Graphic Design Student Debuts Mobile App That Combats Anxiety Through Play
[BUFFALO, NY] — [4/28/2026]:
Rebecca Hanson Czerny, a Buffalo-based designer that specializes in 2D/3D design and animation, debuts an app that fuses mobile gaming with anxiety relief on 5/9/2026 as part of her senior exhibition, Pause: Designing Calm. The app, named Melloby, features a collection of tools and mini-games designed to entertain while helping users refocus their mind, reduce stress, and promote a sense of calm.
“I wanted to explore how graphic design can be implemented in positive ways that could have real-world use and impact,” says Hanson Czerny. “For a lot of people, stress is at an all-time high, and I aimed to create a product that could combat that and be a tool to use, while not feeling like work. I created easy-to-use exercises and mini-games based on methods used in alleviating anxiety - combining mindful activities with play.”
Developed using Godot Game Engine, Blender, and the Adobe Creative Suite, Melloby highlights the versatility of graphic design and how it can be used to both help and entertain. The app debut and launch event will take place from 5-7pm on 5/9/2026 at Red Otter Coffee, where attendees will be able to demo the app.
About the Designer
Rebecca Hanson Czerny is a designer specializing in traditional art and 2D/3D digital art and animation. Her work explores communicating emotion through visual language, often evoking nostalgia and sentimentality through friendly and playful imagery. Hanson Czerny’s animation work has been shown at the Blender Conference Suzanne Awards Animation Festival held in Amsterdam and the Big Teeth Small Shorts Chicago Film Festival, while her traditional 2D work has been shown locally at the Howling Woman Studio in East Aurora and The Good Stuff in Buffalo. Hanson Czerny will be graduating with a BFA in Art and Design - Graphic Design from Buffalo State University.
