University of Texas Design Division MFA Exhibition Catalog

Second Round Design Comps

concept: Environments for Discussion

Drawing from the theme of collaboration on which this concept

was built, I push it further in this iteration by creating a different
Environment for Discussion for each designer. Each environment, as
influenced by the nature of the featured designer’s work, creates a
unique space in which the work is the subject of discussion, but equally
as important is the discussion which occurs around the work.

Each designer’s work, shown in color and as a preview of the full

images to follow, is prominent and concurrently acts on and is being
acted upon by the other students in the program. The other students
in each situation are represented by black and white thumbnails of
the respective designer’s work.

Lisa Willman’s work “explores the use of handicrafts in the expression

of trauma.” The environment created by her work evokes the feeling
of a roundtable discussion— much like a craft circle or group therapy
session. The work provides a “medium with which to probe the unique
complexities of trauma.”

Jeane Lambert’s work seeks “to call attention to the beautiful and
thought-provoking qualities in ordinary things,” as delivered through
book design. Jeane’s environment, repetitious and tedious on the outset,
asks the audience to find the beauty in the mundane. Mimicking rows
of books in a bookshelf or library, Jeane’s work creates a space in which
the other students’ works are the out-turned books at the end of the
row— at once affecting and being effected by Jeane’s beautiful tedium.

type: Modern Women in Design

Adobe Caslon was drawn by Carol Twombly in 1989.
Myriad was codesigned by Carol Twombly and Robert Slimbach
and was first issued in 1992.
 14

Lisa Willman
 15

Lisa Willman
My work explores the use of handicrafts in the expression of trauma.
Practitioners of handicrafts strive for perfection by taking control over
their creations, whereas trauma victims often find themselves feeling a
lack of control and seeking mere survival in the wake of their experience.
This intrinsic dichotomy creates a new platform from which to
investigate both categories.

In the wake of traumatic experiences, the human mind and body are
often faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles. These extraordinary
physical and psychological pressures can change the way trauma victims
perceive their periphery. To see people, events, and objects through the
eyes of a trauma survivor necessitates a shift in how you process the
world around you. As a user group, trauma victims have an extremely
unique set of needs for maintaining their physical and emotional health
as they attempt to regain control over their lives.

Handicrafts come with their own set of stereotypes and associated

imagery. They are generally ssociated with the solitary creation of finely
crafted items– objects perceived as being antiquated in nature, that take
a long time to produce, and that are more valuable than mass-produced
items. In undertaking a craft project, one assumes total control over the
materials and design of the piece at hand.

This work delves into the underbelly of trauma and communicates the
distinct views and experiences of victims through handicrafts. The
handicrafts are used to provide a medium with which to probe the unique
complexities of trauma and trauma victims. When a traumatic event
occurs, the level of quality in a person’s life often comes crashing down.
My work is what takes place amongst the broken shards of perfection.
 16

Lisa Willman
 17

Lisa Willman
 18

Jeane Lambert
 19

Jeane Lambert
“To pay attention is our endless and proper work”
— ���� ������

All of my MFA Design work—image-making studies, books, and land

art installations—stem from my desire to call attention to the beautiful
and thought-provoking qualities in ordinary things. Through my work,
vI strive to provide a place of discovery for others; my methods rely on
play, observation and exploration during the design process itself.

Disrupting preconceptions about objects and images has become an

essential part of my process. For example, my daily practice for one year
involved choosing any object that caught my attention and creating an
image of it using a flatbed scanner or regular camera. After reflecting on
the results of these images, I made another. One image of an object leads
to another, to another… (pg. 19).

While books as everyday objects have served my intentions to expose

the magical in the everyday, they have also become the delivery method
for sharing my work. The book Scan is designed to invite the viewers to
make their own discoveries about how text and image relate. With the
split pages (text on bottom, images on top) the changeable format invites
the viewer to create a playful voice instead of a didactic tone, and to re-
discover possibilities in the mundane (pg. 20 21).
 20

Jeane Lambert
 21

Jeane Lambert
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Jeane Lambert
 Design Division
MFA Exhibition 2010
university of texas at austin

April 17 - May 1, 2010

Creative Research Laboratory
2832 East MLK Jr. Blvd, Austin, Texas

OPENING RECEPTION :
April 17, 6:00-9:00pm

Department of Art + Art History

College of Fine Arts
University of Texas at Austin

�������� ���������� ������� ��������� ��:

Lisa Willman WWW. UTDESIGNERS . COM
“This work delves into the under-belly
of trauma and communicates the
distinctive views and experiences of
victims through handicrafts.

When a traumatic event occurs, the

level of quality in a person’s life often
comes crashing down. My work is
what takes place amongst the broken
shards of perfection.”
 Design Division
MFA Exhibition 2010
university of texas at austin

April 17 - May 1, 2010

Creative Research Laboratory
2832 East MLK Jr. Blvd, Austin, Texas

OPENING RECEPTION :
April 17, 6:00-9:00pm

Department of Art + Art History

College of Fine Arts
University of Texas at Austin

�������� ���������� ������� ��������� ��:

Jeane Lambert WWW. UTDESIGNERS . COM
“...to call attention to the beautiful
and thought-provoking qualities
in ordinary things.”