“I’ve always been an artist; I drew all the time.”
Gil Shuler is a graphic designer and business owner in Charleston, South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design from Western Carolina University. He has owned his design studio and company, Gil Shuler Graphic Design Inc., for over forty years and is known for his artwork of the “Palmetto Doves.”
About
Gil Shuler was born and raised in Sumpter, South Carolina, where he started his art journey at an early age. From spontaneous art drawings to private art lessons and his early mastery of oil paintings, Shuler’s creative side was a driving force in his life. However, as he approached his junior year of high school, Shuler began to lose interest. Despite his deep-rooted passion for art, he focused on academic education. With two older siblings already in college and after an intensive search, Shuler attended Anderson Junior College, but he was still unsure exactly what his career path would be.
“I was there for two years, and after the second year of basically partying, I was like, I need to do something,” said Shuler. Shuler found his “something” when speaking with one of his art professors at Anderson, who introduced him to the field of graphic design. From there, Shuler attended Western Carolina University, where he received his degree in Graphic Design. Later, Shuler created his design studio and company, Gil Shuler Graphic Design Inc., In the early days of his career, Shuler took on jobs with individuals and small businesses, such as posters for a theater company where he first met his wife. Since then, Shuler began to grow his business and was able to recruit larger clients.
Shuler’s typical workday is anything but typical. He sets his own pace with multiple jobs, working from a punchlist throughout the day. This flexibility allows him to engage in other activities such as reading and fishing, but also to create work for himself and the Charleston community. One of his notable projects is the “Palmetto Doves,” a project he crafted to honor the nine victims of the 2015 Emmanuel Baptist Church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
From Shuler’s experience in running his own business and establishing his career as a graphic designer, he offers advice to up-and-coming creatives who are interested in entering the graphic designer career path and working within companies. “Be flexible, listen. Don’t talk, listen, then execute,” said Shuler.
