Visiting Artist Lecture with Eric Benson

Benson received his BFA in Graphic and Industrial Design from the University of Michigan in 1998. He worked professionally as a UI/UX designer at Razorfish and Texas Instruments before he received his MFA in Design from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. His MFA thesis became the award-winning sustainable design website www.re-nourish.org. His work with Re-nourish translated into an academic career where he currently is an Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research and teaching at Illinois laid the foundation to create the Fresh Press Agri-Fiber Paper Lab. Fresh Press explores the potential of papermaking with hemp. prairie grass, rye, and corn stover to be zero waste, environmentally sustainable, and a catalyst for a thriving local economy.

Benson has published and lectured internationally on the importance of sustainable design. His 2017 book "Design to Renourish" was on the Design Observer's + AIGA DEC's 2017 Required Reading list. His work has also garnered numerous design awards and has been seen in notable venues like The Walker Art Center, the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Hammer Museum, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and RISD.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Building

LIT

Room #

109

Address

1400 Stadium Rd
Gainesville
FL 32601