Melanie Walby is an illustrator, designer and creative director whose career spans across advertising, editorial, media arts, branding, social justice and narrative change. Since 2010, she’s worked at various agencies, design firms and media arts organizations throughout the twin cities, has received multiple awards within the design industry and has been featured in several publications. She is the founder of Good Graces, a print shop that brings storytelling to printed home goods. Using print as a force to create meaningful change, her work brings healing to a broken world in tangible pieces that interact with people in their everyday spaces.
EDUCATION
Marketing // Chippewa Valley Technical College
Graphic Design and Family Ministry // Concordia St. Paul
Graphic Design // The Art Institutes International Minnesota
Bachelors in Graphic Design// The Art Institutes International Minnesota // 2011
AIGA MINNESOTA
Director of Sustainable Design 2014—2017 // Board of Directors
Committee Chair 2012—2014 // Sustainable Design Committee
WORK HISTORY
2017—2024 Creative Director // Pollen Midwest
2017—2018 Communications Manager // Juxtaposition Arts
2016—2017 Designer // Ideas That Kick
2014—2016 Designer // Media Loft
2012—2014 Art Director // FLM+
2011—2012 Designer // Vetta-Zelo
2010—2011 Design Intern // SpinIt
2010—2011 Design Intern // Vision Van Gogh
AWARDS
2024 Best in Category Hard Cover Book // Print Industry of the Midwest // Pollen Studio
2024 L’Étoile Du Nord // MN United FC
2019 Design Show // AIGA Minnesota
2018 32 Under 32 // AdFed
2016 Volunteer of the Year // AIGA Minnesota
2014 Region VI Best of NAMA Awards // FLM+
2013 Region VI Best of NAMA Awards // FLM+
FEATURES
Poison & Anditode // Divorcing White Supremacy Culture
Resistance in Design // Communication Arts
Bogobrusher Award // Bogobrush
Creative Jam Minneapolis // Adobe
Blacks Who Design // blackswho.design
SPEAKING & INTERVIEWS
October 2016 // Zero Waste Summit // Eureka Recycling
March 2017 // The Notion of Wakanda // Public Functionary
August 2017 // Design Impact Series Panel // MIA Third Thursday
November 2017 // Is This Thing On? // MN Council of Nonprofits
January 2018 // Creativity in the City // MPLS Chamber of Commerce
April 2018 // Work Redux | Worth // Pollen Midwest
February 2019 // Divided by Design // Pollen Midwest
April 2019 // Visual Culture Lecture Series // UMD
October 2019 // Design Camp // AIGA Minnesota
November 2019 // LOST // Creative Mornings
May 2020 // Quarantined Creatives // AIGA Minnesota
May 2020 // Executing a Mission to Share // Mixed Theory Podcast
February 2021 // Clear Water Exhibit // Wisconsin Public Radio
February 2021 // Clear Water Exhibit // Volume One
April 2021 // Activism Episode // Reclaiming My Theology Podcast
February 2023 // Feature // Canvas Rebel
January 2024 // Clear Water Book // Minneapolis Egotist
February 2024 // Clear Water Book // Volume One
February 2024 // Feature // Bold Journeys
April 17, 2024 // L’Étoile Du Nord // MN United FC
hello@melaniewalby.com | @LemanieGrace | @ShopGoodGraces | patreon.com/GoodGraces
WHOLESALE SHOP ORDERS
faire.com/direct/goodgraces