Tanner Woodford of Design Museum of Chicago

Your murals and museum work both center around optimism and accessibility—how do you translate abstract values like hope or equity into visual or curatorial design choices?

I try to design with warmth, clarity, and a sense of welcome. If the work feels honest and generous, it usually reflects the values I care about—like hope and accessibility.

When you’re at the beginning of a new creative project, what usually sparks your direction—research, instinct, visual aesthetics, or something else entirely?

I usually start with instinct, then follow it with research and conversations. That initial spark often reveals something worth exploring more deeply.

Much of your work blends public engagement with personal philosophy—how do you maintain your creative voice while designing experiences meant to resonate with a wide audience?

I focus on clarity rather than compromise. If I can express something simply and sincerely, it tends to resonate with others too.

Can you share a time when a constraint—whether budget, space, or cultural context—actually pushed your creativity in an unexpected direction?

Most of my work begins with limitations—budget, time, or space. Those boundaries often push the ideas further than total freedom would.