How JEG DESIGN All Got Started

killington web design

I was a freshman fine arts major at Green Mountain College (GMC ) and heard about a design contest Killington Resort was putting on. I decided to enter. It was a design contest to design the graphics for the outside of a gondola.

I was a freshman fine arts major at Green Mountain College (GMC) and heard about a design contest Killington Resort was putting on. I decided to enter.

It was a design contest to design the graphics for the outside of a gondola. I was instantly excited to throw myself in the ring. I remember designing this gondola on paper, hand drawing the entire design. Simple at best and looking back at the design now, not the most dynamic, but it did the trick. There were many designs submitted and I was lucky enough to be selected as a winner as well as a fellow art major at GMC.

The name I came up with, Ecstasy, was decided on only because of the music I was listening to when I finished the design (I have never tried the drug!). I was listening to the Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique (1989), and a song named “Car Thief”. I recall putting my art utensils down and this lyric playing “…a beautiful experience on ecstasy.” (Minute 1:22) – and I thought it was a sign.

This is how it all got started for me. My interested for graphic design was born.

I recall attending the fancy ceremony, getting photos taken, accepting a $2500 award and feeling like a celebrity, for at least 10 min!!

Some Skyeship Award Memories by Lorraine Dewey (My Mother) – www.raineydeweyart.com

I remember when we found out that Jonathan’s design had been selected in the Killington Skyeship competition. The competition was looking for creative designs that would be transferred onto these fancy gondolas that take people up the mountain for skiing and sightseeing. When Jonathan’s design was selected we were excited, of course, but didn’t fully realize what it all meant. We were told that there was a monetary award that would be presented at an awards ceremony. I imagined a low-key thing – you know, simple.

Jonathan and I headed up to Killington that day – it was winter, very cold as I recall and there was snow on the ground. When we pulled into the facility and then walked in to the event I was blown away find a full and fancy reception setup with a fully stocked bar, bartender at the ready and lots of fancy hors doeuvres. There was even a beer specially labeled for the event.  At the time I remember feeling like a “country bumpkin” in awe of the whole thing.

It was a BIG deal and I hadn’t realized how BIG a deal. I was proud, of course, of Jonathan, but this day people would be asking him to autograph the limited-edition posters they had printed for the event. It was amazing, looking back. I’m still so proud of Jonathan and who knew what creativity was yet to come.

Killington Skyship Design 1994

This was the limited edition poster handed out during the ceremony.