Dave McClinton
GRAPHIC
“I want to illustrate the life-cycle of the inner life of a black person. From innocent to informed.”
ARTIST STATEMENT | as it pertains to the culturally based imagery.
In the African American community, we are slowly rediscovering our history that has not been fully illustrated. It’s my job as visual communicator to review historical information and inform the community by bringing these concepts to life and help visually define our identity. And to distribute these stories about the strengths and trials of the African American community.
I want to illustrate the life-cycle of the inner life of a black person. From innocent to informed. From recklessly defiant to determined. How the weight of American history can either crush you or harden you. And, how either result often has to be hidden from view just to get through the day. The anger of the African-American community is often portrayed as a threat. The anger of “traditional’ communities is depicted as righteous. This paradigm feeds stress and despair back into black lives and thus stokes the fires we try to simultaneously hide and harness.
Currently, there is a newly intensified wave of empathetic consciousness in all forms of artistic output. I want the community to seize this moment in history to create work that tells a story and compels them to seek out empathy and activism for the sake of others. My hope is the work I’m creating can help do that. I want to spark conversations that have, historically, been hard to start.
Graphic Designer 🧑🏾🎨 | Visual Communicator 🖌 | Artist 🎨 | Creative Storyteller
Dave McClinton has been a creative professional for 25 years. His expertise in branding consultations, corporate identity, and web design has been developed by participating in every level of the creative process. That knowledge and drive has been honed within the publishing world, tech startups, and design studios.
He earned a BFA in Visual Communication at Texas State University at San Marcos. Dave has been published in the Print Regional Annual and Logo Lounge publications. Dave is a key collaborator and member of African American Graphic Designers (AAGD), an organization that seeks to educate and mentor young African American Graphic Designers.
Dave McClinton is an emerging artist who began exhibiting his personal work in 2015. McClinton combines his love of photography, art and graphic design to create works that speak to the viewer by communicating a personal perspective of Black Culture. Providing imagery and space for stories about the strengths and trials of the African-American community is a big part of McClinton’s motivation.
