Carol Van Sant, graphics supervisor at the University of Georgia’s Sign Shop, leads a team responsible for producing and installing signage across the university’s Athens campus and its satellite locations throughout the state. Van Sant emphasizes that her work is rooted in visual communication, stating, “Whether you’re making a painting or a sign, you’re conveying a message. It is essentially visual communication.”
Van Sant’s background includes two Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from the Lamar Dodd School of Art and experience as an assistant preparator at the Georgia Museum of Art. She later ran her own sign shop for 24 years before joining UGA’s Sign Shop in 2013 after years of collaboration with the university.
“I was born to make things,” Van Sant said. “There are a lot of ways to apply an artist’s skillset.” Reflecting on her career path, she added, “Although I wouldn’t have said I wanted to make signs or grow up to be a sign maker, having done it for many years because it puts my talents to use, I find it to be a really amazing challenge.”
The three-person team under Van Sant manages various types of signage needs for UGA, including building identification signs, ADA-compliant signs, traffic control signs, and parking lot signage. Van Sant prioritizes professionalism and accuracy: “To me, the most important part of my work is keeping the message consistent. Anything I put out on campus needs to look professional and well-crafted with accurate information.”
UGA’s campus signage standards guide their work by requiring consistency in color schemes (brown and black), font (Aquarius), and design elements. This approach helps define campus boundaries visually and provides coherent wayfinding systems across university properties. “Just by the consistent design of being brown and black and having the Aquarius font, visually defines the boundaries of campus,” she explained. “Without actually being aware of it, you know that you’re on the University of Georgia campus.”
Van Sant finds satisfaction in both planning projects and participating in their physical installation—tasks that align with her need for active work rather than desk-bound roles. She noted: “As an artist, you’re a planner and a maker, which is a rarely combined skillset.”
Her contributions are visible throughout UGA’s campuses—from building identification signs to specialized lettering inside facilities like the Miller Learning Center rotunda. She highlighted how signage plays a crucial role not only in aesthetics but also in functionality: “It’s not just a coaster with a message on it. It can be an entire environment like an airport. When you stand back and look at the whole airport, part of the reason it either is or isn’t attractive is the signage, the visual communication. It’s also an important part of the reason the structure functions well for its purpose.”
Outside her role at UGA, Van Sant continues creating art in her pottery studio and encourages aspiring artists to consider diverse career paths where their skills may be applied: “I hope that an art student might see this and understand that there is more than one career path open for artists. There are a lot of different ways to use art training,” she said. “I enjoy being part of a team that works to support campus. It’s gratifying to be able to use what I learned here to support other students’ learning.”
