Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM)
Roles:
Freelance Designer (August 2021 - March 2022)
Marketing and Design Intern (May 2021 - August 2021)
Primary Collaborators:
Rebecca Wright, Vanessa De Zorzi, Christian Lopez, Lauren Szumita, Marjorie Rawle,
Dr. Nick Capasso, Laura Howick, and Jessie Olson.
Freelance Designer Duties:
The Deputy Director for Advancement and Administration (DEPDIRAA) and the Museum Director helped me design the 2021 Annual Report. I collaborated with the DEPDIRAA, Marketing Manager, and Curators, to design 3 flyers, 2 editorial graphics, 5 animations, and 1 postcard mailer to promote upcoming events at FAM. In addition to doing freelance graphic and web design, I wrote and applied for forty local Cultural Council grants. Upheld FAM's brand guidelines created by Jean Wilcox of Wilcox Design.
Internship Duties:
Collaborated with the Marketing Manager to (1) create a campaign proposal and (2) design advertising collateral for an intermodal transit center and MART city bus. With help from the Marketing Manager, I designed the 2022 Calendar. Designed three web pages for FAM: one for a photography exhibition, one for the video lecture series, and one for eight photogrammetry scans of African and Oceanic art.
Moving Objects Collection Digital Archival
Above, Left and Right Helped create a digital archive of 3D models for the Moving Objects collection on the FAM website. The graphics were created in Cinema 4D with Redshift renderer, using photogrammetry models of FAM artwork.
The photogrammetry model scans were created by Timothy C. Johnson.
Spring / Summer 2022 Design System
Gallery Above, Image 1 The entire system's motifs and colors were structured around the Guide to Art & Events (GAE), with a style that alludes to American iconography,
Gallery Above, Image 2 Aerial shot of the unfolded GAE.
Gallery Above, Image 3 The 5"x8" postcard and 11"x17" poster consistency.
Gallery Above, Image 4 FAM's inner front cover advertisement complemented the front cover Artscope. The Artscope front cover photo credit line is Preston Singletary, Medicine Woman (Raven), 2012, blown and carved glass, 12 1/2' x 23" x 8". Photography by Russell Johnson, Courtesy Schantz Galleries. The cover design is by Artscope Design Group. Similarly, FAM's back cover advertisement complemented the patriotic cover of The Guide to North Central Massachusetts. The photo credit line is In The Meadow Farm, McGraw the alpaca, wearing his Uncle Sam hat. The cover design is by Gallery Sitka.
Gallery Above, Image 5 A to-scale proposal diagram showing the poster sizing.
Right An animated mock showing the functionality of the GAE's double gate fold.
The vector drawing model is from Pimpmydrawing.com.
Fitchburg You R Beautiful Print Campaign
Above The three poster designs that were posted around Fitchburg and surrounding cities to boost interest for the Fitchburg Art Museum x Ruben Natal-San Miguel Fitchburg You R Beautiful event. Rather than the standard process of designing the English advertisements first, I reversed the process and designed the Español versions to begin with.
2021 Annual Report
Above The sixth and seventh pages of the report. This spread's leftward dynamism draws viewers' eyes across the pages and unites the composition.
Right The fourth and fifth pages of the report. The play of colors and patterns in the images helped inform the design of this page.
Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) Art that Moves You Campaign
Above, Left Designed a 30"x36" poster for the MART Intermodal Transit Center (ITC) in Fitchburg, MA. The ITC services the Fitchburg community, surrounding towns, and other MBTA commuters.
Above, Right Designed an 18"x96" sign for a MART bus. The diagonal design motif is derived from the diagonal lines that assemble to form the FAM's lettermark. The repeated diagonal reinforces the forward momentum of the moving bus and also subtly alludes to the duplicated "M" in MART's very own logo.
Right Prototype bus advertisements from the MART Transit Campaign Proposal. All vector drawing models are from Pimpmydrawing.com.
2022 Calendar
Above, Left and Right The front and back cover. The calendar features photographs from The BIG Picture: Giant Photographs and Powerful Portfolios exhibition.
Right Inspired by Dr. Kimberly Bosworth Phalen's research on image juxtaposition, I created split compositions that encourage viewers to draw comparisons between two pieces of art. The juxtaposition of imagery also helped solve image resolution constraints.
Spotify Music Playlist Campaign
Offering museum-goers an alternative way to engage with museum art before and after visiting, and an attempt to tap into the 18-24-year-old demographic. The #FAMFEELS hashtag created a stream of connected posts and an opportunity for audiences to discuss.
Right The Vitruvian Man's Buff Brother. An enlarged cover graphic for a FAM's playlist titled "Thurston," a callback to the museum's prominent sculpture and quasi-mascot. The playlist tracks and the rendered 3D model are based on Douglas Kornfeld's sculpture, Thurston. Sculpture credit: Douglas Kornfeld (US American, b. 1955), Thurston, 2015, epoxy painted steel.
Bottom Row The "Evoking Eleanor" playlist. The "Moving Objects" playlist artwork credit: Face Mask (20th century) by Indigenous Artist or workshop, Kru or Grebo people. The "Discover Ancient Egypt" playlist artwork credit: Figurine Of Horus (Egyptian New Kingdom, probably 19th Dynasty). Both photogrammetry scans are by Timothy C. Johnson.
Social Media Animation Highlights
Above An animation posted on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to celebrate the New Year! The animation was created in Cinema 4D, used several Megascans assets, and was rendered using Redshift. Like previous FAM designs, the animation uses a 3D model of Douglas Kornfeld's iconic Thurston sculpture. Sculpture credit: Douglas Kornfeld (US American, b. 1955), Thurston, 2015, epoxy painted steel.
Right This animation announced the release of the recording of Abelardo Morell's virtual Conversation Café on YouTube. The animation is inspired by Morell’s use of the camera obscura. The citation for the re-lit, 3D room in the animation: The Hallwyl Museum (Hallwylska museet). The Great Drawing Room. 3D Model. Sketchfab. 2017. Accessed October 24, 2021. https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/the-great-drawing-room-feb9ad17e042418c8e759b81e3b2e5d7.
Below, Left This animation increased hype for FAM's exhibition Joyride: Cars in American Art from the Terry and Eva Herndon Collection.
Below, Right This animationed advertised curator, Lauren Szumita's virtual conversation with photographer Abelardo Morell, where he shed light on the techniques behind his camera obscura photographs.
Instagram Story Campaign
Above Created three kinetic typography motion graphics for three permanent Instagram Story covers: Welcome/Bienvenida, Exhibitions/Exposiciones, and Programs/Programas. This campaign strengthened FAM's brand continuity on Instagram, by using the brand's existing color palette and typography.
Fitchburg Art Museum Floor Plans and Landscaping
Above The Membership and Events Manager and Building Supervisor helped me update the existing map of FAM for the Arte en Flor event and map the courtyard and the exterior sprinkler system. The floor plans of the Museum were reorganized according to traditional floor plan conventions.
Collateral for FAM's Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft + Arte en Flor floral arranging competition
Above, Left The front cover for 2021 Arte en Flor / Art in Bloom. The event title is in both Spanish and English to align with FAM's commitment to Spanish and English speakers.
Above, Center Suite of social media assets for the 85th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft. The assets reinforced the arcing exhibition logo originally designed by Monique Reverie.
Above, Right The evolution of the 85th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft assets for the 86th incarnation of the eponymous event.
Maxwell Zaleski © 2021–2025