RESUME
EDUCATION
2005 MFA Illustration as Visual Essay, School of Visual Arts, NYC, NY
2003 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Philosophy Minor, St. John’s University, NY, summa cum laude
RELEVANT SKILLS AND GENERAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Art Instructor, Nassau County Museum of Arts. Courses Include: Studio Techniques in Watercolor, Cartooning and Comics. (2009-Present)
Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Fine Arts at St. John’s University teaching Creativity in the Arts, Digital Illustration, Graphic Design, Color theory, 3-D Design, Foundation Drawing, Cartooning, and Aqueous Media. (2005 - Present) Mentor, St. John’s University Mentoring Program. (2006-Present)
Freelance Designer for MediaNet Solutions, logo design, corporate branding, photo retouching, web design. (2006-Present)
Freelance Illustrator, Clients Include: Macmillan, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Penguin Putnam, Reed Business, Library Journal, NetConnect Magazine, Batsford Publishing, Annova Books, Wading River Books, Rapid River Media, and others. (2005 - Present)
Associate Creative Director for Sleeping Dog Studios/Public Art Films, New York City, NY. Assisting Henry Chalfant, winner of the 1983 Sundance Film Festival Award, providing image reconstruction, color correction, retouching, and design collaboration for fine art, print publication, video post production, package design, and gallery exhibitions. (2004 – Present)
Lead Designer. Design, Layout, and Illustrations for Wading River Books. (2007 - 2009)
Photo Retoucher for TannaSeybert, NYC. Retouching clients include commercial industries including technology, fashion, cosmetics, furniture, food, and music. (2006)
Design Consultant. Extensive design for multiple psychological studies, Elizabeth Brondolo, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, St. John’s University, NY, funded by National Institute of Mental Health. (2001 – 2004)
Freelance Mac Specialist providing technical support to commercial and private clients including: Networking Solutions, Data Migration, Backup Solutions, Hardware Setup and Modification, Software Installation, Application and OS Training, Printer and Scanner Setup and Maintenance, Monitor Calibration and Graphic Art Solutions. (2004-2008)
Visual Lab Desktop Support Specialist, Graduate Assistantship, MFA Illustration Department, School of Visual Arts. (2004-2005)
Art Instructor, Division of Continuing Education, St. John’s University. Courses include: Color Theory, Water Color and Acrylic Painting, and Foundation Drawing. (2001-2002)
EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE PROFICIENCY
Operating Systems
Macintosh & Windows (OSX; Vista, XP)
Design & Video
Adobe Bridge, Photoshop, ImageReady, Illustrator, InDesign, Quark XPress, PhotoStitch, Art Directors Toolkit, Comic Life, Font Book, Extensis Suitcase X1, Color Consultant Pro, iLife 08, DVD Studio Pro, Aperture, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD,
Utilities
Activity Monitor, AirPort Utility, Backup, Boot Camp Assistant, Carbon Copy Cloner, Color Sync Utility, Cocktail, Disk Utility, GraphicConverter, Keychain Access, Migration Assistant, Super Duper, System Profiler,, TechTool Pro, iChat, iSync, Toast, Grand Perspective, Omni Disk Sweeper, Time Machine , Transmit
Office
ABBYY FineReader, AddressBook, Acrobat, iCal, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, Mail, SilverFast, Stuffit Deluxe, TextEdit
Web Design
Adobe Flash CS3, Dreamweaver, Transmit, xScope, iWeb, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer
DETAILED TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Acrylic Painting
A basic painting course. This course introduces students to the tools and techniques of acrylic painting. Students are instructed in the use of various acrylic paints. Perceptual painting is emphasized while exploring abstract and representational compositional structures. Students experiment with acrylics on a variety of surfaces including canvas and paper, and historical concerns are integral part of this course.
Aqueous Media
This course introduces the student to the basic methods of watercolor painting. Students are instructed in opaque and transparent techniques. They explore (through direct application in the picture making process) the differences between sedimentary and staining colors, various media, tools and surfaces.
Color Theory
The theory of color is explored through studio projects, demonstrations and lectures with stress on the application of color theory to painting. Consideration is also given to color as a component of other art forms. This course is designed to familiarize students with the theory and techniques of mixing, combining and applying colors for maximum psychological and aesthetic effect. At the end of the course, students should be able to mix any desired color at any value or intensity and be able to select appropriate color arrangements for both fine art and graphic design expression.
Creativity in the Arts
A critical exploration and examination of history and culture taught through the arts: visual arts, music, theater, dance, and film. Creativity is explored and experienced as the aesthetic expressions of culture, individual values, spirituality, and world view. Emphasis is placed on engaging students through creative expression, writing, group performances, and individual presentations.
Digital Illustration
An introduction to the core features and functions of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, the industry's leading raster and vector-based applications that are used as an illustration, technical drawing painting, and animation.
Drawing Experiments
This is a studio course in creativity and the language of drawing for the non-art major. This course guides students through a series of drawing projects that introduce and emphasize the use of basic drawing techniques. Students are instructed in methods that facilitate objective seeing and accurate recording. Line, volume perspective, space composition, proportion, value and movement are explored, as students confront the outer and inner worlds through the materials of drawing.
Foundation Drawing
This course is an introduction and exploration of the process of drawing from observation. Concerns such as line, tone, composition, proportion, and form are addressed. Drawing from life is the fundamental skill, which is essential to the development of visual thinking and is the foundation on which all the visual arts are built. If one can draw well then all fields of the Visual Arts, from painting to video are manageable steps because along with the ability to draw comes the development of a sense of design and composition, as well as a grasp of value and proportion. Drawing opens the senses up to an appreciation of the beauty that exists in everyday things. A respect for the seemingly ‘ordinary’ things in life matures into respect for color and atmosphere. The good draftsman has a sense of balance that is both real and poetic.
Graphic Design
A studio class with an emphasis on composition and design principles. This course is designed to give the student a deeper understanding of the formal, conceptual, and cultural principles of graphic design. The objective is to strike a balance between the use of visual strategies (i.e. color, image, symbol, pattern, composition, and typography) and the communication of specific information. Fundamental to this process is the relationship between text and image. Course utilizes both manual and computer based solutions to design problems.
Introduction to Cartooning
A studio class with an emphasis on illustration in the context of visual narrative. Students are instructed on the history of comics and cartoons and their social and cultural context. Major focus is the dichotomy of the interrelationship between the visual image and the written word and its effectiveness as a means of communication. The student will receive experience in the use of materials, techniques and their creative application of traditional cartoon, caricature and the comic strip, as well as character design, storyboard technique and the principles of animation. Marketplace considerations such as syndication and contracts are an essential part of this course.
Three-Dimensional Design
A performance based studio course devoted to the research and investigation of three-dimensional design. Contemporary design issues specific to a three-dimensional translation will be examined. AStudents explore three dimensional space and form that is necessary for many areas of design applications: packaging, product description, display and exhibits, etc.
SELECT EXHIBITIONS
2009 "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" Solo Exhibition, Nassau County Museum of Arts, Roslyn Harbor, NY
2008 Syosset Public Library, 225 South Oyster Bay Road, Syosset NY
2008 St. John’s DOFA Faculty Exhibition, Dr. M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery, Jamaica, NY
2007 “Storytime” Solo Exhibition, 101 Murray Street, NYC, NY
2006 St. John’s DOFA Faculty Exhibition, Dr. M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery, Jamaica, NY
2005 MFA Illustration Visual Essay Selections, Visual Arts Gallery, NYC, NY
2004 “Turning the Page” Group Exhibition, AIGA Gallery, NYC, NY
2003 Solo Thesis Exhibition, St. John’s University, NY
2002 National Arts Club Annual Student Exhibition, Gramercy Park, NY ( Juried Show)
2002 Annual Student Art Exhibition, St. John’s University, NY
2001 Annual Student Art Exhibition, St. John’s University, NY
2001 National Arts Club Annual Student Exhibition, Gramercy Park, NY ( Juried Show)
2001 National Arts Club, September 11th Fundraiser Exhibition, Gramercy Park, NY
2000 National Arts Club Annual Student Exhibition, Gramercy Park, NY ( Juried Show)
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2006 Burners, Speerstra Gallery, Paris, France
2001 Lavori in Corso, Group Exhibition, Rome, Italy
AWARDS
2003 & 2004 Scholarship Award, School of Visual Arts
2002 Best in Fine Arts Award, Annual Student Art Exhibition, St. John’s University
2001 Recognition Award, Annual Student Art Exhibition, St. John’s University
1999 Best in Illustration Award, Annual Student Art Exhibition, St. John’s University
HONORS
Pi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Dean’s List, and Golden Key Recognition Award, St. John’s University
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Austria, Canada, England, France, Italy, Malta, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Switzerland