Hello! This week is featuring junior Zach Johnson-Medland! Zach is a graphic design major and is sharing a bit about him and some of his work for this weeks Student Spotlight!
MEET ZACH:
Name: Zach Johnson-Medland, Class of 2018
Major: Graphic Design
I am majoring in Art because ever since I could pick up a crayon I’ve wanted to be an artist. I’ve always enjoyed the arts ability to communicate emotions or ideas beyond words. For example, I write a lot as well as draw and paint, so often when words don’t suffice, I can express myself through paintings easier. Many human concepts lend themselves to art better because of their ability to completely surpass our intellectualism. It gives humans a space, to stop analyzing and just experience. That ability is why I study art.
The kinds of things that inspire me are Nature, and the daily beauty that surround us. A well prepared cup of coffee in the morning, some warm sunshine in the afternoon, and that sweet cold breeze at hot nights.
My favorite class so far was English with Dr. Brassard, her Mystic Writers course, because she cared about what she taught. Not only did she really care about what she taught, but she cared about you as you learned it. She gave students a chance to assess literature on our own terms, then gave us the tools or hints to guide us through it in her own method.
When I’m not in class I do things to keep myself stress free and relaxed like running, yoga, cooking, and writing. I believe a big part of life is simply trying to balance everything you have going, and focus on the process of balancing those things, rather than trying to focus on the aspects themselves. When I look at things holistically, they run smoother.
The coolest thing I’ve done so far was work at Pocono Plateau Camp and Retreat center for a summer as a photographer and Adventure programmer, where you help lead team building activities, belay on climbing tower, ziplines, and cooperative high challenge courses.
When I graduate I hope to float around a little explore the east and west coast, try out some different areas and jobs. After that I hope to grab a job as a graphic designer and work up to a creative director where I can direct a team of a local magazine or website or something fun like that.
I’d recommend the Art program at Marywood because it’s a homey program. A lot of schools have the same stuff, there’s only so much you can teach about art, a lot of it you learn by yourself through experience, but Marywood has a program that’s small and let’s you really participate in the classroom, and talk with your teachers (the people who’ve actually been in the field), which you can learn a lot from.
SOME OF ZACHS WORK:
I love Zach’s graphic design style! I was in the same typography class as him last semester and we both chose to depict the term “ampersand” visually (seen above). I thought it was neat to see how someone else handled the same prompt completely differently. His colors are bold and his designs are simple. It is so unique and effective. Thank you Zach for being this weeks student spotlight!
TTYL!