Students Graduating from the Illustration, Industrial Design and Graphic Design Programs Showcase Their Final Projects in Galleries Across West Campus
The close of winter semester brings a new batch of capstone exhibitions from the Department of Design. Students from the industrial design, illustration and graphic design programs showcased their final projects across West Campus and hosted friends, family, faculty and alumni in an opening reception.
Their projects ranged from clothing to comics and furniture to children’s books. The students showcased their work — a cumulation of their design education — and aimed their sights on future careers as designers. They also shared their best advice for those entering design programs.
Did you miss the capstone receptions? Explore a small selection of the student projects below.
Illustration
Rachel Jensen’s “A Silent Song” is an aquatic themed comic about a mute siren who is on a quest to find her voice and live on land. “My love for comics comes from my passion for storytelling; there is something about the way comics blend art and narrative that really speaks to me.”
Jaymie Johnson was inspired by her eight-year-old cousin who has a deep love for outrigger vehicles. After he asked her to draw one for him, Johnson decided to create a “moveable board book for the young truck enthusiast. I made the book in honor of that enthusiasm as an interactive celebration of the little things adults tend to take for granted,” she said.
“After graduation, I want to find a way to independently publish ‘Trucks at Work,’ as well as break out into the board book industry,” Johnson said. “The Department of Design has helped me to build a portfolio and given me the building blocks to continue artistic education.”
Industrial Design
Student Jeremy Rhees drew inspiration from his chromesthesia (the ability to see music as colors) to design a car. Listening to classical music, he let the music guide his pencil as he sketched out a design for a car. Now that he has graduated from the industrial design program, Rhees hopes to attend graduate school for transportation design.
Ivonne Hilton noticed how quickly children grow out of clothing and decided to use her industrial design skills to take action. She designed several pieces of clothing that had the ability to grow as the child grew. Her designs featured dresses with snaps to raise the hem and pants that zipped into shorts.
Likewise influenced by childhood memories, Clara Swenson's capstone project was creating a bottle rocket launcher. Her rocket, “Chuck,” was inspired by a family tradition and her desire to expand her manufacturing and metalworking skills.
Alumni came to support and offer internships to graduating students, including industrial designer Ben Clements. Clements advises students to not be “too picky” when choosing their first design job but to focus on their strengths. “Think about what you like to do with design and find a group that needs that skill,” he said.
Design alum Wade Hoover was particularly impressed by Sarah Gardner who not only created products for her capstone but was selling them at the reception. Her company, Peruse, creates products such as coasters and birdfeeders inspired by historic artists. “She is creating a product to sell, and it's really smart,” said Hoover. “I think designers are always thinking of launching their own product, but she really went for it.”
Hoover remembers that when he was a student, design professor David Morgan emphasized the importance of community. “He always said that no matter what happens you have a group of people that have done it before and think the same way as you,” Hoover said. “Just keep trying and being patient, and it will work out.”
Graphic Design
Brett Hilton’s graphic design capstone, “The Innovation,” was inspired by modernization and the rise of AI. “We are all dealing with disruption in our industry. As I researched, I realized that people throughout history have always been dealing with this disruption. Every major innovation in the type industry has sparked a variety of familiar reactions — from glowing praise to fierce condemnation, and everything in between.” He represented various reactions to change through experimental typography. He views it as a “meditation on how we are responding to AI.”
Graphic design grad Kayden Hadley photographed nine individuals who live in very expressive spaces. “I believe that when we go into a space, it should be an expression of who we are, a portrait or snapshot of our identity.” When asked what advice she has for graphic design students, she said, “Take advantage of all the resources that you can get here and explore everything. You never know what is going to click and take your design to the next level.”
Photo- and Lens-Based Design
A week prior to the illustration, industrial design and graphic design BFA capstone shows, gallery 1313 at West Campus was occupied by photo- and lens-based design capstone projects. Three graduating seniors displayed their collections and hosted an opening reception to friends and family.
Mia Watson drew inspiration from her background in dance for her project. Her exhibition comes three years after she ended nearly 20 years of ballet training and attempts to encapsulate her experiences through a series of black and white photos. “In collaboration with these dancers, I explored their struggles, triumphs and reasons for continuing,” Watson said. “Through my photographs, I hope to convey the complexities of dance — the hardships and rewards — and why dancers persist despite the challenges.”
Recent world events inspired Kennedy Mann’s photographic project. She examined what it means to seek safety and how difficult it can be for people to start over in a new place once they have been forced to leave their homes. Through her capstone, “Far From Home, Close to Home,” she hopes to raise awareness about the experiences of refugees. She observed, interviewed and photographed people at the Utah Valley Refugee Center. “I have witnessed firsthand the dedication and resilience of those working to build a life here,” Mann said. “Through my photos, I hope to make people think about how hard it must be to rebuild a life in a foreign place while dealing with language barriers, cultural differences and other challenges.”
Milan Presley Curtis focused her photographs on hands. “I see hands as the most expressive part of the human body,” she said. “The inner world is expressed through how we touch the external world, and the observation of this by those closest to us is what defines identity.”
Curtis found that through intimately studying and photographing the hands of her loved ones, she was able to gain a greater understanding of their identity and her own.