In his most recent paintings in acrylic, Kpe Innocent reduces the human body to its rudimentary forms. The Accra, Ghana-based artist translates arms, bellies, and heads into cylinders and geometric shapes rendered in minimal palettes of black, white, and pastel colors. Occupying vast swaths of negative space, the figures have “room to pause and breathe,” and the paired-down settings draw greater attention to the engineered anatomy.

In a note to Colossal, Innocent shares that he’s been interested in stories of creation and how those connect to his faith and practice. “I am convinced by looking at how systems operate and the evidence of design in the natural world that an intelligent mind is behind the natural things we see (where there is design, there is a designer),” he says, “and this fact can be seen in how we humans interpret and mimic nature in design processes even.” DNA codes and the building blocks of digital interfaces continue to inform his paintings, and after working in earth tones and more dense environments, he’s now gravitating toward clean lines and minimal brushstrokes that limit the markings of the artist’s hand.

Innocent currently has a limited-edition print available through Moosey Art, where he will soon release a new sculpture, as well. His works will be on view at Volta Art Fair with African Arty and Maison Ozmen in Paris in the coming months, and you can find more of his paintings and glimpses into his process on Instagram. (via Juxtapoz)

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Invoking Design Principles, Kpe Innocent Builds Minimal Human Figures with Geometric Shapes appeared first on Colossal.

Gregg Farrington didn’t plan on coming back to Full Sail University after graduating more than ten years earlier – especially in the middle of a global pandemic.

“While working remotely, I was bored as ever. So yes, I did have work to do, but just like everyone else during the pandemic, we just didn’t know what was going on. I just took it upon myself to go back to school,” explains Gregg.

When Gregg first started his Full Sail journey back in 2008, he was trying to choose between getting his bachelor’s and joining the United States Air Force. Eventually, he decided to dedicate all of his time to his education and graduated with a Digital Arts & Design bachelor’s in 2010.

Shortly after, Gregg moved to New York City to work as a graphic design intern for ad agency DiMassimo Goldstein before returning to Florida to work in an ad agency focused on luxury real estate as a senior graphic designer. This was Gregg’s first of many senior positions, and he received it just months after graduating.

“I was art directing a couple of different projects for a luxury beauty hair company as well and dealt with different launches of products. In addition to that, I also attended hair shows. And let me tell you, hair/beauty shows, it’s a thing,” laughs Gregg. “It’s kind of like if you go to a convention for MegaCon or Comic-Con or anything like that. It’s basically the same thing, except for beauty and cosmetics.”

After working for a senior living company for a couple of years and leading its rebrand and launch with an external branding agency, Gregg found a role at ION Television.

“I just decided to evolve into something that was a little bit out of my comfort zone, and it was television,” he says. 

Gregg started as a Multimedia Designer and was promoted to Marketing Design Manager around the same time that he received his Media Design MFA degree. He says Full Sail prepared him for how fast-paced working in television can be. “Full Sail is a great school. It allows you to think on your toes really fast.”

His current position is multi-faceted, and he works on projects using a wide range of tools. “I mainly work with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Microsoft PowerPoint. And yes, we do PowerPoints,” he laughs.

He also designs graphics for paid media, leads teams to design static graphics for upcoming original network shows, and works closely with the art director and associate art director to ensure the show’s aesthetic is consistent and tells the same story in all the media he produces.

“The art directors don’t tell me how to design. It’s more like I have the vision, I have the layout, but there are certain things that I may not catch.”

Gregg has designed media for multiple television shows, including Someone They Knew with Tamron Hall for Court TV, and Act Your Age and Johnson on Bounce TV.

“As a manager, I’m not just designing something and making it look pretty, but also creating different versions of that. You have to create a Premiere dated version, a Sunday version, a Tonight version, and so forth.”

He also encourages aspiring designers to take chances when looking for the perfect job or dream job – as long as they keep evolving throughout the process.

“Changing companies has to be done in a way that you know will benefit you as a creative for any type of growth, whether it’s growth in the way you talk to clients, growth in how you work with other designers, or even to the point where you need more experience to get to that managerial position.”

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University lost a member of its Cowboy family over the weekend with
the death of prominent Oklahoma artist Benjamin Harjo Jr.

Referred to by many as the “Picasso of Native American art,” Harjo died on Saturday
at the age of 77. 

“The passing of Benjamin Harjo Jr., a beloved member of the Oklahoma State community
and a renowned Native American artist, marks the loss of a significant treasure for
our university and state,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said.  

“Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends as we join together
to mourn his loss and celebrate his life. Ben’s unique artistic skills, dedication
to his beloved Native American heritage and service to our country have profoundly
impacted our world, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations.” 

Harjo graduated from OSU in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in fine art, having begun his studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New
Mexico. He went on produce sought-after artworks for more than five decades, with
his pieces now part of the Oklahoma State Art Collection, the First Americans Museum,
Red Earth Art Center, Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Wheelwright Museum of the American
Indian in Santa Fe and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American
Indian. 

“We were fortunate to exhibit Benjamin Harjo Jr.’s artwork in 2018, exploring his
connection to heritage and indigenous communities in ‘Benjamin Harjo Jr.: We are a
Landscape of All We Know,’” said Vicky Berry, director and chief curator at the OSU
Museum of Art.  

“During the exhibition, I remember a child sketching while Harjo was present. He approached
her, introduced himself and encouraged her art with gentle guidance. His generous
spirit and passion for art inspired everyone he met, leaving an indelible mark on
our memories.”

In addition to his 2018 OSU exhibition, Harjo and his wife Barbara served on the Art
Advisory Council that worked to establish the OSU Museum of Art in 2011-2012. The
museum is now working with the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City to produce
a book about Harjo, which is slated for release in 2024.

“We will continue with Barbara and an extensive community of many friends, scholars
and artists to assemble a publication that will celebrate the life and art of Benjamin
Harjo Jr,” Berry said.

In his artworks, Harjo pulled from his Seminole and Absentee Shawnee heritage while
adding contemporary elements that resulted in an artistic style all his own.   

“He came out of the Institute of American Indian Arts at a time when contemporary
Native art was being redefined. And I think he contributed to that redefinition,”
First Americans Museum Director of Curatorial Affairs heather ahtone told The Oklahoman.  “He didn’t follow a path that was laid before him. He really forged something that
was new, drew upon the palette of his Seminole cultural aesthetics but really danced
with a line across the page and allowed that line to bring joy to all of us who have
seen his work and appreciated it.” 

Among his many honors, Harjo received the 2002 OSU Distinguished Alumni Award, was
named the 2003 Red Earth Festival Honored One, was recognized by the OU Health Center
foundation in 2009 as an Oklahoma Living Treasure and was inducted into the OSU Alumni
Hall of Fame in 2012. 

“As one of only 199 members of the OSU Hall of Fame, the impacts Benjamin Harjo Jr.
made on our alma mater and the art world are as numerous as the bright colors in his
paintings and prints,” OSU Alumni Association President Ann Caine said. “He was one
of the nation’s leading American Indian artists, and he never lost sight of his roots
and the education he received at Oklahoma State.” 

To learn more about Benjamin Harjo Jr., visit his website and watch his 2012 OSU Alumni Hall of Fame video.