Flight.

Phenomenology of Desk Graffiti

Oklahoma State University

Design Studio IV 2021

2 Week Project Location: Stillwater OK

The study of profane remarks on school desks based on location. An emphasis of Studio four was observation. I chose to study the desecration of University Library school desks and observe how the level of damage fluctuates based on privacy and location. The types of graffiti on a specific desk in the basement of the Edmon Low Library were collected and logged for analysis. Results found that the quantity of inscriptions increased and with more profane messages, the more remote the desk was located. To document and present my findings in a professional manner, the most profane remarks were hidden beneath pull tabs for discrete viewer interaction (an option the desk does not present). A full booklet compiled all graffiti of various materials, media, and carvings from desk 17 giving empowerment to these remarks. An OSU watermark applied to the project deliverables gives an official seal of validity that these anonymous voices were heard.

This project taught me about the human nature of the design process, especially when designing for others. By researching the desk and what people chose to write based on the desk location I learned that people strive for inclusion and for their voice to be heard. I learned what people had pride in, what they wanted to be heard for, and what they loved and hated. Every project since has a piece of this one within it.

El Camino & Mouse Trap

Movie Posters

2021-2022

Commissioned Designs for Sam Traxel

Commissioned Work for my brother Sam Traxel’s cap stone college short films. All artwork has a narrative driving the design. The narrative can be complex or simple, but either way it tells a story. Movie posters are some of my favorite pieces of artwork to study. They are meant to tease the audience. To provide only a small glimpse of what the overall story narrative is. Presented are El Camino, a psychological thriller and Mouse Rat, a high tempered robbery film.

America’s Greatest Homecoming

Oklahoma State University

Phi Delta Theta

2021-Present

Oklahoma State Homecoming is a bucket list item for most people who have heard of it’s glory. For the past three years, and continuing I have been involved with homecoming through a director position. For the past two years I have been the head homecoming director of Phi Delta Theta where I have acted as project manager, lead designer, lead organizer, spokesperson, and budget manager. This task is no small one. Acting as homecoming director has taught me about the design build world. Anywhere from gaining a construction permit to closing a sidewalk. I managed projects to their completion, solving problems with my team, designing to impact the community, all while striving to better my house and the one paired with. Our goal as a homecoming team is always to showcase a deck to the community that we are proud of and provide structure for the next team. In my time as homecoming director, as a team we have achieved four placing in the past two years. We have put up decks that we are immensely proud of, and we end each year ready to start again. OSU homecoming is the biggest event for the city of Stillwater each year. As a director I feel as if I have embodied the spirit of OSU. If you have never heard of this event, here are some numbers:

Allowed Pairing Budget: $30,000

Team Size: 16 Members

Average Pairing Size: 320 People

Time frame: 10 Months

Deck Square Footage Limit: 1,080’

Average Deck Panel Size: (10’x18’)x6

Engineered Mechanical Parts

Limit: 4

Involved Hours Countless

HOCO Timeline

January Pairing Meetings

March-April

Theme Announcing

Deck Designing Starts

May-July

Deck Panel Designing

August Transferring Deck Graphics into Stitching

September Pomping Begins

Mid-September

Ground Breaking

Official Construction Starts

October 10th-20th Testing Engineering Parts

October 20th-25th

Double Time Pomping for all Members

October 26th-27th

All Night Pomp

28 Straight Hours of Attaching Pomp to the Deck

October 27th 3:00

All Hands Off Deck

October 27th 3:00-5:00

Judging

October 28th

Winners Announced

Scratched Early Design

Sub Category Homecoming

Sign Competition

Left Panel: OSU Alumni

Far Left Panel: 18’ tall Eiffel tower surrounded by other famous landmarks emerging from Boone Pickens Stadium

Viktor Hovland above a rotating score card displaying various OSU international athletics facts

Center Panel: an 8’x8’ rotating globe displaying our overall paring theme of “The World’s Brightest Orange” highlighting how OSU has impacted the world on an international level

Right Panel: Highlighting the international faculty of OSU, Architecture Professor Moh’ Bilbeisi, stands in front of his rotating art easel

Far Right Panel: Highlighting OSU’s world wide student body with international flags of their home countries

Finalized Sketch for Presentation

Thank you for viewing my portfolio. These collegiate works have shaped by design process. From applying a superstructure architectural idea, to keeping in mind that designing is a work in progress.