HERB VINCENT PETERSON | SOCIAL IMPACT DESIGN RESEARCHER AND EDUCATOR
ABOUT
Herb Vincent Peterson is an award-winning multidisciplinary social impact design researcher, and educator. Peterson’s research lies at the intersection of community and design pedagogy aimed to bring sustainable change in rural America.
Peterson has been able to work with a variety of towns and cities, universities and colleges, to the wide spectrum of not-for-profit organizations and major retail companies, such as the Guggenheim Museum, The Wexner Center for the Arts, Gap Inc (Old Navy, Gap), Hoosier Lotto, Saturn GM, Kroger Super Markets, Indianapolis Arts Council, Full Circle, Happi Brands, Urban Outfitters, and artists such as Ann Hamilton, Michael Mercil, Susan Stewart and Linda Adele Goodine.
Among other things, Peterson filled the role of executive director of Open and Build, a not-for-profit design network that was originally started in Columbus Ohio in 2009. In 2016 he co-founded, Marion Design Co. a socially driven design studio aimed to revive, empower, and propel a rural community with collaboration through design research and education.
Peterson's work has been featured in numerous national and international magazines, books and exhibitions including venues such as, The Wexner Center for the Arts, The Indianapolis Museum of Art, Elizabeth Gallery in London, Art-Basel; Miami, Sean Christopher Gallery; Ohio, Agora; New York, Kuhn Fine Arts Center, Jacksson Contemporary Art, Williams Art Galleries at Indiana Wesleyan University, and more recently at the Union University art Museum.
A passionate educator and education activist, Peterson has lead and taught design and fine art to numerous students at universities including, Herron School of Art and Design, Ohio Dominican University, The Ohio State University, Indiana Wesleyan University, North Carolina State University College of Design, and at The South Carolina School of the Arts: Anderson University where he currently serves as an Associate Professor of Design within the Design Program.
Peterson holds a BFA from Herron School of Art and Design where he studied Photography and Visual Communication Design, an MFA emphasizing in interdisciplinary research, focusing on Visual Design and Education from The Ohio State University, and is currently working on a doctorate in Design at the College of Design at North Carolina State University.
EDUCATION
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN DESIGN: PHD (In Progress)
Research: Design for Social Impact pedagogies within rural communities and Schools.
North Carolina State University
MASTER OF FINE ARTS: MFA (2006–2008)
Interdisciplinary Specialization Fine Art and Design
Research: Social Imagery through Typographic Syntax (Art & Design)
The Ohio State University
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS: BFA (1998–2006)
Visual Communication Graphic Design and Fine Art Photography
Research: Designing Death: A Visual Study of Death Related Experiences
Herron School of Art and Design
OTHER (2006)
Minor: Art History Studies. Herron School of Art and Design
Peterson’s research and scholarly design work lie at the intersection of community, higher-ed, and design pedagogy. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop innovative and equitable design pedagogies that equip various socio-economic, diverse, marginalized, and undeserved community members to learn and apply design to their lives, conceivably empowering vibrant living. The research, produced in tandem with college design students, engages through community design-oriented workshops, placemaking efforts, design thinking sessions, and various qualitative research practices. Outcomes are shared, experienced, and modeled through versatile tool kits and sustainable solutions pointing to the numerous systemic social issues we face as community members. Lastly, the research is central to designing students’ learning by applying first-hand facilitation, co-design practices, human-centered design, design thinking, and implementation skills while building real-life experience.
RESEARCH
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WORK EXAMPLES
Due to the nature of sensitivity toward subject matter and respecting community identity, most work has intentionally been withheld from publicizing. Should you desire work examples please inquire below via the studio email address.
CONTACT
Subscribe / Social Not Social
Studio (at) Herbpeterson.com