well.”
People often come into The Newstand and ask about the logo. “We’re like, ‘Ryan Hunter did it,’” Rodriguez said. “It’s one of those things where people would get the cup, face the logo, walk to the corner of the building and take a picture. That’s when we knew we did something right.”
Despite the growing recognition, Hunter is not chasing agency life.
“People ask where my studio space is and I’m like, ‘It’s right here,’” Hunter said and laughed, pointing to his laptop. “It’s the most informal business on Earth — but it works.”
He hopes to keep growing by collaborating with more sports teams and local businesses.
“There’s so much opportunity in this space, especially now with social media,” Hunter said. “But at the end of the day, I just want to help small businesses succeed and make people smile when they see my work.”
