Three years since the last one, a gathering of the Chicagoland graphic design alum from Bradley University was LONG overdue. This one was bittersweet as it was the final one Professor Robert Rowe (a legend in his own lifetime) was attending before his well earned retirement (don’t worry, I’ll pull him back for some adjunct teaching!)

Venue: Fado’s Irish pub. Chicago.

An evening of wonderful company, as more and more graphic design alum, ranging from the class of 2004, to as recent as the class of 2016, collected, connected, and waxed lyrical about all things Bradley, the art department, London study abroad (a common theme among the group), and the world of Graphic Design, while enjoying a pint… or two of Ireland’s finest beer.

Seeing all these successful, talented individuals doing so well in the industry is all the reward Robert and I need. It is reassuring to know that the Chicago design community has a wealth of Bradley University’s finest making an impact.

Thanks for 18 great years working and teaching together, Robert. You’ve been a mentor to me, helped me to push myself as an educator and designer –  and the person I could take out all of my British sarcasm on!

And Welcome Kim Mitchell. Just hired as the new Robert 2.0. Excited to see her help to take the Graphic Design program at Bradley to the next level.

As always, great fun working with the Chair of the Theater department and the Director of the play.

Here are some of the variations along the way…

Continue reading “Picnic – Final Theatre Production of the season”

If any building on campus needed a little ‘curb appeal’ it was the Heuser Art Center. Now, thanks to some beautiful examples of student work from Photography, Graphic Design, Ceramics, Sculpture and Printmaking, we have something eyecatching to compliment the existing art installations around the building and to distract from some of the cracked brickwork and rusting steel.

…. and the finished piece (at least until the Midwest weather gets the better of it).

Once again, our junior graphic design students were tasked with designing a resumé package, (cover letter, resumé, work ‘teasers’), aimed at one specific person at one specific company. Leap frogging HR – land something, so wonderfully crafted, on the desk of the Creative Director/Studio Manager that they can’t help but respond. Here are a few of the wonderfully varied results…

Continue reading “Resume Package Brief”

https://www.bradley.edu/academic/cio/studyabroad/january/london/

I love the progression an idea takes. This is the initial direction I was going with on the latest theatre production promotional piece…

  

And this is the end piece. Miles apart in style, but similar art direction, and a great process between the two.

Great to have had Mig Reyes as our final Visual Voices guest speaker last week. Really great guy, flying the flag for the Chicago creative community.