illustration

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Many BYU professors aren’t just professors; they’re also successful professionals in their respective fields. However, few double as government contractors — but illustration professor Justin Kunz has devoted much of his time to designing America’s coins and medals for more than a decade. Kunz is a member of an elite group of artists that comprise the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program (AIP). Kunz has designed various coins and medals for the U.S. Mint, with one of his recent designs winning the Coin of the Year in the category of Best Gold Coin Award at the 2019 World Money Fair in Berlin. “I was thrilled to see this important coin recognized on an international stage, and thankful all over again to have been part of the process of creating it,” said Kunz. Kunz’s involvement with the U.S. Mint began in 2004. After seeing an advertisement on local TV calling for artists, Kunz sent in a portfolio and a sample coin design. Before long he was in Philadelphia learning the ins and outs of coin, or numismatic, design. Kunz was one of just 18 professionals selected for the program along with six student artists. Kunz said when he was selected for the program he felt like Charlie from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”; his acceptance into the program felt like a “golden ticket.” Other than a hiatus while he was working on an MFA in painting, Kunz has worked with the U.S. Mint ever since his first trip to Philadelphia in 2004. “I have a good working relationship with the Mint,” said Kunz. “They are smart, hard-working people who really care about our country and the artistic quality of our coins and medals. They have always treated me fairly and have helped me grow and improve as an artist.” Kunz’s love for drawing and design is at the core of why he continues to collaborate with the Mint over the years. For him it is a way to apply his skills and interests into a project of national importance. “As part of the process for developing visual ideas, I get to study the events and symbols that are important to the history of our country and compete with other talented designers to help tell those stories,” said Kunz. “It’s really satisfying to hold the finished coin or medal in my hands, rotate it under the light and feel the texture of the relief work on it.” From collaborating with fellow artists to interacting with coin collectors, Kunz has had a lot of special moments during his decade and a half working with the Mint, but he says one of his favorites was the unveiling of the 2017 American Liberty 225th Anniversary Gold Coin. For a few days, the story became a trending topic in all the major media. “I was in Washington D.C. while that was unfolding, just hiding out in my favorite place in the city,” said Kunz. “It was pretty surreal to think a little gold coin could attract so much national attention. It’s been really rewarding to know my work is out there connecting with people.” Kunz’s road to international success has been rooted in the way he approaches his work and life in general. He advises aspiring artists to “Become better than you currently are — but please take it one day at a time. Try to see every situation and assignment as an opportunity to learn and prepare. Not just for a rewarding career, which you can have, but also for a deeply fulfilling life.” For more information about Kunz’s work, visit his page on the U.S. Mint website.

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Grant Hansen originally chose illustration as a major while preparing to go to Medical School, but quickly his plans changed. One thing he enjoys about the illustration major is how it focuses on applying all he has learned. “You can’t get through this major by memorizing the answers to the tests. It’s an industry that demands you actually know your stuff,” Hansen said. While at BYU, Hansen traveled to California with fellow BYU design students. There he started networking with AMD Radeon an organization who later helped fund his senior project. For his senior project, Hansen created and directed a virtual reality version of Jack and The Beanstalk. Hansen worked with several other students from multiple disciplines over eight months to create the final project. Hansen is hopeful their project will spark more interest in virtual reality projects on campus. He hopes he left a legacy of collaboration that other BYU students will follow. “I think that I had some impact on the people I worked with during my time at BYU,” Hansen said. “I hope that I helped reinforce the idea that we can accomplish greater things together than we can alone. That we’re just as free to do as we are to dream.” Wise words to share with others: “If you find, as most of us do, that you are your own greatest limiting factor: stop it.” Teachers that impacted your education: “David Dibble with his ability to squeeze the highest possible quality out of his students. Justin Kunz with his energy, experience and faith in his students to succeed. Bob Barrett with his sage advice, his quotes, his quotes, his quotes, and his excellent instruction. Beth Anne Anderson with her relentless positivity, her love of life and art, and infectious exuberance.” Movie title for your life: “‘What to Do When Lost.’ My life has consisted a lot of figuring out what to do when I don’t know how I’m going to get through a challenge.” Unique superpower you wish you had: “Time manipulation. You could get all your sleep out of the way in seconds, be an incredibly good athlete, be able to undo bad things that happen, get all the answers if I was ever on Jeopardy. That sort of thing.” Most meaningful experience at BYU: “I think I'd have to say the whole process of executing my senior project. It was life-changing. We were mentored by three BYU faculty members who were there to give us help and advice when we asked but generally allowed me to carry the project forward as I saw fit. Bless them.”

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Ashley Smith graduates this April with her BFA in illustration and will speak in the Department of Design convocation. During her time at BYU, Smith set herself apart by taking initiative to be involved. Recently she completed an internship in Salt Lake City with sculptor, Ryan Peterson. Peterson specializes in sculpting life-size Marvel characters, and has worked on numerous other projects in the entertainment industry. As part of this internship, Smith received a generous donation through the Mary Lois Wheatley Scholarship. This money funded her internship and allowed her to pursue sculpture as she otherwise would not have been able to do. After her internship, Smith was able to join professor Bethanne Andersen’s class for a character maquette assignment. She was able to share basic sculpting techniques that she learned during her internship. “After completing my internship, I was able to return to BYU and help other students, which I will always remember as a highlight of my university experience,” Smith said. Aside from her internship, while at BYU, Smith also won several local art contests including one held at The Wall, and another held by BYU Women’s Services. Smith is a native of Germany and lived in japan so she is currently applying for jobs in Japan and Europe. Her current dream job is to design book covers or work in children’s publishing. “For my BFA show I focused on children’s book illustrations,” Smith said. “They were all based on my life experiences, so the project was especially personal to me.” Smith’s convocation message centers on the concept of endings as a type of beginning and the importance of lifelong learning. “When you graduate college, you may feel like it’s the end of something and you could feel the urge to throw away any big dreams you had for yourself that you didn’t accomplish,” Smith said. “We can still accomplish those things. You don’t have to abandon your dreams just because they don’t fit right now.” Smith wishes to thank the many community members who frequently came out to support BYU students. She will miss spending time with her classmates and professors. Click here to the view the graduation live stream.

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Wise fools and fish on leashes. Dragons and dwarves. Boats and beetles. Flying pigs and goblin princesses. The imaginative images of myths, fables and fantasies depicted by James C. Christensen will live on in myriad mediums, despite the death of the artist recognized for his works of fantasy and faith. Christensen, a world-renowned LDS fantasy artist and former BYU art faculty member, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, in Orem after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 74. READ MORE FROM THE DESERET NEWS >>> Former CFAC faculty member passes away James C. Christensen passed away Jan. 8, 2017 at the age of 74 after an ongoing battle with cancer. Born in Culver City, California in 1942, Christensen was a well-known American artist of religious and fantasy art. He studied at Santa Monica College and UCLA, and graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master’s Degree in Art. Christensen is an Honored Alumnus and was a Visual Arts Emeritus Faculty at BYU. He received many awards such as Utah’s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art, the Governor’s Award for Art from the Utah Arts Council, and was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine’s Hall of Fame. Christensen and his wife, Carole, were co-chairs of the Mormon Arts Foundation. BYU illustration professor, Robert Barrett worked closely with Christensen. “Jim Christensen will certainly be missed as a creative contributor to the art world and to our community,” Barrett said. “Prior to his retirement, Jim taught and advised a number of students in the Illustration Program and was an effective teacher and mentor. While on the faculty at BYU, he would frequently visit the Illustration classes and following his retirement would open his studio for visits by the Illustration faculty and students.” Christensen wrote several books including: A Journey of the Imagination: The Art of James Christensen (1994), Voyage of the Basset (1996), and Rhymes and Reasons (1997). His work has been featured in many other books, including A Shakespeare Sketchbook (2001), which he illustrated. “In addition to his fantasy work, Jim contributed his creative energies to temple murals for the Nauvoo and Provo City temples as well as several scripturally based paintings and illustrations, Barrett said. “His impact on BYU and its creative culture as well as on the LDS Church as a whole will continue to be felt for years to come.” Christensen is survived by his wife and five children, two of whom, Cassandra Christensen Barney and Emily Christensen McPhie, are also alumnae of the College of Fine Arts and Communications at BYU and are notable artists.

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BYU illustration professor Justin Kunz has given Lady Liberty a complete makeover while designing a new collectors item coin for the US Mint. The American Liberty 2015 High Relief 24-karat Gold Coin was highly anticipated by coin collectors across the U.S. It features a newly re-imagined Lady Liberty meant to reflect modern sensibilities including increasing cultural diversity. Unlike previous representations, Kunz’s is a woman whose features–from her physicality and dress to the items she is holding–represent an attempt to bring a contemporary sensibility to a traditional American icon. “It was difficult to portray Lady Liberty as a modern figure,” Kunz said, “I studied, sketched and finally, meditated on what Lady Liberty represents. I wanted the idea of her to be a simple visual statement expressed in an elegant way.' 'I wanted her to be recognizable as Liberty. I didn't want to put her in a hoodie.' As you look at the coin, you notice that Kunz’s Lady Liberty has a more rounded face with smaller, less pronounced eyes, nose and ears. Her robes are more fitted with a V-neck. Instead of a crown with spikes representing the seven seas, the modern Lady Liberty is crowned with the laurel leaf representing victory. In her left hand, she holds the staff of an American flag that flows behind her and in her right hand she holds a torch meant to represent freedom. Kunz drew upon his experience as a professional illustrator, developing drawings in graphite based on his rough sketches and photographs of two different models who posed for Liberty. He then scanned the drawings and used 2D graphics software to edit and arrange the images with typography in a circular format. At one point Kunz had Lady Liberty depicted with a drawn sword, though he was concerned reviewers might feel this pose would appear too combative. Fifteen talented artists submitted their designs for the coin and only two were chosen, one for the obverse (front) and one for the reverse (back). The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts reviewed all of the designs and made their recommendations, but ultimately it was up to the treasury secretary to decide which design would be minted on the coin. In the end, the secretary chose Kunz’s design for the obverse where his initials now reside. “It was an exciting experience to listen in on the CCAC’s meeting while they evaluated the designs,” Kunz said, “When they came to my design each member of the committee seemed to understand what I was trying to communicate, which is thrilling for an artist.” Although having his design chosen for the new coin is an honor few artists can say they’ve achieved, it’s not the first time Kunz’s work has won over an audience. Kunz’s designs have been featured on the following coin as well. 2008 Andrew Jackson’s Liberty (reverse) Kunz continues to work with the US Mint designing coins and medals. Next year, in 2016, a new America the Beautiful Quarter designed by Kunz with a depiction of the Shawnee National Forest will become available. It may even end up in your pocket. “It’s such a privilege to work with the US Mint.” Kunz said, “My skills and creativity as an artist have grown while working with them and it’s very rewarding to have my designs seen by thousands of American collectors all over the US.” The new coin, which will be limited to a mintage of 50,000 units, has an official denomination of $100, but is sold for nearly $1500. Initial inventories of the coin were sold out within the first day of its release and it’s on backorder until October. PHOTO CAPTION: Justin Kunz designed the new Lady Liberty on the coin for the US Mint. Photography by: Mark A. Philbrick/BYU. Copyright BYU Photo 2015. All Rights Reserved photo@byu.edu. From BYU News

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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.

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Encompassed by the cold of winter’s night, soldiers on both sides of the line gradually peered beyond their own trenches, captivated by a violinist’s tune of “Silent Night.” One hundred years ago, a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of World War I led to what is now known as the Christmas Truce of 1914. In commemoration of this historic centennial, the work of Brigham Young University Illustration professor Robert T. Barrett has been chosen to bring to life what happened that Christmas as part of a worldwide peace initiative called the Christmas Truce and Flanders Peace Field Project. As part of the initiative, eleven of Barrett’s illustrations have been presented to the mayor and people of Messines, Belgium. “Most people think that the Christmas truce was a small, incidental event,” Barrett said. “But it actually went about two thirds up the militant line, all the way into Germany, France and Belgium. It was a massive showing of Christmas spirit, with Messines as the epicenter.” Having found motivation and meaning from his own family’s relationship with the events surrounding World War I, Barrett encapsulates the sober background of war-torn Europe with the powerful and poignant story of soldiers who laid down their weapons to exchange gifts and special holiday traditions. “If you can make the project personal to you, you will see it reach more people and it will be much more meaningful. My family’s ties to World War I did that for me on these illustrations,” Barrett said. “The thought of a German soldier standing up to play the violin when he could have been shot touched me. That kind of message reaches people.” Barrett first developed the illustrations for a children’s book, “Silent Night, Holy Night,” which includes choral additions from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and narration from Walter Cronkite. “It’s not often that your illustrations have a second life,” he said. The illustrations have since been used for additional harmonious celebrations such as Peace Quest, an organization that seeks to mark the anniversaries of World War I with commemorations that emphasize peace. Soon the eleven original pieces will be permanently installed in the crypt of St. Nicolas Cathedral in Messines, Belgium. It was in the crypt of St. Nicolas that Adolf Hitler recovered from wounds he received at the “Bethlehem Farm,” a farmhouse that continues to stand erect in Messines. Although he was based in Messines at the time, Hitler refused to take part in the spontaneous Christmas truce because he considered it dishonorable. Don Mullan, the force behind the Christmas Truce and Flanders Peace Field Project, said about the history and hope of Messines, “We intend to make Messines the antithesis of all that Hitler represented. And, as we remember World War I, commemorate peace.” Barrett hopes this project will illustrate the truce for what it really was, an epoch of peace in a time of war, inspired by a sense of common humanity and the Christmas spirit.

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A BYU illustration student’s work is helping to showcase the program as one that challenges, strengthens, and provides students with a context that allows them to develop a personal voice. Miranda Meeks credits her soon-to-be alma mater as the springboard for her recent success. Since coming to BYU, she has worked with clients like Popshot Magazine, Spirituality & Heath Magazine, Diesel Apparel and Issimo Productions. “The art program here at BYU is so inspiring! It gives us more to work with than what traditional art schools offer because of the interactions with other majors and programs,” Meeks said. “The spiritual aspect of the school has also helped me view my art differently.” Meeks’ art has been featured and honored in a number of different exhibitions over the past two years. In fall 2014 she participated in Light Grey Art Lab’s Skate or Die exhibition in Minneapolis, MN. At the same time, two of her works were included in Gauntlet Gallery's Digital Renaissance exhibit, and another piece featured in a front-page linked article on ConceptArtWorld.com in April 2014. In 2013 her piece, The Gardener was selected by a panel to be printed in American Illustration 32, a national competition selecting only 369 of 8,742 entries to be included in the hardcover annual published worldwide, with winning works also appearing on The Archive at ai-ap.com. When asked how she balances school, work and being a mom, Meeks encouraged persistence. “It gets hard trying to balance work and life, but if you just keep working at it things will pick up,” Meeks said. “For me, it helps not trying to be all things at the same time. When I’m working, that’s what I’m doing. When my girl’s awake, then I’m being a mom.” Meeks’ work contains soft and detailed drawings, beautiful images, and subjects of mystery, growth, and transformation. Owing much of her inspiration to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, she hopes that others will be able to recognize the beauty behind mystery. After graduation Meeks plans to continue her career as an illustrator, in addition to being a wife and mother.

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Interview by Nicole Vance of the Department of Visual Arts This month, Andrew Zundel, an Illustrator student and Wheatly scholarship recipient, answered questions about his experiences in New York City. How did you find your your work with Peter de Seve and your weekend work helping at Brooklyn galleries? Honestly it is all about putting yourself out there. Bethanne Andersen asked me in an internship meeting last December who I would like to work with, and when I told her Peter de Seve. We called him right up and asked. As for my work with the gallery, I contacted everyone I knew in New York asking for advice about city living and work experience, and gallery director and non-profit founder Jason Andrew generously offered to mentor me through several projects and events in his art circles. What is it like working for one of your favorite illustrators? Typical days working with Peter are very exciting, enriching and inspiring. There are some simple chores I perform, like organizing artwork and filing it, but that has been very enriching and inspiring on its own. Peter also has me scan in current drawings and characters he is working on, cleaning up the images in photoshop and tweaking some of the levels to punch out the color and contrast, and then get them ready to send to the different studios he is working for. And then I would get to sit down and have lunch with him, picking his brain about obstacles and triumphs that have shaped his career, ideas he has for me to strengthen my work, and just hilarious occurrences that he has come across as a professional. What is it like working in NYC galleries? As for working with Jason Andrew, I have been plunged headlong into the fine art world. On a typical day I sit in one of his galleries, helping people who come in learn about the shows going on, and occasionally selling artwork and catalogs. I was also put in charge of running all of their social media accounts; updating Twitter feeds, Facebook accounts, and their websites; adding new subscribers to their mailing list, and keeping orders and requests organized. I also have been helping in collaboration books between artists and authors. They give me their respective work, images, poetry, or literary works, and I work with them to create layouts for their books. What is your favorite part of living in NYC? Honestly it’s the food. Any delectable flavor, style, ethnicity, or quantity of food you like can be found. And it’s everywhere! Also I love the museums! There are so many, and they are all stuffed full of outrageously awesome stuff. If there is ever a time you feel uninspired, or are in a creative rut, a couple hours in any of the museums here can spark the imagination and fill you with great ideas.