College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

As a native of rural Tennessee, Professor Natalie Tyree, will spend her summer
examining a subject that is deeply rooted in her own personal identity: rural culture and
generational studies. Tyree is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design within
the Department of Art & Design in Potter College of Arts & Letters who was recently
awarded a university-wide research and creative activities program (RCAP) grant that
will allow her to expand her ongoing research for a new creative project entitled
“Point of Origin.” This new body of work explores the sense of place, heritage, and culture
while also examining and debunking common stereotypes tied to natives of the rural
south.

Tyree’s exploration of this subject will begin with a series of hand-printed posters
created utilizing a Challenge 15 MA letterpress (acquired through the RCAP grant) and
will then incorporate technology as a second printed and digitally rendered layer through
the use of Augmented Reality (AR). The AR layer will allow viewers to interact with and
discover new layers in the artwork. This series will be a continuation of Professor
Tyree’s interest in combining analog and digital mediums. Her work will use both type
and imagery to further her creative research rooted in generational studies and popular
culture.

Tyree’s interest in researching the topics of generational studies in relation to
popular culture started in 2014. She recalls that it, “first began when the students I was
teaching were mostly young millennials. As an “old millennial” myself, I wanted to learn
more about this group that I was so often categorized with, when on the surface, we
seemed so different.”

This curiosity sparked an interest in comparing and contrasting Gen X, Millennials, and
Generation Z, which eventually evolved into exploring a sense of culture as well.
Tyree said, “Like many of my friends and peers, as a progressive old
millennial, I am constantly at battle with my own beliefs in contrast with what I was told
growing up and how I was raised.” From this observation, the “Point of Origin” project
was born.

Originally, Tyree’s creative works began as digital collages and later morphed into
type-driven letterpress prints. “As a member of a hybrid generation that remembers life
both with and without the internet and computers in literally everything, I find a sense of
humor and irony in working super old technology that is letterpress and moveable type,”
she explained.

Tyree excitedly awaits the arrival of the new letterpress to the Department of
Art and Design. She states, “Expanding the scope of my current research through the
introduction of new digital means while combining that with my current analog
production, primarily augmented reality and motion design, allows me to also broaden
how I teach these skills to students.” Most importantly, the arrival of this new letterpress
will enable the support and creation of a letterpress special topics course, giving the
department the infrastructure to sustain this type of student-led creative activity.