Starting today I will be featuring some 2009 graduate work individually, I asked the design graduates to submit an artist statement and a few images of their project to me. Today, I’ll be presenting to you the work of 2D Designer Blake Almstead. If you’d like to see your work featured here as well, please send your details, artist statement and 4-5 images to: admin AT cranbrookdesign DOT com. And thanks!

Blake Niles Almstead | Department: 2D
Title of work: King Friday xiii Stopped Calling
Medium: Inkjet prints, Archival Pigmented Ink Pen
Artist Statement: These twenty panels represent education, family, and myself. My work has been an exploration in motion, artificial memories, and stealing my own identity. Though these explorations I have worked with personal and public content in order to better understand myself. My work has developed formally into a merging of mediums. I start with drawings then bring them into the computer transforming into three dimensional objects. The final step is printing them then hand drawing over them to blur the line of hand/digital mark making. The title refers to growing up with my parents being friends of Mr. Rogers. The fictional puppet character King Friday the 13 would call my family on his birthday, every Friday the 13th. This phone call to the land of make believe has come to represent my approach to design, combing memories of truth and fantasy.