Two works created by recent graphic design graduate Joshua Sledge were selected for the 80th issue of Creative Quarterly, an internationally recognized graphic design and illustration magazine based in New York City.
Sledge’s design, The Best of Music Playing Cards — a full deck of 52 cards plus the box — came from an assignment made for his ART 307 Graphic Design II course. Sledge improved on it during his Independent Studies in Graphic Design course.
According to Dejan Mraovic, assistant professor of graphic design, Sledge submitted them to Creative Quarterly just before graduation in 2025 and got selected.
“His project glorifies American jazz, rock n’ roll, rap and pop music,” he said. “Joshua depicted the most famous representative in each musical genre quoting their popular tunes. His deck of playing cards successfully promotes American culture globally.”
His photo, Turtle Tranquility, was also selected for the publication. The photo was shot in North Carolina.
Mraovic said that while many of his students have been regularly published in Creative Quarterly since 2017, Sledge was the first with two chosen artworks in the same issue.
“During six semesters with me, Joshua Sledge worked hard receiving several international awards and strongly promoting our program globally,” he said. “Very quickly after graduation, he secured a position in Custom Patch Hats, a design company in Raleigh. The company is ranked the 140th fastest growing company in the USA according to Inc. 5000. Recently Joshua got promoted to pre-design coordinator.”