Dan Ibarra is a Minneapolis-based seritypographipedagogephemerau
He began his creative career at the conclusion of the twentieth century, earning early recognition as a graphic designer with a recording package design Grammy nomination in 2000—ultimately losing to Madonna.
From 2000 through 2016 he was co-owner of Aesthetic Apparatus, a studio defined by its blend of hand-printed posters, graphic design, and entrepreneurism. In his tenure there, the studio was highlighted in publications including Communication Arts Magazine, Creative Review, Swindle, and Rolling Stone, and featured in dozens of published poster and design anthologies. His poster work has been selected in numerous art and design competitions, including a silver medal and a “Special Recognition For Excellence In Handcrafted Posters” in the 2008 and 2010 Chicago International Poster Biennial. Ibarra has lectured internationally, and exhibited in solo, group, and touring exhibitions, most notably the Walker Art Center’s curated 2011 exhibition “Graphic Design: Now in Production.”
In 2015, Ibarra’s entrepreneurial concern merged with his growing interest in education to produce the short-lived “Schoolhaus”; an experimental art school blending continuing education, storefront schools, and peer mentorship.
Ibarra joined the faculty in the Augsburg Art & Design Department in 2016 and is an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design. In 2022 he was awarded the Lyz Wendland honorary “My Laptop Was Stolen” Award. He is also custodian of Thriving Concern, an imprint for creative projects, and co-owner of the design + branding studio Face of the Earth. He lives in Minneapolis with his daughter, his dog, her cat, and their thirty-nine plants. He is captivated by the creative process.