STUDIO 212

We are a creative cohort dedicated to developing a more robust practice of design in the world.

WANT TO SUPPORT US?

Savannah Baker

Savannah is a designer from Monroe, NC, currently earning her degree at Appalachian State University. Some of her main design interests include website design, coding, and the beautiful tranquility of zentangles. Most of all, Savannah’s passion lies in creating children’s books. After graduating, she hopes to use her skills to create fun and engaging content for young kids. Savannah balances tidy and thoughtful design practices with her fun and imaginative ideas. She always leaves room to let loose and re-energize. In her free time, she loves to watch Halloween and Christmas movies year-round, finding comfort in celebrating both holidays even in the off-season. Some important people in Savannah’s life are her fiance Lucas, her sister Kylie, and her soon-to-be kitten.

Jocob Bordeaux

An introspective creative originally from Asheville, North Carolina; Jacob Bordeaux strives to create thoughtful pieces pushing the bounds of graphic design. Even though Jacob cannot whistle, he does not let that stop his drive and determination within his work. With a focus on branding, striving for the cohesive design of identity, Jacob pushes his passion for making logos into the field of package design. While still inexperienced within this field, but enjoying it after an internship, Jacob strives to learn and do more relating to it. In his freetime, Jacob loves to spend time with his dog, Buddy, specifically walks because they can help him relax. Jacob hopes to work with a balance of client needs and creativity within his future as a graphic designer.

Raleigh Bost

Raleigh Bost is an outgoing and ambitious designer from Statesville, North Carolina. His design related interests include branding for already established identities or creating them from scratch, and experimental design that thinks outside the box and bends the rules. A random fact about him is he is one of two twin brothers. He would like to shout out to his dad who has always been supportive and interested in his pursuit of learning design. In the future he hopes to get a job with people and projects he enjoys.

Sophia Brinkley

Sophia is a creative and colorful spirit with a special eye for design. Born in Florida and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sophia currently lives in Boone, North Carolina and studies graphic design at Appalachian State University. While she thoroughly enjoyes typography and illustration, she is especially interested in creating brand identities. As a culmination of her favorite design practices, Sophia is drawn to the puzzle-like process of branding, allowing her to piece together unique and charming narratives through design.

Whether its sharing a meal or playing scrabble, Sophia loves to spend time with her family and friends. As an avid movie-watcher, she sources a great deal of inspiration from the colors, sets, and characters used in film, and tends to use those influences in her projects. After graduating, Sophia hopes to one day find a job and pursue her passion for helpling others tell their stories with design.

Maya Carr

Known to fully embrace visual metaphors, Maya Carr is a designer and artist from Mebane, North Carolina. Carr's empathetic and intentionally unfiltered approach to design emerged from her father's values and life lessons. Carr sees design as a path to disseminate information and communicate effectively while emotionally connecting and provoking those fortunate enough to see her work.

Her goals and career trajectory range from designing at Emergence Magazine to intimately crafting bespoke design solutions for small clients. Carr wants people to occupy bigger spaces, be up front and center, especially in design and art. She sees this movement as a way to invite a closeness to the self, which is a key pillar in her design work. Her best friend Koji is a wrinkled-face geriatric dog who's an accomplished principal designer in his own right.

Patrick Dimond

Patrick Dimond is a Graphic Designer who believes in the art of functionality and dimension. He grew up in Savannah, Georgia where his intelligent, hardworking nature came from his mom's influence. He currently attends Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina studying Graphic Design, with interests in typeface building, branding, ceramics, and publication. Patrick is also involved with Appalachian State University's student-organized fashion magazine, The Collective. Patrick's intelligence and observant nature has drawn him to functional design, modularity, and the visual appeal of architecture. When he's not thinking about structure, he is hanging out with his psychic dog, Chicken, his independent cat, Boone, or humming as he tidies his living room or tends to his (many) houseplants.

Patrick hopes that graphic design will someday lead him to product design to create a product design company, where he can focus on making architectural spaces more comfortable.

Lexi Gerlock

Hi there! Graphic Designer Lexi Gerlock, loves all things beauty and precision. Local to Trinity, North Carolina, Gerlock finds herself based in Boone while attending Appalachian State University. The Glamorous, yet cunning artist finds herself intertwined in the world of wonder and aesthetics. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a passion for design, she transforms ideas into visual masterpieces that captivate and inspire. While well known for her interests in ornamental design, Gerlock work explores other fields of design and technique through a mixture of hands-on & digital projects. Her dream is to find herself working on the big screens, creating the worlds and designs we get to experience through television and cinemas.

In her free time, she finds herself loving the mundane moments of morning coffee, wine tastings, and music, with a specific admiration for the classical arts. She finds her support in her Family, Roomie Emma, furry friend Bella, Partner Kiernan, and design cohort. Lexi's portfolio is a testament to her ability to turn imagination into reality. Her designs tell stories, evoke emotions, and make powerful statements with the intent of creating objects of happiness.

Kinsey Kegley

Kinsey Kegley is a graphic design student at Appalachian State University. Originally from Cedar Point, NC, she feels privileged to get to call both the mountains and the beach home. Kinsey is a constant admirer of plants and the natural world at large and this is reflected in much of her work. She is fascinated by the tangible possibilities of book arts and artist books and the expressive qualities of type design and illustration.

Kinsey’s had a green thumb for as long as she can remember and finds great joy in gardening and tending to her ever-growing collection of houseplants. In her free time, you can likely find her playing Animal Crossing, consuming copious amounts of Dr. Pepper, or gushing over her two cats Bojangles and Tiger (or really any cat in her vicinity). Kinsey hopes to utilize design in a way that helps others recognize their connections to the natural world and inspires people to care more deeply about our planet and the relationships we have with one another.

Isabel McDougald

Grounded in her passion for the outdoors, Isabel is an enthusiastic designer from Asheville, North Carolina with a love for chickens, pickles, and ambient lighting. She has a strong drive for all things outdoors, finding inspiration in her experiences backpacking, rock climbing, and paddling. In her design work she enjoys branding, finding ways to incorporate natural elements into her work, and is excited about illustration. Isabel aspires to help curate designs that are targeted towards outdoor opportunities, harnessing a beautiful balance between the digital and physical. She looks forward to the community and adventure that design will bring her after graduating in the fall.

Amanda McQuade

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, spending her childhood years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, then transitioning back to Raleigh, Amanda McQuade took notice in the social differences between the communities she grew to love. McQuade is currently working on her degree in Graphic Design at Appalachian State University, where she is known as a hardworking, socially conscious, and loyal friend by those she surrounds herself with. Amanda designed the brand identity for the university's Office of Community Engaged Leadership as an intern, and was the organization’s in-house designer. Here, she created publications and promotional materials for involvement on campus.

In her free time, McQuade enjoys developing her 3D modeling skills and experimenting with programs such as Blender and Womp 3D to extend her designs past the second dimension. She also takes interest in internet interface design, screenprinting, and vinyl cutting to further amplify the thoughtful activism coded in her work, which is especially present in her LLC, Paws Off Apparel, a fundraising organization dedicated to the North Carolina Abortion Fund. She currently works as a designer at Marketing Agency Parklife Communications, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina while she works remotely. One day, McQuade sees herself expanding these businesses in an attempt to positively impact her community through education and donations as societal problems choose to present themselves.

calista plodzien

Born and raised near the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois, Calista is a dynamic graphic designer with a strong passion for her craft. Calista has many multifaceted interests that extend beyond her design, reflecting a profound commitment to personal growth and artistic exploration. Calista specifically focuses on typographic sensibility and brand identities. She overcomes her tummy troubles everyday to prove her ambition for design. Nothing will get in her way of creating authentic, personal brand identities. As an energetic and driven designer, She is confident her passion for design will allow her to travel the world, designing for communities near and far.

Gabi Ramirez

Gabriela Ramirez is an enthusiastic and authentic designer from Fayetteville, North Carolina with ties specifically to Fort Bragg and has been furthering her design career studying in Boone, North Carolina at Appalachian State University. Gabi prides herself on being conscientious, resilient and always fabulous in every way, making her someone you know you can always count on and in-style. On her best days, she will break out into song, most likely that being the national anthem and occasionally interpretive dance to accompany. You will also find her often crafting her own vocabulary, particularly in the wrong use than it was intended but so creatively intriguing. She finds her biggest inspirations and happiness through the ones she holds close such as her roommates, her dog Lucas, the chats of hive mind & hunchbacks, Jack, Carson, and of course, her mom & dad.

Through the use of color, rich & luxurious design, capturing intimate moments, and vivid/whimsical drawings, she is able to collect the moments that are truly special to her and share them through her own practice. Her value of connection between one another and her community is one she hopes to use to influence and educate others to be present in the moment and nurture interactions with each and every individual. With the end goal of crafting aesthetically pleasing designs that bring joy and a light in the ever-so continuing darkness.

Katie Randall

Born and raised in Lafayette, LA, Katie is a designer with a passion for the outdoors. She is laid back, positive, and adventurous. Some of her favorite things are music, dancing while cooking, and her dog Lilly. Katie is drawn to printed design, such as posters, experimental usage of type, and books. She also loves coding and being able to see her creative efforts in a physical product. Once she graduates, she hopes that her graphic design career will allow her to work with outdoor spaces, organizations (such as Natl. Geographic), and nonprofits.

Lanie Sorrow

Lanie Sorrow is a graphic designer and student living in Boone, NC. Granting her the freedom to blend imagination with reality, Lanie is drawn to speculative design. From intergalactic bowling leagues to commercial space travel agencies, she enjoys and excels at designing conceptual narratives that both mesmerize and intrigue. After graduating, Lanie plans to pursue a design career and make an impact on the design world with her unique talent and dedication. More than anything, Lanie wishes to have her work seen, experienced, and enjoyed by many.

When she is not designing, you may find Lanie working in an antiques shop, probably restraining herself from spending her paychecks on vintage artifacts. She enjoys spending time and sharing laughter with her family, friends, housemates, and dog Finley. Lanie’s snarky humor, undeniable fashion sense, and fierce loyalty are what make her a joy to know and work with.

Madeline Stafford

Madeline is a designer from Hickory, NC. She is patient, persistent, and a lover of plants. Some fun facts about her are that she is silly, spontaneous and a big fan of Pepsi. Madeline is really interested in the process of integrating traditional illustration into the digital space and hopes that design will continue to allow her to work closely with illustration. She would like to shout out her two cats, George and Kimba, and her dog, Bee.

2023–2024