Tell us about yourself:
Jeffrey is the owner of J. Hitchens Design, a design business that aims to find harmony between curiosity and creativity. He’s inspired by creative and dedicated spirits, nature, physical movement, meditation, examples of masculinity that embrace being comprehensive, and sensory experiences.
What is the inspiration behind your poster design?
I used the figure in this poster for a personal design that I created in 2022. The focus of that design was on healing and acceptance of a difficult situation. For this poster, I wanted to repurpose the figure for something that felt more aligned with joy and being triumphant in defiance of expectations. Not because I feel like the work of healing is done but because joy and triumph can still exist within that work. As a Black man, I want to express this sentiment. I was inspired by Kamasi Washington’s ‘Fists of Fury’ as well.
Why do you love being creative?
Being creative helps me to understand and embrace life.
How can we create a more inclusive design world and ensure that Black people are represented?
I don’t know if I can answer this question but I strive to examine how I step into a design process before I create a single thing. I aim to cultivate a habit of thoughtfulness regarding the values that I want to uphold for myself, for my clients, and the people that will interact with what I design.
Note: The poster was meant to be posted on March 8, 2024, but went live on March 29, 2024
