Michigan State University Professor and Olympian Kelly Salchow MacArthur is once again part of the Olympics, this time leading a community art project.

Through the Olympian Artists program, Salchow MacArthur participated in a workshop series creating mixed-media collages with children from two community centers in Paris, France. Her workshop series, from Oct. 23 to 28, 2023, was the first community project in the Olympian Artists program leading up to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The Olympian Artists program launched in 2018 as a way for Olympians and Paralympians to creatively share their experiences as athletes and artists on a global platform through community projects (new this year) and original art. The program, managed through the Olympic Museum in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, provides artistic explorations into athletics as connected with culture and creativity.

Salchow MacArthur was a member of United States National Women’s Rowing Team in the 2000 Olympics hosted by Sydney, Australia, and 2004 Olympics hosted by Athens, Greece. In addition to being an elite athlete, Salchow MacArthur is a teacher, researcher and practitioner of graphic design in the MSU Department of Art, Art History and Design.

Learn more about Kelly and her work at Elevate Design.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:37) – Kelly shares her background and how she became interested in graphic design and rowing.

(2:53) – How long have you been at MSU and what first attracted you here?

(3:45) – Describe your role as a graphic design professor at MSU.

(4:44) – What is graphic design and how has it evolved?

(5:54) – How do you combine your love for graphic design with your love for rowing.

(8:49) – Talk about your experience as an Olympic rower.

(12:45) – How, when, and where did you get involved with the Olympics as a graphic designer?

(16:50) – What is the Olympian Artists program?

(17:32) – Talk about your project for the 2024 Olympics.

(22:23) – What do you want to say about underdogs? 

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