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Download Thumbnail Sheet (13.2 MB)
Download Graphic design print on recycled paper, 2023. 19” x 25” (10.7 MB)
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Download Graphic design print on recycled paper, 2023. 19” x 25” (9.6 MB)
Download Graphic design print on cotton t-shirts using heat transfer paper, 2023. 10” x 12” (9.0 MB)
Download Graphic design print on cotton t-shirts using heat transfer paper, 2023. 10” x 12” (11.7 MB)
Download Photography print, 2023. 18” x 27” (5.6 MB)
Download Video, 2023. 1280 x 720 px (4.8 MB)
Download Behind the Brand, Print booklet, 2023. 8” x 10” (10.0 MB)
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Download Promotional Poster (23.7 MB)
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Academic Level at Time of Creation
Senior
Date of Creation
Spring 4-14-2023
Artist Statement
Art has become a means for me to reflect on and understand myself and my surroundings. When I experience something beautiful, I want to keep that moment with me. When I feel joy or confusion or grief, I search for a way to both process and visualize those emotions. This desire to express and capture emotion drives my creative process through photography and design.
Photography can only say so much about who someone is on the inside, but I have a desire to photograph in a way that connects a person’s outward and inward self—I want glimpses of their true personality to be felt through their portraits, and I think clothing design can accomplish this same goal. My goal with the apparel I’m designing is to spark conversation and reflection rather than explicitly state any specific ideas or values the wearer might hold. Not everyone will interpret each of my designs to have ties to biblical themes, but I hope the viewer wonders about the importance of the words and the nature imagery and how they connect. I chose to design these shirts with bright and optimistic colors, rather than adopting the neutral color palette that is often associated with nature, and I used forms that felt organic, relatively simple, and recognizable. These decisions came from my hope that the shirts will feel welcoming and will invite viewers into open discussion. Additionally, my goal is that they could be worn and appreciated by anyone, rather than having an exclusive demographic of just the people who understand the references. I want the promotion of my shirts to feel available to everyone through photo and video advertisement, while the supplemental booklet I’ve designed gives deeper insight into the inspiration and meaning behind my work.
Much of my design process for this clothing brand has been influenced by the paper cutout designs from Henri Matisse, such as his piece Snow Flowers. This work and its flat, solid forms gave me inspiration specifically when designing my first shirt, titled “When the Waves Rise.” I was also influenced by the patterns in Jessica Walsh’s monochromatic work for Pet Plate when I was designing my “To Work and Keep It” t-shirt. As I photographed models wearing my shirts, photographers like Cass Bird served as my inspiration, especially Bird’s editorial work for Harper’s Bazaar.
Advisor/Mentor
Jim Bryant; Cintia Segovia Figueroa; G. Scott Cook; T. Michael Martin
Description
Olive Branch features the design and promotion of a clothing brand, Olive Branch Clothing Co. Included in the exhibition are five designs that have been printed on t-shirts and also printed out as posters, along with photographs, a short video, and a promotional booklet that details the inspiration behind the brand.
The works invite viewers to contemplate how the two overarching themes are capable of complementing one another and working together: faith and sustainability. The brand itself gets its name from the biblical motif representing peace, and the t-shirt designs each utilize imagery that has ties to both the environment and faith in some way. The booklet dives deeper into the relationship between these themes and includes articles that challenge those in religious communities to see the value in caring for the environment.
Photos #1-5 are poster versions of the t-shirt designs, printed on recycled paper. Photos #6-10 are printed on cotton t-shirts. Photos #11-16 show various photography prints. Photo #17 is the booklet printed on presentation paper and card stock. Photo #18 shows a still of the short promotional video. Photo #19 is the primary logo cut out of glossy and matte vinyl. Photo #20 is a secondary logo laser cut from acrylic. Photos #21-25 show the exhibition space as a whole. Photo #26 is a poster design and #27 is a postcard design to promote the show.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Kyle, Abigail, "Olive Branch" (2023). B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498). 115.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art498/115