ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Graphic Design is a creative and inspiring process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas and information visually from client to audience. Rooted in traditional art and design foundations, the focus of the Graphic Design curriculum is to educate and inform students of the impact design can make through the exploration of diverse problem-solving methodologies, innovative investigations, and innovative research in all forms of visual communication.
TAMU-CC’s B.A. in Graphic Design offers students a professional and practical overview of the field. Our award-winning students not only learn the fundamentals of design, but a breadth of knowledge in typography, emerging technologies, packaging, branding, and gain hands-on experience by working with various class clients.
As a practicing graphic designer, the totality of Ivanete Blanco’s creative work reflects the variety in scope and media that results from successful collaboration with clients. The body of work she has created has received consistent recognition, both in terms of continued design commissions, and by the profession in competition and exhibition at the national and international level. In 2010, she began using the letterpress process as another avenue to create work. While she continues to pursue commissioned design projects using both digital and letterpress processes, her exploration of the latter has opened possibilities for work outside of the client relationship that is more experimental and collaborative in nature. Visit www.rnrshowprint.com to see samples of her more recent creative work. Ivanete holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Oklahoma State University and an MFA in Visual Communication from the University of Oklahoma. She began her teaching career in 2003, and has taught graphic design courses at Texas State University and Old Dominion University.
Nancy is passionate about the success of her students. She emphasizes excellence in career preparation for them by coordinating client environment projects in the classroom and coordinating internships for the program. Leveraging two decades of real-world experience, initially as a Graphic Designer for global brands including Nike Inc., Burton, and Home Depot, and later as a Creative Director at MDR Advertising, the largest advertising agency in South Texas, Nancy aims to empower students with cutting edge industry technologies and practical field expectations vital to their professional success. Outside of teaching, she often works with local, regional, and national for-profit clients and nonprofit organizations to elevate their brand design and digital presence for deeper, more memorable connections with their customers and audiences.
Andrea Hempstead explores the intersection of visual signifiers, language, and interpretation. She creates audience experiences that invite connection, engagement, and reaction. Her pop-ups, posters, motion, and digital interactive works can be personal or political. Hempstead received her BS in Graphic Design from North Carolina State University School of Design, her MBA from LeMoyne College, and her MFA in Graphic Design from Marywood University. In 2018, she joined the faculty at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as an Assistant Professor of Art – Graphic Design, where she delights in helping the next generation achieve their graphic design dreams. Prior to joining TAMU-CC, she served as a Visiting Instructor at Cazenovia College as well as worked in industry to produce creative works including web design and graphics, branding, advertising, and publication design. Currently, she enjoys working with non-profits and taking on projects “for the greater good.”
Alexandria Canchola designs, illustrates, and creates immersive large-scale installations that are inspired by narrative, color, letterforms, and filmmaking. She has worked for publications, small businesses and non-profits in many roles working to solve problems creatively so ideas can come to life. Canchola has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MFA in 2D Design from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She has completed residencies at Otis College of Art and Design and Zea Mays Printmaking. Her design and illustration work have received awards from American Illustration, American Advertising Federation, International Design Awards and more. Canchola is currently an Assistant Professor for the Graphic Design program at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi eagerly working to assist her students in their quest for knowledge so they may fully understand the power they wield as designers in communicating ideas that change everything.
Joshua Duttweiler is a designer, artist, and educator. His multi-disciplinary practice encompasses personal, collaborative, and client-based projects focused on social justice and community building. Largely inspired by his ever-changing location, the work is a critical exploration of historical and present-day societal systems and constructs. Duttweiler asks his audience to consider the spaces they occupy and makes way for new voices to be heard. Joshua holds a BFA in Applied Design from Houghton College and an MFA in Graphic Design from Boston University. He regularly exhibits and curates work nationally and internationally. Joshua currently resides in Texas where he is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. As an educator he is seeks to empower his students to change the world through creativity.
Before joining the program at TAMUCC, David was an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Old Dominion and a Professor of Communication Design at Texas State University-San Marcos, where he taught courses in all areas and levels of the B.F.A. curriculum, with a special interest in foundations instruction, typography, book design, and portfolio development. His career as a design professional has included professional positions ranging from entry level production to senior art director at firms in Nashville, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas as well as thirty years as a commissioned independent print and digital designer. Both directly and through commissioned work with firms in Nashville, Little Rock, Austin, Dallas, Savannah, and Atlanta, he has worked for clients including TCBY, Planters Bank, the Winrock Foundation, Motorola, the Nickelodeon Network, Taco Bell, Sony Music Entertainment, Morrison’s Inc, the American Cancer Society, the Austin Museum of Art, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, the University of Texas Austin Press, Bloodshot Records, Universal Home Media, and Steidl, among others.
