51ºÚÁÏÍø

Visual arts students at the University of North Georgia (51ºÚÁÏÍø) have created art to promote the nonprofit Adult Children of Aging Parents (ACAP) at bus stops in Gainesville, Georgia. 51ºÚÁÏÍø's Institute for Healthy Aging and the nonprofit serve as sponsors for the Hall County chapter of ACAP, and this collaboration allowed the students to learn more about ACAP and figure out how to promote the way it serves caregivers.

One of the strategic elements of the project was organizing students from graphic design and photography courses in three groups, each with a designated design lead and photography lead. These leaders were responsible for overseeing deadlines, tracking progress, managing files, and communicating essential information to their peers. Department of Visual Arts faculty members Tiffany Prater and Christopher Dant mentored the students.

"It's a good way to get our photo and design students to collaborate together," Prater said. "It's really rare for them to be taking on this type of opportunity."

Taylor Brown, a senior from Buford, Georgia, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in visual arts with a focus in graphic design, was grateful for the process that went into producing the art.

"It was so interesting to learn not only what they do, but also their own personal experiences with caregiving," Brown said. "I have a deep appreciation and gratitude for the efforts and work they put in their own personal lives."

Gracie Beem, a senior from Jefferson, Georgia, pursuing a degree in art with a concentration in graphic design, appreciated the collaboration necessary to create cohesive messaging.

"If you look at our photos, there's a lot of nature and peaceful elements that feel comforting to someone who might be a caregiver or is in need of caregiving," Beem said.

Daniel Lorentz, a senior from Winder, Georgia, pursuing a degree in art with a concentration in graphic design, served on one of the teams creating the art and helped set up the gallery for a Jan. 29 reception as a visual arts intern.

"I enjoyed giving an outside looking in perspective to it," Lorentz said. "I wanted to capture the essence of love I have for own grandparents and if I were to take care of them, how would I want to advertise this feeling?"

Natalie Bourgeois, a senior from Cleveland, Georgia, pursuing a B.F.A. in visual arts with a focus in graphic design, particularly liked how the project resembled the real world through gaining feedback from a client.

"Being able to make designs for an organization that's helping others was really rewarding and a great learning experience about caregiving, as well," she said.

Dr. Pamela Elfenbein, Institute for Healthy Aging director, said students thrived on the project.

"Our students' engagement with our community stakeholders for this project was significant because it gave our students the opportunity to hear from our strategic planning team what they wanted to represent with the final project, actively use and synthesize their classroom and studio learning, apply these to a new situation, and create something unique and personal," Elfenbein said. "Students were also afforded the opportunity to collaborate with peers and faculty from different departments, build teamwork skills, discuss together their understanding of the needs of the community the project was meant to represent, and create artwork that is relevant and meaningful to real-life situations."

Dant also noted the importance of the creative process for students.

"Dr. Elfenbein and other members of ACAP gave really honest feedback to our students throughout their creative process. This was extremely helpful, as our students greatly benefited from receiving feedback from experts in caregiving," Dant said. "Receiving critical feedback from fellow artists is helpful in many ways, but it is also important to learn how to engage in a collaborative discourse with clients and partners who may not work in a creative arts field but have a vision. Dr. Elfenbein had a great vision."

Frances Hall, ACAP founder and executive director, had a chance to take in the students' creations and speak with the students at the January reception.

"I am absolutely amazed and immensely impressed by what the students have done. When I first walked into the gallery and saw the posters, the visuals were striking. When I looked closer and read the text on each of them, I couldn't help but be humbled by all that went into the effort," Hall said. "The posters are stunning works of art and represent the highest professional quality. They truly capture the heart of caregiving and the spirit of ACAP. This is the first time an ACAP chapter has collaborated with a university to develop anything like this. Seeing what the 51ºÚÁÏÍø students created, I am certain it will not be the last."