Two Decades of Creative Collaboration Celebrated in Unique Exhibition
In recognition of a fruitful 20-year collaboration, the School of Communication Gallery is currently hosting “The Long Road Together,” an exhibition that chronicles the history of theater production posters developed through a partnership between the Department of Theatre and the VisualDESIGNLab.
This longstanding partnership was initiated by Kathleen M. McGeever, the chair of the Department of Theatre, and Patricia Murphey, a professor of visual communication and director of the VisualDESIGNLab. Over the years, this collaboration has become an integral part of the educational journey for students, who work on creating visually compelling materials like posters, email blasts, and social media content for theater productions.
“What makes the collaboration special is that it is not simply a classroom assignment; it’s a creative partnership,” Murphey explained. “Students have to listen, ask questions, understand the story and visual identity of a production, respond to feedback and translate all of that into effective visual communication.”
The VisualDESIGNLab is designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and the professional arena. Students engage with community clients, presenting ideas, justifying their design choices, and refining their work based on critiques. This hands-on experience culminates in seeing their designs used in real-world settings.
Senior student Mia Avelar, focusing on graphic design within her visual communication studies, shared, “Being able to work directly with a client and getting a taste of what I will be doing after I graduate was really helpful. This experience made me feel more confident in my career choice and in continuing to work with clients and being able to provide them a product that they will love.”
Avelar’s design was chosen to represent NAU’s annual Great Survival Debate last spring. According to McGeever, the increasing proficiency of students each year makes selecting a winning design more challenging.
“Those students in the VisualDESIGNLab are going to walk away with a complete portfolio—even the ones that don’t get picked, because that happens in life,” McGeever emphasized. “When we talk about career readiness, this is in action on both ends. They’re helping the department and getting the experience at the same time.”
“The Long Road Together” exhibition is available for viewing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until October 30 at the School of Communication Gallery, located on the second floor.
Top image: Patricia Murphey, Kathleen M. McGeever, and Mia Avelar standing at the entrance of “The Long Road Together” exhibition at NAU’s School of Communication.
Read More Here
Comments are closed.