professor of art, 308.865.8350
The final Senior Art Show in a series this spring at the University of Nebraska at Kearney will highlight work by eight students in the visual communication and design program.
These award-winning students will display graphic design projects, including posters, packaging designs and multimedia projects April 17-May 5. A reception for the designers will take place Friday, April 28, from 4 – 6 p.m. The show will be up through May 5. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Students represented in the senior show are listed below, alphabetically by hometown:
- Joni Cerny is the daughter of John and Julie Cerny of Fremont . Her senior show, comprised of 10 paper and ink pieces, was created to express visually an organic and natural foods company designed for the uninformed consumer.
- Heather Horsley is the daughter of Dan and Joanne Majer of Gibbon . Her show includes 12 works created using paper and ink for a fictitious company, Farm Fresh. She was awarded a bronze AIGA*award in 2004. Horsley plans to work as a graphic artist at Denny’s Contemporary Images after graduation.
- Jared Rawlings is the son of Cecil and Pam Rawlings of Grand Island . His paper and ink works were created to “promote design literacy through visual reflection.” Rawlings has five pieces that will be featured in the senior show.
Of his exhibit, Rawlings said, “Visually expressed through metaphor, 3rd
Eye is meant to intrigue while challenging the viewer’s appreciation and
awareness of design.” Rawlings has won a bronze and a silver UNK Art
Society Student Exhibition award. - Janelle Reed , the daughter of Bernie and Bonnie Reed of Holdrege , will exhibit eight works in the senior show. Her paper and ink pieces represent Tempo Watches, a hypothetical watch company. Her presentation implements a visual look through printed collateral material, package designs and in-store displays.
She said, “The visual theme is based on the concept of life’s pace and the
variety of each moment.”
Reed, who has won a silver ADDY* for poster design, plans to continue
working for SCORR Marketing, a Kearney-based firm, as a graphic
designer.
- Justin Leatherman , the son of Gary and Becky Leatherman of Pawnee City , focused his senior show around a fictitious coffee company called Delight. His exhibit will include posters, an identity system and examples of packaging.
About his senior show, Leatherman said, “Good design solves visual problems. It will look good visually, and further, it will solve a problem that meets the needs of a market.” Among other awards, Leatherman won a silver award in the 2005 Nebraska AIGA* competition, and three gold awards in the 2006 Nebraska ADDY* competition. - Casey Stokes , the son of Steve and Jeanne Stokes of Petersburg , has titled his senior show Spoils of War. The exhibit will include five posters, three postcards, a book and two multimedia projects using paper and ink, as well as digital media. For his past work, Stokes has won a silver ADDY*, a silver AIGA* award, a gold award for the UNK Kappa Pi Student Exhibit and a silver Brass Rings award.
Of his work, Stokes said, “The purpose of this project is to emulate the
harsh reality of war’s devastation and the tribulations that were pressed
upon people living during World War II.”
Stokes also said that his inspiration came from a close friend who was
serving in Iraq over the past year.
After graduation, he plans to work for Daake Design, Inc. in Omaha.
- Steven Valish is the son of Dave and Shirley Valish of Schuyler . He used digital prints for his exhibition in the upcoming senior show. Valish will display a 30-piece timeline, three posters, three postcards and a 10-page pamphlet. His display is titled Charles and Ray Eames: Molding a Lifestyle.
Valish said of his show, “The exhibition is based on the life and work of
the Eameses to inform the general public about their idea of creating a
better world. They molded plywood into contemporary organic forms that
could easily be mass produced.”
Valish has been the recipient of several AIGA* and ADDY* awards. He
has received a silver ADDY at the national level, and also received a silver
award at the UNK Art Society’s Student Exhibition for his work titled
TeaTime Packaging.
Currently, he has several job opportunities he is considering.
- John Deitering is the son of Richard and Joette Deitering of Union . His senior show exhibit includes 10 print pieces for a fictitious company called Vantage Paper Co. Deitering is the recipient of two silver ADDY* awards and a 2004 Brass Rings award.
After graduation, Deitering plans to move back to Omaha to work in the
design field.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF GRAPHIC ARTS (AIGA)
The America Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a professional association for communication design. The Nebraska chapter of AIGA sponsors an annual design competition for practicing artists, designers and students. Each year, the Nebraska AIGA chapter selects three design judges from across the United States to juror the competition.
NEBRASKA FEDERATION OF ADVERTISING ADDY AWARDS
The ADDY awards are sponsored by the Nebraska Federation of Advertising. The annual advertising and design competition is held for practicing advertisers, copywriters, marketing personnel, photographers, illustrators, designers and students. Entries receiving gold awards at the state competition are automatically forwarded to the district competition. Gold awards at the district level are then entered in the national competition in Washington, D.C.
