Victor Hofmeister has taken his experiences in graphic design and applied them to almost all areas of his life so far, including the UWEC Honors Program!
As a first-year student with a studio art background, Victor decided to pursue a Graphic Design BFA because it felt more realistic than just art for securing a future career. However, he soon realized the possibilities of this major and truly fell in love with it. Victor says he enjoys “combining principles of art and design with real world problems.” Since then, he has been learning how to tell a story both aesthetically and functionally.
Victor has been practicing his skills in his main college job as an intern in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. He was tasked with effectively communicating messages to many diverse groups. Through planning events and creating posters, he is learning how to communicate messages effectively online and using different culturally significant colors and text. Besides gaining experience from OMA, he also happened to meet his fiancée there!
These skills were also put into practice during some of Victor’s favorite honors courses. One was Game Design with Hans Kishel. Naturally, this was right up his alley, so he had a blast looking into both the aesthetics and functions of different games. Victor also appreciated working with Kris Knutson. He loves the discussion based and critical thinking aspects of her classes. He even had the opportunity to present in CERCA with them. Victor claims that Honors helped him graduate on time, especially after completing two honors contracts. He stated how thankful he was to ‘dive deeper and explore interesting things you would've never thought of in your major.”
Something else Victor wouldn’t have imagined four years ago is how consuming graphic design can be. He admits to “living in design and often taking it home with [him].” His passion for it translates into a drive to produce the best work possible. However, he is not completely stuck in his own work. Victor got the chance to travel to New York City with the art department over spring break this year. They toured galleries and talked to resident artists about what it’s like to be an artist. This was the biggest city he has ever been to and he loved the energy of it all.
Overall, this trip inspired Victor and led him down a path of self-reflection: he wants to take time for self-discovery after graduating. Many graphic designers focus more on tapping into the style of their work or commissions. However, Victor does not want to settle down too early, and will be taking some creative off-time this summer. Victor believes that “every artist has a style, whether they know it or not” and he is eager to develop his own style.
Even though he sees a future in New York City, he plans to move back to his Wisconsin hometown so as to not abandon his partner while she finishes her degree. Until then, he plans to finalize his portfolio and look around for some virtual jobs or other freelance work. His final college project is currently being shown in the BFA senior exhibition in the Foster Art Gallery, where Victor’s work has already been shown numerous times.
After this, Victor will miss the community and resources found in the academic buildings and residence halls. He also hopes to smoothly transition away from being a student and having a mentor. Working in a room alongside a dozen other artists in class is conducive to immediate feedback and advice. He has been able to work with many amazing faculty mentors including Steve Korinek, Ned Gannon, and Mykola Haleta who have all pushed Victor to do his best. They were able to give him valuable advice that enhanced his experience and success at UWEC.
As far as his own advice, Victor says “try not to get too caught up in achievement.” Although he is fortunate that his first choice of school and major worked out for him, he wishes that he focused more on his relationships alongside his achievement. Victor shares that he tried to keep himself open to new connections. “There is so much value in getting to know your community and professors.” This network he has built will continue to support him in years to come. Congratulations Victor!
