The Savannah College of Art and Design was founded in Savannah, Georgia in 1978. Its mission is to prepare talented students for careers in the visual and performing arts, design, the building arts, and the history of art and architecture and emphasizes learning through individual attention in a positively oriented environment. Today, with two locations in Georgia and one in France, as well as online programs, the college attracts students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries.
+ Visit scad.edu
Working Class Studio is a product development venture of the Savannah College of Art and Design. The studio manufactures a line of modern home accessories and lifestyle products based on designs created by artists of the college. Each academic quarter students are selected as interns to form an interdisciplinary design team led by studio directors. This unique concept for an educational institution marries function and fine art to bring you a well-curated mix of cutting edge design. Their ever-expanding collection includes graphically striking journals, stationery, pillows and innovative housewares in a contemporary palette.
+ Visit workingclassstudio.com
While wandering around one of our favorite stores, we stumbled across a charismatic little journal for sale. Its cover design was striking, well-crafted, yet whimsical. We had to know whose brainchild it was. The back cover credited, "Working Class Studio, a division of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)."
So, the next day we called SCAD and spoke to Sari, the director of Working Class Studio (WCS), who explained that students of the WCS internship program design, manufacture and distribute their own line of products, as well as create custom designs for trusted name brands to be sold by major retailers. And wouldn't you know it, Sari and the WCS team were blik fans and liked the idea of bringing blik into the fold to represent the smaller, artistic sectors out there fighting the good fight.
In Spring 2007, blik surface graphics debuted on the WCS syllabus, giving 10 students a semester to design and develop a new line of blik wall decals. We couldn't wait to meet the group and see the facilities of this internationally renowned, pioneering art school, so we jetted to the enchanted city of Savannah, GA to witness the process. What we saw was spectacular ? from the historic city, a character unto itself, to the amazing students bent on pushing the limits of wall decals as an artistic medium. All the while, Sari and the rest of the WCS team treated us like royalty, bunking us at the most unbelievable house we'd ever seen, let alone stayed in. The 200-year-old Magnolia House overlooks Forsyth Park with its 10 charming, entirely unique rooms, every one adorned with a fireplace and SCAD artwork. Each morning, we were treated to a fresh breakfast we could enjoy on the rocker-lined front porch and at day's end, the lush garden offered a quiet sanctuary. This place rocked!
We can't wait to share the students' innovative designs with you later this June. In the meantime, here are some images from our trip as well as the design and development process of this new line of graphics only from your friends at blik and Working Class Studio!
Peace,
Scott and Jerinne
