Protect The Vote, Always

Last night Nebraskans for Civic Reform hosted Jason Kander of Let America Vote at Love’s Jazz & Arts Center. An art and activism rally event to raise awareness and support to protect the right to vote in Nebraska.

That means no to any voter ID bill, no to closing down of polling places, no to messing with the right of students to vote, and on and on. Basically it comes down to this. One party is cheating. And the people, ALL people, are fighting back to make sure our democratic process is protected and ALL people are allowed to vote. No tricks, no obstacles, no more cheating.

The art side of the evening took the form of a small collection of posters designed to highlight various barriers to voting in our state; felon disenfranchisement, gerrymandering, voter ID, etc. Posters were designed by Kelsey Scofield, Matt Carlson, Jessica Smolinksi, Jesse Harding, Oxide Design Co., and myself. I did two posters because few things piss me off more than cheating people out of their constitutional right to vote. All money raised from poster sales goes to  Nebraskans for Civic Reform and their efforts to protect the voting rights of all citizens in our state.

Text VRA to 31996 to get involved. 

Voter fraud is not a thing.

View the posters here.

Stand Up For Justice: The Book

Graphic design from the annual poster show organized by Justin Kemerling & Nic Swiercek

I’m very excited to share the culmination of a 6 year project. My time as organizer on the design side of the Nebraska Appleseed poster show now exists in book form:

From 2011 to 2016, Nebraska Appleseed hosted a social justice poster show. 62 posters in all, the designs are powerful tools for advocating for equal justice and opportunity for all. As a collection, the posters represent a hopeful view of what we can all do when we work together.

In 2011, when Nic Swiercek approached me about using poster design to help raise money for his nonprofit, I was certainly into the idea. Now looking back on six years of design work, spread over 148 pages, the end result is better than what we were hoping for at the outset.

As a project, it has allowed designers in the community to use their powers for the forces of good. Unveiled every year at Appleseed’s Good Apple Awards, it excited supporters as well as nonprofit leaders. It visually told the story of this organization and helped them raise money to support their very important work. And as a small-scale project, as an example of graphic design at its best, it can be replicated for years to come. Not only at Nebraska Appleseed, but with any nonprofit in the country who is into the idea.  

The poster show continues on, now organized by Colleen Syron. The designs this year were stellar and can be purchased online, including all past years, if still in stock.

We did try to get the book legitimately published with the help of Kendra Galante of Ervin & Smith. But alas, no luck. It’s available on Blurb with a hefty price tag. (Some of these discounts help a bit.)

Many, many thanks to all the designers who have donated their time and talent over the years. Their contributions make this book something very special.

Project Study »

The Dundee

As of December 1st, 2017, the Dundee Theater is once again, fully operational. And then some. Right at 50th & Dodge in midtown Omaha, the beautifully restored theater is ready to show more fantastic programming from Film Streams, serve food from Kitchen Table, and anchor a neighborhood already home to some notable tenants. Cupcake anyone?  

The project for me began in the summer of 2016 and it’s now coming to a close. Oh what a ride it’s been. Led by Film Streams and The Sherwood Foundation, working with Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, Project Advocates, Lund-Ross, ASI Signage, and Wags Sign Co., the graphic design work included all signage, both inside and out. From the new marquee on Dodge all the way down to the tiny labels in the bookstore. Neon sign? Yep. Magnetic letters for programming? Of course. Tenant signage for the entire site? You know it. Throw in a silhouette of a ladder and a red balloon and there you go.

All in all, I’m extremely proud of this one. The theater itself is 92 years old. This latest manifestation created by the visionary architects of Alley Poyner Macchietto sets the stage for at least another 92. 

Here’s to another century of art films, independents, classics, documentaries, and definitely cartoons. Huge congrats to Rachel, Casey, Patrick, and the rest of the Film Streams staff. Because of them, the city has another gem in its cultural landscape.

Want to go to the movies?

Case Study »

Add Your Voice

Everyone has a story to tell. Every community is a place of experiences worth sharing. Part of The Landscape data + people project from the Omaha Community Foundation, the VOICES microsite is a place for people to share some of their experiences online. There are five questions from members of the community currently being asked. All you have to do is visit the site and share your story.

Add Your Voice »

SHOW me your design awards

The organization is Nebraska’s chapter of AIGA. The event is called SHOW. The purpose is to celebrate the best design the state has to offer. And in 2017, it all went down at KANEKO. It was pretty neat. The judges were particularly good this year. The talks they gave before opening the winners exhibition were well-timed for the moment. Way better than the standard fare of I’m a designer and this is my design work.

Jessica Arana recently launched Across Borders: A Look at the Work of Latinx Designers. She has a background in cultural studies, art, social justice, education, and activism. Her talk was on the importance of storytelling and pulling together the pieces of your particular story. In her case, being both Mexican and American and being able to to re-imagine and rewrite the personal and the cultural. From the pink kitchen walls of her grandmother’s home in Mexico to the way her father dreamed with a chicken on his head. More on Reveling Borderland Identities.

Robyn Kanner had the best punk rock intro to an AIGA talk ever. She co-founded MyTransHealth, said bathroom signs are not enough, and asked designers to show the fuck up. (Posters are also not enough.) Yes, the election made us all want to cry and flying into Omaha means being on flights with people who are definitely not bored with trans people. Are you ready to get to work and give money to black trans women? Read more in TGD.

Timothy Hykes co-founded the Design + Diversity conference in St. Louis and created 28 Days of Black Designers. If you’re black and you want to be a designer you have to want it as much as you want to breathe. Yes, black people make up only 3% of the design community so you have to be better than good, you have to be great. When Charlottesville happened, with all the tiki torches and the chanting, he wanted to know why people hated him and what he ever did to them. But we’re designers, we stand together, and we can ultimately create a more beautiful world for everyone living in it.

Also, JKDC won a few awards:

I’m very proud of all this design work. But I’m particularly proud of the clients it was created for: do-gooders and changemakers in our community working hard to make things better.

Join AIGA Nebraska »

Judging The BIG One

The BIG One is Alaska’s Annual Design Competition. I was on a panel of established designers from the Lower 48 who judged the submissions this year. It was super tough! Lots of stellar work up there, as you can see from the 2016 winners. But I did it, scoring is a wrap, completed by the deadline. Stellar poster design, solid logos, wonderful environments, and compelling books. And this website, which is probably my favorite piece from the competition. AIGA Alaska put everything together. Give a shout here.

Oh milestone: 7 years, 3 months, 23 days

In March of 2003 I got my first real job as a graphic designer at an ad agency. In July of 2010 I left that job. I was there for 7 years, 3 months, and 22 days. This month in 2017, I can say I’ve topped that number. As of October 23rd, if my math holds, I will have been an independent designer for 7 years, 3 months, and 23 days. Now I can officially say I’ve been independent for the majority of my (almost) 15-year career. This has been on my mind seriously for the last couple years. And now that it’s here, it feels good. A big goal accomplished. A milestone reached. Another marker along this journey of fame and fortune.

With one important milestone down, time to throw out the next markers to strive for. But that’s a post for another time. Until then, cheers!