This month we are excited to feature Bryson Kelly, a senior graphic design student at Augusta University who is already making waves in the design world. Bryson works with bands across the country, creating promotional material, merchandise, and album cover art. Balancing schoolwork and freelance projects can be challenging, but Bryson credits Augusta University for providing the resources to grow, from free Adobe products to access to printers and scanners. Every day, he reminds himself that he has the tools and opportunity to push his creativity further.

Bryson has always felt a deep connection to music, beyond just listening. A year ago, he began turning that passion into design work, creating posters for his favorite bands and redesigning album covers, sharing them online to explore where his art could take him. Music continues to guide his design choices, with each genre inspiring different styles and emotions in his work.

Social media, particularly Instagram, serves as a major source of inspiration for Bryson. He experiments across various design niches, always seeking to refine his personal style. He loves working with textures, both physical and digital, and enjoys making digital pieces feel tangible. His process is intuitive, often letting designs evolve naturally while pushing himself to explore every possibility in composition and texture.

Looking ahead, Bryson dreams of becoming one of the sought-after designers in the music industry. He understands how competitive the field is, but he’s determined to grow beyond comfort and keep pushing boundaries. Already, he has built meaningful connections and hopes to continue expanding his reach. One of his proudest moments so far was working with the midwest emo band Dear Cincinnati on a merchandise run for their tour, seeing his designs worn by fans across the country.

Bryson’s growth as an artist has also helped him step out of his shell. Once reserved and shy, he now embraces opportunities to present himself and his work. Surrounded by passionate artists and musicians, he draws inspiration from those around him, continually striving to improve.

He encourages other young artists to pursue their creativity fiercely, especially during a time of rapid technological change in the creative fields. “Grow so delusionally passionate about your art that you become undeniable,” he says.

Bryson also shares the designers who have influenced him most: Kel Lauren, Jesse Nyberg, and yoffdog, all of whom have shaped his use of texture, experimentation, and perspective on merchandise design. His dream collaboration would be with the band Loathe, a longtime favorite, hoping someday his work catches their attention.

We are proud to celebrate Bryson Kelly as this month’s Emerging Young Artist and can’t wait to see where his creativity takes him next.