UI/UX Design, Print Design, Packaging Design

Michigan is the first state in the Midwest, and the tenth state in the United States, to legalize the use of recreational marijuana. Since legalization in 2018, people that had been criminalized in the past for the possession and/or consumption of marijuana have had their criminal records expunged. Countless dispensaries have been popping up regularly around Michigan as well. However, even after four years of legalization, a negative stigma lingers in the air over weed. And although there are countless places to purchase cannabis in Michigan, there are no spaces, outside of a persons’ private residence, to consume cannabis in a safe manner. For alcohol, there are countless public spaces to consume it relatively safely. I have decided to combat this issue by making it the focus of my BFA Graphic Design senior thesis show. My solution is to make a fictional cannabis lounge where people can both consume marijuana and educate themselves about the dangers and benefits of the substance. My goal is to also inform about the many varying aspects of weed and its consumption. By allowing people to become more knowledgeable about the substance, it is slowly breaking down the negative stigma surrounding it. People become less fearful of things once they understand more fully. Understanding the current and potential applications can help consumers and investors break away from the stigma surrounding cannabis. Growing up, I have always been artistic - spending my free time teaching myself as many artistic mediums as possible. Going into GVSU, I believed that STEM would be the only way I could be successful, even though my passion is in art. After a couple semesters of science classes, I switched my major to graphic design. Learning that a person can be successful making art to communicate a message allowed me to open my mind up to the possibility of being a designer. I can educate and inform through visual storytelling. With every project I complete, I hope my work makes an impact on those who take the time to take it in.