Parkland College

The 2013 Parkland College Graphic Design Student Juried Exhibition will be on display at the Parkland Art Gallery Monday, May 13 through Thursday, June 20. A reception honoring the students will be held on Thursday, May 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gallery lounge with an awards ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m.

As with all events in the handicapped-accessible gallery, the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

The juried exhibit highlights work completed by students in the current academic year, beginning with summer 2012. Jury members include the Graphic Design faculty and local industry professionals who generously volunteer their time. This year's judges include Chris Sims, a graphic designer at Horizon Hobby and Gina Manola, owner of Calico, a design and product development studio that provides branding, packaging design and marketing to toy, game and publishing companies.

Exhibit works selected showcase the challenges students are presented with throughout the year. Traditional print media, website design, animation and motion graphics are the varied means they use to propose their ideas. Items exhibited generally encompass food packaging design, restaurant menus, book and magazine covers, entertainment posters, marketing and advertising pamphlets, company websites with interactive capabilities and short film, to name a few.

During the May 16 reception, an awards ceremony honoring 2013 Graphic Design student achievements will take place at 7 p.m. A number of monetary awards will be given at that time; Graphic Design Program Director Paul Young will present the awards.

"We have a strong group of graduates this year, and the exhibition will reflect that strength," Young said. "The creativity has never been higher, the execution has never been more refined, and the students should be very proud of this show."

Local clients often contribute funds for these awards; in this way, the exhibit highlights the service learning that is an important element of Parkland's Graphic Design curriculum. Monetary awards include the Dr. David M. and Shirley A. Jones Student Art Award for a work of outstanding artistic achievement; the Graphic Design Best of Show Award; the Fine and Applied Arts Department Chair Award; Graphic Design Program Director Award; Parkland College Marketing and Public Relations Department Award of Excellence; and the President's Award for Excellence. Other awards are given by clients and supporters of the Design program and include the Electric Pictures Award of Excellence, Surface 51 Award of Excellence, Studio 2D Design Strategy Award, McGown Photography Award of Excellence, Larry Ecker Award for Typographic Excellence, and the Presence Covenant Medical Center Award for Excellence in Design, among others.

To coincide with the exhibition, a gallery talk has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 19 at 10 a.m. Young will present his talk, "Digital Media Design," in which he will discuss the challenges and rewards of working in the world of digital media.

"As print media continues to decline, graphic designers are embracing digital media as the creative platform of choice for tomorrow." Young said. "Similar to print, digital media designers must catch people's attention, communicate a message in a creative way, and do so with visual clarity and wit. Unlike print, today's graphic designer can also exploit interactivity, motion, and even sound to enhance the clients' message."

Parkland Art Gallery summer hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the gallery will be closed May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. To find the Gallery when classes are in session, use the M parking lots, enter through any door, and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point, where the gallery is located. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. For more information, call Parkland Art Gallery Office at 217/351-2485 or visit our website at artgallery.parkland.edu.