J. Blake Johnson
Professor of Art
Art (PM)
Arbury Fine Arts
A117
(989) 9642255
jbjohns1@svsu.edu
SVSU Cardinal SolutionsBiography
Professor Johnson joined SVSU as a Graphic Design faculty member and has steadily expanded the department's academic footprint — developing the UX/UI curriculum beginning in 2013 and now serving as Department Chair of Art & Design. He teaches across digital media, typography, packaging, web design, and interface design, and co-teaches ART 490: AI Fluency, a course examining how designers and educators adapt to rapidly changing AI tools and workflows.
He founded and directs Cardinal Solutions, SVSU's community-engaged student consulting agency, which has served more than 100 regional clients, generated over $120,000 in student scholarships, and contributed to SVSU's Carnegie Community Engagement Classification across two consecutive cycles.
He also co-founded intellAIgent, a platform and speaking practice focused on AI integration in higher education, developed alongside colleagues in Art & Design and the SVSU Library.
Education
University of Idaho
Bachelor Fine Arts
Art Center College of Design
Associate of Arts
Brigham Young Univ
Teaching Interests
Graphic Design · Typography · UX/UI Design · Web Design · AI Fluency in Education · Community-Engaged Learning · Design History · Portfolio Development
Research
Professor Johnson's research sits at the intersection of design practice, educational innovation, and community engagement. Current work includes the co-development of ART 490: AI Fluency, examining how design students and educators adapt to AI-integrated workflows, and ongoing applied research through Cardinal Solutions on community-engaged experiential learning models in higher education.
Earlier research, conducted in collaboration with then-President Donald Bachand, examined how high school students select colleges and what current students value in their campus experience. Drawing on surveys of more than 100 high school students and 50 college students, the findings were published as Adapt or Dwindle — a work that proved prescient in identifying enrollment vulnerabilities that went unaddressed institutionally.
Works of Creativity
Professor Johnson maintains an active design practice spanning brand identity, typography, and interface design. Selected work is archived at…
https://www.arationalanimal.com/
Community Engagement
SVSU Cardinal Solutions is a community-engaged student consulting agency founded by Professor Johnson in 2013. The agency has served more than 100 regional clients, generated over $120,000 in student scholarships, and contributed to SVSU earning Carnegie Community Engagement Classification across two consecutive cycles. svsucardinalsolutions.org
Professor Johnson also co-founded intellAIgent, a platform and speaking practice focused on AI integration in higher education, developed in partnership with colleagues in Art & Design and the SVSU Library. intellaigent.info
Leadership
- Director, SVSU Cardinal Solutions, 2014 – present
- Co-Founder, intellAIgent (AI Fluency in Education), 2023 – present
- Department Chair, Art & Design, SVSU, 2025 – present
Honors and Awards
• Award for Teaching Excellence from the NEA Foundation, 2024
• Distinguished Servant of Public Education Award from the Michigan Education Association (MEA), 2023
• Terry Ishihara Award for Co-Curricular Involvement, 2021
• Thomson Award for Empowering Learning in Community Engagement, 2018
• SVSU Faculty Association Outstanding Service Award, 2017