Uncommon Ground

ART DIRECTION ■ BOOK DESIGN ■ PRINT

“Utah is the home to five National Parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Often, and understandably, lost in the grandeur of what are collectively known as the Big Five. Utah also hosts seven National Monuments, a National Historic Site, and National Recreation Area. In the United States, only two states boast more.”

“On August 25, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act, co-sponsored by Utah Senator Reed Smoot, into law. This act created the National Parks Service to manage existing national parks and monuments and protect future locations as well. One hundred years later, we celebrate the foresight of preserving these national treasures.”

“To honor this centennial, Utah Valley University art students and faculty chose to focus specifically on Utah’s 13 national parks and monuments managed by the National Parks Service. . . Driving over 7,800 miles and amassing over 50 days in the NPS sites, we were exposed to broad contrasts in topography, weather, and especially visitors. Some were loud, some reverent. Some snapped up souvenirs while others snapped selfies. Languages mixed in a culture of collecting memories of America’s best idea. The world came to Utah to experience what we sometimes take for granted.”
—Excerpt from the introduction

Designed in a team of 21 designers, I was the design lead for this project and oversaw the design, typesetting, and production.
Independent Publisher Book Award: West-Mountain- Best Regional Non-fiction