Scott Fisk believes design has always been about more than aesthetics. It is a way to help people understand complex ideas, connect with others and see the world from a different perspective. That philosophy is at the heart of Not Broken, Just Creative, the project that helped earn the Samford University professor and chair of the Department of Art and Design a prestigious Alabama State Council on the Arts Design Fellowship as part of the council's 2027 fellowship cohort.
The fellowship recognizes excellence in creative practice and comes with $7,500 in funding to support Fisk's work as a designer, educator and nationally exhibited artist.
Rather than submitting a single project, Fisk's application combined a portfolio showcasing years of creative work with a proposal for an ambitious collaborative book focused on neurodivergent artists across Alabama.
"I submitted a portfolio of design work along with a proposal for a new creative project, Not Broken, Just Creative," Fisk said. "The fellowship allowed me to demonstrate both an established body of creative work and a new project that uses design to amplify important stories."
The book will document stories and artwork of visual artists on the neurodivergent spectrum, pairing personal narratives with art to celebrate creativity, innovation and unique perspectives. While Fisk will serve as designer and visual director, his collaborator will lead the writing and narrative research. They hope to create a resource that can be used by educators, nonprofit organizations, families and communities throughout the state.
The project reflects a theme that runs throughout Fisk's work. Many pieces in his fellowship portfolio explored typography, visual communication and the expressive possibilities of letterpress printing. Underlying each project is a belief that thoughtful design can help communicate experiences that might otherwise be difficult to articulate.
"Design can help people better understand complex human experiences," Fisk said. "That philosophy is central to Not Broken, Just Creative, where the visual design will help communicate the stories and artwork of neurodivergent artists in Alabama in a respectful, engaging and accessible way."
The fellowship application process required applicants to carefully curate representative work, document creative accomplishments and articulate the significance of a proposed project. For Fisk, the challenge was telling a cohesive story that connected decades of professional practice with a new initiative designed to serve a broader public audience.
His approach resonated with reviewers.
A recognized expert in letterpress printing, Fisk has exhibited work in more than 100 peer-reviewed exhibitions worldwide. Yet when assembling his fellowship portfolio, he focused less on the breadth of his accomplishments and more on identifying work that reflected a consistent creative voice. He selected projects that demonstrated craftsmanship, typography, visual storytelling and design excellence.
"Letterpress printing has shaped the way I think about typography, composition and craftsmanship," Fisk said. "Even when reproduced digitally, letterpress work often carries a sense of physicality and attention to detail that distinguishes it from other forms of design."
That attention to craftsmanship will play a central role in the development of Not Broken, Just Creative. Fellowship funding will support research, photography, travel, documentation, design development and production costs associated with creating a high-quality publication that showcases neurodivergent artists from across Alabama.
"It was especially meaningful because Alabama has been my professional and creative home for many years," he said. "Receiving recognition from the Alabama State Council on the Arts feels particularly significant because it acknowledges work that has been developed while serving students, artists and communities throughout the state."
The fellowship reinforces lessons he hopes to pass on to the next generation of designers.
"This project reinforces my belief that design can be used not only to create beautiful work but also to foster understanding and connection," Fisk said.
As work begins on Not Broken, Just Creative, Fisk hopes the publication will challenge misconceptions about neurodiversity while preserving and sharing stories that might otherwise go untold. Ultimately, theproject aims to shine a light on an often-overlooked community and demonstrate the power of creativity to build understanding.
For Fisk, that is design at its best—creating something beautiful that’s also meaningful.
