Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Brent Hale '81
BFA in commercial art
Talent, imagination fuel fine arts alum
Brent Hale '81 is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, art director, muralist and product designer based in Tyler. His client list includes Nike, Pepsi, Mercedes Benz, American Airlines, Louis Vuitton, AT&T, Wall Street Journal, Hilton and more. He's had children's book collaborations with LeAnn Rimes, Billy Crystal and Steve Martin.
Kat Alyst '11
BFA in studio art - graphic design and photography
Graphic designer, photographer explores vulnerability and life through surrealist sets
Kat Alyst '11, SFA alum and Lufkin native, has made a name for herself in the bicoastal art worlds. In just the past few years, her work has appeared in Vogue, New York Weekly, LA Weekly and The Los Angeles Tribune, among others. Alyst works as a graphic designer by day and a photographer by what spare time she can find. Her photography expertise is all over the artistic map — she's done everything from fashion editorial shoots to wedding photography and enjoys it all.
Winter 2021 Sawdust Magazine Feature Story
Derek Wayne Johnson '06
BA in studio art - filmmaking
Underdog comes out on top
Derek Wayne Johnson '06 is a Hollywood director, writer and producer. In August 2017, Johnson's production company, AJ16 Entertainment, produced "John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs," a documentary film that examines the life, career and films of the Oscar-winning director of "Rocky" and "The Karate Kid". The documentary includes exclusive never-before-seen interviews with Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, Burt Reynolds, Jerry Weintraub, Talia Shire and many others.