Due to his award-winning work in graphic design, Matt Owen was chosen as the young alumnus of the month by Young Alumni Associate Jordan Roddenberry and her assistant, junior Amanda Valentine.
Owen graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design. He is now Senior Art Director at an advertising agency called Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, the largest agency in Arkansas. Owen has achieved several awards for his work. Most recently his cover design for Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 was chosen by Simon and Schuster as the winner of their national 60th Anniversary contest.
Roddenberry said she tries to choose alumni to honor based on recent events or accolades they receive. When she heard about Owen’s cover design submission, he seemed like the perfect choice.
“I send out emails to key people in the departments around campus asking for news about their former students,” Roddenberry said. “Jim Miller told me about Matt, and we felt it was definitely worth recognizing that he won a national contest.”
Owen said he appreciates the fact that he was chosen.
“I feel very honored,” Owen said. “I’m know there are a lot of talented people on that list, so it was nice to be a part of that group.”
While he was at Harding, Owen was a member of the social club Alpha Tau Epsilon. He married his wife Elizabeth before their senior year, in 2001. Owen said the most memorable and influential part of his time at Harding was a teacher that challenged him to continue to work harder.
“The most impactful thing about my time at Harding was probably taking design classes taught by Stacy Gibson,” Owen said. “I didn’t like taking her class at the time, because I wanted to do anything but schoolwork. I would turn something in, and she would constantlytell me to take my work further.She kept on me to make my work better, even when I thought it was finished. It annoyed me at the time, but she was teaching me a lesson about work ethic. I’m thankful for that.”
Since graduation Owen has won a 48 Hour Film Festival and five national ADDY awards. He was chosen by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to participate in an art show as part of the 2013 Oscars, and was chosen by director Jason Reitman to create posters for his Live Read series. Owen said that this project is still ongoing, and it is his favorite so far.
“I do one poster a month for a classic script that he chooses, like The Breakfast Club, Raising Arizona, Manhattan etc.,” Owen said. “He [Reitman] gets great actors like Steve Carrell, Jennifer Garner, and Seth Rogen to do a reading of these scripts in front of a live audience at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.Wehave collaborated on a couple, but he usually gives me free reign to do what I want.”
Owen said he believes that entering contests is an essential part of his job as an artist. This fueled his determination to enter the Fahrenheit 451 contest.
“I think that entering contests is important if you’re going to work in any creative industry,” Owen said. “It is a good way to test yourself against other designers. It forces you to keep current. Fahrenheitwas one of those books that just stuck with me after reading it, so when I heard about the contest, I jumped at the opportunity. I was so excited when I got the email telling me that I had won.”
Owen said he recently learned that Simon and Schuster liked his entry so much, they decided to keep using his design as a permanent cover for the novel.
“My wife’s book was published two years ago, and we have a couple of copies on our bookshelf at home,” Owen said. “It was nice to be able to put my contribution up on the shelf right next to hers.”
