Kolob Canyon Review Wins Prestigious Applied Arts Design Award
Published: June 10, 2024 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 4 minutes
Southern Utah University is celebrating a major achievement as its student-led literary journal, Kolob Canyon Review (KCR), receives the distinguished Applied Arts Design Award for its latest issues, Volumes 32 and 32.5. This award highlights the exceptional creativity and dedication of the students involved in the production of KCR, positioning them among the top emerging talents in the creative industry.
Since its inception in 1992, the Applied Arts Awards have been pivotal in helping creative individuals advance their careers. The awards are presented by Applied Arts Magazine, which is committed to fostering new creative talent and providing a platform for recognition, confidence, and initiative. Winning an Applied Arts Award increases the visibility of the recipients work and signals a strong commitment to excellence in the creative industry.
Professor Brock Landrum, the faculty advisor for the KCRs design team, expressed immense pride in the students achievement. “It is an honor for our program to see such talented and hardworking students be recognized for their effort. Receiving an award from the Applied Arts Design Competition shows students that they are on track with professional practice and that the design students from SUU have the chops to compete with their peers from around the world. I consider myself lucky to rub shoulders with these professionals in the classroom and thank my colleagues in the program for all they do to prepare our students.
DJ Wilson, the Art Director, reflected on the thematic journey of the issues, “Our thematic voyage navigates the intricacies of existence. Inspired by the dualistic themes in the literature, our designs encapsulate the relentless struggle between liberation and entrapment in the past, present, and future.
Wilson collaborated closely with the design team to ensure a cohesive visual language that resonated with the literary content. Through hand-crafted typography and a palette of stark black and bright “hawt salmon” pink, the design assaults the senses and forces the observer to approach the text and art with a careful eye, searching for meaning in the layers of visual storytelling, while the use of different typefaces and orientations enable the reader to engage with the text in unexpected ways.
“We were able to find everyones strengths and use them,” says Assistant Art Director, Aimee Barton. “We wanted to allow people to contribute what they were confident in while pushing them to be better.” Aimee was excited to see that their hard work and sleep deprivation were worth it. In addition to winning the Applied Arts Design Award, the KCR resonated with its readership.
Jack Powell, the ‘Merch Man (Director of Merchandise), elaborated on the significance of the project. “The book sold like crazy, and the merch that I put so many hours into researching and directing really paid off. We just about doubled our sales from last year. I knew from that point that this edition was definitely winning some awards.
The success of Kolob Canyon Review and the recognition from the Applied Arts Awards underscore the exceptional talent and hard work of SUUs students. The award not only brings honor to the university but also provides the students with a significant advantage as they embark on their creative careers.
“KCR isnt just a class and it shouldnt be thought of as just a class,” says Powell. “KCR turns a classroom into a tight-knit community of professional designers creating a professional project on an extremely limited budget.” He continues, “It is the most beneficial ‘class Ive ever taken in my life and has provided me with skills I never would have thought Id need.
For more information about KCR and to see past issues, please visit the Kolob Canyon Review website.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Tags: Art and Design Art Kolob Canyon Review College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Kol Gibson
435-865-8667
kolgibson@suu.edu