Monday, April 27, 2015

Parkland College Graphic Design Student Show



Graphic Design Student Juried Exhibition 2015
Mon, May 11 - Thur, Jun 4, 2015 
View works in print, web, animation, motion design; includes May 13 reception and May 14 gallery talk 
Parkland College Graphic Design Student Juried Exhibition
May 11 through June 4, Giertz Gallery at Parkland College
Reception: Wednesday, May 13, 6-8 p.m., with Award Ceremony at 7 p.m. and Music by Ms. M and the Jokers, gallery lounge
Related Gallery Talk: “Becoming a Successful Graphic Designer” by Dan Wild, Thursday, May 14, 11 a.m.


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The Parkland College Graphic Design Student Juried Exhibition will be on display at the Giertz Gallery Monday, May 11 through Thursday, June 4. A reception honoring the students will be held Wednesday, May 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gallery lounge with an awards ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. 

As with all events in the handicapped-accessible gallery, the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

The juried exhibit highlights work completed by students in the current academic year, beginning with summer 2014. Jury members include Graphic Design faculty and local industry professionals who generously volunteer their time. This year’s judges are Kurt Bielema, creative director at Single Stereo, and Matt Cho, owner and founder of [co][lab], an experimental collaboration and coworking space in Urbana.

Works in the exhibit highlight creative solutions to design problems students encounter throughout the year, challenges requiring traditional print media, website design, animation and motion graphics. These portfolio samples of projects completed in Graphic Design studio classes may include logos, branding, packaging, menus, books, publications, posters, brochures, websites, video, animation, and film title sequences, among other designed materials.

“As print continues its decline, graphic designers are embracing digital media now more so than ever,” said Graphic Design Program Director Paul Young. “In this exhibit, expect to see more websites, more web animation, more motion graphics. However, traditional print cannot be ignored either. This year, we have more publication design than before and you'll see some great examples of creative typography.

“Despite the constant change of technology, the principles of good design do not change,” Young said. “Today's designers still embrace simplicity, clarity, unity and a good creative concept at the core. The result is creative visual communication that seeks to inform, entertain and persuade. The energy, passion and creativity of our students are reflected in this juried show.”

During the May 13 reception, an awards ceremony honoring 2015 Graphic Design student achievements will take place at 7 p.m. A number of monetary awards will be given at that time, presented by Young. Because local clients often contribute funds for these awards and the students often design for real-world clients, this exhibit also highlights service learning, an important element of Parkland's Graphic Design curriculum. Monetary awards include the Dr. David M. and Shirley A. Jones Student Art Award for a work of outstanding artistic achievement; the Graphic Design Best of Show Award; the Fine and Applied Arts Department Chair Award; Graphic Design Program Director’s Award, and the President's Award for Excellence. Other awards of excellence provided by clients and supporters of the Design program include those from Electric Pictures, Surface 51, Studio 2D Design Strategy, Six Demon Studio, The Heartland Science and Technology Group, [co][lab], Golfview Village, CUDO and Brian Sullivan.

To coincide with the exhibition, a gallery talk titled “Becoming a Successful Graphic Designer” has been scheduled for Thursday, May 14 at 11 a.m. featuring Dan Wild, Parkland illustration instructor and freelance designer. A published illustrator, award winning designer, and caricaturist with more than 15 years of experience in the fields of advertising, marketing and commercial art, Wild will discuss life as a creative professional drawn from personal experiences.

“In today's competitive environment, persistence, diversification and specialization all come into play, whether you are a recent grad or a seasoned professional,” Wild said.

Parkland Art Gallery summer hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The gallery will be closed May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. To find the Gallery when classes are in session, use the M parking lots, enter through any door, and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point, where the gallery is located.

This exhibit is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. For more information, call Parkland Art Gallery Office at 217/351-2485 or visit
www.parkland.edu/gallery