Northwestern’s Founders Hall Gallery Presents Alumni Jack Wu

Press Release
March 6, 2024

Winsted, CT – CT State Northwestern is proud to welcome back alumni artist Jack Wu to the Gallery at Founders Hall March 18 through April 4, 2024. Wu will bring a bit of March Madness with him to the gallery, displaying work he created in his role as a graphic designer for the Celtics basketball team. An artist reception is scheduled for Monday April 1, 4 to 6 p.m. Both the gallery and the reception are free and open to the public. This show is a part of the Alumni Focus Series.

Wu has been a graphic designer and member of the creative operations team for the Boston-based Celtics for more than six years. His journey as an artist after graduating from Northwestern in 2009 is one of persistence and determination.

Growing up in Torrington, CT, Wu says he was always passionate about drawing as a young boy but equally spent his time learning computer software applications, which he would use for school projects. He says both interests laid the groundwork for his future.

At Northwestern, Wu says he initially struggled with his commitment to studying art and acknowledges his campus instructors were instrumental in showing him how to turn his passion into a career. In his artist statement, Wu says Northwestern provided him with a solid foundation that he continues to draw upon.

After earning an associate degree in graphic design communication from Northwestern, Wu went to Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, where he graduated in 2012 with honors from the Visual Communication Design program. In his artist statement, Wu acknowledges the important role his family, especially his mother, played in his determination to succeed, which was motivated by a desire to honor his mother’s sacrifices and his own intrinsic drive.

Wu relocated to Boston, eventually landing a job with Digitas, a renowned advertising agency, where his relationship with the Celtics began. His artist statement reflects that his contributions have been instrumental in the Celtics’ elevated creative output, reflecting his dedication to excellence and passion for his craft.

Wu says he is excited to return to Northwestern after not visiting the campus for so long. A quick drive-by last fall showed him new buildings on campus since he was a student. “Things have changed so much since my time at Northwestern.” He says. “Design has changed, technology has definitely changed, and now that I’m much older we’re living with a new generation of kids – so that is change.”

The Gallery at Founders Hall is located at 4 Park Place, Winsted. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information about the exhibit please contact Gallery Coordinator Deb Kline at dkline@nwcc.edu.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Susan Stiller sstiller@nwcc.edu