Student talent propels The Wittliff Collections’ launch of new coyote logo

"Spirit of Creativity" logo

The coyote is renowned for its creativity and adaptability, notes Steve Davis, a curator at The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University. That’s partly why the animal is featured in a polychrome wood carving adorning The Wittliff’s walls since its opening on the seventh floor of Alkek Library in 1991.

“The coyote has long been associated with the American Southwest and is regarded as a trickster spirit by many Indigenous cultures,” Davis says. Artist David Everett’s carving, which depicts a coyote leaping over a patch of prickly pear cactus, “perfectly captures the bravado — and the risk — of the creative act.” 

Now, thanks to the initiative of a talented student worker, The Wittliff is taking the coyote imagery from the gallery walls and expanding it into a line of merchandise to promote its treasured archives and galleries of Southwestern writers and artists for a broader audience, particularly students.

Alex Taracido

Alex Taracido, a sophomore communication design major from Sugarland, designed the new “Spirit of Creativity” logo based on the Everett’s carving.

Taracido, who works the front desk and gift shop at The Wittliff, called upon the skills she’s learned in her classes in the School of Art and Design to design the logo. She made sketches of the wood carving and then used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to edit the image and colors, staying true to Everett’s original while giving the coyote new life as a smaller, two-dimensional image.

“His carving has very realistic coloration and texture,” Taracido explains. “When you move it into graphic design, one of the biggest issues can be the loss of that personality and the loss of the printmaking effect. I wanted to combine graphic design and printmaking and bring in that personality through design elements. Because it’s such a small design, I couldn’t overwhelm it with too much detail.”

The result is a lively and engaging version of the coyote, which has received Everett’s full blessing. The logo is currently available on magnets at The Wittliff’s gift shop. The magnets have been a hit, Davis says, and he hopes to expand the coyote offerings to include tote bags and T-shirts.

David Everett's polychrome wood carving at The Wittliff Collections

“Alex’s design is a way to carry this imagery forward to a new generation, to younger generations, which is something I also really like about it,” Davis says. “Alex spent countless hours revising and fine-tuning the design while working with me as her client. She then consulted with a couple of her professors to make further tweaks as she reached the finish line. I was so impressed by her work and her professionalism throughout the process.” 

Taracido says the project has boosted her confidence in her design work and the potential reach of her artwork.

“It makes me so happy to use the skills I’m learning to move towards bigger things,” she says. “I’ve always thought my art will only ever be bought by people within the same subculture as me. But it’s nice to see that a larger gallery enjoyed my work and the playful nature of it and brought it to this professional tone.”