CAC Contemporary Arts Center postcard design by marketing design board member Brian Swanson. As graphic designer for the non-profit organization Brian conceptualized and produced all marketing materials for print promotions. Working closely with each Director for upcoming events and fundraisers, designs were produced in accordance with the CAC’s standards.
The design standards he developed apply to logo placements, typefaces and standardized mastheads. Included in the types of graphic design were postcards, posters, member web site and gallery installation display. The design concepts offered a chance for Swanson to work extending the theme of each of the displaying artists installation. Images that were featured on each type of design project used an element from the artists’ key focus.
One of the concepts that was a favorite was attending artist, Scott Carter on his show “Affect/Effect.” Carter’s installations are actually cut from the walls of the gallery in which he displays. He uses saws of various kinds to remove shapes from the drywall, then he assembles these pieces to form furniture and other objects. This is process that takes over a week to perform in the closed off gallery. What is left are holes in the walls that are reminiscent of punching out wings and cockpits from balsa wood toy gliders. In keeping with his theme, Brian cut a single round from his own gallery wall with a hole saw. He then photographed the dimensional object and its dust, then overlayed this detail on main image for the installation to use in the print and web marketing materials.
This type of design using a feature from the artist was carried out through many other shows like “Defeat the Future” with Yo Fukui’s felt pieces and “Garden of Eden” by Andrzej Maciejewski’s price tag labels on fruit in still life photos.
A bit about CAC Las Vegas Contemporary Art
The CAC is dedicated to presenting contemporary art, connecting and educating artists, patrons and the public by sponsoring exhibitions, installations, workshops, lectures, fine-art competitions, and various events. The Center started over 25 years ago, a group of inspired artists, students, and instructors for the UNLV Department of Fine Art. Then named Contemporary Arts Collective to provide a venue for emerging artists to share ideas and concepts. The simple goal back then was to share exhibition space for the members of the Collective whose work, at the time, proved too adventurous for the local galleries to show.