Alumni

Brandon Gunn graduated from BYU empowered to continue exploring and combining multiple personal interests in a powerful way. Rather than pursue a one-dimensional career, he learned he could be an artist, a master printer and a teacher simultaneously. With the strong technical and conceptual foundation provided by his undergraduate education at BYU, Gunn went on to receive an MFA in printmaking at Illinois State University, followed by an intense two-year study of lithography at Tamarind Institute in New Mexico to become a master printer. Gunn described the institute as “really competitive, and the only school like it in the world for printmaking,” so he was excited to receive a letter of acceptance to the eight-person program. “I was over the moon,” Gunn recalled. “The thing I thought I had no chance at was the one I’d gotten.” After teaching printmaking and collaboration for eight years at Concordia University in Quebec and then at Indiana University Bloomington, Gunn was asked to return to Tamarind, where he has served as the education director for three years. In this current capacity, Gunn is responsible for preparing first-year students to become the best printers in the world. Read the full story at art.byu.edu.

“When art does a good job, . . . it makes the world less lonely,” says Leslie Whyte Graff (BS ’96, MS ’01). “It makes it more meaningful.” Many of her generation-spanning images depict women performing domestic tasks. Society today “sees domestic work as something to be avoided, and so people become unhappy—not because the tasks are inherently lacking meaning, but because we hear the message, ‘You shouldn’t like this,’” she notes. Read more at BYU Magazine.

About a decade ago, the ancient form of Japanese woodblock printing was considered by some to be a dying art form — then BYU alumnus Jed Henry came along and shook things up. Henry took a genre of Japanese woodblock printing known as ukiyo-e — which translates into English as 'pictures of the floating world” — and gave it new life by using it to represent his other love: video games. Although Japanese woodblock printing may seem niche, Henry says it is gaining traction. “It’s a growing scene largely because of our efforts to draw attention to this craft, to this medium, through pop culture connections,” he said. Henry’s latest accomplishment is an exhibit in the Harold B. Library Auditorium titled “New Kids on the Block,” which he says is a punny nod to the process of block printing as well as a comment on how he and his business partner, Dave Bull, have “stormed onto the Japanese tradition print making scene.” The exhibit will be up until May 24, 2019. The idea to hold an exhibit at BYU was facilitated by Japanese professor Jack Stoneman, who, according to Henry, thought an exhibit would be a great way to promote Japanese culture on campus. “I’m very grateful for all the hard work and planning that went into making the exhibit look good. I think it was a success,” said Henry. For Henry, the exhibit also represented the first time all of his work has been displayed together. Usually his prints are stored in stacks or in folders in his office and other places. “To have them all up in one place for viewing is a little overwhelming,” said Henry, “I’ve been doing this for seven years now and it’s amazing how much a catalog of pieces can build up over that much time of dedicated, focused work.” The theme of the exhibit is inspired by Henry’s general approach to his work. “I didn’t do any work to match the theme of the exhibit, but rather the exhibit was created to reflect the focus of my work — breathing new life into a traditional medium by combining it with more relevant pop culture references that speak to modern people,” said Henry. As people look through his work, Henry says the experience is like “a guessing game.” “With the pop culture references we use, I think people have a lot of fun trying to recognize this or that video game or this or that movie when it’s veiled in a new light with this traditional Japanese art style,” said Henry. Henry also hopes that individuals who view the exhibit will be inspired to learn more about traditional Japanese printmaking and perhaps even experiment with it on their own. Through his and his business partner’s efforts, many people have been introduced to the art form. Henry says he works with individuals from all over the world, including Brazil, Mexico and the U.K. His work has also paved the way for more diversity in the industry. “A lot of our partners, employees and contractors are women who — as it is with most things in Japanese traditional culture — were traditionally excluded from participation,” said Henry. “They are very talented craftspeople who otherwise might not have been able to have work in the male-dominated arena of Japanese printmaking.” Henry and his partner have created hundreds of jobs in the craft, something Henry says is funny since they’re “an American guy and a Canadian guy.” But Henry’s widespread success may never have happened were it not for his outlook on art. “I always approach my work as a balance between what I want to express as an artist and also what I think customers will want,” said Henry. “Be yourself as an artist and express your true feelings about things through your art — don't be a hack, don't be fake, don't just chase the dollar — but also be your most marketable self.” Approaching art in this manner has allowed Henry to work on art every day and also have a stable economic situation. However, Henry warns that the life of an artist, while enjoyable, is not an easy path. “You have to work harder than most people in life,” said Henry. “The 40-hour work week with three weeks of paid vacation and benefits may not be the life that you get to live, but you can be very successful in the arts if you are willing to approach your work from a 50-50 balance between artistic integrity or emotional expression balanced with creating products that people want to buy, collect or display in their homes.” Henry says this attitude was something he picked up during his time as an undergraduate in BYU’s animation program. He said his animation professors, Kelly Loosli and Brent Adams, didn’t shy away from being realistic with him about what it would take to make it as an artist. “Kelly and Brent really galvanized my work ethic, which has continued to this day,” said Henry. “I work crazy hours and I get up really early in the morning so I can get some work done before my kids get up. I try to have a work-life balance, but I sacrifice sleep and maybe some hobbies. I sacrifice those hours to work on this more because I know what it takes to make a living in the arts.” To learn more about Henry and his work, visit his exhibit or watch his documentary “Art of the Game: Ukiyo-e Heroes.”

Three BYU graduates teamed up to bring their influence to the Provo art scene on Friday, Feb. 1 in the Tiny Art Show. The Tiny Art Show is a community project started by BYU graduate McKay Lenker Bayer that brings miniature art to unique spaces. Since December 2018, the Tiny Art Show has showcased different artists who have an interest in miniature art. Read more here.

Brown’s solo exhibition is currently featured in the A Gallery

“It started with fear,” says Ryan W. Moffett (MA ’05). “Everybody I knew with MS was in a wheelchair.” Moffett, a ceramics teacher at Murray High School, stands in his art studio next to one of his sculptures—a large, ceramic torso and head with minimal details. It’s one of a series that he created in the wake of learning he had multiple sclerosis in 2013. Moffett titled the sculpture Demyelination, after the nervous system–eroding process that occurs with MS. The sculpture is inspired by Bronze Age statues made by island dwellers in the Aegean Sea, but it also departs from the traditional: the top left chunk of the head is cleanly cut away where the brain should be, and a frayed electrical cord protrudes from the right half. Read more here.

Moonbot Studios has drawn praise for an anti-bully short for The Ad Council’s latest campaign, “I Am a Witness” with three graduates from BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications including creative director Jake Wyatt, artist Renee Bates and animator David Wilson. “When The New York Times calls your work 'relevant' and 'adaptive,' you know you're making some savvy career choices,” said Wilson. Already nominated for Best Animated Special Production for the upcoming Annie Awards, the highest award in the animation industry, “I Am a Witness” continues to draw praise. The video, an interactive 2D animated short and the first fully hand-drawn short from the studio, is part of the Ad Council’s new integrated web campaign directed to empower teens. In an article, The New York Times discusses how staying relevant in an overcrowded advertising market is no easy feat for the Ad Council, the first creator of public services announcements in the United States over 70 years ago. The “I Am a Witness” campaign marks a new emphasis to motivate action of significant public issues through digital communication in a social media age. See more at The New York Times

The dream of starting a successful children’s publishing company is finally coming true for BYU graduates Ben Ehlert and Mitch Stevens, as their company, Dreamling Books, prepares to release its first book. The Boy Who Spoke To The Earth is a children’s book written by adventure photographer Chris Burkard and illustrated by Disney interactive artist and alumnus of the illustration program, David McClellan. The story follows a young boy who is on a long and difficult journey to find happiness. With the help of the Earth, the boy travels far and wide as the Earth show him his greatest creations. In the end, the boy discovers that there is happiness all around him and that he just needed to open his eyes. “This is our first book and we couldn’t be more excited about it,” said Stevens. “The Boy Who Spoke To The Earth is very inspirational and has great messages for both kids and adults. It encourages them to explore the outdoors and find joy in the journey.” Dreamling Books | Our Story from Dreamling Books on Vimeo. While studying at BYU, Ehlert and Stevens took Writing for Children and Adolescents from English professor Rick Walton. Professor Walton’s class affected them in such a strong way that they both became passionate about children’s publishing. “If it wasn't for Rick Walton, I never would have let the idea writing stories even become a reality in my mind,” said Stevens. “The first time I ever read one of my stories out loud was in his class, everyone laughed and applauded. I was shocked. But that was the first time I felt accomplished in story writing. It was an amazing feeling that has stuck with me over the years.” Elhert and Stevens’ friendship with Walton and their love for BYU is still strong as Dreamling Books continues to work with both the illustration and editing programs here at BYU. “We have been super lucky to work with the BYU editing and illustration programs,” said Stevens. “We pull many of our interns from both these programs. I know that BYU helped cultivate our dreams while we were here. I think that we are just trying to pass this message along to others.” Dreamling Books is currently running a Kickstarter to help raise funds to publish its first book. To help support Ehlert and Stevens’ cause and get your own copy of The Boy Who Spoke To The Earth visit their page here. The Kickstarter ends on April 3, 2014.

To commemorate the 50 year history of the HFAC, we have selected a few individuals we consider as prophets, founders, friends and alumni of the arts and communications who have either gone from the HFAC into a global arena or have been impacted by our students and faculty. The fourth floor of the HFAC features posters that include quotes from these individuals. We are putting up one poster a week until the gala celebration. Kevin Cantrell CFAC Alumnus (BFA, 2008) Principal of Kevin Cantrell Design I believe there is a third lens we must all have: the lens of conscience or a belief that transcends and guides our design. At the end of the day, making something beautiful isn’t enough. A designer must be guided by a set of values or principles. If the designer chooses to be guided by this lens, or an inner voice of light and truth, then s/he will discover that the Lord can grant him/ her capacities far beyond their normal abilities. Kevin Cantrell is an award-winning graphic designer, branding expert, and alumnus of the Brigham Young University, specializing in typography. Cantrell worked for BYU Magazine as a writer while studying graphic design in the Department of Visual Arts. When he graduated in April 2008, Cantrell was selected to speak at the department’s convocation. After graduating, Cantrell was hired by Hint Creative as an art director. While there, he won several awards for his print design. In 2012, he branched out on his own to create his own company, Kevin Cantrell Design which he did in addition to his continuing duties at Hint Creative. By the summer of 2014, he took it on full-time. Much of Cantrell’s work is religiously themed. In 2013, he produced a Christmas promotion that depicted the true light of Christmas. The artwork was printed on Gruppo Cordenons Moondream paper, which turns translucent upon hot stamping and reinforces the concept of light when backlit. Since starting Kevin Cantrell design, he has earned several other awards and recognitions. In October 2014, the Art Director’s Club awarded him with the Young Guns award which honors promising artists under 30 years old. Additionally, his startup has won three other recognitions in CommArts 2014 Typography Annual. In 2014, Cantrell worked with fellow alumni (and coworkers at Hint Creative) Gloria Pak, Christian Hansen, and Rory Bruggeman to collaborate with the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) exhibition, The Art of Scent, 1889-2012. It was a unique exhibit that elevated scent to the same level of design. Written by: Derek Gurr

Graphic Design alumni Kevin Cantrell (BFA '08) and Arlo Vance (BFA '09) were featured in Communication Arts Typography Annual 5 this month for their 7 Days Series. Cantrell's craftsmanlike nature shines through in his meticulous design details. The Terra poster (above) is third in the series. The text quotes the first few verses in Genesis on the creation. The four corners of the work represent the seasons. Cantrell and Vance bring text and image together with the blossoming type face reading, ' let the earth bring forth.' In the corner representing the transition between summer and fall, the typeface begins to wilt. The 7 Days Series if printed in fourteen versions, including a laster etching on cherrywood. To see more of Cantrell's work click here. for Vance's work, click here. Visit Kevin Cantrell's HFAC 50th profile

Royal Gay Nebeker III, an alumnus of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, died September 6 at the age of 69. He was well known throughout the Pacific Northwest for his talents in visual arts, as well as his contributions as an educator.

Animation is often used to create worlds, people, creatures and places that only exist in an artist’s mind. Animators have also been known to use their vision and technical skills to recreate individuals and places that actually exist. But one recent animation graduate’s senior project took on both roles while restoring a medieval cathedral to its original look. Dennis West, who received his BFA in animation in April 2014, restored the Amiens Cathedral to its former beauty for his senior project. The final product is a video that takes viewers on a tour of the 13th century place of worship. Amiens Cathedral: City of God from Dennis West on Vimeo. West’s education has taken a route that many would consider to be unconventional. Several years ago, he received an associate’s degree in graphic design and worked in that field for years until he was unexpectedly laid off in 2008. After freelancing for a while, he decided to come back to school and get his bachelor’s degree even though he was already more than 40 years old. West says his time spent at BYU the past 3 1/2 years has helped him learn plenty about himself and his capabilities. “If I have enough interest in something, and I learn the technology and skills necessary to do it, I can create whatever I want,” West said. West chose to animate the cathedral even though he wouldn’t be able to visit it in person. The cathedral is well documented and recorded with photos, which allowed him to be accurate in his animation. “It’s the most complete cathedral I could find, and it’s the tallest one still standing that is still in operation,” West said. “But not everything in it is the way it was in the 1300s, so I wanted to create an animated version that made it look like it once did.” Seth Holladay, a BYU professor whose credits include Pixar’s Ratatouille and Up, served as West’s faculty mentor on the project. “Once you get into the industry, it’s more than just being able to do the individual pieces. It’s about how all the different elements work with each other, what order to do them all in, how certain problems are solved and so forth,” Holladay said. “And Dennis’ project helped him to learn a lot of those things.” Holladay noted that West possesses important attributes that will make him successful in his career. “He definitely has a passion for doing 3D animation, and he has a bit of a fascination for historical things,” Holladay said. “I’m glad he was able to bring it to completion. That’s a hard thing to do.” West is grateful for Holladay’s mentoring as well as the resources provided by the CFAC. “A couple of times I hit road blocks,” West said. “But Seth was good at pushing me and steering me in the right direction.”

Recent BYU graphic design graduate Andrew Collin Beck has been featured on Fast Company's design website for his successful re-branding of a travel bookstore in New York City: