WCU GraphicDesign and
KituwahAcademy
collaborations

2021-2023

Mary Anna LaFratta
Professor, Graphic Design
room 241, Bardo Arts Center
School of Art and Design
Western Carolina University
[ e ] lafratta@wcu.edu
[ t ] 828.227.2463


Collaboration between the WCU graphic design students, and the faculty and staff at Kituwah academy has spanned years. The projects have been varied, including a card game, a board game, animations, and recently, an interactive web presentation and a large interactive wall display.

All of the projects have been designed for educational purposes focusing on various subjects such as: learning about native animals, shopping, learning to draw shapes, adding and subtracting numbers, and human senses. The projects are situated within narratives and include voice overs in Cherokee and English.

The "human sense of touch" explores presenting the same content in three different formats: an animation, an interactive website and a large interactive wall display and research into the challenges each format presents for the designer while creating unique learning experiences unique to each format.

In the upcoming fall 2022 semester I hope to expand collaboration working with the graphic design students and faculty and students in the Cherokee Studies Program at WCU, exploring alternate learning experiences geared towards indigenous language preservation.