Category Archives: Alumni Relations

Connecting With Art Center Alumni In Israel

Front, from left: Tally Kelner-Gazit, Cecilia Vitas-Kasher, Lorne Buchman, Leon Botner. Back, from left: Dan Porges, Dori Regev, Micha Reshef, Zev Harari

Guest Post by Advertising Alumnus Zev Harari

When I learned that Art Center President Lorne Buchman was coming to Haifa, Israel, I was excited. It’s a great and rare opportunity to arrange a meeting with Israel-based Art Center alumni—many of whom I was not even acquainted with. I only knew of one or two fellow alums here, and set out to find more our tiny country.

A 1976 Advertising graduate myself, I contacted Leon Botner PHOT ’74, who I first met when I was majoring in Advertising at Art Center’s Third Street campus (I graduated two years later at Hillside Campus). Back then, in the mid- ’70s, there were two other Israeli students at Art Center, but as far as I know they settled in the U.S. after graduation. Leon helped me to locate two of his photography colleagues: Dan Porges PHOT ’72 and Micha Shelef PHOT ’69. I contacted an alumna I hadn’t met: Avital “Tally” Kelner-Gazit, GRPH ’85, and she directed me to two more alums: Avidor “Dori” Regev TRANS ’87 and Cecilia Vitas, ENVL’98.

So now there were seven of us, and we were excited to meet Art Center’s president and each other.

We met at the Dan Carmel Hotel, located atop Mt. Carmel overlooking the beautiful port of Haifa. After getting acquainted, we decided to go to a restaurant in town for our informal meeting. While walking to our destination, we found that we were speaking with each other and Lorne like old friends—the immediate connection and camaraderie we felt was amazing! It felt so much like our past at Art Center—while much time has passed and things are much different in our lives today, Art Center was connecting us, and naturally we shared memories and mutual experiences.

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Great Teacher Award Recipients Announced

Earlier this year, the Art Center Student Government, together with Student Affairs and the Provost’s Office, together reinstated an annual Great Teacher Award.

The relaunched and revised awards will be presented annually at Summer Term graduation to one full-time, one part-time and one new faculty member, beginning at next week’s ceremony. The recipients are determined through a nomination process open to all enrolled students and a confidential selection committee of students.

The awards are sponsored by the Provost’s Office and Art Center Student Government, and coordinated by Student Affairs. We’re pleased to announce the Great Teacher Award recipients for 2011:

New Teacher:
AFFONSO BEATO
Undergraduate Film Department

Part-Time Faculty:
ERROL GERSON
Humanities and Design Sciences Department

Full-Time Faculty:
HEIDRUN MUMPER-DRUMM
Graphic Design Department
Product Design Department
Humanities & Design Sciences Department

Student Government has requested that Heidrun Mumper-Drumm deliver the Summer 2011 Graduating Class Commencement Address on August 20. The ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. and will be immediately followed by Graduation Show.

Congratulations Affonso, Errol and Heidrun!

Art Center is also taking nominations for the 2011 Art Center Alumni Awards, presented annually at Fall Term Graduation. The Alumni Awards provide Art Center an opportunity to publicly recognize the talent, service and design influence of our alumni.

Nomination categories are: Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Service and Young Alumni Innovator. Please send all nominations to the Alumni Relations office, alumni@artcenter.edu by Oct. 15.

With Love from Vevey

Guest post by Alumni Relations Director Kristine Bowne

Art Center Europe opened in 1986 with 39 students from 13 countries. During the 10 years of its operation, more than 500 students graduated from the European campus. Art Center returned to Europe for a reunion of alumni, faculty and staff of that campus June 3 and 4 in Vevey, Switzerland. The reunion was hosted by Art Center and Nestlé, and organized by Alumni Relations and former ACE staff member and consultant Claire Halmos. It was an amazing weekend for everyone involved.

Friday, June 3

Friday night we welcomed more than 250 ACE alumni, former faculty and staff at Café Vè in Vevey. The event was packed with friends and alumni from 18 different countries—many of whom hadn’t seen each other in 20 years!

Saturday, June 4

The next day at noon we met at the field adjacent to former Art Center Europe campus, La Tour de Peliz. Some 200 alumni, former faculty and friends shared ACE memories, lots of laughs and champagne provided by former Art Center Europe Trustee Heinrich Baumann Sterner. Later that afternoon we walked through the field to assemble in the CESSEV auditorium, the former location of ACE graduation ceremonies. There Art Center President Lorne Buchman shared the College’s new strategic plan, which outlines the school’s future over the next five years.

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San Diego, Here We Come!

Art Center’s Office of Alumni Relations hits the road today for a trip to San Diego, where they’re hosting an alumni event tonight at Nissan Design America.

San Diego alumni chapter co-chairs Chuck Pelly PROD ’58 and June Rubin ILLU ’84 will welcome Art Center President Lorne Buchman and Transportation Design Chair Stewart Reed TRAN ’69 to America’s Finest City to meet with alums and share the latest about the College’s strategic plan and Transportation Design program.

San Diego alums, see you there!

Postcards from Switzerland

Art Center returned to Europe for a reunion of alumni of our former Vevey campus June 3 and 4 in Vevey, Switzerland.

Some 300 guests enjoyed events including a reception, conference and party. President Lorne Buchman was on hand to share the College’s new strategic plan with the group as well.

“It was an awesome weekend,” says alumnus Marc Henry of Geneva, Switzerland. “What made this special was seeing friends that I had not seen since leaving Art Center.”

“Having this connection with everyone, and with one’s own past, is important,” says alum Jonas Blanking, managing and creative director of Sweden’s Boblbee. “It was such a great time.”

Enjoy the slideshow of images from the weekend below.

Grad Show Preview in Pictures

It’s pretty quiet on campus here today after a whirlwind few weeks leading up to the end of Spring Term and Saturday’s Graduation.

Enjoy this slideshow of images from Thursday night’s Grad Show Preview, featuring work of graduating students:

Licensing Your Ideas: DOT Entrepreneurial Event

Join us on April 7 for an evening panel discussing licensing and Intellectual Property (IP). Learn more about IP, how it applies to designers and creatives, and how to engage with major manufacturers.

Speakers include:

  • Warren Tuttle: Inventor, LifeTime Brands product scout and UIA president
    Warren Tuttle was the person behind the scenes helping to orchestrate the overnight success of television direct response mega-hit Smart Spin. Teaming with a Boston-based inventor, Tuttle selected an explosive path to market. With almost 10 million units sold, Smart Spin continues to be prominently featured at major retailers throughout the country. Currently, Tuttle focuses on external product development for Lifetime Brands of Garden City, New York, the world’s largest manufacturer of kitchen utensils and a major supplier of food prep and tabletop products to America’s major retailers. Lifetime Brands manufactures and markets over 30,000 products under multiple brand names including Farberware, Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, Pedrini, Mikasa, Towle and Pfaltzgra.
  • Dario Antonioni: Founder, Orange22 Design Lab LLC and Art Center alumnus
    Dario Antonioni has independently designed retail experiences, products and interior architecture for clients worldwide. He holds more than 12 design and utility patents and is creator of the successful GRID-IT! organization system. Antonioni’s work has been featured on TV and in books and periodicals around the world. Dario has won awards from LG Electronics, I.D. Magazine, and selected by Surface Magazine for their T.A.G. Team Event, held in Milan, Italy and NYC 2003, spotlighting emerging talent within the United States. His clients include Aveda, Ducati, DMC, Edward Norton, Flight 001, Fred Segal, Gensler, Light Group, Pepsi, Hard Rock, Haworth, Henry Bendel, Ralph Lauren, Starbucks and Sony.
  • Michelle Katz: IP attorney
    Michelle Katz is a seasoned attorney specializing in Intellectual Property, contracts, promotions and licensing matters. Her capabilities include developing, drafting, negotiating infrastructure, service and licensing contracts; identifying, structuring and negotiating strategic partnerships; structuring and implementing sweepstakes, contests and promotions in all media; developing and implementing IP Strategy: copyright, trademark, privacy and online policies. She is a faculty member at Art Center and California College of the Arts, and regularly lectures at colleges and organizations for creative professionals. She teaches law for artists and designers, as well as business law and negotiations.

The event is open to all Art Center students, faculty, staff and alumni.

LICENSING YOUR IDEAS:
DOT ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENT ON LICENSING & IP
April 7, 7-10 p.m.
Art Center Hillside Campus
Faculty Dining Room

Emerging Talents From the World of New Illustration

Join us March 31 for an exciting panel with Art Center alumni Sarah Awad, Patrick Hruby and Andrew Hem exploring the diverse paths in Illustration today.

The panel and reception is hosted by Alumni Relations and the Illustration Department in conjunction with BLUECANVAS and Scion.

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP today to alumni@artcenter.edu or 626.396.2305.

Wunderkind:
Emerging Talents From the World of New Illustration
Thursday, March 31, 7-10 p.m.
Art Center Hillside Campus
Ahmanson Auditorium

Celebrating the Life of Norm Schureman

Please join us this Monday as we celebrate the life of Product Design alumnus and faculty member Norm Schureman, unveil his memorial tree and plaque, and announce the upcoming Norm Schureman Sketch Garden.

There will be barbecue, drinks and lots of memories shared with Schureman’s family, friends, colleagues and students.

RSVP to alumni@artcenter.edu. Also, don’t forget the design charette to design the sketch garden on Saturday, March 26.

Celebrating the Life of Norm Schureman
Monday, March 21, 4-7:30 p.m.
Art Center Hillside Campus
Grassy area near the guest parking lot
RSVP: alumni@artcenter.edu

Art Center Dialogues in Portland

Calling all Portland alumni: Art Center’s Alumni Relations Office invites you to join fellow area alumni in celebrating Art Center’s 80th anniversary with the latest Art Center Dialogues with College President Lorne Buchman.

Join the conversation about the College’s future, and learn more about where we’re headed as we finalize our five-year strategic plan.

RSVP by Feb. 4 to alumni@artcenter.edu or 626.396.2305.

Art Center at 80: Dialogues with President Buchman
Feb. 9, 7-9:30 p.m.
Bluehour
250 NW 13th Avenue (at Everett)
Portland, Ore.