Thoughtful, dynamic, and engaging: such is the artwork of Brian Shaw, Hillsdale’s professor of art. Beginning Sept. 2, members of the Hillsdale community can stroll through his new exhibition: Design Musings. Featuring roughly two dozen posters, paintings, badges, and pen-and-ink works, Shaw’s attention to detail is apparent in every piece he creates.

“Some of the works on display are personal and attempt to visually represent thoughts I have reflected on for many years,” Shaw wrote in his artist statement. “Many of the works show my perceptions of my new surroundings. Altogether, these are my Design Musings.”

Perhaps most intricate are Shaw’s pen-and-ink compositions. The exhibit includes four. “Built with Purpose” shows off Hillsdale’s campus in the form of an “H,” highlighting the stately yet inviting nature of some favorite campus buildings. Shaw’s appreciation for symbolism is apparent.

“You’ll also see that I appreciate signs and symbols as structural elements and conveyors of meaning apart from their literal messages,” Shaw wrote.

In “Truth, Goodness, Beauty,” Shaw immerses these signature Hillsdale values in an eye-catching bouquet of flowers. “Port Isaac Fishermen” tells the history of a small Cornwall town. Inspired by conversations with Port Isaac natives while he was on sabbatical there in 2011, Shaw displays “a history of fishing [is] embedded in the community.” Viewers can practically smell the sea salt as they gaze at the drawings. 

Shaw’s acrylic works are photorealistic and imaginatively arranged. For example, his twin paintings “Signs of Hillsdale” and “Signs of Port Isaac” capture the endearing nature of these two towns through colorful smatterings of signature road signs bordered with corn stalks and brambles. 

Walking through the exhibit, Shaw’s posters and infographics catch the onlooker’s eye with punchy combinations of font, color, shape, and size. A poster for the upcoming “Battle of the Bands,” featuring the Harry James Orchestra against Hillsdale’s own Big Band, uses lively shades of red, black, and gold with a dash of humor to bring a peppy, vintage feel to the event. For the poster, Shaw hand-drew two trumpeters, later combining them with digital images and wording. 

“Connects,” a series of three posters, couples bold colors with clean lines and well-chosen images to, in the words of Shaw’s Artist Statement, “examine how Hillsdale faculty connect to our community and to the world around them.”

The exhibition also includes Shaw’s award-winning design for the Michigan Deer Management Patch. A deer bounds through rays of gold, toffee brown, and navy, evoking the state’s rich ties to deer hunting. An embroidered version of the patch will be available to Michigan hunters this year.

Among other religious pieces in his exhibition, Shaw’s devotional for parents of Hillsdale College students stands out for its simplicity and natural beauty. The two-page booklet features the story of British explorer Ernest Shackleton, through whom Shaw shares a message of true greatness in the light of Christ. Blue and white glaciers (with a subtle Cross) grace the covers, appropriate since Shackleton led an expedition to the South Pole. 

Shaw’s students praise his patience, reflectiveness, and wise mentorship. Junior Carly Whitehouse says Shaw taught her, “what it means to be creative… how to push the boundaries of creativity…and how to think.” Senior Hannah Cheng loves Shaw’s practice of group critique, which “helps us internalize why things work”.

Of his artistic process, Shaw acknowledges the difficulty of creativity. “The process of refining the original concept may take many redos,” but as any viewer of Shaw’s work can see, the reward is well worth it.