Faculty Presentations

Tuan Phan

Tuan makes a lot of things for other people. I’ve heard the term “passion projects” a lot and it seems like all of these design gifts that he makes are a way to keep his design brain going while still doing his job – teaching us. It’s really cool to see the kind of work that he makes, especially because I know that he has a really good understanding of the principles he’s teaching. I feel like designers usually get further away from the basics as they progress in their career, but Tuan is reminded of them every day when he teaches them to us.

Hollis Hammonds

Hollis’s interpretation of memory is really interesting. I loved getting to know her better by seeing her incredibly personal work. I feel like she shows so much more through her art than the small teases she has let out through the semester. Hollis plays a game with her students where she says completely outrages things about her self and then moves on like she didn’t say anything. I feel like I’ve been trying to piece together Hollis and decipher what she means when she divulges small bits of information about her personal life. It’s very interesting to see the artwork of my professor because it gives me a clearer idea of who she is as a person.

Bill Kennedy

Bill made it big in his field and had to look further to find something fulfilling. He was successful and still is, but now – after a lot of searching – he’s found something that he enjoys doing. I really love Bill’s images of the Southwest. I grew up visiting my grandmother in Santa Fe three or four times a year and even though his images are manipulated to the extreme, I could still feel the area in his work. It was really cool to see his work evolve into something that really makes him happy.

Five Year Plan

On a Saturday morning, I attended a portfolio workshop at St. Edward’s put on by the AIGA. I was easily the youngest one there by almost three years. I realized that the focus of the workshop was on students getting ready to enter the field of design, exactly where I will be in a few years. I learned so much, but a few things really stuck out…

• keep a record of your work
• consider PROCESS when showing your work
• learn how to communicate verbally
• find a mentor
• IDEAS > AESTHETICS