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M I C H A E L ELIZABETH JOHNSON
515.556.2667 // m.e.johnson613@gmail.com // be.net/mejohnson626b5
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HELLO! My name is Michael Johnson (yes, pronounced like it’s spelled) and I’m an undergrad at the University or Nebraska, Lincoln set to graduate in December of 2017. I’m a double major in ADPR and a BA in Art with a concentration in graphic design. I picked these out of a love for art and design, but also because I know that mass media creates culture, and to positively impact that culture, I, and other socially aware young folk, need to be the ones helping shape it. This portfolio represents my strongest and most relevant design work from recent internships, personal projects, jobs and coursework. My ideal project isn’t just something thats noticed by people, it’s something that gets them involved and excited! I’m always looking for a new challenge, a new story to tell, or a new book to read. My style is heavily influenced by a dedication to inclusion, sustainability and the communities around me. I firmly believe in the power of art and design to educate, advocate, challenge norms, build community and make a positive impact.
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SELECTED POSTERS Poster variations designed for various drag shows around Lincoln, including the University of Nebraska’s 2016 spring and fall drag shows.
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LINCOLN PUBLIC WORKS One of my favorite projects while working as a graphic designer for Jacht Ad Lab was the Lincoln Public Works rider guide. LPW is Lincoln’s transportation system and they hired Jacht to design a campaign to get more of the city’s college age millennials to start riding the bus. This campaign included a rider guide, which I was one of the primary designers for, a First Friday event launch, and promotional materials like laptop stickers and pins. Getting other young people concerned about our carbon footprint is important to me, so being one of the primary designers for the rider guide was a dream.
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HOLLAND COMPUTING CENTER Holland Computing Center is a super computing center at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. They came to the agency I worked as a graphic designer looking to expand their customer base outside of the traditional science disciplines. This brochure was created as part of our campaign to show UNL professors and graduate students that their research, where its in statistics of English, could be assisted by HCC’s services
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DIFFUSED LIFESYTLES "Diffused Lifestyles" is a postage stamp series promoting environmental realism: an acknowledgment of the damage we are doing to our planet as the first step to reducing it. Acid-bright stamps examine the idea of postage as message, rather than just message carrier. Quiet landscapes present a possible future- not a dystopia, not a utopia, but something realistic and something hopeful.
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This project was translated into a large scale installation for the 2016 Water for Food Global Conferance. The small stamp carrier was turned into an 11'x7' backdrop. In the foreground are three terrariums that I hand-built out of acrylic plexiglass. Inside I planted ferns and other plants, creating miniature, man-made ecosystems. Viewers are invited to meditate on their role in the environment in the sense of both the microcosm and macrocosm.
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INTERACTION DESIGN Drag 101 is a single page website I coded from scratch. It focuses on the basics of one of my favorite hobbies— performing as a drag king! Many people are curious about what being a drag king means, or how to be one themselves. It contains all the things I wish I had known when I was starting out, from creating an act to finding a community. All illustration and copy are mine as well.
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Richards Art Building which currently has a gallery space but no real study rooms. The goal of this installation was to create a functional, interactive space where students could study and relax. Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “Bedroom at Arles” stood out to us. We choose it out of a
mutual love for the painter and an interest in the parallels created by hundreds of young artists studying, napping and creating art in the “same” room Van Gogh once did. We built the exhibit and secured the gallery space but it wasn’t finished until others activated the space by using it themselves.
A VISIT WITH VINCENT Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “A Room at Arles” springs to life in this interactive installation created by Haley Heesacker and myself. This fanciful room is a study space and teaching tool for students of all ages. It has been featured by various media outlets such as The Washington Times and The Journal Star. Originally installed in the Medici Gallery at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in September 2015. During the 2015-16 school year, it toured Lincoln Public Schools with the Art Reach Project. Usually set up in the school’s art room or library, young LPS students have an opportunity to experience art like never before. “A Visit with Vincent” helps teach children and adults alike that art is not just for museums, art is created for them and by them!
17 An installation like this isn't finished until our audience activates it! To encourage people to make themselves at home, we created an instagram hashtag #SNGgogh and told people to tag selfies of them interacting with the exhibit.The results blew us away! Not only were the pictures adorable, but it’s presence on instagram and facebook inspired others to come see the exhibit. It made it’s way to the Daily Nebraskan, the Journal Star and the Art Reach Project.
The ArtReach Project is a local Lincoln organization dedicated to using art as outreach. Whether it’s to raise awareness, inspire or instruct, ArtReach gets people, and especially young artists, excited about using art to make a difference in the community. The SNG of our hashtag stands for Sits n Giggles, the all girl arts collective Haley and I started with this installation. A Visit with Vincent it just one of the many installation experiances we have tucked away in our sketchbooks and we hope you’ll see more of them soon!
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DAILY NEBRASKAN BUTTONS Series of promotional buttons made to advertise the Daily Nebraskan’s 2015 Fashion Show and 2015 Housing Fair.
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WINDIGO // EATING OTHERS FOR FUN AND PROFIT “Windigo” is a dynamic, 12.5 ft accordion-fold book. Colorful animal motifs carry the reader through a conceptual representation of my design process. Handdrawn illustrations and collage blend together for a fun, tongue-in-cheek look at how I do what I love.
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VALHALLA HONEY Rebranding project for Valhalla Bee Farms. The goal of this project was to bring a local Lincoln bee farm in to the public eye with a cute yet stylish packaging theme for a line of specialized honey. Original illustrations and a system of hand drawn type make this honey “just right!�
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DAILY NEBRAKSAN As a child, my dream job was to get paid for drawing. As an illustrator at the DN, I’ve gotten to do this for years. It’s been a great way to develop my own art style. I’m always excited about what the next day at work will bring. Here is a small selection of recent illustrations.
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ICONS OF IDENTITY I applied the idea of merit badges to my own accomplishments and hobbies and then created a system of iconography to highlight them. These badges are 2.5 in diameter bits of biography I can wear on my sleeve, jacket or backpack. Hand-embroidered, felt-backed patches set off with gold thread and reinforced stitching.
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IQSCM MUSEUM GUIDES In 2015, Emma DeVries and I designed and wrote three new museum guides for the International Quilt Study Center and Museum (IQSCM) to engage a younger demographic. We facilitated a First Friday campaign which set attendance records for museum events. The campaign included print collateral, promotional materials, and social media. Emma DeVries: Research, museum guide design, button design, sticker design Michael Johnson: Research, museum guide copy, poster design, flyer design
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Double sided flyer designed by Michael Johnson to advertise the IQSCM's first friday event. Created a first friday itenerary and included the IQSCM events with more well-trafficked galleries Lincoln. Provides a map on the back complete with bus routes.
Poster and set up designed by Emma deVries for UCARE research fair. This project was funded by a UCARE research grant applied for and recieved by Emma deVries and Michael Johnson.
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Sticker series designed by Emma deVries. Fun, recognizable quilting shapes pattered with actual quilts from the IQSCM's collection. Sticker material works as well for a child's shirt as it does for a student's laptop.
Event poster designed by Michael Johnson. Was distributed on campus and around Lincoln to advertise the IQSCM's Frist Friday events.
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