Bonjour, Bonauro

I'm like a space station," explains graphic artist Tom iBonauro. ''Whoever drops in I'll entertain." Among those who have recently popped into his San Francisco design lab are director Gus Van Sant, MTV's House of Style, and ubiquitous fashion hipster Todd Oldham. But Bonauro does not just proffer tea and cookies—he often collaborates with his guests on cutting-edge projects. The 38-year-old artiste created Oldham's crown logo, shot films of his runway shows, and will act as creative director for Oldham's eponymous new fragrance line, to be launched this summer. For Van Sant, Bonauro filmed a live-action logo treatment and crafted the title sequence for the director's latest film, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. And House of Style fans will recognize Bonauro's artistic touch in the program-identification clips.

The native Californian is unfazed by his high-profile clientele. ''The easiest approach is the best approach," he says modestly. Bonauro embarks on creating his trademark dreamy images with sketches and loose ideas; he then collects a mix of found images, commissioned photographs, and sublime atmosphere graphics, finally employing hightech computer maneuvering to blend it all together.

Currently, he is creating a line of ultracool greeting cards and is putting together a book, Before Before. His work is in the permanent collection of graphic design at San Francisco's Museum of Modem Art, and his package designs were included in the Walker Art Center's "Graphic Design in America" show. Quite an entertainer.

PETER DAVID