KINGSTON, R.I. – January 12 – Clarisa Carubin, associate teaching professor of graphic design, recently volunteered her graphic design expertise to help the Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum, located in Pawcatuck, C.T., develop their first unified digital identity, including branding, interpretive materials, and educational content. Carubin, who serves on the museum’s board of directors, is working closely with the museum’s president, Brian McCormick.
These contributions are driven by a commitment to the community, especially those who have Native American heritage or African American narratives. The partnership also highlights the connection between the museum and URI, providing students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on, real-world design projects while serving a historic site that holds significance across state lines.
“I chose Clarisa for a number of reasons. When I first proposed the project to her, it was clear that she was looking beyond it as just a deliverable. She was very curious about the layers and themes of the homestead,” said McCormick. “She understood right away that this was a very unique project with enthusiasm and motivation.”
The Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum is the oldest house and first working farm in Stonington, Connecticut. It was built in 1677 by Connecticut Colony co-founder Thomas Stanton, one of the founders of Stonington, with additions in 1720 and 1750. In the seventeenth century, Stanton negotiated between the settlers and Native American tribes; his grandson harvested salt marsh hay to feed Washington’s Revolutionary War horses. The farm also housed enslaved people, including, notably, Venture Smith, who worked his way to freedom.
Whit Davis, whose family has farmed on the greater Homestead property continuously since the mid-18th century, created the nonprofit museum in 2004. The museum (house) is now an endangered national landmark, and board members have a goal to make it a living history museum with an educational center used for research.
“The land is here to tell the story about human resiliency, as it is told by different populations that intersected at the time between the Tribal Nations, Europeans, and enslaved people. From a practical standpoint, farms are in decline, and people need to become more aware of supply chains. It’s extremely important that people know where their food comes from, and to do so, they need to support local supply chains and agriculture, and the Stanton-Davis Homestead tells the story of a continuously active family farm for over 350 years, one of the oldest in all of New England,” said McCormick.
Carubin is often specific and intentional about the freelance projects she decides to take on because of her dedication and full-time commitment to URI. When Brian McCormick reached out to her for a visual design for the museum, she noted they did not have a visual identity whatsoever and was curious to learn more about the history. McCormick invited her for a tour where she observed the many areas that need to be rebuilt and refurbished.
“I was observing the floor, windows, and cornfields, but it all clicked when I went to the attic. Brian pointed out little inscriptions on the wall, which to me appeared to be made by a slave living in the house, counting down his days,” said Carubin. “How can we tell this story? We need to tell more stories about slaves and the native people of the area.”
First, Carubin will start the process with creating a visual identity, which includes a logo, typography, and a color palette. Hours of research are poured into her designs that must ultimately become clean, clear, and recognizable. Once the museum is able to establish an identity, more creative endeavors like business stationery, brochures, visitor-focused overviews, posters, flyers, seasonal events, and website and social media design. Additionally, she will be advocating for funding opportunities and grants to make this vision a reality.
Born into an artistic family with an architect father and industrial designer mother, Carubin’s creativity is in her DNA. Art was often discussed in their home, and she eventually found herself studying to become an industrial designer, too. However, when she started designing in Argentina, she found her way to graphic design. Communicating ideas visually came naturally.
When Carubin joined the Art Department in the College of Arts and Sciences, she built the graphic design program from the ground up. Starting with two courses (Graphic Design 1 and 2), she eventually branched out into a UX and UI online certification and collaborating with other departments. Her 400-level “Data Visualization and Infographic Design” course was created in collaboration with the Data Science Department, and speaks to the benefits of an interdisciplinary education.
Carubin’s passion for design is undeniable, but it is her dedication to her students and their growth that make this project special.
“I want to ensure that students and the community can benefit from this initiative. I’d love to receive funding to create a graphic design center that will operate from URI, and from there we can help more nonprofits in the future. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect students with a real client so that they can understand deadlines, how to take feedback from the client, and so on,” said Carubin.