Local artist and Stephen Decatur graduate, Ian Postley has been lucky enough to grow up near the Ocean City area (Bishopville) and continues to make an impact in the creative arts community. Ian has been the exclusive designer for the Ocean City Film Festival’s annual poster advertising the iconic event. Read more about his local connection, his inspiration for the iconic robot themed posters, and a surprising connection to The Brady Bunch!
- What is your full time job?
Iโm a freelance Illustrator/Graphic Designer. Recently Iโve began working alongside โUnscene Productionsโ in Ocean City as a contracted graphic designer.
- Age?
Currently, Iโm twenty-six years old.
- Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Bishopville, MD, practically a skip and a jump away from Berlin, MD.
- Where do you currently live?
I currently live in Bishopville, MD.
- What year did you graduate Stephen Decatur?
I graduated from Stephen Decatur in 2014.
- Was your plan to go to college for art?
One hundred percent. I basically took every art course during my time at Stephen Decatur to build a solid portfolio. I later attended the โDelaware College of Art Designโ and received an AFA in Illustration.
- Did you receive a scholarship from The Art League of OC? Can you tell me more about that?
I did receive a scholarship from the Art League of Ocean City my senior year in High School. It was a benefit to have during my first year of college.
- How old were you when you were first interested in art?
I was interested in art very early on, noticeably around the age of four. I donโt think of my โart origin storyโ as too uncommon. I started out like most young kids, drawing wonky characters with circular heads and lopsided shoulders. My classmates at the time really seemed to enjoy my drawings. If it wasnโt for their compliments, I probably wouldnโt have been aware of my art ability.
- What got you hooked on being an artist?
I think originally, I gravitated towards art because it was inherently fun to do. In my current personal work, Iโve found a comfortable spot being able to express myself freely on certain topics, it was a shift that was long overdue. I spent a lot of time in college constantly researching new artists. I was privileged enough to attend a college that had a library ran by an individual who truly cared about seeing studentโs grow and would go out of her way to give us recommendations. During that time period, I began to see work that would shape the artist Iโve become. If it wasnโt for artists like the โJanfamilyโ collective, Marian Bantjes, Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Jermaine Rogers, Stefan Sagmeister, and many more, I donโt believe Iโd be half the artist I am today.
- How did you get connected with the OCFF?
The former creative director โBLโ Strang-Moya and I have known each other for years. During the conception period of the festival, he simply offered me an opportunity to design the annual poster. At the time, I was fresh out of college and grateful to be considered for the role.
- Your posters have been used every year for 7 years now! Are you the exclusive artist for their posters or is there a contest that you enter every year?
Yes. Since the inception of the film festival, up until this year, Iโve designed the Film Festival Poster.
- Tell me about the inspiration for this year’s poster. The robot laying on the beach. Itโs really cool looking!
Thanks! Itโs basically just a continuation of the robot theme from posters prior. I sort of just wanted to give a robot itโs moment in the sun and try a different approach centering the focus on fewer subjects.
- Can you tell me about the reoccurring robot theme for all the OCFF posters?
The robot theme began in 2021 with the fifth annual โOcean City Film Festivalโ poster. I wanted to create a visual subtext to sort of make sense of the fourth annual poster, insinuating that the robots were aboard the camera shaped spaceship hovering over top the Trimperโs Ridesโs Ferris Wheel. Overall, the concept is so silly and colorful, that I wanted the characters to be silly and colorful. Every robot has a name, purpose, and deliberate character design, including the seagull. I wanted to create a narrative that the robots, originally on an intergalactic intel mission, suddenly become impulsive tourists. Taking in the sights of our beach town, the robots eventually made their way to the theater to experience the Ocean City Film Festival and became permanent fixtures in our community. Some folks just enjoy the poster and the robots for what they are, and thatโs dope too.
- Any fun facts that you can tell me about yourself?
Besides art, time to time, I make and perform music under the pseudonym โGeorge Glasโ. The name is a Brady Bunch reference playing off Jan Bradyโs fictional boyfriend. Honestly, itโs kind of funny at this point. Iโve tried changing my pseudonym multiple times, but the original name just kept following me. Itโs a small circle people who are aware of my music, but folks seem to enjoy what I make; I canโt complain. For those interested, you can download and stream my music at โgeorgeglas.bandcamp.comโ or follow me on my music related IG page, โ@whoisgeorgeglasโ.
- Whatโs your fondest Ocean City memory?
It sounds boring on paper, but simply being a teenager running around, acting goofy with my friends. Sometimes weโd leave the house and just head in a direction, see what weโd get into, it was fun to me.
- If people are interested in your art, where do you have it displayed?
I currently do not have any of my artwork on display. But for those interested in my art, feel free to check out my Instagram โ@ianpostleyโ which has all my past and present works.
- Can they be purchased online? In person? Contact you/ email? IG?
- Iโm currently working on a website. Itโll be some time before itโs ready, but feel free to contact me on Instagram โ@ianpostleyโ or email me at โpostleyart@yahoo.comโ for any inquires on prints, stickers, or opportunities.
