Summer of Travel Continues: Anderson Design Group Visits the Southwest!
Anderson Design Group’s own Derek Anderson, an in-house studio artist, just returned from his second consecutive trip out west. Last year, he and his girlfriend explored the American Southwest, checking out urban and rural icons and travel destinations. This year, the pair completed the same trip. The only thing different this time was they brought some friends along!
We caught up with Derek to hear about the trip, its highlights, and what inspired him as a travel artist.
Introducing Derek
Born and raised in Kansas City, Derek Anderson (not related to ADG founder Joel Anderson) eventually made his way to Nashville, where he studied graphic design and illustration at Watkins College of Art. During his senior year, Derek was an all-star intern with Anderson Design Group, producing several posters published in ADG’s various poster art collections. His stellar work earned him a full-time staff position after graduating in the spring of 2017.
Derek enjoys creating ideas from a narrator’s point of view, deciding what perspective tells the story he wants to convey most effectively. In his free time, Derek enjoys exercising his creative muscles through multiple outlets, such as skateboarding with friends and playing music on his guitar. Derek is a sci-fi nerd at heart and lately has taken to creating fictional movie and video game poster art. Derek’s drive and passion for making poster art are fueled by the inspiring people he works with at ADG.
(Derek sat for an ‘Artist’s Process’ interview some months ago, so to learn more about Derek the Artist, check that interview out here).
Derek’s Twin Travels to the American Southwest
ADG: We heard you loved your vacation last year so much you chose to repeat it this year! Can you describe your itinerary for us?
Derek: Sure! First, we (my girlfriend, our three friends, and I) flew into Vegas and spent two nights there. We walked the main strip, had drinks, ate great food, and played casino games. Once we had enough of Vegas, we rented a car and drove to Kanab, Utah. We spent four nights at a wonderful Airbnb that was tucked under some mesas at the north end of Kanab. We traveled to the same natural wonders we visited last year, but we had three friends to share it with this time! And they were blown away. We visited Zion National Park, Toadstool Hoodoos, Belly of the Dragon, and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park and we explored Elkhart Canyon. On the last day, we drove back to Vegas and flew home to Nashville!
ADG: What stood out to you about the American Southwest this time? Did parts of the trip inspire the artistic side of your mind?
Derek: I fell in love with the landscape when we landed in Vegas last year. It stood out to me. I was strongly attracted to it and felt “this is where I want to live!” It’s not difficult to appreciate the wonder out there. I’ve lived in the Midwest and the South all my life, and as soon as we saw the desert surrounded by colossal mountains and warm sand, I was hooked. It had the same impact on me this year as last. From an artistic perspective, the colors out there amazed me. The blue-green vegetation contrasting against the orange and red rocks felt graphic and bold. The way the shadows fell on the side of the mesas left cold blues and purples that felt otherworldly. As an artist, it felt like I was moving through a painting as we traveled from one site to the next.
ADG: That’s amazing! Regarding the national parks and nature sites you visited, now that you’ve been there in person twice, what advice do you have for others who plan to travel there? Maybe you learned something from going there and having “boots on the ground” in the region?
Derek: For sure. I learned to keep the itinerary loose. I suggest leaving yourself tons of time to explore. We discovered if we planned just one thing to see during any given day, dozens of other natural wonders would present themselves along the way. So don’t hold a strict schedule and try to see multiple landmarks daily. Pick one destination, and the adventures will ensue!
ADG: You’ve created hundreds of original illustrations and vintage-styled poster art that lean heavily into the genre of travel art. As an artist, what was most inspiring to you about this trip?
Derek: The most inspiring thing about being out west was having my feet on the ground. We’ve all seen that landscape in movies, but when I finally got to explore the desert, it felt surreal, like a dream. The vast expanse and wildlife felt like another world, and I was trying to take it all in.
ADG: Do you have any artistic plans or inspiration based on your trip? Is there anything you’re planning on rendering from it? (Below are posters Derek illustrated of Kanab, Utah—rendered before his most recent trip).
Derek: After returning from the desert, I made plenty of sketches and art, but it wasn’t any particular thing that inspired me; it was more so the atmosphere. I felt so refreshed and fulfilled spiritually there and after I returned. That’s why I’d like to move there someday. It felt like I had some connection while there that would inspire and motivate me for years.
ADG: Sounds incredible! What’s next on the schedule for you, travel-wise?
Derek: I’m not sure where I will visit next… Pacific Northwest, perhaps? Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado? Maybe down to Big Bend National Park in Texas? There’s just so much out there that I’d love to see. We’ll see where my creative spirit guides me next!
Onto the Next Adventure
Art is timeless, as are the experiences of ADG artists when they travel. Derek embodies that spirit by creating hundreds of original travel illustrations and travel art that live in the homes and businesses of people worldwide. Type his name into the search bar to see posters Derek has worked on.
Until next time, we hope you have some amazing travels and adventures planned for this year and beyond!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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