Nov.-Dec. 2011 - Maryland Institute College of Art

Brittney Posternock wearing one of her crochet necklaces.
The Whole Package
B.Pos Jewelry
CONNECTIONS 35
When she’s not foCusinG on getting her Certificate in Jewelry at MICA
or working full time as a men’s department manager at Nordstrom, Brittney
Posternock is adding to the collection of wares she sells through b.pos jewelry.
“I’m making these crotchet necklaces—they’re a mix between a scarf and a
necklace,” she said. “They’re perfect for the fall and winter time. Scarves are really
popular right now and it gives you the scarf look with a touch of glitter.”
While her scarves would simply be slipped over the head in past seasons,
Posternock is working on a clasp for her newest collection. She plans to sell them
online on Etsy as well as in a couple of local boutiques. At the same time, she is
working on metalsmithing and learning to make jewelry for men. “It’s a whole
new adventure for me,” she said.
Shop online at: www.facebook.com/bposjewelry
not only do PeoPle JudGe books by their Covers, but they judge
products by their packaging and associated advertisements. Luckily, several MICA
alumni are contributing to well-known brands. Julie Diewald, a 2009 graphic
design major, uses her artistic talent to create product packaging for toy and
game company Hasbro, designing the packaging for such brands as Lite-Brite,
Spirograph, and Play-Doh. “Hasbro prides itself on making packages that tell a
really cool story from front to back to side so when the girl or boy gets it off the
shelf, the packaging adds to the toy,” Diewald explained.
Diewald credits much of her success to what she learned at MICA. “There’s
a lot of conceptual thinking, which is something I got out of MICA,” she said.
“You really think about the reason you’re doing things. You’re not just making
a pretty package.” The first designs Diewald created will hit the toy shelves this
holiday retail season.
While doing holiday shopping, you might also notice the work of 2000
Mount Royal graduate Kate (Creeden) Neckel, who was hired by fashion label
Cole Haan to illustrate look books, tool kits, store windows, and billboards—
including one featuring tennis star Maria Sharapova for the company’s 2011
spring ad campaign.
While her creative license is her first priority, “if someone’s walking down Fifth
Avenue and my drawing entices her to come into the store and think about buying
a purse, it’s a bonus,” Neckel said. With her work appearing in such top notch
publications as Vanity Fair and Vogue, Neckel is excited about where her work will
ultimately take her. “I’m open to everything,” she said. “Open to opportunities.”
Shop online at: www.hasbro.com and www.colehaan.com
Kate Neckel models for Cole Haan in front of her illustration work.