Amador Jaojoco. I have always been

someone who spends more time drawing

in the margins of books than reading their

words. This life-long tendency highlights

my natural proficiency in transcribing the

language of words into the language of the

visual. Design provides me with the perfect

outlet to explore and develop this talent.

Nothing excites me more than when I am

approached with ideas and words, and an

opportunity to craft them into a visual

expression.

1

d e s i g n + i l l u s t r a t i o n Los Angeles/ Napa Valley, CA

g r a p h i c d e s i g n , e m p . I l l u s t r a t i o n B . S . + f i n e a r t , B . S .

design is where science and art break even.

Design. I began developing and using my

artistic skills in high school, but it was at

Pacif ic Union College [PUC] that I found

my true calling in graphic design. My de-

sign classes gave me my first structured cre-

ative outlet and opened my eyes to what I

could accomplish.

In my sophomore year, I took the next step

in my development and put my skills to work

as a freelance designer. As I’ve transitioned

from hobby artist to professional designer,

my passion for design has grown. But what

has surprised me is the way that my passion

for people has grown as well.

As a freelancer, the only way I can do my

best work is to really connect with my client

and understand his or her story. It’s that

connection that enables me to create a true

graphic expression of who they are. The

most satisfying moment of each project is

when the client looks at my finished work

and sees a piece of himself.

05

p u b l i c a t i o n s , p o s t e r s , e t c . Napa Valley. Pacific Union College

g r a p h i c d e s i g n

175 Creases. In this project for my

Visual Identity Systems class, I was called

to develop a catalog based on something

close to me personally. I presented a book

on my beloved collection of 175 T-shirts,

featuring 30 particularly special specimens.

11

v i s u a l i d e n t i t y s y s t e m Prof. Cliff Rusch

o n e h u n d r e d s e v e n t y - f i v e c r e a s e s

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, HARLEY-DAVIDSON UNITES PEOPLE DEEPLY, PASSIONATELY AND AUTHENTICALLY.

AND IN THIS UNITY THERE IS A RICH AND UNENDING VARIETY OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. FROM TOWN TO TOWN

AND COUNTRY TO COUNTRY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON TRANSCENDS CULTURES IN WAYS THAT RESONATE LOCALLY.

WITH BOTH GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE AND LOCAL RELEVANCE, IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT HARLEY-DAVIDSON RANKS

AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST BRANDS IN THE WORLD. SUCH ACCOLADES ARE GRATIFYING OF COURSE. BUT

IGNITING THE FIRE WITHIN PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.

The classic Harley-Davidson engines are two-cylinder, V-twin engines with the pistons mounted in a 45° “V”.

In 1983, the Motor Company formed a club for owners of its product by turning “hog” into the acronym HOG., for Harley Owners Group.

THE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP (HOG) is a sponsored community marketing club, operated by Harley-Davidson

for enthusiasts of that brand’s motorcycles. The HOG is “the grandaddy of all community-building efforts,” serving to promote not just a consumer product, but a lifestyle. The HOG has also served to open new revenue streams for the company, with the production of tie-in merchandise offered to club members, numbering over one million strong,[1] making it the largest factory-sponsored riding club in the world.[2] The Harley-Davidson community was the prototype for the ethnographic term subculture of consumption, defined as “a distinctive subgroup of society that self-selects on the basis of a shared commitment to a particular product class.

Brand, or consumption activity.”[3] The Harley Owners Group was created in 1983 as

way to build longer-lasting and stronger relationships with Harley-Davidson’s customers, by making ties between the company, its employees, and consumers.[4] HOG members typically spend 30% more than other Harley owners, on such items as clothing and Harley-Davidson-sponsored events.[5] Much of the intent of this branding effort is presenting Harley-Davidson as an American icon, with the focus on authenticity and pride in being American-made. All of this is credited with turning flagging sales around, and allowing the Harley-Davidson company to grow again.

Harley Davidson Annual Report.

In this class project, I wanted to try a

modern take on the classic, masculine ethos

of this iconic company. The result presents

a feeling of power and freedom that is just

what I think a Harley owner is looking for.

13

p u b l i c a t i o n d e s i g n prof. Milbert Mariano

h a r l e y d a v i d s o n a n n u a l r e p o r t

Funnybook. PUC’s student face book

was a challenge: creating a bright, exciting

design for a compact and easy-to-use

publication—all under an incredibly

tight deadline.

15

s t u d e n t a s s o c i a t i o n Student Services

f u n n y b o o k , s t u d e n t d i r e c t o r y

Stop-Watch Film Festival. The event

is an experimental festival that makes

f ilmmakers squeeze a story into a single

minute—so I experimented with an idea

that combined elements of time, a pre-

film countdown, and a compact jumble of

abstracted imagery.

19

v i s u a l a r t s d e p a r t m e n t dir. John Tagamolila

p o s t e r

Student Film Festival. PUC’s annual

student f ilm festival showcases great future

f ilmmakers, so I played with a heroic, Art

Deco-inspired, retro-futuristic concept.

The poster evokes Hollywood grandeur and

unlimited possibilities.

21

v i s u a l a r t s d e p a r t m e n t dir. Rodney Vance

p o s t e r

8 PM

M A Y 18, 19, 25, 26, 29, 30

9:30 PM

M A Y 21, 28

My Alice. This innovative theater

production explored the relationship

between the fictional characters of Alice in

Wonderland and the real-life personalities

that inspired the story. My art explored the

patterns and layers within that complex

production.

23

d r a m a t i c a r t s s o c i e t y art director Cliff Rusch

p o s t e r

*N O T E : The director and creator, Mei Ann Teo, has since left PUC. She now is persuing an masters degree in her f ield, traveling internationally and enjoying her new chapter in life taking residence on the east coast.

april 14 - may 5pacific union college • rasmussen art gallery

Student Art Exhibition. Every year

PUC’s art students submit a broad variety

of work for this exhibition. Rather than

try to encompass the whole range in my

promotion for the event, I approached the

project as my own unique work—the one

piece that attendees would see before they

even set foot in the gallery.

27

p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s art director Cliff Rusch

m a i l e r a n d p o s t e r

Pacific Union College

Knowledge for a

World Lived in Common

Colloquy Speaker Series

Colloquy Speaker Series. To advertise

Pacif ic Union College’s regular series of

various guest speakers, I wanted to take

an academic event and present it in a way

that would appeal to college students. The

challenge was to f ind a balance between hip

and intelligent.

29

p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s Vice Pres. Julie Lee

m a i l e r a n d p o s t e r

Pacific Quest. This annual program

gives middle school students a chance to

get a jump-start on college with a week of

preview classes. I emphasized all the new

directions an education will provide these

young kids.

p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s dir. Aimee Wyrick

t - s h i r t 33

REVOlution. Concerned college

students come together each year at PUC

to raise money toward a special cause—

this year a community kitchen in a poor

town in Argentina. I took inspiration

from the Argentinian f lag to create a

bright, hopeful design.

s t u d e n t n o n - p r o f i t o r g . dir. Megan Tresenriter

t - s h i r t 35

Chocopologie. The project: to create a

new and innovative packaging design for a

high-end brand. At $10 a bar, my biggest

motivation on this project was to make

Chocopologie chocolate look like it was

worth the price.

39

p a c k a g i n g d e s i g n Prof. Cliff Rusch

c h o c o l a t e b a r p a c k a g i n g

Queen of Hearts. I developed the

packaging of this Avon product to appeal

to women who are young and pampered—

or feel like they should be. My guiding

statement for the project was, “Sometimes

being a princess isn’t enough.”

41

p a c k a g i n g d e s i g n Prof. Cliff Rusch

b r a n d e x t e n s i o n p a c k a g i n g

Man Talk. The men’s residence halls at

PUC asked me to design these promotional

posters for a discussion series on what it

means to be a man. Potentially a heavy topic,

so I tried to make if fun and appealing with

a playful take on classic icons of manhood:

the warrior, the outdoorsman, the

smooth operator.

45

m e n ’ s r e s i d e n c e h a l l s Dean Halversen

p o s t e r i l l u s t r a t i o n

The Frog Prince. This assignment in an

Illustration class called for me to illustrate

a classic story. I challenged myself to use

bright, lively colors to create dark and

ominous imagery.

47

i l l u s t r a t i o n 2 instructor John Halversen

s t o r y i l l u s t r a t i o n

INSPIRé. Client Susan Branum’s St.

Helena pilates studio has been in need

of a new identity for decades. The name

of her studio comes from the French

for “to breathe,” so she asked me to

evoke movement, freedom, and air. The

additional challenge was to avoid the

clichéd human-body-as-design element

utilized by every other pilates studio in

the world. Good design isn’t enough—you

have to stand out.

51

s t . h e l e n a , c a l i f o r n i a for Susan Branum

c l i e n t i d e n t i t y

Kratos Display Systems. As a class

project, I developed this logo for a company

that manufactures scientif ic measurement

equipment. Although I didn’t actually work

with the company, I imagined their client

as the hip, young, up-and-coming scientist

on the town.

53

I D b r a n d i n g o n e Pro. Cliff Rusch

i d e n t i t y e x e r c i z e

naturally beautiful yarns & fibers

Sincere Sheep. Client Brooke Sinnes,

owner of this unique Napa Valley wool

company, was inspired by the ultra-clean

Scandinavian aesthetic. I warmed it up

a bit with a touch of American nostalgia.

This project resulted in a logo, as well as

packaging labels and a website.

55

n a p a , c a l i f o r n i a for Brooke Sinnes

c l i e n t i d e n t i t y

*N O T E : Brooke has since found great success in featuring her yarns at trade shows across the nation. Her mark has gained visibility and recognition on many social networks in the natural f iber online community.

Fine Art. As an artist, I love being inspired

by the world I see around me—the beauty

of nature, or the uniqueness of a face. My

favorite media are charcoal and watercolor.

Both are quick and easy to implement, fa-

cilitating the leap from inspiration to art.

Watercolor also offers an additional chal-

lenge: while the process is easy, there’s no

going back once paint touches the paper, so

it requires a lot of forethought and medita-

tion. I’ve also enjoyed working in encaustic,

acrylic, oil, stone, and ceramics.

On occasion, I’ve been fortunate enough

to sell my work after art exhibitions and

through word of mouth. It’s always a bit-

tersweet moment when a piece sells, be-

cause each unique piece is born out of my

own passion. But when I see that someone is

thrilled with something I’ve created, I can’t

not let it go.

I believe that there’s no real distinction

between fine art and graphic design—it’s

something that shapes my work in both ar-

eas. Both an art piece and a design project

should capture the mind and the heart; both

should be crafted carefully and with atten-

tion to detail; both should be works of pas-

sion.

59

p a i n t i n g , d r a w i n g , e t c . Napa Valley. Pacific Union College

f i n e a r t

art is not a thing; it is a way

63

d r a w i n g f u n d a m e n t a l s t w o Prof. Cheryl Daley

l i v i n g b i r d s t u d y - g r a p h i t e

65

d r a w i n g f u n d a m e n t a l s t w o Prof. Cheryl Daley

l i v i n g s q u i r r e l s t u d i e s - g r a p h i t e64

d r a w i n g f u n d a m e n t a l s t w o prof. Cheryl Daley

l i v i n g b i r d s t u d y t w o - g r a p h i t e *N O T E : A majority of these drawings were made in the backwoods of PUC’s campus. Its rural location was ideal for f inding wildlife at every turn.

67

l i f e d r a w i n g Prof. Thomas Morphis

r e c l i n i n g m a l e s t u d y - g r a p h i t e66

a d v a n c e d l i f e d r a w i n g Prof. Thomas Morphis

w o m a n f o r s h o r t e n i n g s t u d y - c h a r c o a l

69

l i f e d r a w i n g t w o Prof. Thomas Morphis

w o m a n r e c l i n i n g - m i x e d m e d i a68

l i v e p o r t r a i t d r a w i n g Prof. Cheryl Daley

q u i c k s t u d y o f m a n w i t h f a c i a l h a i r - c h a r c o a l *N O T E : This particular drawing is a favorite of mine due to its incredible likeness to the model, despite its raw state.

71

p o r t r a i t d r a w i n g Prof. Cheryl Daley

w o m a n p o r t r a i t - o i l p a s t e l70

a d v a n c e d p o r t r a i t d r a w i n g Prof. Cheryl Daley

r e c l i n e d w o m a n , h a i r s t u d y - c h a r c o a l *N O T E : The model ’s head was resting on her knee. By far this was one of the more challenging life drawings I had done. End was result was a study on how beautifully her hair was arranged in the lighing.

75

m e n d o c i n o , c a l i f o r n i a instructor John Hewitt

j u g h a n d l e , c l o u d s t u d y - e n p l e i n a i r , w a t e r c o l o r

77

f o r t b r a g g , c a l i f o r n i a instructor John Hewitt

n o y o h a r b o r - e n p l e i n a i r , w a t e r c o l o r76

m e n d o c i n o , c a l i f o r n i a instructor John Hewitt

b u c k h o r n c o v e - e n p l e i n a i r , w a t e r c o l o r

nil metventis is fearing nothing

Thesis 2011. Fear is the motivator. It

produces inactivity as often as it produces

a relentless pursuit for advancement, or at

least prompts us to remove ourselves from a

fearful situation. Yet fear is more than the

elicitor of f ight or f light: it is an instrument

and can be manipulated to help us achieve

new levels of self-awareness and repose.

Fear guides, but only as we allow it.

Anxiety once f looded my mind and per-

meated my actions; it was fear looking to

be led. I soon learned that fear was not the

enemy, it was a tool.

Fear is often lent too much attention. Fear

grows with whatever control we grant it. My

works are substantial because they represent

the enormous power I once granted fear,

and they loom with the ominous immensity

of imagination running wild.

These works were not designed to im-

pose unnecessary fear upon you, they are

an homage to my own unbroken fear. They

embody my struggle, confrontation, and

conversation with fear.

As I rose above my fear and asserted my

authority over its whims, I gained confi-

dence in the identity which had been hid-

ing in fear’s shadow. I now choose when and

where to apply fear. I can freely immerse

myself in this emotion because I have bro-

ken it. As I was able to come out of that fear,

it allowed me to discover signif icant parts

of my identity. I give myself permission to

revisit and enter my fears at will, and then

leave them behind.

Fear is the protector, and it begs to be mas-

tered.

t h e s i s p r o j e c t 2 0 11 Napa Valley. Pacific Union College

f i n e a r t 79

Nil Metventis. In my senior thesis project

I was expected to exhibit skills learned

throughout my years at PUC as a f ine arts

student. There are 5 pieces in total, 4x8

feet in dimension, created with oil paint,

thread and nails. The paintings were used

to construct a small room to instill a sense

of anxiety to the viewer.

81

v i s u a l a r t s d e p a r t m e n t Pacific Union College

t h e s i s 2 0 11 , f i n e a r t b . s .

*N O T E : Special thanks to Robert Wilson for his photography for this project and Cari Cordis for transporting these large works.

Later!

Special Thanks. Thanks to everyone

who took the time out of their schedule to

help me put this portfolio together.

Larry Peña is a writing god. Thank you for

f inding words in my works.

Divya Joseph has been one hundred percent

supportive of my endeavors since our Public

Relations 1 course our freshman year.

I can’t ignore Geoffrey Brummett, a peer

I look up to (literally) during all of our

classes, both design and not-so design.

Thanks to all of my professors and

mentors at PUC. Milbert Mariano, Cliff

Rusch, Cheryl Daley, Alexander Carpenter,

Haley Wesley and everyone. Also thanks to

Thomas Morphis for being a great advisor

for my Fine Arts thesis project.

This portfolio was created on one i5 2011

iMac and 2008 Macbook Pro with Adobe

CS5 software.

Photos were taken with a Nikon D5100

with a 40mm Nikkor Micro Lens. All other

photographs were contributed by Geoffrey

Brummet, Robet Wilson and the PUC

Visual Arts Department.

∞

d e d i c a t e d t o m y p e t b e t t a f i s h , a l p h o n s e . r . i . p .

c o l o p h o n