BIOGRAPHICAL INFO
Erik A. Evensen is an award-winning designer, illustrator, graphic novelist, and educator. His work has received accolades from Graphic Design USA, Ain't It Cool News, Nerdist.com, Geeks of Doom, and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. His design experience began in the high tech corridor of Greater Boston, and has included projects for Wells Fargo, AirTran, Captivate Network, Coca-Cola, GE, the National Guard, and Dean Kamen's FIRST, as well as many non-profits and arts organizations. His creative contributions are often interdisciplinary, and include branding, publication, information graphics, environmental graphics, motion graphics, illustration, and comics.
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Scholarship: Erik's research and scholarly creative work is focused on designing for education and information delivery, covering disciplines such as game design and the role of comics and comics-making in education, using tools such as data visualization, user-centered practice, and generative design research. He has published and presented this research at conferences in Seoul, Hong Kong, and across the US. Erik studied with design research pioneer Liz Sanders, president and founder of MakeTools.
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Comics: Erik is the author/illustrator of the award-winning 2007 graphic novel, Gods of Asgard, the 2013 graphic novel, The Beast of Wolfe's Bay, and the 2003 web comic, Erik's Sketchbook Diary. With James Bucky Carter, he is the co-author/illustrator of Super-powered Word Study, an educational workbook published by Maupin House in 2010. He has had additional work in Invincible, Hoax Hunters, Grounded, and Fear Agent from Image Comics, Zombie Bomb from Terminal Press, Ghostbusters from IDW, and Johnny Raygun from Jetpack Press.
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Education: Erik is presently an Assistant Professor of Design at the University of Wisconsin–Stout. He holds an MFA in Design from Ohio State University, a BA in Art from the University of New Hampshire, and was a grant-funded post-baccalaureate student at Boston’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts. He can often be found auditing classes and attending lectures, open studios, conferences, and seminars. In addition to his teaching roles, he regularly serves as guest speaker, invited author, expert reviewer, and juror in a variety of creative and academic venues.
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Miscellaneous: Raised in an arts-focused household of educators, Erik is an outspoken advocate and facilitator for the arts and arts education. In addition to his creative practice, he has served on the advisory board of Bemidji State University's Art & Design program, the board of directors of the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and Bemidji Area Community Band, and the coordination team of Bemidji's Pecha Kucha Night. He is also an active amateur saxophonist, and has performance credits with the the East Bay Jazz Ensemble, the Moonlighters Big Band, and the Bemidji Big Band, and several community concert bands.
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Personal: Erik was born and raised in western New Hampshire, on the Vermont border, about halfway between the secret hideouts of J.D. Salinger and Ken Burns. He now lives near Minneapolis with his wife, musician Erika Svanoe.
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