Meet our Graphic Design intern, Jessica Thomas.
Jessica is from Davenport, Iowa. She graduated from Iowa State University, with a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Advertising.
AR: What does theater mean to you? Why is it important?
JT: It’s an immersive form of entertainment. That’s something you don’t get anywhere else. If you were to go watch a movie, there’s no real interaction that can happen. When you read a book, you see it all in your head. Theater combines those two art forms, in a way. It puts you there.
AR: Is there a piece of artwork you’ve created that stands out to you?
JT: The one that I keep coming back to is a project that I did in school. I got to create a brand for a (fake) food truck. Logo and everything. I enjoyed that one because there was so much freedom to it, and I liked the subject matter. My imaginary food truck would sell food from classical stories. I called it Fabled Foods. It would sell things like Turkish Delights (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), and Unbirthday Cake (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland).
AR: How did you get started in graphic design?
JT: I had played around in Photoshop for forever – I can’t even tell you when I started. My aunt gifted me her old programs and I’d load that onto the computer. I’d make signs and things like that for school, and when it came time for college, I decided to pursue graphic design. The first things that I made were wallpapers for my computer background. Before college, I was mostly self-taught, but I had a fun time learning.
AR: In addition to your work as a graphic designer, you’re also a photographer. Does your experience as a photographer influence your graphic design?
JT: Knowing about photography makes it easier for me when I’m taking pictures for a project. Thinking about the final image while taking the pictures helps because then you can be sure to leave space for potential text if you know you’ll need it. It helps to set things up from the start so that there’s not so much work to be done to get to the final product.
AR: If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
JT: I would want to go to Disneyland or Disneyworld. I’ve been once. Well, only one time that counts – I was there as a three-year-old, but that doesn’t count. As much as roller coasters scare me, they’re just so much fun. Even going into the big castle is like you’re in your own little world.
AR: What’s your favorite theatrical production?
JT: Wicked holds a special place in my heart because it’s the first show I remember seeing. The characters and the story were so memorable to me. [Fun fact – Trinity Rep’s resident set designer, Eugene Lee, designed the set for Wicked!]
AR: What’s your favorite holiday?
JT: Christmas! I absolutely love giving gifts.
AR: And last, but not least, what’s a fun fact about you?
JT: I own over four hundred movies on DVD. I just kept accumulating them, and now I have so many. There’s a wide range, but I couldn’t pick a favorite. At some point, I started to prioritize DVDs with digital copies on them – right now I have 219 with digital copies. I have movies like Toy Story, The Grinch, and Sleeping Beauty, but I also have movies like Seven, Pitch Perfect, and Godzilla.
