AUM students turn basic shapes into bold storytelling for Graphic Design Showcase

Auburn University at Montgomery graphic design students will showcase their creative work in an upcoming exhibition that blends award-winning designs with interactive, hands-on experiences.

Presented by AUM’s Department of Fine Arts in collaboration with CTRL ART DESIGN, the Graphic Design Student Showcase will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Cason McDermott Art Gallery in Goodwyn Hall.

The curated exhibition will highlight artwork of AUM students, including Addy Award-winning designs, showcasing the creativity and talent emerging from the university’s graphic design program. Among the featured works is a bold piece by graphic design major Karla Guedez, who used Adobe Illustrator to create a vibrant composition of six robots in her Digital Foundations class taught by Associate Professor of Graphic Design Nikhil Ghodke.

“Her experimentation with bold color blocks and intricate shape-layering transforms standard vector tools into a charming exploration of character and form,” Ghodke said. “Her artwork is a study in how ‘basic shapes’ can lead to complex, imaginative storytelling.”

Designed as both a showcase and an interactive experience, the event will include hands-on design activities that invite attendees to engage with creative prompts and explore the critical thinking and strategy behind everyday visual communication.

Open to students of all majors as well as the public, the free event aims to bridge disciplines across campus by demonstrating how creativity and problem-solving are essential tools in every field, from the arts to business and beyond.

The exhibition will include a reception with refreshments and attendees can take home limited-edition design buttons as a keepsake.

Photo: AUM student Karla Guedez created a vibrant six-robot composition in Adobe Illustrator, featured in the Department of Fine Arts’ Graphic Design Student Showcase.