The Cultural TImes: Designing for the Arts in the Rocky Mountain Region

A. Guy Studio, L.L.C., was asked by Mr. Stewart Mosberg to create a magazine in a style that communicated the open, wide-ranging spirit inherent in the arts of the Colorado High Country. Developing a unique visual style, A. Guy Studio gladly completed this charge. The result, "The Cultural Times," was an eye-catching publication that quickly became known throughout the region for it's visual communication as well as it's valued content.

Upon reflection, it became apparent that a simple, functional layout, along the lines of most magazines, would not be adequate for this type of publication. Rather, the content, look and feel of The Cultural Times had to be just as expansive as the high peaks of Breckenridge, Colorado. Therefore, sophisticated layouts were developed in a tabloid format. Expanses of negative space were handled with deliberation, thus making positive design elements, such as headlines, articles and photographs, all the more effective.

The design of this arts magazine required, among other things: a corporate logo, a "masthead" logotype for the contents/publishers page, an eye-catching "swash logo," used for promotional purposes such as signage and vending machine frontages, and spread layouts for contents, running articles, feature stories, editors pages and advertising pages. Attention was given to the smallest details, such as the design of individual page numbers.

The design of The Cultural Times magazine helped to spread its readership from the High-Peak Country and Denver to Colorado proper and beyond.

The Cultural Times publisher, Stew Mosberg is a design legend. A long time corporate leader in the branding, design and marketing fields, he has created successful campaigns for many national and international markets. He has headed too many design and marketing organizations to count. All the while, Stew has served as a compassionate mentor to may "up and comers," including myself.

Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Stew now lives in Colorado with his Husky, Shayna. He writes for various publications statewide and also is a talented voice-over artist. Throughout Colorado, he is a known and respected art critic. A creative writer, Stew headed a group that of other, published "High Peak Authors" and now has a novel of his own in development.

This city boy now journeys upward! Stew has learned the joy of fishing and combines the pleasure of catching wild brookies with hikes up to their lairs, often wetting a line by streams that are over 10,000 feet high.