B.F.A. Graphic Design

Growing up with an anxiety disorder, I have not always been able to find the proper words to express myself. Art has given me a voice through which no words are needed—only my soul and mind. Using bright bursts of color, I can relate a sense of energy and delight to my audience without ever moving my lips. Likewise, I can use muted tones and contorted figures to express the angst that comes from the human condition. In this way, psychology has played a vital role in my art, especially in my illustrations. When I start a new piece I think, “How do I want my viewer to feel?” From there, I begin drawing thumbnails that translate emotion into physical design elements, such as colors, lines and shapes. Of these thumbnails, I choose one or two specific ideas to further develop. Larger, more refined drawings fill entire pages before they make their way onto my computer screen through means of my scanner. With the aid of my mouse and the program Illustrator, I bring these drawings to life.

For inspiration, I turn to the works of surrealists and expressionists for their portrayal of raw emotion and the juxtaposition of the conscious with the subconscious as these are themes which have always resonated profoundly with me. For more functional pieces, such as logos and branding, I may also conduct research on the competition. Although my media may be less traditional in nature, there is still the common thread that connects all artwork, which is a universal, visual language. To create art, whether through paintbrushes or computers, is to give birth to something new and unseen. For me, this is part of the therapeutic process that art has become in my life. It allows me a chance to escape from the suffocating constraints of reality into a dimension of limitless possibility.

With each piece, this process begins anew. Under ideal conditions, I work in my own space with no one else around. Music from my iPod fills the room as I search my computer for an idea of what to do next. Hundreds of images sit in folders on my hard drive—each waiting for its chance to be a sudden source of inspiration. Over the years, these folders have grown to include anything and everything that catches my attention. From photographs of nature to unique packaging design, I’ve managed to establish a visual library that reflects what I, personally, find aesthetically pleasing. From here, the thumbnails begin to grow. Countless variations fill the pages of my sketchbook as I shuffle to and from critiques. Over time, these tiny, black and white sketches transform into more solid, colorful graphics. It is these pieces, the finished works, which the world gets to see. In revealing them, I am revealing an intimate part of myself. I am allowing the world to see something which is the direct result of my existence. It is through this revealing that I hope to enlighten and inspire my fellow man—so that they, too, may realize that anything is possible so as long as they simply try.