UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD (UHART)
Hayden Gaillard is a junior pursuing both a BFA in Visual Communications Design and a minor in Printmaking. Their inspiration comes from connecting the digital to the analog, whether that be through heavy texturing and noise on design pieces, or using traditionally digital aesthetics in their printmaking practice. They are currently the General Manager and creative director of WSAM Alternative Radio, the University of Hartford’s only fully student-run radio station. This role perfectly connects their love of indie music with graphic design, working on visuals for countless shows on campus and it’s semesterly zine, while also assisting with booking and managing said shows. Outside of design, Hayden loves indie game development, often participating in online game jam competitions, even placing in the top 75 of the largest online jam in history. They’re eager to enter the industry, with an understanding of the print history of design, and the digital future.
IF THERE WERE NO BARRIERS AND CONSTRAINTS, WHAT PROJECT WOULD YOU WANT TO WORK ON?
I’d love to lead a rebranding project for a large-scale music or arts festival. Projects like that have so many teeny elements, and just make so many people’s experiences that much better.
WHAT ARE YOU READING/LISTENING TO/WATCHING?
SKA DREAM by Jeff Rosenstock has been on repeat since it dropped last year! Though I do have to also shout out ctverses’ heavy rotation playlist on Spotify, the CT scene never ceases to make bangers.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD?
Elliot Ulm, or @elliotisacoolguy everywhere. They’re a content creator, so definitely not the path I want to go down, but their outlook on how graphic design should be thought of really drives my work. So often, graphic design is made out to be something with such gravity or is completely gatekept, but it truly doesn’t have to be that way, and their cheeky yet encouraging content shows how positive fighting against that outlook can be.
