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Faculty

Full-Time

Dan Brawner (2007) – Chair of the Graphic Design Department – BFA Graphic Design (1983) Middle Tennessee State University; MA Illustration (2003) Syracuse University; MFA Illustration (2007) Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford

Nashville-native, Dan Brawner, creates idea-based art that reaches a wide audience through its appearance in print and multimedia. Commissioned by Saatchi & Saatchi, Hal Riney & Partners, McCann-Erickson, and Porter Novelli, Dan’s clients have included: BASF, Bridgestone, Children’s TV Workshop, Coca-Cola, HCA, Kellogg’s, KFC, Simon & Schuster, Sonic, WGBH-Boston, and Zanies. His character designs have even marched in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Book projects include The Prayer of Jabez for Kids, named by Publisher’s Weekly as the best-selling children’s book of 2002. Published work has garnered awards from Advertising Age, American Ad Federation, American Illustration, Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, Illustration West 45, Print, Society of Illustrators, and Society of Illustrators-Los Angeles. Work has been juried into American Illustration’s Distribute, Illustration 50, and 3x3’s Annual #5. In 2005, Brawner won Best of Show at Huntsville Museum of Art’s Red Clay Survey, while recent drawings and books have been exhibited at Billy Shire’s Fine Art Gallery, Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles, and IAGO’s El Libres de Artista Ilustrados in Oaxaca, Mexico. In 2010, Dan was honored with a Graphis New Talent Annual Top Instructor Award.

Click here to read an interview with Dan about the new Illustration concentration!

Judith Sweeney O’Bryan (2009) – Assistant Professor – BFA Graphic Design (1980) Parsons School of Design, New York-  (2006) M.A.T., Belmont University, Nashville, TN.

Before moving to Nashville in 1987, Judith spent 12 years working for advertising agencies in Manhattan. Her professional experience includes: Assistant Art Director at Dancer, Fitzgerald, Sample, Art Director at Kallir, Phillips & Ross, and Senior Art Director at Sudler & Hennessey (Healthcare division of Young & Rubicam). For the past 16 years Judith had been principle owner / creative directorof Sweeney O’Bryan Design, a graphic design studio which provides brochures, annual reports, corporate identities, branding, and advertising for both regional and national clients.

Steve Wilkison (2011) — Associate Professor — A veteran of the music industry, Steve Wilkison has been designing and developing websites, eCards, digital press kits and other interactive media for over fifteen years. He has worked with artists such as Willie Nelson, Keith Urban, June Carter Cash, Guy Clark, Nickel Creek, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Chely Wright and many more. Wilkison owns and operates Digital Vision Media, an award winning website, interactive and multimedia design and development company based in Nashville.

adjunct 

Joel Anderson – Ringling School of Art & Design— Joel is an Emmy-winning designer and owner of Anderson Design Group, in Nashville. Since 1993, his firm has focused on branding and publication design for clients such as Golden Books, National Geographic, DreamWorks, Universal Studios, Capitol Records and others. His studio produces classic poster design series, including Spirit of Nashville & Soul of America.

Giada Coppi – MA Information Design (2007) University of Reading (UK). Giada is a partner of LS Design-Milan. In the summer of 2009 she moved to Nashville and opened a new LS Design office.  She previously taught graphic design at IED (European Design Institute) and was a teaching assistant at the Politecnico of Milan. Coppi is a board member of AIGA-Nashville and currently serves as Vice President of Programming.

Travis Foster – Ringling School of Art & Design (1989). Travis studied at Ringling in Sarasota, Florida where he gradated with a degree in illustration. An experienced illustrator who has been commissioned by firms and agencies all across the country, Travis’ work has been seen on magazine covers, posters, greeting cards and large-scale advertising. 

Angela Lee – BFA Design Communications (1997) Austin Peay State University; M.A. Coorporate Communications (2004) Belmont University; MFA Visual Arts (2011) Azusa Pacific University.

Jim McAnally – BFA Graphic Design & Art History (1989) Birmingham-Southern College; MFA Graphic Design (1992) Louisiana Tech University. An award-winning designer, in 2004 Jim was nominated for a Grammy Award™ in the music packaging category. 
 
Greg MacLachlan – BFA Graphic Design (1991) Middle Tennessee State University.
Greg has over 10 years commercial advertising and marketing experience, including design, management, and art direction.
 
James Muspratt – MFA Graphic Design (2009) Yale School of Art; BA Swarthmore College
James’ work encompasses print, interactive, exhibition design, and motion graphics. Employed as a graphic designer at Anode, recent freelance clients include Nashville Public Television, MakeWright Films, Vanderbilt University, and the Yale School of Management.
 
Lesley Patterson Marx (2001-2006)–  BA Fine Art (1997) Murray State University; MFA Studio Art (2001) University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Lesley has been featured in several publications, including Readymade Magazine and New American Paintings MFA Annual. Her work has been exhibited nationally in galleries including Wendy Cooper Gallery in Madison, WI and Cynthia Broan Gallery in New York City. In 2004, along with students and friends, she helped to found Plate Tone Printshop, a non toxic, fine art community printshop. 
 
Bryce McCloud – Bryce is the proud proprietor and head artisan of Isle of Printing, a beloved Nashville letterpress shop. By his own description, he is made out of tiny blocks of lead, and some years ago, “the grand overseeing spirits of omnipotence compelled him into a ministry of obsolete technology and general artistic depravity.” Featured in The Art of Modern Rock, Bryce was included in Eileen Yaghoobian’s film about rock posters: Died Young, Stayed Pretty.
 
Justin Meyers – Plastic Monument. Born and raised in So. California, Justin’s creative background stems from a vast array of genetics, diversities and musical exploits. Justin eventually set his eyes on a design education in Pasadena, Ca. There he learned under illustrators and designers that worked for D.C. Comics, Disney, ESPN and more. Since design school, Justin has worked on large design projects for MTV Networks, Barnes & Noble, Target, Epic Records, Sub Pop Records and more. 
 
Daryl Stevens – BFA Graphic Design (1992) Middle Tennessee State University. Daryl is a partner in studio 202, a husband and wife team that produces award winning design, illustration, web, and interactive media projects for a wide variety of clients including: Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, HCA, Sony Playstation, Sports Illustrated, NBA, NFL, and ZZ Top. Stevens also serves as Alderman for the town of Thompson’s Station, TN.

Kathy L. Tange-duPre, CEBS – BFA (2008) Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. Kate has 20 years of experience in the writing, design, and production of employee communications. Kate has won gold, silver, and bronze awards for BPS&M from the International Association of Business Communicators. She has published articles in the “Journal of Commerce and Industry”, “Healthline,” “American Society of Healthcare Risk Management” and has worked with a wide range of organizations including organizations based in England, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore. She holds and MBA, a BBA in finance, and a BFA in graphic design.

graphic design advisory board

David Carson - David Carson Design (New York City, South Carolina)

Jody Cates - Gish Sherwood & Friends (Nashville)

Gail Anderson - SpotCo. (New York City)

Robynne Raye - Modern Dog Design (Seattle)

Art Johnsen - Locomotion Creative (Nashville)