Background
The annual MFA catalog showcases the remarkable thesis work produced by graduate students in the University of Tennessee School of Art. In addition to serving as an archive of their artistic achievements, it also serves as a powerful recruitment tool. We proudly share it with other universities, showcasing the quality of our MFA program and inviting aspiring artists to join our academic community.
Project
Previously outsourced, the production of the MFA catalog has transitioned in-house since I started my current role in the School of Art. Each year, I lead this project, collaborating closely with graduate students, photographers, and faculty and staff within the School of Art. My role includes gathering all necessary materials, editing images, designing and laying out the catalog, contributing to the copy, and serving as the liaison with the printers to guarantee the catalog aligns with our intended vision.
Background
ChainFree Knoxville is a grassroots organization dedicated to enhancing the welfare of dogs currently chained up outside by constructing enclosed, fenced-in areas free of charge. They also provide spay/neuter and educational services to the community.
Project
ChainFree Knoxville approached me with a request to design a t-shirt that they could use to raise funds and awareness for their organization during events. The main idea was to include a pitbull, as many dogs the organization helps are pitbulls. They wanted to show pitbulls as joyful and playful companions, countering the common misconception of them being aggressive. To add a local touch to the design, we included a toy resembling the famous Knoxville Sunsphere, which the dog is chewing on. The organization’s name appears on the back of the shirt, encircled by broken chains. As the design is for screenprinting, we limited the color palette to three distinct colors.
Background
The High School Arts Academy is a major promotional and recruitment event hosted by the University of Tennessee School of Art. The event attracts high school students from across the state, providing them with an immersive workshop experience. During this event, students spend the day in the Art + Architecture Building, participating in various classes, engaging with faculty and staff, and gaining firsthand insight into what the School of Art offers.
Project
Our primary objective was to revamp the visual identity of the High School Arts Academy. The previous promotional materials had become outdated and failed to convey the event’s fun and creative nature. To highlight this, I pursued two distinct design directions. The first design featured origami text that I made and photographed, combined with handwritten secondary text. The second design is a lighthearted, hand-drawn illustration with various characters, each representing different aspects of the event. Ultimately, we decided to use both designs effectively. The origami design was used in flyers and across social media, while the illustration found its place as a t-shirt graphic. The School of Art has continued to use these designs.
Background
WUTK is the University of Tennessee’s award-winning student radio station and has been catering to the university and the greater Knoxville community since its inception in 1982.
Project
In celebration of WUTK’s 40th anniversary, they sought 1980s-inspired designs for diverse applications, including t-shirts, signs, stickers, and more. The station wanted to incorporate the same logo they had used during the 1980s into the designs. As a reference to recreate the vintage logo, WUTK provided a photograph of a hand-painted sign featuring the original logo. I presented WUTK with a handful of concepts, and we decided to pursue two of those designs.
Background
Light of the Truth is a student art exhibition hosted by The University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, and Fisk University. Inspired by the words of Ida B. Wells, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them,” this project brings together students and faculty mentors from three distinguished institutions to engage in creative exchange.
Project
My role in this project included creating the visual identity,
as well as the design of multiple posters and web graphics aimed at promoting the event. Beyond the promotional phase, I also contributed to the documentation of the exhibition by assisting in photographing the artwork and editing the images. I then curated and assembled a catalog showcasing a selection of the student work to use both as a record of the exhibition and as a promotional tool to highlight exceptional student work.
Background
Each year, Knoxville-based clothing brand Nothing Too Fancy partners with University of Tennessee athletes and releases t-shirts to appeal to Tennessee sports fans. Through my freelance work with Nothing Too Fancy, I have had the opportunity to work with some prominent student-athletes, such as John Fulkerson and Tyreke Key.
Project
One of the most exciting projects I worked on was a collaboration with John Fulkerson, where we created a design that played on the connection between his nickname, “The Fulk,” and the iconic superhero, “The Hulk.” To achieve this, I created text in The Hulk’s logo style and paired it with an illustration of large arms aggressively dunking a basketball.
Additionally, I have created other basketball-related designs for Nothing Too Fancy. These shirts feature nostalgic, retro-style illustrations, paying homage to classic sports illustrations and subtly referencing the long tradition of Tennessee sports.
Background
To foster community and to welcome back students to a new academic year, the School of Art hosted an evening open-air screening projected on the east end of the Art and Architecture Building. The screening included presentations of work by students and faculty and opportunities to introduce student art organizations and upcoming programming.
Project
To promote the event, I created a custom illustration of the Art + Architecture Building from the location where the event was to be held. I then used this illustration for designs that were used across various platforms, including posters, our website, and social media, ensuring a cohesive and visually engaging promotional campaign.
In addition to the design, I was responsible for setting up and running all the tech for the event, including the projection and sound.
Background
Inspired by the timeless appeal of vintage t-shirts, I founded Garage Door Press as my personal t-shirt brand. The driving philosophy behind the brand is simple: I create the kind of shirts I like to wear, drawing inspiration from the classic aesthetics of vintage t-shirt design. Every step of the process, from design to screenprinting, takes place in the comfort of my home garage.
Project
I aimed to establish a cohesive brand identity that could translate across various applications, including online stores, packaging, and printed tags on the shirts. With Garage Door Press, I am focused on including a handmade sensibility in every aspect while maintaining high professionalism. I believe that every element a customer interacts with should carry that personal touch.
Central to this branding is the logo, an illustration of my garage where I design and print my products. This logo captures the heart of Garage Door Press and underscores the authenticity and craftsmanship behind every shirt I make.
Background
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the School of Art’s communication specialist recognized the need for positivity amidst the flood of unsettling news. To address this, they launched an initiative to create a weekly newsletter featuring uplifting stories about our students and faculty during these challenging times.
Project
For this project, my role was to design the visual identity of the newsletter. I aimed to create something that communicated warmth and optimism. The logo features a cheerful newspaper icon with a friendly and rounded sans-serif font, coupled with a serif font reminiscent of traditional news organizations.
Additionally, I created an accompanying email header illustration that depicted a person sitting comfortably in a chair while reading a newspaper. The simplified line art style used for the chair and adjacent plant maintained a sense of visual lightness, aligning with the newsletter’s uplifting theme.
Background
The School of Art wanted to promote its art courses for non-majors. As a part of this effort, a quarter-page ad was created to be published in the Daily Beacon, the University of Tennessee student newspaper.
Project
My focus in this project was to create an engaging illustration that would complement the information about the School of Art’s courses designed for non-majors. The aim was to emphasize the fun and expressive nature of the classes.
I started with a photograph of a student working alongside two professors, which served as the centerpiece of the design. This photograph symbolizes the collaborative and hands-on nature of the courses. To further emphasize the element of hands-on making, I opted for a collage-style approach that combined the photograph with illustrated elements. The surrounding illustrations resembled doodles, which served as a visual invitation to potential students, conveying that if you enjoy doodling, you’re likely to enjoy courses within the School of Art. Finally, the headline in the design is hand-drawn text that I created.
