Art and Design Commons^™

Nervous Conditions, Laurel Grelle

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides
Work displayed here as a diptych

Artist's narrative: Letter 174 is addressed to Paul Laurence Dunbar sent from his dear family friend H.A. Tobey. Toward the end of his life, Dunbar struggled to cope with his tuberculosis and turned to alcohol to ease his pain. As his condition worsened, Tobey began to worry about him and wrote him this moving letter of optimism expressing his sympathy regarding Paul living with a painful and deadly disease. The mirroring is showing the side effects of the disease …

On Flow'ry Beds Of Ease, Jacob Owens

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: In Letter 10, Paul Laurence Dunbar's heartfelt words to his friend J. N. Matthews unveil a profound narrative of gratitude and faith. As a Black man navigating adversity, Dunbar expressed his deep indebtedness to white colleagues who aided in his success. The gentle color palette—featuring dark blues, purples, and soft whites—exudes an antique ambiance, transporting viewers back to Dunbar's era. This color scheme evokes the essence of the time when Dunbar mastered his craft in the cozy confines of his mother's home, where …

Sincerely Yours, Emily Kintz

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides
Work displayed here as a diptych

Artist's narrative: Letter 62 unfolds William D. Howells’ review of Majors and Minors and the impact it had on Paul Laurence Dunbar. This single review pushed Dunbar into the national spotlight, which made his career. Howells' review, however, was embedded with racist ideologies and misinterpretations of Dunbar’s messages. The use of blue watercolor in the foreground represents the depth Dunbar put into his work. The purple watercolor begins to flood into the imagery to express the power Howells had …

I Object, Caroline Creamer

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Letter 166 Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote to Booker T. Washington in response to his rebuttals of the commissioned song Dunbar was asked to write for the Tuskegee Institute. The Tuskegee Institute was the first higher education institute opened for African Americans. Booker T. Washington was one of the founders who helped establish the school. During the time of this letter, Dunbar was struggling with his tuberculosis diagnosis, however he was still writing and producing new work. Within this letter Dunbar debates Washington’s views and objections …

Irrevocable Harm, Sebastián De León

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Can one experience extreme joy and fear simultaneously? In Letter 62, Dunbar writes to William D. Howells to express his gratitude for the praise he received in Harper’s Weekly. Howells was a prominent Ohioan publisher, editor, and writer during Dunbar’s time. His review of Dunbar’s Majors and Minors is attributed as a major step in Dunbar’s career, as it awarded the Daytonian poet with great recognition. However, though Howell’s article portrayed Dunbar as a great and talented artist, it also painted his race …

Your Affectionate Son, Paul, Isabella Winkler

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides.

Artist's narrative: Letter 66 is a heartfelt reminder written by Dunbar to his Mother, Matilda, in order to ease her mind of anxieties about her son being gone to New York for readings. Dunbar explains to his mother that he is optimistic about his time in New York so far and believes that it is only going up from there. He elaborates that the people in the area seem to be very interested in him and his work. He is having great success so far …

Paul L. Dunbar: A Tale Of Two Worlds, Brayden Vaughan

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 3 is a poem full of despair and sadness. While Paul Laurence Dunbar does have limited moments of happiness, he is mostly addressing his sorrow and negativity to his friend J.N. Matthews regarding the publication of his work. Dunbar lists his discouragement and blames himself several times throughout his writing. He is very annoyed at himself for his disappointments because he has only been able to sell two of his hymns. He even addresses a statement saying: “But enough of myself and …

The Act, Erin Doherty

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 121 explores the struggles Paul Laurence Dunbar faced with alcoholism and the scrutiny he received for his illness. As Dunbar writes an apology letter to Professor P.M. Pearson for his absence due to excessive drinking, his sincere apologies shine through. Dunbar explains how he is aware that his apology can’t erase showing up to a recital intoxicated, which led to his career being tarnished; however, he still asks for forgiveness. The imagery was created with an ink-water solution. This allowed for an …

Wish To Be, Try To Be, Madelyn Selong

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative:

Letter 21 details the events Paul Laurence Dunbar experienced following the Chicago World's Fair. Dunbar writes to Frederick Douglass, whom he had made friends with at the World's Fair after reading his poems there. The beginning of the letter tells the story of Dunbar’s gratitude toward Douglass as he promises to try to be worthy of the interest Douglass took in him. The end of the letter has a less positive tone, with Dunbar reflecting on some unfortunate events that occurred at the …

Uneventful, Mary Dent

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 x 36 inches
Media: Inkjet on matte paper
Created using Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, ink, and handwritten calligraphy

Artist's statement: Letter 85 was written to a woman who is still unknown to this day. The opening sentence of the letter states, “In answer I must say that my life has been so uneventful that there is little in it to interest anyone.” Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote this letter explaining the “uneventful” occurrences that he had experienced, beginning at his birth in Dayton, Ohio. Dunbar continues on in the letter brushing through age 12, when he first began writing, …

Self-Deprivation, Maddison Mitchell

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Paul Laurence Dunbar was a fascinating poet and writer. He was ahead of his time, and his writing was special and loved by all who read it. However, Dunbar was very hard on himself; he talked down about his abilities and writings. In Letter 3, he was writing to a close friend and mentor, James Newton Matthews. He talks about how he is not confident in his writing abilities and is doubting himself, saying he hasn’t been able to sell a single poem. …

Similar Flow, Quinn Heisey

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches deep, 2-sided
Medium: Inkjet on matte paper

Artist's narrative: Contemporary readers of letter 121 are hearing from the great Dayton poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar, in a declining state and nearing his 1906 passing from tuberculosis [diagnosed 1899]. Dunbar's illness necessitated treatment in a time before antibiotics, and the popular treatment was to use whiskey to manage extreme pain. This contributed to Dunbar’s addiction to alcohol, which is context for the sometimes unclear nature of events and decisions of his that warranted Dunbar to issue this response.

The letter has moments of self-disparaging humor or …

I Am Doing For The Best, Elaina Lear

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's narrative: Letter 66 expresses Paul Laurence Dunbar’s loving relationship with his mother, Matilda, and how his distance away from home worried her. Dunbar explained how his writing career was successful and that wealthy white people were treating him well; therefore, she did not need to worry. One side of the poster reflects the beginning of the letter; it's painted with ink wash representing the home where Matilda resided in Dayton, Ohio. The opposite side represents the Everett House in New York, where Paul was …

Love And Family, Kevin Brun

Life in Letters: A Typographic Poster Exhibition Featuring Paul Laurence Dunbar

Dimensions: 30 inches wide, 36 inches tall
Inkjet on matte paper, printed on both sides

Artist's statement: Letter 92 is Paul writing to his mother, Matilda, during his voyage from New York to England. Due to Dunbar’s dedication and love for his mother, he was writing to let her know that he had a rough trip but is doing well. Dunbar was on his way to London to sell his book Lyrics of Lowly Life after he got the approval and recommendation from William Dean Howells—who at the time was known as the “Dean of American Letters.” Near the end …

Grace Liska-Verdu: Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio, Grace Liska-Verdu

Senior Art Portfolios

This is the senior art portfolio created by Grace Liska-Verdu in the Spring of 2023.

Riley Englebert: Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio, Riley Englebert

Senior Art Portfolios

The portfolio of Riley Englebert's senior art exhibition project.

Benjamin Petropoulos, Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio, Benjamin Petropoulos

Senior Art Portfolios

This document represents the Senior Art Exhibition of Benjamin Petropoulos, shown in the Bush Art Center Galleries in Spring 2023. It's a venture into character design for a narrative setting.

Megan Huth, Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio, Megan Huth

Senior Art Portfolios

This document represents the Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio of Megan Huth, which was exhibited in the Bush Art Center Galleries in Spring of 2022.

Nicolette Engelmeier: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Nicolette Engelmeier

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Calan Gizelbach: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Calan Gizelbach

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• 18 x 24 inches, vertical
• Mixed-media digital collage

Mira Holifield: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Mira Holifield

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital college
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Olivia Marklay: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Olivia Marklay

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches tall

Colleen Glavic: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Colleen Glavic

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 x 24 inches, vertical

Elliott Gilardi: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Elliott Gilardi

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide x 24 inches tall

Cara Simmons: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Cara Simmons

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Devan Moses: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Devan Moses

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Cayley King: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Cayley King

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Mary Connor: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Mary Connor

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage

• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Noah Gangloff: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic Poster, Noah Gangloff

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Mixed-media digital collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high

Tash Nelson: 1918 & 2020 Pandemic, Tash Nelson

COVID-19 Graphic Design: Posters

• Illustration, Digital Collage
• 18 inches wide, 24 inches high