Claflin University Art Professor Habibur Rahman has an eye and an appreciation for good design, and the quality of his own graphic design work is being recognized by the entire printing industry of North and South Carolina.

Rahman, associate professor and interim art department chairman, has earned a PICA Award of Excellence from the Printing Industry of the Carolinas for Orangeburg-based Sun Printing.

Sun received the award for his design of "A Claflin Homecoming: The Art of Leo Twiggs," an exhibition catalogue for the Arthur Rose Museum on the university campus. The accolade was awarded under the category of "Sheetfed Catalogs (Up to 32 pages, including cover." Also to be recognized is M.I. Hossain, digital design coordinator at Claflin, who assisted in the catalogue's design.

Speaking for them both, Rahman said, "It is an honor to receive this award and receive recognition for what others see as 'good design.'"

So, what makes for good design?

According to Rahman, "It has to be new, unique and better than anything that already exists."

And he is putting that idea into practice for the Claflin community.

An award-winning architect by trade, and an educator and graphic designer by vocation, Rahman designed and supervised the 2003-2005 interior renovation of the Arthur Rose Museum on Claflin's campus. In 2005, the project received the S.C. Historic Preservation Award from the Office of the Governor, the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, and the S.C. Department of Archives and History.

In addition, he has worked to establish a new academic offering, a major in Digital Design, which will begin offering courses in the art department in a new digital media lab in the fall 2008 semester.

Rahman approaches the craft of graphic design with the same passion as the discipline of architecture.

"The challenge inspires me," Rahman said. "Design is like any other creative process. It changes life. Design changes environment. It is a public service."

Rahman has designed 15 catalogues to accompany exhibitions at the Arthur Rose Museum since he arrived at Claflin in 2002. Two recent exhibitions included "Kenya Unfolding," a collection of African art, donated by the Rev. Louis Cannon, a Claflin alumnus, and his wife, and the legendary "Reeves Porcelain Collection," an exhibition co-sponsored by Albemarle Corp. and Claflin.

In less than two weeks' time, Rahman was able to create an entire promotional package -- exhibition catalog, poster and mailer with a unified theme -- to promote each Arthur Rose Exhibition.

"A Claflin Homecoming: The Art of Leo Twiggs" is a both a retrospective and celebration of the works of one of the university's most renowned graduates.

Dr. Leo Twiggs' innovative batik paintings are treasures that illicit the music and poetry of the American South. The exhibition will be on display at the Arthur Rose Museum through Friday, Feb. 15.

The entire promotional campaign for "A Claflin Homecoming: The Art of Leo Twiggs" may be viewed online at www.claflin.edu/Profile/HabiburRahman.htm.

The PICA Awards, presented by the Carolinas' printing industry since 1966, are a symbol of excellence around which printing companies have built marketing programs.

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