Minneapolis College of Art and Design: Casey Jones

Casey Jones studies visual art and graphic design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

How did you know you wanted to be an artist?

I knew from a young age that I was the happiest with a sketchbook and pencil in hand. Outside of class, I would always be drawing and painting, to the point of receiving paint kits and sketchbooks for holiday presents instead of toys or games. I knew I wanted to pursue art as a career when I was in my first year of college at a university, studying something far from creative. During class I would draw in my notebook, paint instead of studying for tests, and always wondered what studying visual art would entail.

Why did you choose Minneapolis College of Art and Design?

One of the hardest decisions I have made has been choosing to follow my passion for art. With the support of my dad, who always saw a real talent in me, I transferred colleges and fell in love with the community and work produced from MCAD.

What do you love most about art?

Constantly growing, learning, and having creative freedom are the best parts about being an artist. The switch from learning about business to illustration was no easy task, but I think even more complicated than that was discovering what type of visual art I wanted to pursue.

How did you choose what to study?

When I applied to MCAD, I was set on becoming a medical illustrator. I was fascinated by the human body and illustrating complex bodily functions. However, as I explored other fields, I was experimenting with print and pattern design, figure drawing, fashion illustration, graphic design, and more. The best part of being in this program is knowing that I have the skills I need to delve into many fields within visual art, communication art, and fine art.

Currently, I’m interning at a place that is teaching me about product design, packaging design, and making mockups, which is a field I never would have even imagined being interested in. That is the beauty of a creative career: Discovering more about yourself and what your strengths are.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

As I learn more about my major and myself throughout this process, I see many of the skills I learned at MCAD being applicable to jobs I’m interested in. Not only am I learning skills about programs such as Photoshop and InDesign, but also how to conceive, present and communicate ideas to others, solve design problems, and utilize constructive criticism. With these skills, in 10 years I see myself working at a product and packaging design company as the primary art director and hopefully one day owning my own design firm.