Creating has always been a passion of mine. Whether by

drawing, designing, or photographing I find joy in being able

to both create and create for others. Something I love to do is

make personalized and handmade gifts for my friends and family. With the time and thought I put into the project then seeing how happy they are to receive it makes me so much happier than buying a gift from the store.

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   My preferred method of creating is by hand or

something that can be built after being designed.

I feel more accomplished and happy about a project

when I can physically hold it or see it displayed in the

way it was intended.​Creativity is very important to me because of the connection it has to God. In Genesis 1:1 it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” From there it goes into the full creation story which

is truly the most amazing and detailed work of art ever created. By knowing this, it gives me a closer feeling

to God when I am creating and has helped me see

the world in a completely different way.

I'm an artist at heart, I have a passion for illustration, painting, designing, you name it. I believe creativity is a God-given gift

that I as an artist value greatly.

 

I take inspiration from lots of crazy things like animals,

dinosaurs, knights, superheroes, animation, film, nature,

and more. Creating art makes me feel energized, but it's also calming, and lets me feel close to God, the ultimate Creator.

From a young age I have always enjoyed exploring my creativity through drawing, painting and making simple objects. The love of art came naturally, my family is very creative and I was blessed with that same artistry.

 

Attending college and pursuing a BFA in design was never

my intention but I was drawn to it because of my passion for it. I am forever grateful that I am doing something that I love everyday and will continue to do for the rest of my life.

As a designer, I strive to create pieces that viewers can

easily connect with. Each of my pieces has a different story attached to them. This story may relate to a certain time

in my life or artistic career.

 

I have learned along the way that it’s very rare that your first idea is the best so I try to give myself a variety of options.

I try to begin with sketches while also gathering a wealth of information that pertains to the project. This gives me insight on how to proceed with the rest of my process. I do not limit myself to one medium, style, or concept. My inspiration, ideas, and knowledge are constantly changing and I believe my artwork shows that in the best way.

My name is Dan Schieffer, and I am a graphic designer/

visual artist. My philosophy of design, and the general views of design’s purpose greatly affect the way I go about creating art. I believe design can and should constantly be innovated, experimented with, and most importantly inspire new ideas

in the audience in ways that they may have not been able to be able to explain through words or objective statements.

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I find that most of the time, I tend to create media that fails

to be made along the rules of Graphic Design, and more along with what I want my idea/design to evoke emotionally by any means that I perceive as necessary. Many of my designs are disjointed and deconstructed in a means to evoke more complex subjects, often these designs fail or miss the mark, but this allows me to better grasp what does/does not work

in the current design world. While design may appear to be made for commercial use only, I personally chose to use design as a way to express myself, ideas, and attitude in

a means to connect with others through subjective images and elements, while creating a common ground to relate

and communicate with the audience..

Just about every work of art developed under the sun has been a conglomerate of vaguely related ideas or experiences. With time I’ve shifted toward making the cartoonish, surreal or fantastic, but at the heart of every piece, there is something real.

 

I love the phrase “Wow! Whoever did this must’ve been on drugs,” more because it’s “innocent” than that I actually

agree with it. People often underestimate what clear-minded people can develop from real experiences.

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Real life really is that weird, really that wonderful, and

I think it’s worth reflecting in my work.

I’m a web developer and designer based in Nashville, Tennessee. I am passionate about design, especially

how it relates to the web.

 

I enjoy the creative process and solving problems. Particularly, I like integrating design with development.

My approach is to keep things simple and to the point. Through this I strive to create experiences on the web

that simultaneously communicate and inspire the viewer.  

I’m a big time believer in the Butterfly Effect; a small action has the power to significantly shift a larger outcome. With every choice, word or design we toss into the world, bit by bit we’re contributing to bigger areas of life. As a designer, and just a person roaming the world, I think I owe it to myself and others to do my very best to make sure my small choices are compassionate and build towards the good. 

 

I quite like these words: “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers — most of which are never even seen — don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?” When I’m working on a design, I aim to have the same mentality as the Wildflower Maker. I want my work to show close attention to detail, to feel light and to hold a spirit of joy. My intention is to create in a way that makes people feel important, valued and seen. I will never do this perfect, but I try to do a little better and better each go around. 

I love watching a design progress from rough sketches to

a clean, finished product. Even more than that, I love taking part in the process, especially if it involves working with my hands. I connect to my projects so much more if I can physically touch and make some part of them. Cutting

paper and spraying glue and rolling out ink gets messy,

but that’s part of the beauty of it. I may be sticky and

covered in ink and paper cuts, but my work is clean and good.

 

The design is the final product and my stained fingers show

the process.A design doesn’t just pop into existence, it takes

time and effort to become what it is. As a student, I am the

same way. The skills I have now didn’t just appear – things

had to get a little messy first. Luckily for me, the process

isn’t over. I’ll keep learning and getting messy for

the rest of my life.

Have you ever been told to think outside the box?

This phrase definitely applies to design and I am sure

that you have heard this many, many times. Design is

anything you make it. You are in charge. That is what I

love about art and design. But design can take on a life

of its own, changing and growing in ways never imagined.

The process is not always neat or organized, most of the

time it is a mountain of sketches, designing and

redesigning, questioning yourself, and messy workspaces. 

 

As a graphic design student, I think this can also be applied

to me. I get a little messy and my workspace is not always clean, but the finished project is worth the hard work. 

I think about my art/graphic design work as an opportunity

to join the highest creator and reflect a bit of His glory.

I also consider it as a conversation with the materials I’m using, because I try not to be the one dictating every step,

but rather letting it be an organic dance. I strive to create

in order to make the world more aesthetic, clear and

exciting. I’m also concerned with expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas that might be too complex, abstract

or deep to simply put into words. 

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More often than not, I reference the past and look at the Fauvists, Picasso, Pollock and Paula Scher. I also am very much inspired by my latin heritage, pay close attention to Guatemalan textiles, and admire lettering and illustration artists. I describe my work as bold, classic, elegant and honest. As an artist and designer I have come to realize

that I live by moments of realization and bursts of inspiration; when deep thoughts or questions meet a possible answer

and for a moment, everything is clear, true and full of joy.