vernon lockhart

Vernon Lockhart is the founder and principal of Art on the Loose, a Chicago-based multidisciplinary firm that specializes in corporate identities, exhibition and environmental design and multimedia design. Art on the Loose has provided art direction for many significant projects in the Chicago area and has served an impressive list of clients, including Northwestern University, University of Illinois Laboratory Schools, Hyatt Regency, Nike, Whirlpool, DuSable Museum of African American History, Museum of Science and Industry, Bronzeville Children's Museum and Namasté. Lockhart is the recipient of awards and praise from PRINT, Communications Arts, GDUSA and Graphis. Lockhart served on the AIGA Chicago board as the community outreach chair, managing the Poetry in Motion program and student contest. He also participated as a rider with Team AIGA/Roll Over AIDS during his tenure. After serving nine years as chair of the Chicago chapter of the Organization of Black Designers, Lockhart helped co-found Project Osmosis, a not-for-profit arts-based education and mentoring initiative. The organization helps inner city students gain access and knowledge about career opportunities in design.

Is graphic design a growth industry? I feel very positive about the growth opportunities for graphic designers—in fact, I feel that way about all design disciplines. It is partially because of technology and the way it infuses creative people to work, think and design with global instead of regional interest. The other reason is because more people from other cultures and parts of the world are finally being exposed to design as a career choice.

Do graphic designers have a special responsibility to promote a green society? Graphic designers are stewards for sending out visual messages. All designers should feel a personal responsibility to make good design that is safe and environmentally conscious. We do this by working with eco-friendly inks and using recyclable paper products, along with exploring new eco-friendly synthetic paper like YUPO's. We also work with clients that value their surroundings like we do.

ONE THING I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IS my mom's German chocolate cake

FAVORITE MOVIES

Star Wars
Forest Gump
Shawshank Redemption

FAVORITE BOOKS

Logo Savvy: Top Brand Design Firms Share their Naming and Identity Strategies by Perry Chua and Dan IIicic
Cold Running Creek by Zelda Lockhart
A Life's Design: The Life And Work of Industrial Designer Charles Harrison by Charles Harrison

FAVORITE TV SHOWS

The Office
Family Guy

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES

aiga.org
projectosmosis.org
villagecycle.com