OWNER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
STUDIO A
ALEXANDRIA VA
Antonio Alcalá graduated from Yale University with a BA in history and from the Yale School of Art with an MFA in graphic design. He opened Studio A in 1988, winning awards of excellence from design institutions including AIGA, Print, CA, Graphis and GDUSA. He has also judged major competitions for AIGA (50 Books/50 Covers), the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, and the Type Directors Club. Studio A’s clients include the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Kennedy Center, and other museums and arts organizations.
Alcalá has taught design as adjunct faculty at the Corcoran College of Art + Design and in the GDMFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art. He served on the US Postmaster General’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee from 2010 until 2011, when he left to become an art director for the U.S. Postal Service’s stamp development program. Alcalá’s work and contributions to the field of graphic design were recognized with his selection as a 2008 AIGA DC Fellow and his work is represented in the AIGA Design Archives, the National Postal Museum, and the Library of Congress Permanent Collection of Graphic Design.
Looking forward, are you optimistic about the role of graphic design in business and society?
Yes, I am optimistic. Design is a basic human activity. We will continue to try and find ways to improve our world, and design will be a major agent in that change. I hope to see growth in collaborative/noncompetitive design systems, more sharing of resources and talent, and less emphasis on promoting profits over people.
Have the challenges of the past two years changed the way you approach your work?
It changed less for me than for most. My wife and I still walk to our office every day. It is quieter since our co-workers work from home. But the work-life balance and purpose of work remains the same. I’m in business to do interesting work that contributes to our culture. Those opportunities remain.
