Stamps Student Poster Designers Aid Local Watershed Council

During the winter 2016 semester, students in Cathy VanVoorhis’ Drawing II classes worked with the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) to create posters to support HRWC fundraising initiatives. HRWC is a coalition of stewards including volunteers, municipal governments, and businesses actively working to protect and rehabilitate the Huron River and the watershed that surrounds it.

At the onset of the project, Stamps students researched issues around local water quality, the range and ecosystem of the watershed, and the role that the HRWC plays in protecting the Huron River. In addition, the class explored strong poster design through both a historical and contemporary lens with an emphasis on posters for America’s National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges. Using drawings crafted from exhibitions at the U‑M Natural History Museum and from their own pictures of the river, many scanned hand-drawn elements into Illustrator or Photoshop to execute their design. 

The final posters ranged in theme, with some focusing on river recreation, some are about the wildlife and aquatic life, and some about HRWC education outreach efforts. Two poster designs were selected to promote the HRWC’s Huron River Day Festival on Sunday, July 10, 2016 from noon‑4 pm at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor. The full array of student posters will be exhibited during the festival. 

Reflecting on the body of work created by Stamps students, Pam Labadie, Marketing Director for the HRWC said, ​“we were impressed at how Stamps students truly captured the spirit of the Huron River and created compelling imagery that will help further our mission. This is a terrific way for students to give back to the Ann Arbor community and help HRWC reach watershed residents with our message.”

Students design posters for the Huron River Watershed Council | Facebook