Angeline Garvey: Director of Design at Stone Creek

When Angeline Garvey ’22 (Illustration) decided to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), she originally planned to focus entirely on illustration. But almost immediately, she was challenged to start expanding her creative horizons. Now, she is the Director of Design at Milwaukee’s Stone Creek Coffee.

Originally from Illinois, Garvey enrolled at MIAD to study illustration. Ultimately, what drew her to the college was its hands-on community. “It was important to get my hands dirty,” says Garvey. “It was important to be around people who also embraced that experience. That’s what sold me on it.”

“You were introduced to every foundation of every major here,” Garvey continues. “And that completely changed my career path and what I was interested in.” After her four years at the college, Garvey graduated with a major in Illustration, but added two minors in Communication Design and Digital Media Production.

During her time at MIAD, Garvey worked as a barista for the popular Milwaukee-based coffee shop Stone Creek Coffee. There, she started to realize the possibilities and real-world applications of many of the concepts she studied at MIAD. “I [could] start implementing these things onto products. And then I could see my work in the real world. That changed the dynamic for me at MIAD … I see this every single day at Stone Creek, so why wouldn’t I combine the two and kind of challenge myself in that way?”

Garvey applied for and was offered a graphic design position with the coffee company during her senior year. Two years later, she has worked her way to Stone Creek’s Director of Design. At MIAD, Garvey prepared professionally for a role like this by pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

“[MIAD] made me open to trying new things—things that I didn’t think I was capable of,” she explains. “I was terrified of touching the wood lab. That was super intimidating to me. But you were pushed into it with all of your peers … and suddenly it was possible.”

Now, Garvey works with a myriad of mediums in her role at Stone Creek, from murals and app development to product labels and illustration. “My mediums are changing all the time, daily,” she laughs. “And MIAD made me comfortable with that. I was never coming into the day like, this is what I can expect … That was important for me. And I still practice that today.”

Garvey’s design work relies on feedback and collaboration, a skill she says she developed at MIAD. “Feedback is important to daily critique at MIAD. I welcome any feedback all the time. I can always do better, or there’s something that can always be improved. And that was a learning curve at first! … Most of the time it’s a team, collective effort in order to get where you’re going.”

Keep up with Garvey on her website and Instagram, explore Stone Creek Coffee, and learn more about MIAD’s Illustration and Communication Design programs!