Turnpike Traveler

Author/Artist Name

Maidie K. Siress, Murray State UniversityFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-8-2025

Artist Statement

Road trips are the ultimate American family pastime. When researching ideas for my senior exhibition theme I discovered that Route 66’s centennial anniversary is in 2026! This felt like the perfect opportunity to make a celebration for the mother road of America. Turnpike Traveler is a travel agency brand celebrating Route 66. Not everyone wants to plan a week long vacation stop by stop - Turnpike Traveler takes care of the planning for you! Every poster is an advertisement of your stops along Route 66, along with a complimentary illustrated map of your travels. Turnpike Traveler’s mission is to breathe new life into the nearly forgotten highways, hidden gems, and timeless towns all across America.

These illustrations tend to render quickly, I love the look of looser mark making, I have developed a painterly look to my larger illustrations. I enjoy making designs that are beautifully functional. Illustration is always my favorite part of projects, and I get excited when a project calls for it. There are lots of things that influence my work. The biggest being nature. Color palettes, shapes, themes, and subjects are all tied to nature when I’m given the opportunity. I love the wild freedom of the American landscape, its diversity, and unwillingness to conform. Chris Turnham, is an illustrator for National Parks themed books, his work has captivated me since I discovered him. Before my graphic design career I was a history major, my interests in history have carried over into the design sphere. I love mid-century typography and color. Artists like Allison Cote incorporate mid-century design elements into their work. I have incorporated more mid-century elements and typography into my designs and illustrations. They also present a certain challenge of making new things look like older design and illustration. These two passions of mine have intertwined into my senior exhibition. Including the American landscape into a fun historical style has been a thrilling challenge.

Advisor/Mentor

Jim Bryant; Scott Cook; Lu Colby

Description

Digital Illustrations, varying sizes, printed and mounted for display

Photo Credit

Photo credit, Jim Bryant, 2025

Recommended Citation

Siress, Maidie K., "Turnpike Traveler" (2025). B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498). 160.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art498/160