Taylor Vanek '24 was selected as the artist for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival poster. (supplied photo)
Taylor Vanek '24 turns native species of plants and animals into the headline art piece for signature Bowling Green event
Bowling Green State University graphic design alumna Taylor Vanek '24 turned a freshman year dream into a reality, designing the official poster for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival. Vanek drew inspiration from her time outdoors in Wood County when designing the piece and chose a font to pay homage to Bowling Green's active community of printmakers.
Key Highlights
Alum: Taylor Vanek '24
Degree: Graphic design
Local impact: Selected as the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival poster artist
From BGSU student to artist
Taylor Vanek attended Bowling Green's signature event every year, resulting in a full-circle moment when her artwork was selected for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival poster.
A design that represents the Black Swamp and Wood County
Vanek chose to include native plants, including Butterfly Milkweed and Ohio Spiderwort, on the poster along with Wood County’s only native lizard species – the common five-lined skink. Even the font was selected to draw attention to Bowling Green's active community of printmakers.
Free, family-friendly fun
Free to the public, the Black Swamp Arts Festival runs Sept. 11-13 in downtown Bowling Green and features a juried art show, music, food, art vendors, a chalk walk mural competition and more.
“The Black Swamp Arts Festival has been a staple in my life since moving to BG, and being the poster artist was kind of a secret dream I had ever since going the first time in 2021. I cannot believe I am getting the honor to be a part of this incredible legacy of artists who designed the poster.”
TAYLOR VANEK '24
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Taylor Vanek ‘24 first visited Bowling Green’s Black Swamp Arts Festival when she was a sophomore at Bowling Green State University and has attended every year since. This year, her artwork was selected as the 2026 festival poster, becoming the headline piece of art and serving as the festival's most visible and recognizable representation throughout the event.
Originally from Ashtabula, Ohio, northeast of Cleveland, Vanek chose to attend BGSU to study graphic design, seeking a fulfilling career where she could apply her creative talents. Describing her experience as “formative” and “incredible,” she built a strong foundation in the BGSU School of Art.
After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design, Vanek chose to stay in northwest Ohio after being hired as the community and communications assistant at the Wood County Park District.
“I get to apply every part of my education almost every day,” she said. “I create flyers, lay out our program guide, design merchandise, create wayfinding systems at our parks, maintain our website, attend outreach events and even learn new skills like photography.”
After seeing her work for the Wood County Park District, members of the Black Swamp Arts Festival approached Vanek and encouraged her to create a design that captured the essence of Bowling Green’s Black Swamp.
Vanek drew inspiration from her time outdoors in Wood County when designing the piece.
“In my role, I have had the privilege to explore the lives of birds in the area, learn about the native plants and marvel at every bug I pass by,” Vanek said. “I chose to include the native plants on the poster along with Wood County’s only native lizard species – the common five-lined skink – because they represent how people experience the Black Swamp Arts Festival: an explosion of vibrancy, diversity and importance for the community of Bowling Green and beyond.”
Even the font chosen for the poster was intentional, as Vanek aimed to draw attention to Bowling Green's active community of printmakers. For the poster reveal event, she created screen-printed versions to hand out as souvenirs.
Free to the public, the Black Swamp Arts Festival runs Sept. 11-13 in downtown Bowling Green and features a juried art show, music, food, art vendors, a chalk walk mural competition and more.
Vanek is excited to attend the festival as she does every year, but said this year is definitely more special.
“The Black Swamp Arts Festival has been a staple in my life since moving to BG, and being the poster artist was kind of a secret dream I had ever since going the first time in 2021,” Vanek said. “I cannot believe I am getting the honor to be a part of this incredible legacy of artists who designed the poster. It's surreal to think I will see people walking around in the designs I made!”
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Updated: 09/11/2026 01:56PM