About the 

Designer/Artist

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Cornelius André Cakley is a native of Muncie, Indiana, but he calls North Charleston, South Carolina, where he spent much of his childhood home. He graduated from the Charleston County public school system. Cakley received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts from Benedict College and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Media Design from Full Sail University.

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Cornelius Cakley is a Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity, Incorporated member, has an extensive background in what could be called Urban Folk Art, and has over 36 years as a graphic designer and business owner. His graphic design firm, My Image Appeals Graphic Design (M.I.A. Graphix), is based in Columbia, South Carolina.  As a graphic artist, Cornelius has worked with countless organizations, from small non-profits to Fortune 500 Companies.  He has provided creative concepts and marketing elements for elected officials throughout South Carolina, as well as for the 44th Presidential Administration. He has designed a program logo for President Barack Obama’s Fatherhood Initiative.

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Cakley has taught graphic/digital design and art classes on the collegiate level as an Assistant Professor at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, and as Department Chair and Assistant Professor at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. 

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As an artist, Cornelius has developed an untraditional mix of mixed media and art that has been displayed in Art Galleries and Museums. He has often said, “When it comes to his ideas, it’s like a trigger has been pulled, and a vision starts to flow. His inspiration comes from music, his surroundings, what he has experienced in life, and a deep hunger to create something different and unique”.

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His motto is, “Being creative means having something to say,” . . . and the work he produces is representative of that.  His work is his voice!  And, when it comes to graphic design, he truly believes, “An effective image is what gets the attention”!