NEWS/ARTS ARTS/VISUAL
DESIGNING GRADS Boise State graphic design students polish their portfolios TARA MORGAN
Not by the hair on my skinny, skin, skin.
BIKES VS. SKINS If you love the bio-mechanical treebots, tie-wearing bears, precious crab clawwielding little girls or bike-riding goats of Ben Wilson’s creations and you are the proud owner of an iPhone, you might want to scoop up a Wilson-designed art skin from izozzi.com. Four of Wilson’s grinning ghosties— ”Chad,” “Emily,” “Gregg” and “Jessica”— grace either a hard-shell or gel skin. Due to the lack of inventor y and the preorder business, it looks like Izozzi is just getting things rolling. But they do have a couple of other artists’ cool skins, as well as two band skins, including Boise’s own James Orr, which features a picture of the big-bearded musician standing large and in charge. Want to design your own skin or get your own musical mug on the back of fans’ iPhones? Visit izozzi.com for more info. To see more of Wilson’s work, visit artofbenwilson.blogspot.com. Speaking of bike-riding goats (not really), ewe should hop on your baaad-ass cycle and pedal over to the Linen Building, ASAP. In celebration of Idaho lad Josh Ritter’s newest release, So Runs the World Away, the Linen Building recently unveiled a new mural featuring themes and artwork from the new album. The mural, which is made up of three large panels, climbs up the exterior west wall of the Linen Building and was conceived by artist Matthew Fleming and painted by Boise Rock School pioneer Ryan Peck and Kacey Martinez. And listen up little ladies with big crushes on Mr. Ritter: You only have three months to linger over the new mural. No kid-ding. In other bicycle and Linen Building news, the third annual Modern Art show is fast approaching at the Modern Hotel. This year, in addition to a butt-load of artists and street performers and wristband wielding artsters, the Boise Bike Project is bringing the Fixed Gear Gallery to Boise. Fixie and single-speed riders are encouraged to show off their bike babies to the judgmental masses in hopes of being crowned raddest ride. The top-five vote snaggers will be posted on fixedgeargallery.com. —Amy Atkins and Tara Morgan
24 | APRIL 28 – MAY 4, 2010 | BOISEweekly
From top to bottom: Akiko Fry, Rebecca Stich and Landon Larsen.
be feeling enthusiastic about getting out of school On the front page of the undergraduate portfolio and getting a job. However, I think all of them Web site, 15 Boise State graphic design students have been encouraged … to just get themselves out strike a pose, covering their faces with unique, there,” said Wood. “Going back to that magic dust vibrant posters. It’s part police lineup and part Disconcept, I think sometimes when you meet a new ney Channel promo—skinny jeans, bell-bottoms, Chucks and high-heeled boots peek out from under graduate who is inspiring and is inspired by the industry, there’s chances that positions could get their creations, hinting at each student’s eccentriccreated for you.” ity. As you scroll through the student-designed site, Jane Naillon, brand strategist at Brand Smack, just one part of ART 495, a semester-long elective a division of design firm Oliver Russell, has seen portfolio review course, students list what “mark” this inspiration happen firsthand. In addition to they hope to make on the graphic design world. “I want to leave my mark by creating advertising helping mentor a few Boise State graphic design students each semester, Oliver Russell also hired one that is self-aware, design that is intelligent and art a full-time designer, in part, because of the biannual that nobody understands,” writes Landon Larsen. senior portfolio show. Or, “I want to leave my mark by creating design “You want to have your finger on the pulse of that will make people look twice and ask questhe creative community, and every [portfolio] show tions,” writes Ashley Durand. puts out at least one really fantastic designer, from This semester marks the end of an era in the what I’ve seen,” said Naillon. “One of the women Boise State graphic design program, the largest that works here at Oliver Russell was hired from by-far of all programs in the art department. The the portfolio show as an intern, and then she was university recently decided to alter the curriculum promoted into a full-time position.” and among many new requirements, portfolio Unfortunately, snagging a full-time graphic classes like the one described above have become design job in Boise isn’t quite as easy in the current mandatory starting in fall 2010. economy. When Naillon recently put out an ad for “What we’re trying to do is streamline the an entry-level position, she received 60 resumes, program so that students can make it through in many from out-of-work graphic designers with a better amount of time than they do now, which sometimes can be five to six years,” said graphic de- years of experience. To remain competitive in this relatively small marketplace, Naillon recommends sign faculty member Jennifer Wood. “We’re doing that new grads be as well rounded as they can, esthat by creating more of a competitive atmosphere, pecially where technology is concerned. That means so ultimately by admitting fewer students.” knowing print design as well as Web site design and But for go-getters like Lindsey Ward, president of the student chapter of the AIGA, deciding to take animation. But nitty gritty aside, after working in the fastthe portfolio class was already a no-brainer. “Even if you don’t take the class, you’re going to paced New York graphic design world for 20 years, have to prepare your portfolio, and you’re going to Naillon is happy to be back in a smaller community, one that nurtures up-and-comers. have to do all this stuff anyway,” said Ward. “So, “What I’ve noticed in the Boise why not have a big show while industry is that people really pay you’re at it?” Wednesday, April 28, 5-6 p.m., attention to the youth that’s coming The 2010 biannual senior professionals’ hour; out because their perspectives are so portfolio show, “Re(Mark),” 6-9 p.m., general public fresh and they’re learning all of the takes place Wednesday, April POWERHOUSE EVENT CENTER new stuff,” said Naillon. “Coming 28, from 5-9 p.m. at the 621 S. 17th St. from New York City, I never went Powerhouse Event Center. On 208-433-0197 to a portfolio show, ever.” this particular night—these stuartdept.boisestate.edu/remark While there is an educational dents’ official introduction to support structure in place for new the professional graphic design community—many soon-to-be grads will glow with designers in Boise, according to Wood and Naillon, it still might be in a new graduate’s best interest to something Wood has deemed “magic dust.” look outside of Idaho. “I always say you have to use this moment in “I always recommend to my students that they your life really well because this is when you have really spread their wings and that they cast their net a lot of magic dust,” said Wood. “What I mean by that is, you’re really close to your work ... That con- to think about looking at markets outside of Boise that are bigger—Seattle or Portland [Ore.], San nection is a little bit deeper, maybe, than after you Francisco,” said Wood. get out and start working in the field.” But leaving Boise isn’t for everyone. While Ward Graphic design has often been cast as the deis realistic about her chances of getting a job after pendable artistic career choice—a way to integrate graduating, she still has no plans to leave the Treacreative passion with steady cash flow. And while the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects sure Valley. Well, if you don’t count backpacking through Europe after graduation. that employment in graphic design will grow 13 “I’d like to find a job here in Boise … It’s going percent by 2018—which translates to roughly 36,900 more jobs—that growth has been difficult to to be tough, but I’ll find a job eventually, even if I have to work at something else besides graphic see in the saturated Boise graphic design market. design for a while,” she said. “I don’t think it’s the best time in the world to WWW. B O I S E WE E KLY. C O M