Paige believes that the beauty of design is its expansiveness. Photography, illustration, typography—whatever it is, the elements weave together seamlessly to speak volumes. "Nothing is forbidden to me. I have no qualms about using materials that aren't typically the first go-to." Paige is a certified connoisseur of bad (excellent) rap music, cupcakes, and jorts. She even runs her own cupcake business (Berry Delicious Cupcakes), sings, and skates.
Everything has a story to it. For example, Bitsy's nickname came from a framed piece of needlework that her grandmother had, which talks about how much a little teeny tiny bit of goodness can permeate the greater whole. Her quirky illustrative style has a personality that packs quite a punch. Bitsy loves the following: Taters (her cat), clovers, cartoons, donuts, mojitos and things that don't make sense. It's the neato little bits that make the whole darn thing shine.
LONG LIVE KING BITSY!
If Nicole was challenged to get people psyched about anything, she would succeed with flying colors. Graphic design has revealed to her an expanding galaxy of complexities, but it has conversely taught her the value of simply pausing to see the greater whole. Nicole has a penchant for video games, falsifying the history of computers, robots, and movie magic. It took her twenty minutes to untangle all the wires, and it probably would have taken longer if she hadn't paused to see the greater whole.
Caitlin grew up loving to draw and admiring her dad's old records and CDs, and this gradually led her down the path of graphic design. Her work incorporates an elegant flux of hand-drawn and digital qualities. It is in Caitlin's nature to show honesty in her work. And we aren't kidding when we say that she is a dog whisperer. All she has to do is look into the eyes of a dog and they mellow out. Sometimes, it even works with people! "Dogs are the holy grail of awesome."
Constructive problem-solving is a skill that is difficult to measure, but Taylor has a knack for bringing that talent into his design. His work seamlessly merges a deep understanding of the past with ideals of the present to bring forward unique perspectives. "Design allows me to explore and expand my own mind." Taylor has a love for fine scotch whisky, Adrian Frutiger, and Din.
Rachel is uncertain if she could bear a life without peanut-butter. But even if the world was out of peanut butter tomorrow, she hopes that sustainability and power will endure in her work. Rachel enjoys things with a handmade, tangible aesthetic and she hopes that while the footprint is small, her work will have a large positive impact on the lives of others. Her interest is people, and people are the center of her work.
Sean is hungry. So very, very hungry. He is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of fine design and deli cuts. "My work is a meatlovers veggie club spinach wrap on a bun. I try and do it all, keep it fresh, and make it delicious. But you can't take sandwich-building too seriously because at the end of the day it's only lunch." Delicious.
Diana had her start in scrapbooking back before the boom. She has been all over the world, almost too many amazing experiences to scrapbook about. Through her experience in graphic design, she has learned to better understand how she externalizes stories and memories, and how that work interweaves back into creating new life experiences and perspectives. Life is a journey and Diana has all sorts of amazing stories to tell. "I am an open person and want my work to represent that warmth and authenticity."
Ever since she was merely a youngling, Brooke was utterly mystified the computer. When she approaches a project, she delves deeper than personal experience to reach the broader audience. "It's tough work, but I love getting wrapped up in a project and being excited about the subject of my work." When she graduated from UT, she was but the learner. Now she is the master. But, you know… The graphic design circle is never complete. There is learning after this, too. She's even learning to speak Wookie. Give that girl some credit.
If you ever doubted Haley's awesome-level, then you need to also realize that she used to have a pet hawk. Just let that sink in. Despite questions we have regarding the legality of this exotic creature as a sidekick, it is certifiably awesome…sort of like Haley's design work! She started out in painting and drawing, but enjoyed the level of focus and psychology behind the communication aspect of design. "Jack and coke is my drink of choice and I love puzzles."
Since the not-so-innocent age of six, Amy has been making artwork with an ambitious career in mind. Graphic design challenges her to think in practical terms, and she strives to imbue her work with the same spirited sense of passion that she has for making it. There is nothing more rewarding to her than seeing through the completion of big projects. Her ambition often ends up placing her in a leadership role. Did we mention that she loves to skateboard? Even that is an understatement.
Questions and solutions are what drew Jaclyn into the realm of design. Jaclyn is really fascinated by information visualization, vibrant color, and typography, and often finds spectacular ways to convey information that may have not been considered before. She is a true blue people-lover and has enjoyed her experiences working in the design firm environment. "Don't get me wrong, someone's work will get him/her places, no doubt. But in my opinion, the connections you make with people, and the people you meet are far more important."
Jacob is one of those dangerous guys who speaks his mind honestly and with heart. Jacob finds that design has made him more perceptive in the functionalities of communication, without losing the introspective aspects of fine art. For Jacob, visual and physical tactility are key and he loves to work with paper. His work can convey a reassuring atmosphere, but he is also a master at creating work that dares you to take risks. "Something about physically cutting out my visuals is so satisfying."
Tommi is the soft-spoken gentle spirit of the class, unless she has that ukulele with her. But we are merely kidding. Tommi hails from a teeny-tiny Tennessee town with a big heart. Tommi's design work tends to lean toward easily definable structures and aesthetic, although she says that her favorite work generally has more delicate qualities. She has an acute eye for details and enjoys linguistic and visual patterns. Tommi also has a special place in her heart for the culture of Appalachia, kittens, singing, poetry, and knitting. You guys!
A cloud of mystery and intrigue surrounds Simon. We are certain that he is some kind of cyborg from the distant future. Simon fondly recalls his cybernetic youth, when he was first exposed to Adobe Photoshop and the idea of vectors and filters. Life was never the same for him again, but he insists that it changed in a good way. His aesthetic value tends toward a clean and minimalist appearance, with a love of Bauhaus and Swiss design. "With my design sensibilities, I often find myself easily crossing platforms into print, web, 4D, and other mediums."
Sara's destiny began early: Sara's dad is a graphic designer and he's also responsible for taking Sara to her first UT football game when she was two weeks old. She has a clear sense of methodology in her work and doesn't let herself linger too long on any one idea in order to keep things fresh. Things shouldn't have to be so complicated, people. "Don't think twice."
First, it was engineering, then it was architecture, but graphic design and Harrison go together better than spots on an Appaloosa. He is certain that of all the starving artists out there, graphic designers are the least starving artists. But he wouldn't have it any other way because he loves solving complex conceptual riddles visually, and he has quite a knack for it. His work is mostly in motion graphics, video, and humor. "One should take their work more seriously than they take themselves." Well said.
Anna's interest in design began in high school with magazine layouts and book covers. She has a unique flair in her typographic experimentation. She loves to work fast and have fun, putting a lot of energy into whatever she does in order to learn as much as possible. "Graphic design seemed like the perfect fit--I can work and play!" Her current favorite font is ropa sans, her love of magazines is eternal, and she aspires to be Liz Lemon, but who wouldn't?
