Stephen Simmerman

Stephen Simmerman is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Concord University, affiliated with the Department of Fine Arts and Communication in the College of Professional and Liberal Studies. He has over twenty years of teaching experience across southeast U.S. institutions. His creative work focuses on mixed media, blending traditional techniques with found typography to explore themes of advertising’s persuasive power, nostalgia, and the passage of time. He has published two children’s books and a graphic novel, and his art has been featured in regional/national exhibitions.

Simmerman holds an M.F.A. in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art & Design (2002), an M.A. in English (1995), and a B.A. in English (1987), both from East Tennessee State University. His research interests include the WPA Public Mural Projects of the early 20th century and the development of a new graphic novel, *Oden Ketner, Hubcap King*.

Inspired by artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Rockwell, and Warhol, his creative process integrates commercial art elements with fine art practices. He explores how visual storytelling bridges historical and contemporary communication methods.