Creative Research Statement: Environmental Poster Design and Social Impact

Since 2005, my primary area of creative research has centered on environmental poster design as a vehicle for social and ecological advocacy. This work interrogates the communicative power of visual narratives to influence public consciousness, with particular emphasis on plastic pollution and climate change. By leveraging emerging technologies, refined conceptual strategies, and experimental visual techniques, I strive to craft work that is both critically resonant and formally innovative. As a result of this sustained inquiry, my posters have garnered international recognition, including two Graphis Platinum Awards, twelve Gold Awards, and eight Silver Awards—distinctions presented in Graphis Poster Annual, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious design publications globally.

Origins of Inquiry

My interest in posters dates to 1974, when, at age eleven, I first encountered fluorescent political posters amidst the cultural fallout of the Watergate scandal. Although unaware of their full historical significance at the time, these vivid, surreal visuals captivated me—igniting a lifelong fascination with the power of image-making. This formative experience set the foundation for a career-long exploration of posters as vehicles of expression, memory, and persuasion. Similar early influences included album cover art, which I have come to regard as visual time capsules embedded with cultural meaning and design ingenuity.

Visual Storytelling and Conceptual Approach

My creative process is fundamentally narrative-driven. Research consistently shows that storytelling enhances memory retention and emotional engagement, and I aim to integrate these findings into my work by developing posters that resonate conceptually and emotionally. Each project begins with an individualized inquiry—an idea, emotion, or observation—followed by intensive research and ideation, including hand-drawn sketches and material experimentation. The production process is iterative and often includes traditional fine art techniques alongside digital tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

In addressing distressing subjects, I emphasize visual elegance and formal clarity to create what has been described as a “grotesque beauty.” This balance between discomfort and aesthetic appeal is intentional: the goal is to provoke thought without alienating the viewer. A minimalist approach often underscores my visual strategies, distilling complex ideas into singular, striking compositions.

A Pivotal Shift: 2005–2011

My research took a significant turn in 2005 with the design of a poster for The Hurricane Katrina Project, which launched a series of eight commemorative posters—“epitaphs”—for global humanitarian disasters. Notable among these is Epitaph #4: Honshu, created in response to the Fukushima tsunami, which received a Graphis Gold Award and was exhibited internationally. These works cemented my role as a designer with a strong social conscience and helped catalyze further exploration into activist design.

By 2007, my posters Shattered Dreams and Migaloo were featured in Communication Arts Design Annual 49, the leading U.S. design publication. Since then, I have created posters for 22 humanitarian causes, with many of these works included in juried exhibitions around the world.

In 2011, my poster Plastic Fish (also titled Bon Appetit and Sea) marked a turning point. Awarded third place in Segundo Llamada’s international competition, this piece catalyzed a new visual language in my practice—monochromatic, high-contrast imagery—as a response to environmental concerns surrounding traditional four-color printing. The work has received multiple awards, including two Graphis Platinum Awards, and has been widely published and exhibited. Plastic Fish inspired two companion posters, Eden and Plastic Bird, completing a triptych focused on environmental degradation across land, sea, and air.

Reputation and Recognition

The success of Plastic Fish and subsequent work established my reputation in the international poster community. I have been invited to serve as a juror for national and international design competitions and to participate in dozens of invitational exhibitions. This recognition culminated in an invitation from Bloomsbury Publishing (London) to co-author a book on poster design.

Scholarship in Practice: Making Posters from Concept to Design

Published in 2020 by Bloomsbury Visual Arts, Making Posters from Concept to Design is an advanced academic resource co-authored with Natale Delgado. The book assumes foundational knowledge in art and design and explores the evolving role of posters in contemporary practice. Featuring over 300 full-color posters and interactive components via QR codes, the book integrates augmented reality (AR), video, and digital animation. It has been adopted internationally, with holdings in 109 academic libraries across six continents, including institutions such as Pratt Institute, Library of Congress, University of the Arts London, and Universität der Künste Berlin.

The book’s cover and layout—both designed by me—received a Graphis Silver Award for book design. The research process for Making Posters initiated a new line of inquiry in my practice: the integration of AR and, more recently, artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies have since become central to my creative research, exemplified by Plastic Fish AR (exhibited at the 2021 Ecuador Poster Bienal) and my in-progress AR-enhanced children’s book My Upside Down World.

Recent Engagements and Global Presence

In 2022, I was interviewed in Graphis Journal 372, joining a distinguished lineage of designers featured in the publication, including Paul Rand, Irma Boom, Milton Glaser, and Ellen Lupton. More recently, I was invited to serve on the advisory committee for the United States International Poster Biennial (US/PB), and I participated in the Florence Art and Design Biennale 2023. My poster created for the Gyeonggi Design Association in Korea was one of the first in which I incorporated AI-assisted image-making.

Since 2007, my work has received more than 100 peer-reviewed national and international awards and has been featured in over 80 publications and 100 juried exhibitions across 16 countries, including 19 biennials and 7 triennials. My posters are in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Lahti Poster Museum (Finland) and the Center for the Study of Political Graphics (California). I have delivered lectures and workshops globally—including in China, Indonesia, Canada, and Poland—on the relationship between design, social advocacy, and emerging technologies.