By Ngan Huynh on April 25, 2022 Image With guidance from faculty member Alison Nowak, students from the Illustration Topics class recently got an opportunity to collab with Family Tree Clinic, a community clinic that specializes in reproductive and sexual health services. The Collaboration Family Tree Clinic Entrance Featuring Artworks by Riley Wright, Kaitlyn Morrsion, and Ngan Huynh Nowak has been working with Family Tree Clinic during its relocation and rebranding with KNOCK inc. (who also assisted with MCAD’s recent rebrand), so she's familiar with its new style guide. They were in need of some artworks to characterize the new location and Nowak realized she could request a collaboration between MCAD students and the clinic. “It seems like a natural fit,” she shares. The Projects Family Tree Clinic Hallway Featuring Artworks by Deanna Ayala, Alyssa Hannan, and Michael Hasseriis Family Tree Clinic's style is packed with bold color and playful design elements; its illustrative style highlights diversity in the human form. Students were encouraged to follow the clinic's pre-existing style but Nowak also gave them this prompt to think about while making their illustration: “Where does your healing come from? How can you practice being healthy and be true to yourself?” The objective was to create a large-format image (30 x 42 inches) that fits within the brand standards implemented by KNOCK, inc. while staying true to each student's way of illustrating. Students were given 5 weeks to create this project, making it large in both format and timeline. Family Tree Clinic Stairway Featuring Peyton Juno's Illustration In the past, Nowak would run this project as a hypothetical collaboration with brands like Warby Parker, BigCartel, or Cinerama, but she could only provide brief specs about the brands because she didn't work with them directly. The project being a real-world collaboration this time around really pushed the project forward. The Outcomes MCAD Illustration Students with Family Tree Clinic Staffs on Day of Critique There were many different interpretations of the prompt based on each student's interest. Nowak shares, “Some recurring themes that students choose to go with were nature, platonic and romantic relationships, gender expressions, community, and food. The overall reaction from students was very positive—it was like a case study for them to apply their art practice in the real world.” On the day of the critique, two of the staff members from the clinic joined the class and were able to see the artworks for the first time: Jacki Trelawnyi, Director of Community Engagement, and Nadia Mohamed, Community Engagement Liaison. Working with a real client and being able to hear their feedback as well as watching their reactions during critique really helped the class positively in concluding the project. “It's good for the students to see the staff members connecting with the works and communicate their ideas,” Nowak mentions. The clinic and its visitors really love the banner prints. Many visitors share that the artworks make them feel more connected to the space. Adding on to this point, Trelawnyi mentions how the addition of the artworks provided more visual representations of the clinic's values. “The impact felt even deeper because the staff were able to walk through the halls and connect to the artworks. We were able to uncover the details and magic within each work every time our eyes rest upon it.” Family Tree Clinic Reception Area Featuring Flex Vang's Illustration Trelawnyi was super eager to see the artworks, she shares later on. “My first feeling was just excitement! We had gotten feedback from the community about how art can do so much healing to an individual. We just very much value art in association with community healing. When Alison mentioned this project to me, it just seems like such a fitting opportunity. This also gave us a chance to connect with MCAD students. Nadia and I felt like the new students in a class of cool kids." The People Alison Nowak with Deanna Ayala Family Tree Clinic was able to host a reception opening for the student artists in their common space at the clinic where the banner prints were exhibited. Some of the prints were sold to the clinic and are currently part of the clinic’s permanent collection as they really brightened up the space and expanded on their values. Below is some of the feedback from the students about the collaboration: Natalie Vilter, Trek Through The Forest “Forests have such healing qualities with the fresh air, the sound of a babbling creek, the surprises that lurk under rotten logs, etc. The theme of the project was healing, so a forested piece was my go-to thought. When planning out the composition I really wanted to emphasize that there are so many different ways people enjoy forests, whether it's solitary or with loved ones. Along with this, I wanted to emphasize the importance of clean water when it comes to healing and the health of a forest, which is why it's in the center of the piece.” —Natalie Vilter "When working on this, I wanted to combine bold and colorful colors to show the variety of life as well as some pride flags to show Family Tree Clinic’s inclusiveness. The vases represent human vessels where each vase has a different shape and color. I also incorporate some activities I do when I want to relax, like reading a book, hanging out with friends, going to coffee shops, and looking at animals. My end goal for this illustration is that maybe it can ease your mind from a busy day. Take a rest once in a while and remember you are a sparkling wonder" —Ngan Huynh Ngan Huynh, Spark Riley Wright, Our Poetry Book “Originally, I was a little wary of how I would use Family Tree Clinic's color palette. The bright colors pack so much joy and movement that I was a little intimidated, but I think communicating with my classmates and hearing their suggestions and ideas really helped me turn that intimidation into ambition. In the end, I was very pleased with how the color exploration turned out in the final illustration!” —Riley Wright “I did enjoy having guidelines for larger projects like this, as it helps lead to a more concise and solid concept for what I was working with and how it came about.” —Ashton Higbee Ashton Higbee, Growing Connections Kaitlyn Morrison “I had tons of fun and to have a real outcome for the work is super amazing. I think it really drove me to do even better for future projects!” —Kaitlyn Morrison Explore more about Ngan Huynh Riley Wright Alison Nowak Natalie Vilter