Samantha Brenneman Logo

Art Is Everywhere, You Just Need To Look...

Image of Samantha brenneman
image of Samantha Brenneman

Hi! I’m Samantha Brenneman, but you can call me Sam—everyone else does. I’m currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Media & Journalism Studies and Art History, with a minor in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. As you can probably guess by my agglomeration of academic interests, I’m a lifelong learner with a never-ending curiosity about the world around me.

I was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, to two parents who are equally passionate about travel. My dad is a full-time RVer, which, let me tell you, has definitely fueled my love for exploration and sparked my curiosity about new perspectives, cultures, and places. That sense of wanderlust has stuck with me through the years—whether I’m reading, watching documentaries, or asking a stream of questions.

image of me and Rita

Creativity runs through my veins. If I’m not reading a book, watching a history documentary, or diving into a new podcast, you can bet I’m working on some kind of project—whether that’s collaging, upcycling clothes, painting, crocheting, or designing graphics. It’s safe to say I’ve always got multiple things going on at once.

In my studies, I’ve found a deep passion for visual and written storytelling—especially in art curation, web development, and book publishing. My time as an art reader for Cellar Door, UNC’s literary magazine, has given me great insight into the editorial process, while my coursework at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media has helped me hone my skills in design, web development, and communication. Along with my art history background and experience as a collage and textile artist, I’ve developed a strong eye for visual composition.

Passion For Creation

Collage and Painting

These works embrace a maximalist style, bold palettes, and organic forms to reflect the wonder found in everyday experiences.

Fiber Art

Rooted in sustainability and reinvention, my fiber work gives new life to thrifted and found materials. Projects include upcycled garments, crochet, knitting, and weaving.

Digital Media

Blending visual and written storytelling, my digital media practice spans graphic design, websites, and video. Weaving narrative with design to create immersive experiences.

Art

Fiber Art

ME wearing the Schoodie

The "Schoodie"

This was my second try at making this. The first one I made for my best friend for Christmas. I did the same pattern but for hers I used acrylic yarn. This time around I used fuzzy, thicker yarn which makes it much sturdier and warmer. This work was made using the block stitch in three separate parts: two squares for the hood and one rectangle for the scarf. These three pieces were sewn together to create the final product.

image of schoodie

Digital Media

Web Development

At the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I have taken a class diving into interactive media, web development, design, and user experience. This course sparked my interest in designing fun, colorful websites that capture my love for art. This course introduced me to the basics of Figma, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Decoding Grace by Jeff Buckley

This design project takes a deep dive into the album “Grace” by 90s artist Jeff Buckley. This project was solely focused on design and was entirely created using Figma.

Ten Largest

This project was a multi-page site that I coded using HTML and CSS (and some JavaScript) and uploaded to the web through my own web domain.

The Biggest Heists In Art History

This project is a single-page dashboard that explores three famous heists in art history, using interactive graphics through JavaScript and Flourish.

Graphic Design

At the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, I have taken MEJO182, a course that introduced me to graphic design principles and various programs including Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop.

Yeti Rescues Ad Lobs

This was my first time using Photoshop to create conceptual advertisements for the brand Yeti. In my MEJO 182 class, we were challenged to promote Yeti's new initiative, Yeti Rescues—a program that resells pre-loved Yeti products. I wanted to emphasize the brand’s durability by designing a pristine Yeti cooler covered in weathered, adventure-worn stickers. I placed the cooler in two environments: one, an awe inspiring landscape aligned with Yeti’s outdoor identity; the other, a bold, bright backdrop featuring a handoff between two people—symbolizing how Yeti Rescues keeps adventure going from one owner to the next.

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2023 US Reading Trends Infographic

Reading Trends Infographic

Created entirely in Adobe Illustrator, this infographic visualizes recent reading trends in the United States. I designed a custom bookshelf where each book spine represents one of the top-selling books of 2023. The height of each spine corresponds to the number of copies sold, turning the bookshelf into a stylized, readable bar graph.

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White Lotus Spread

White Lotus Editorial Spread

This project was my introduction to InDesign and editorial layout design. Tasked with designing a magazine spread for the new season of The White Lotus, I chose to embrace my personal design style: maximalism. While maximalist design can be difficult to balance with clarity and readability, I felt it was the right choice to reflect the show’s complex and chaotic energy.

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Video storytelling

I have also taken MEJO 121, a course focused on digital storytelling and video production. Through hands-on projects, I learned how to use Adobe Premiere Pro to craft compelling narratives using footage, b-roll, sound, text overlays, and transitions. This class helped me appreciate how visual rhythm and thoughtful sequencing can change the way stories are interpreted. I’m excited to continue exploring video editing creatively—and I plan to use these skills to create fun, meaningful video blogs for my friends and family while studying abroad next year!