Tuesdays, November 3 – December 1, 4 – 6pm
Design by Dan Shepelavy
$250; members $225
(4 classes; no class on Nov. 24)
About the Class
Visual expression is as old as humanity itself, making the history of graphic design both expansive and impossible to define through a single narrative. This course explores graphic design’s wide-ranging visual landscape through unexpected connections across eras, cultures, and media, guided by artist, designer, and advertising executive Dan Shepelavy.
Through close looking and discussion, participants will encounter a diverse range of visual traditions and design movements, from medieval heraldry and Harlem Renaissance graphics to Jamaican dancehall posters, political propaganda, psychedelic print culture, Cold War commercial design, and early computer interfaces. Together, these examples reveal how graphic design shapes communication, identity, commerce, and everyday life.
Unconventional and visually rich, this course offers an engaging introduction to the histories, ideas, and visual strategies that continue to influence design today.
Capacity: 60
Barnes classes will:
- Sharpen your observational and critical-thinking skills.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Dan Shepelavy
Shepelavy is a designer, artist, researcher, writer, and advertising executive. He is currently the proprietor of Universal Exports of North America, a creative consultancy and publisher. Shepelavy spent his early design career amid the collapsing scenery of the pre-internet music business. In 2003, he helped establish the advertising agency 160over90; later he served as the executive creative director of the Brownstein Group.
What Students Are Saying
“Joe Tokumasu Field was a wonderful instructor. He’s patient, caring, and skilled at interacting with students’ questions and comments.” —The Japanese American Century with Joseph Tokumasu Field
“This was an exciting course with fascinating and informative lectures and well-chosen pictures. Franits is a brilliant teacher.” —17th-Century Dutch Art’s “Holy Trinity”: Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer with Wayne Franits
“The instructor was outstanding in every way—an expert in the subject, enthusiastic about the material, solicitous and supportive of students’ observations, and brilliant in expanding our discussion as warranted. The best Barnes instructor I’ve had, by far.” —The Nabis: Late 19th-Century Prophets of the New with Larissa Bailiff
“I enjoyed the course very much and liked how each week focused on a different topic relevant to the subject. Caterina is an engaging speaker, and you can tell she loves what she is teaching. Her enthusiasm and sense of humor come through.” —Famous Heists: Crimes in the History of Art with Caterina Pierre
“I felt at peace afterward and appreciated the art so much more than before.” —Being Present with Art: Cultivating Balance for Spring with Roksana Filipowska
Go Further
Barnes Curious? Let’s Talk about Cézanne
Join us in the collection galleries for a short close looking and discussion session on Cézanne. Instructor: William Perthes
Just Us: Art and Restorative Justice
Learn how art can play a role in justice reform—in raising awareness of mass incarceration, providing paths toward reentry, and more. Instructor: William Perthes
The Language of Painting
Discover how artists use color, light, line, and space in this one‑day, on‑site workshop. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell