SDSU School of Art and Design Welcomes Chitra Gopalakrishnan

The SDSU School of Art and Design is pleased to announce that Chitra Gopalakrishnan, a long-time lecturer in the School, has been appointed assistant professor of graphic design. 

Chitra has Master of Fine Arts degrees from both ESAG Penninghen in Paris and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and educator with over two decades of international experience across branding, design, and fine art. Her creative practice bridges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary visual culture, often juxtaposing analog processes such as painting and drawing with digital approaches including augmented reality, motion graphics, and generative design. 

Deeply invested in community-engaged design, Chitra co-founded Kara Weaves in 2007, a fair-trade enterprise in Kerala, India, working to revitalize handloom weaving co-operatives and connect them to global audiences through thoughtful branding and design. Whether crafting immersive experiences, designing for social impact, or mentoring emerging creatives, her work is rooted in empathy, cultural dialogue, and a belief in the transformative power of art and design.