Category Archives: Illustration

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

On Display: 25 Years of AIDS Awareness

When the AIDS epidemic first struck, the need to educate the world about this devastating disease became critical. Despite the existence of more advanced communication technologies, the poster played a critical role in humanity’s battle against the spread of AIDS.

Graphic Intervention: 25 Years of International AIDS Awareness Posters 1985—2010, now on display at the Williamson Gallery, is a traveling exhibition of more than 150 international AIDS awareness posters. This collection presents a compelling overview of the artists working within their personal cultural and national perspectives on the subject of AIDS.

The exhibition is on display at the Williamson through April 24, with a closing reception April 14. In April, an Illustration Department/Designmatters student project will be on display as a corollary to the exhibition examining the graying of AIDS.

More coverage:

OutNetwork Presents Mapping at Brewery Annex

OutNetwork, Art Center’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning, Intersex and Allies (GLBTQIA) student club, will exhibit the work of a dozen artists and designers the L.A. Artcore Brewery Annex in downtown Los Angeles throughout March. The exhibit, Mapping, examines the GLBTQIA community and their location geographically, politically, internationally and locally.

Mapping is an extension of the mission of OutNetwork, which not only supports and embraces a variety of individuals from every socio-economic background, but also provides opportunities for networking and advancement for its members.

An opening reception will be this Sunday, March 6, from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Brewery. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Art Center students exhibiting in the show include:

  • Lauren Coffin (Advertising)
  • Adam Cottingham (Environmental Design)
  • Natalie Embrey (Photography and Imaging)
  • Richard Funsten (Graphic Design)
  • Braden Graeber (Environmental Design)
  • Jaime Lopez (Graphic Design)
  • Jessamyn Prince (Photography and Imaging)
  • Rene Rodriguez (Photography and Imaging)
  • Bryce Shawcross (Graphic Design)

Alumni exhibiting:

  • Takayuki Shimada (Fine Art)
  • Jason Shorr (Illustration)
  • Jennifer Whitney (Illustration)

The exhibition will be on display through March 31 at L.A. Artcore Brewery Annex. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

In Case You Missed It

As you know, there’s always something going on when it comes to Art Center alumni, students and faculty. Some of the latest:

  • The L.A. Times delves into the mind and art of Grad Art alumna Frances Stark. L.A. Times

    Frances Stark

  • Norman Rockwell Museum debuts digitization efforts, including audio of a lecture Rockwell made at Art Center in 1949. Litchfield County Times
  • San Francisco photographer and Photography alumna Leslie Williamson’s new book documents the homes of iconic mid-century modern designers. SFGate
  • Pasadena artist Kenton Nelson will open his rarely seen studio as part of the Sidney D. Gamble lecture series on Jan. 29 at Art Center. Tickets are $20. Pasadena Star News
  • Catching up with Illustration alum Jeremy Steiner. Calabasas Patch

Upcoming: International Education Week

It’s going to be a fun week on campus for Art Center students, faculty and staff: International Education Week. A joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, the week of events celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange.

Photo © Steven A. Heller/Art Center College of Design

All week, the cafeteria will serve a variety of international cuisines, there will be a display of multilingual art and design books in the library, and there will be information available about the Designmatters Department. International Education Week is sponsored by the Center for the Student Experience, Designmatters, Illustration Department, FOOD, the Armory Center for the Arts, Continental Art Supply Store and the Japanese American National Museum.

International Education Week events:

Monday, November 15
Global IQ Quiz
CSE Lounge, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy international coffee, tea, snacks and music, then test your global knowledge by taking a short 15-question Global IQ Quiz and enter to win a prize.

Tuesday, November 16
London Ancient Modern: The Mix
Faculty Dining Room,1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Would you like to study in London next spring? Learn more about this annual trip led by Illustration Department Chair Ann Field. While you’re there, try your hand at flag painting, enjoy a British afternoon tea service, and meet Paul Smith’s L.A. team and more at this event hosted by the Illustration Department.

Continue reading →

Art Center Media Minute

Some recent media coverage featuring Art Center, our faculty, students and alumni:

Meet Ronald J. Llanos

Metro’s Exposition Line connecting downtown to Culver City (and eventually Santa Monica) may not be up and running yet, but when it is, it’ll be impossible to miss the work of Illustration alum and Art Center at Night instructor Ronald J. Llanos.

Metro has commissioned the Art Center alum and Art Center at Night instructor to create Ephemeral Views: A Visual Essay for its light rail station being constructed at Western Avenue, and the 24 mosaic panels (each one standing 8’ x 3’) that comprise the work are being created right now.

Much of Llanos work captures the everyday moments of life in the greater Los Angeles area—whether it’s a visual documentation of downtown’s Toy District or an homage to Manet at Hot Dog on a Stick—so it’s not surprising that his Expo Line work inspired by the vibrant characters that make up the city’s street life.

Llanos work has been shown at Wax Poetic, Black Maria Gallery and Ghettogloss and he was the featured artist in Draw the Line, a recent group show at Cactus Gallery in Eagle Rock. We caught up with him to ask him about his favorite artists and teaching at Art Center at Night.

Continue reading →

Meet Sherry Wang

First term Illustration student Sherry Wang spent two years pursuing a degree in business before she found her true calling. A trip to Beijing changed everything.

“While idly browsing art galleries in Beijing, I met the manager of Primo Marella, Michela Sena,” explains Wang.

“We spoke of my interest in illustration, and I showed her my portfolio. She was very encouraging and suggested I attend art school. I applied to Art Center just days after returning home to L.A. I will always remember what Michela told me: ‘Anybody can do business, but not just anyone can do art. Art is a true talent, a gift.’”

Read more about Sherry and her first five weeks at Art Center in this great interview.

In Case You Missed It

As you know, there’s always something going on when it comes to Art Center alumni, students and faculty. Some of the latest:

  • Alumna and painter Theresa Paden is on a mission to save horses: Ventura County Star

    Theresa Paden

  • Visual effects supervisor and Art Center alum Eric Barba talks about the upcoming sci-fi extravaganza Tron: Legacy: Cnet
  • Francis Pollara is producer, founder and chief executive of Ladeson Productions—and also still a student at Art Center. La Canada Valley Sun
  • Broadcast Cinema alum Hilton Carter talks about his new short, Moth, and music video for Baltimore musicians including Blaqstarr:  Baltimore Sun
  • Pasadena Federal Credit Union unveils new 90-square-foot mural, “Building Pasadena,” painted by alumnus Jerry Ortega: Pasadena Star-News
  • Art Center alumna Denise Assad has done it all: industrial design, transportation design, public relations, advertising and now, baking: Brand X
  • An electric concept car created by Clemson University students and dubbed “Deep Orange” will be making an appearance at Art Center’s Car Classic (Art Center students collaborated on the design and styling): Fast Company
  • And speaking of Car Classic, it’s coming up Oct. 17: Car Classic ’10

Now Showing: Art Center Alumni, Faculty and Students


Danger, Set Free, by Rob and Christian Clayton (2008)

A few current exhibits featuring work of Art Center students, alumni and faculty:

  • Clayton Brothers: Inside Out, a new major exhibition at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, presents paintings and mixed-media installations created collaboratively by Illustration alums Rob and Christian Clayton. The exhibit will be on view through January 2, 2011. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Graduate Art faculty member Taft Green’s new show, Settings, opens at Praterstrasse48 Berlin on Sept. 30.   Praterstrasse48
  • Graduate Art faculty member Skip Arnold, Graduate Art alums Jennifer Moon and Jeff Ostergren, and Fine Art alumnus Jorge Pardo are in a group show opening Sept. 25 and curated by Grad Art faculty member Jan Tumlir, Jerry/Jury Rigged, at the Glendale College Art Gallery.  Glendale College Art Gallery
  • Fine Art alum Devin Strother currently has a solo show at Richard Heller Gallery in Santa Monica. Richard Heller Gallery
  • The Blab! Show features work by Illustration alums Marc Burckhardt, Owen Smith and Lou Beach. Through Oct. 2 at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica. The Blab! Show
  • Grad Art alumna Emilie Halpern’s latest show, Eclipse, on display at Pepin Moore through Oct. 23. Pepin Moore
  • Painting faculty member Kent Williams has a solo show at Evoke in New Mexico through Sept. 30. Evoke Contemporary
  • Alumna Korin Faught has an opening September 25 at Corey Helford Gallery. Corey Helford Gallery
  • MDP student An Xiao Mina participating in a poetry reading this Saturday at the Pacific Asia Museum. Southern California Haiku Study Group Anthology

What did we miss? If you know of any student, alumni or faculty shows, let us know.