John Gravdahl

john@gravdahldesign.com. • john.gravdahl@colostate.edu

Designer, Illustrator, Educator

Master of Fine Arts/Illustration Syracuse University

Bachelor of Fine Arts/Graphic Design, Colorado State University

Professor, Graphic Design, Department of Art and Art History, Colorado State University

Core Faculty, Richardson Design Center, Colorado State University

Graphis Design Master Portfolio

Graphis Journal #379 – Career profile

Member, International Poster Design Committee (CIDC)

Founder Gravdahl Design, Propeller Press

Recent work: Researching experimental techniques in visual storytelling. Ongoing creative focus on poster design, book illustration, and public art

Recognition: International exhibitions and museum collections - Warsaw, Trnava, Tehran, Taipei, Sofia, Shanghai, Seoul, Seoungam, San Luis Potosi, Rzeszow, Pecs, Macau, Moscow, Mexico City, Nanjing, La Paz, Lahti, Kharkiv, Jiangnan, Florence, El Paso, Dalian, Busan, Brno, Beijing, Baltimore

Juror, Graphis Poster Annual 2024

Solo Exhibition, Autonomous Metropolitan Univ, Mexico City Oct 2022

President of the International Jury, International Biennial of the Poster in Mexico (IBPM) 2016.

Graphis Poster, Graphis Design, Graphis Type in Use international juried annuals – platinum award, numerous gold and silver awards from 2010-2024

Poster Masters of the USA, selected exhibitor honoring contributions of the United States in international poster design, Seventh Biennial of the Poster in Bolivia - 2021

Designers for Glaser, international invitational poster exhibition, 2021

Fellini Project Homage, international invitational poster exhibition, 2020

Zero Corruption, 4th Block invitational poster exhibition, Ukraine 2020

Jan Rajlich 100 Homage, invitational poster exhibition, Czech Rep 2020

Marine Environmental Protection, invitational poster exhibition, Taiwan, 2020

Foucault’s Pendulum Homage to Umberto Eco, invitational poster exhibition, Sixth Biennial of the Poster in Bolivia - 2017

The Evolving Silk Road, invitational poster exhibition, Florence Italy, 2015

Workshops and Conferences

Workshop, Autonomous Metropolitan Univ Azcapotzalco, Mexico City 2021

Workshop, Discovery and Design, The Power of Asian Design Conference, University of Asia, Taichung Taiwan - 2019

Workshop, Alice in Wonderland, Congress of International Design, San Luis Potosi, Mexico - 2016

Workshop, Jose Guadalupe Posada, Congress of International Design, – Congress of International Design, Querétero, Mexico -2012

Speaker/Workshop, 10x10 Shanghai Global Design Summit, 2023

Speaker, Fifth Biennial of the Poster in Bolivia - 2015

Speaker, 23rd National Meeting of Graphic Design Schools, Universidad Ibero-Americana - 2012 Mexico City

Speaker, Taiwan International Student Design Competition Advocacy Conference, 2011 Taipei

Speaker, Design Encounter/Ninth International Biennale of the Poster in Mexico, 2002 - San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Juror, International Student Design Competition 2013, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei Taiwan.

Books/Publications

Essay “Watch, Look, Listen”, TISDC 25 Years commemorative book, 2024

Author/Illustrator/Designer, Curious Catwalk children’s Illustrated picture book, Propeller Press, 2003

Author/Illustrator/Designer, The Tale of Dog Giovanni Illustrated children’s picture book, Propeller Press, 2001

Co-Author: The Physical Characteristics of Poster Art, Visual Resources: An International Journal of Documentation