Online Exclusive: Graphic design professors receive Young Guns Award

On Oct. 7 three Portland State graphic design professors—Frank Chimero, Elsa Chaves and Tyler Lang—received the Young Guns Award from the Art Directors Club [ADC] for their work in visual communication and design.  

According to the ADC website, this is the eighth year of the awards and the honorees are chosen by past Young Guns winners. The competition honors designers under the age of 30 for their body of work.  

Chimero teaches graphic design and typography at PSU.

“I think there’s a special satisfaction that comes with being honored for a body of work rather than one specific project or piece,” Chimero said. “Producing one good project is hard enough, but to be chosen for a body is very gratifying.” 

Chimero was awarded for his illustrative work, such as posters for bands, editorial work and advertising campaigns that included an animated piece he directed.  

Kate Bingaman-Burt, who brought Chimero to the PSU graphic design department, feels he is very deserving of the award.

“His work embodies excellent aesthetics coupled with smart concepts. It is always thoughtful and thought-provoking and executed in a smart and solid manner,” Bingaman-Burt said. “His pictures and words are highly influential in the design world and he is one of the brightest young designers working today.”

Also honored were Elsa Chaves and Tyler Lang of the company Always With Honor. According to Bingaman-Burt, they will begin teaching an information design class at PSU during winter term.

“They have a unique skill set and a distinctive style and I can’t wait for them to share this with the students!” Bingaman-Burt said.  

According to the Always With Honor website, Chaves and Lang strive to create work that “simplifies, synthesizes and clarifies.” Their clients include Facebook, The New York Times, Fortune Magazine and Esquire.

The awards bring local and national attention to the PSU Graphic Design Department, which has programs to reach out to the design community locally and nationally.  

According to Bingaman-Burt, the department is having an active visiting designer speaking series and is constantly putting on shows and events for the PSU design community. 

“We make it a priority to reach out and utilize our amazing local design community and we make connections with designers in the national community as well,” Bingaman-Burt said.

The graphic design department also has a lecture series called Show and Tell, for which local designers come have lunch with the students and discuss their work. In addition, Show and Tell has designers use Skype to access classrooms via video conference.

“This year we’ve got someone stopping by every week from now until June, and we’re really excited about all the wonderful people that are graciously sharing their time,” Chimero said. “It’s a pretty impressive roster we’ve put together: lots of current and previous Young Guns in there.”  

To see the award winning designers’ work, visit: 

• Elsa Chaves and Tyler Lang: www.alwayswithhonor.com
• Frank Chimero: www.frankchimero.com