Jessica Bellamy, Designer and Social Justice Advocate, Will Visit Cal Poly Nov. 6–8
The Department of Art and Design's University Art Gallery will present Movement Science / Creative Impact, an exhibition of Jessica Bellamy’s design work, opening on November 7, 2019. The exhibit will begin with a lecture by Bellamy at 5:00pm in Alan A. Erhart Agriculture, building 10, room 231. An opening reception will immediately follow the lecture. Jessica Bellamy will also be facilitating a hands-on design workshop for Art and Design students on Friday, November 8 from 10am until 3pm in Dexter, building 34, room 150.
About the Designer
Jessica Bellamy tells visual stories using data and personal narratives. Her creative work is rooted in diversity, inclusion, and community building. As a design justice advocate, Jessica started her design career working with nonprofits and community groups to create compelling explainers that break down complex service and policy information. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Louisville with degrees in Drawing (BFA), Graphic Design (BFA), Pan African Studies (BA), and a minor in Communication. In 2015, as a neurodevelopmental science research analyst at University of Louisville, Jessica created a business that combines grassroots organizing, research, and information graphics. She named this business GRIDS: The Grassroots Information Design Studio. GRIDS solely works with nonprofits and community groups.
In 2017, Jessica was an Adobe Creative Resident and created a hands-on workshop called Infographics for Social Change: A Graphic Ally Hackathon. Since then, she has given Graphic Ally Hackathons at several conferences and at three major universities (Carnegie Mellon, UCLA, and Yale). The hackathon focuses on teaching creatives how to make information graphics in partnership with nonprofits. Jessica also has a Youtube social journalism series called Designing From The Margins. She also created the Infographic Wheel, which is a handheld design tool that helps creatives select a visual layout for any dataset.
Currently, Jessica is expanding GRIDS, her design agency based in Louisville, Kentucky. GRIDS will not only continue to serve the nonprofit sector, but it will also provide regular courses that teach infographic design, data equity, and so much more.
Movement Science / Creative Impact, An Exhibition
Jessica Bellamy is working with graphic design professor Charmaine Martinez on her exhibition in the University Art Gallery, which will include printed and projected examples of her work. The Department of Art and Design is thrilled to host Jessica Bellamy for her show, lecture, and workshop.
Jessica's work will be on display from November 7 until December 6 in the University Art Gallery, located on the ground floor of Dexter, building 34. The gallery is free and open to the public from 11am to 4pm, Tuesday through Saturday.