Category Archives: Public Programs

A Rising (Sixth Magnitude) Star

Open issue 49 of CMYK Magazine (due on newsstands this month) and you’ll find the work of recent John Marshall High School graduate and Saturday High student Richard Kam.

A logo and poster Richard created for the nonprofit The World at Night was selected for inclusion in the magazine by Connie Hwang of San Francisco’s Connie Hwang Design. The logo and poster were part of a rebranding assignment in Zohrab “Z” Gevorkian’s Graphic Design Saturday High course last spring. Gevorkian was so impressed by Richard’s work that he encouraged him to submit his work to CMYK, a magazine that features work by emerging college art students.

The World at Night, poster by Kam

“I felt Richard’s work was at a place that was deserving to be competitive,” explains Gevorkian. “Yes, he was a high school student, but it is a college course. He was hesitant at first, but Richard ended up submitting his work, and he was selected. He really broke the mold.”

We recently caught up with Kam to chat about the honor.

Dotted Line: Tell us a little about the work that CMYK selected.
Richard Kam: They’re printing a logo and a poster I designed for The World a Night (TWAN), an offshoot of Astronomers Without Borders. TWAN is a photography group whose slogan is “One people, one sky,” and its members, who come from all around the world, upload and share beautiful nighttime and space photography. They also organize an annual exhibition. Their basic philosophy is that regardless of which country you’re from, the night sky is for all of us to share.

Dotted Line: Why did you choose TWAN?
Kam: I really like astronomy and space exploration. It’s a whole new frontier and it’s so vast. And I really like what TWAN is doing, so I wanted to bring some new light to them.

Dotted Line: Is TWAN aware of your redesign?
Kam: A few weeks before CMYK contacted me, I gathered together all my files, and I wrote TWAN a really long email. I started with, “If you’re really busy right now, please don’t read this. Open it at a later time. And please forward this to somebody who’s in a position to read this.” The rest of the letter was the creative brief I wrote for the project in class. I ended by asking them to just look at a fan’s work and see what they think.

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Exploring Soft Goods With Karen Bates

“I used to be purely academic, which was wonderful in many ways,” says Karen Bates, who went through Princeton’s Ph.D. program in architecture.

Bates

“But I always had that itch to do something creative. Instead of just studying the artists, I wanted to actually make something.”

Now she’s teaching others how to do just that in her course, Soft Goods Accessory Design and Construction, and a follow-up advanced course, both of which are being offered this spring at Art Center at Night.

Bates describes her background as eclectic, which might be the understatement of the year. In addition to her studies at Princeton, the Southern California native spent three years studying in Paris at the University of Paris, La Sorbonne and translating for UNESCO; and over a decade in New York, studying at Parsons New School of Design, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and running a photography studio. In her spare time, she managed to sell mixed media artworks and soft goods and accessory designs to both individual and corporate clients.

Now she’s back in the Los Angeles region and showing students the ins and outs of soft goods and accessories in Art Center’s continuing studies program. We caught up with Karen to get the scoop on her current and upcoming courses.

Dotted Line: Tell us a little about Soft Goods Accessory Design and Construction.

Crown purse by Bates. The only fur Bates ever uses is recycled fur, coming from vintage or thrift resources.

Karen Bates: This is the first class I’ve taught at Art Center at Night, and in the spring, I’ll be teaching an advanced version of the class. In the current fall course, we’re making handbags. We go through all the intricate details of pattern drafting, and then move on to construction. The students are enthusiastic about the work, even through the process can be challenging at times.  Let’s just say I give them their money’s worth in terms of educational value.

Dotted Line: So this isn’t all sketching on paper? You actually make the bags?
Bates: Absolutely. Students walk out of the course with two finished products. Drawing has its limitations—sketching is important in the conceptual stages, of course, but it’s during the construction stages when you really learn something. Plus, afterwards you have something you can bring home to mom and say, “Look what I made!” Or, if you’re an entrepreneur, you could use the bag as a prototype, take it to a factory and ask, “Can you manufacture this? How much would it cost?” From a business standpoint, that can save you a lot of start-up capital, because you’ll have already worked out a lot of those construction kinks.

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Saturday High Fashion Show Tomorrow

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

Flashbulbs pop and the audience applauds wildly as models gracefully sashay down the catwalk.

The featured fashions push the boundaries of creativity, ranging from elegant, traditional ensembles to futuristic cocktail gowns.

Are we on the runways of Milan? Actually, we’re at Art Center’s South Campus, and the designers are … high school kids.

The much-loved annual Saturday High Fashion Show will be tomorrow, December 11, at Art Center’s South Campus, featuring the work of Saturday High students. Two shows will be held, at 6 and 8 p.m.

This annual show features more than 40 pieces, designed by more than 25 Saturday High students and worn by dozens of models. A “behind the scenes/making of the show” video montage and celebratory post-party with live music will follow.

“We are thrilled to present the fifth installment of this remarkable fashion show,” says Director of K-12 Programs Paula Goodman.

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

“Our fashion show is a wonderful way to showcase our students’ hard work and recently acquired skills.”

All fashions are created in Saturday High classes and along with the show are a sort of “final project” for students.

Saturday High participants, teens in grades 9 through 12, spend their Saturdays learning how to design, conceptualize and ultimately create their final piece, learning theory and some sewing skills along the way.

Many of the students envision a future for themselves in the fashion industry.

Tickets to the fashion show are $10.  For more information, email saturdayhigh@artcenter.edu.

Fifth Annual Saturday High Fashion Show
Saturday, December 11, 6 and 8 p.m.
South Campus
Tickets are $10

Public Programs: The Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

It’s that time of year where many of us agonize over finding those perfect, unique gifts for our loved ones. Don’t fret—we’ve got the perfect idea for you.

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

Did you know that you can buy them a gift certificate for Art Center at Night, Saturday High or Art Center for Kids?

Perfect for those interested in exploring a creative passion, learning a new skill, or taking their current practice to the next level, a gift certificate for one of Art Center’s Public Programs courses will teach skills that will last your loved one a lifetime.

  • Art Center at Night is for adults of all levels and experience interested in acquiring new skills, developing portfolios, personal enrichment and more.
  • Saturday High offers a variety of engaging courses that explore art and design as well as career opportunities for teens in grades 9 through 12.
  • Art Center for Kids features unique art and design courses for children in grades 4 through 8 that foster new ways of thinking, seeing and doing.

To purchase a gift certificate, stop by the Art Center’s Public Programs office, located at Art Center’s South Campus, before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 21.  Registration for Art Center at Night’s Spring Term is now open. Saturday High registration opens Jan. 4, and Art Center for Kids begins Jan. 24.

Shooting from the Flip

Each term, we spotlight a student who has achieved something noteworthy with their education from Art Center at Night, the College’s continuing studies program. We recently sat down with Laura Evans, a legal assistant for Girardi|Keese, whose documentary film No Such Thing as Color has been making the festival rounds.

Dotted Line: Tell us a little about yourself.
Laura Evans: During the day, I work for a law firm in downtown Los Angeles. At night, my husband and I play in a rock band called the Origami Llamas. I play drums and keyboards, sing, shoot our music videos and share website duties.

Dotted Line: You were initially interested in Art Center at Night for a course in Flash animation?
Evans: Yes, but while looking through the catalog, I saw a listing for Introductory to Documentary Filmmaking with Gabor Kalman. I had long wanted to make a documentary about my husband’s color blindness, and how it influenced him as a musician, and the class seemed like a great opportunity to actually get it made, so I signed up.

Dotted Line: You decided to shoot the film in a pretty unconventional way.
Evans: Right, on the first day of class, everybody shared their project concepts. My classmates liked my idea, but they were a bit nervous when I announced I was going to shoot it entirely on a Flip camera. But I stuck to my decision, and it ended up being the right one. The footage from the Flip not only looked great, but the camera’s small size meant I could take it anywhere.

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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.

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Stopping by Art Center at Night’s Open House


Art Center at Night, the College’s continuing studies program, held their biggest event of the year last week—Open House.

“Open House is the perfect opportunity for people to become acquainted with educational opportunities offered by ACN’s nearly 200 innovative courses in art and design,” says Public Programs Managing Director and ACN Director Dana L. Walker.

Held at South Campus, several hundred attended the annual summer event, which gave participants the opportunity to sit in on classes, view student work and speak with faculty members. Among the various classes open to the public were Motion Design 1; Still Life Drawing; Letterpress Printing; Shoes: Fact and Fantasy; and Unplugged: DIY Graphic Design and TEXTure. Class demonstrations, including an Artist Trading Card workshop, were also open to Open House attendees. A prize drawing awarded ACN goodies and the grand prize—a free ACN class—was won by both John Reager of Irvine and Marsekal Tirtadji of Santa Monica.

A wide variety of people attended the event, including current, prospective and past students, parents, ACN faculty and community members. Holly Hofgaarden attended Open House to learn more about ACN and the classes offered. “I want to eventually attend Art Center’s degree program in Graphic Design,” she explained. “I came by Open House to learn more about the ACN courses that they offer in that subject. I want to build my portfolio, and think that I can do this through ACN classes.”

“Open House gives potential students the chance to have a conversation with their potential instructor, which is really nice,” says ACN instructor and Art Center alumnus Ronald J. Llanos. “Also important is the fact that they can see the physical work that comes out of the classes, especially in classes like mine, Composition and Painting and Introduction to Figure Drawing. I think it helps potential students get the vibe of the class they’re considering, and what to expect.”

Tony Luna has been an Art Center instructor since 1985, teaching in both the degree and Public Programs. Luna teaches three popular ACN classes: Crafting a Meaningful Career: Parts One, Two and Three. The courses aim to help creatives rediscover their passion, examine the interconnection of their personal and work histories, and analyze their creative strengths and weaknesses.

“There is nothing like having the opportunity to sharing your enthusiasm for ACN classes face-to-face with prospective students,” says Luna. “In these uncertain economic times, it is refreshing to offer classes which help the students to rediscover their potential get back to what is important to them in their careers. Open House provides that interface and gives hope to those who want to do more with their lives and livelihoods.”

It’s not too late to sign up for the Fall 2010 term of ACN. Classes begin September 13—find out more about ACN, and register for Fall classes today.

Summer Institute for Teachers Kicks Off July 28

Ah, summer. Swimming pools, barbecues, ice cream trucks. But summer is not all play. It’s when Art Center teaches teachers—and the results make the first day of the next school year an eagerly anticipated event.

Using a methodology called Design-Based Learning, Art Center has found a proven way to empower educators to excite students about learning, improve their test scores and boost their overall performance—in any subject. The College has made this approach the cornerstone of its award-winning Summer Institute for Teachers, an intensive five-day program for K-12 teachers in all subject areas and grade levels.

“At the Summer Institute for Teachers, brand new and deeply experienced teachers alike will pack their tool kits with practical techniques they can use to inspire, involve and energize their students and help them develop reasoning and problem-solving skills, no matter the subject, the curriculum, or the grade level,” says Managing Director of Public Programs Dana L. Walker.

Learn more about our Summer Institute for Teachers: Art Center College of Design Offers Award-Winning Summer Institute for Teachers

ART from the Ashes Inspired by Station Fire


Public Programs managing director and Art Center Photography and Imaging alum Dana L. Walker’s work is currently shown in ART from the Ashes, a group exhibition themed around last year’s Station Fire. Pieces are inspired by, and created out of debris from, Glendale’s Deukmejian Wilderness Park after the fire.

ART from the Ashes is a nonprofit organization of artists and volunteers who create art crafted from materials collected from fire site locations. Debris that would otherwise be cleared and dumped into landfills is gathered and transformed into one-of-a-kind works of art. The organization hosts charity exhibitions showcasing the work created from the reclaimed fire site materials. A portion of the proceeds from each exhibition is donated to a local or national charity chosen by the business or individuals impacted by the fire.

The exhibit runs through July 24 and will feature a host of events in addition to the installation of works of art from a fantastic collective of artists.

ART from the Ashes Gallery
216 S. Brand Boulevard (across from the Americana at Brand)
Glendale, CA 91205
Gallery hours: Tues-Sun, Noon to 6 pm

Saturday High Participates in Humanitas Arts Festival

Art Center’s Saturday High program is collaborating with the Los Angeles Education Partnership’s Humanitas program in support of a student arts festival this Friday, April 16, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown L.A.

The Humanitas Arts Festival, developed in conjunction with the Los Angeles Opera’s Ring Festival LA, brings 270 students from nine Los Angeles schools into direct collaboration with local artists. The students created work engaging in an interdisciplinary, arts-integrated exploration of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, including contemporary responses to Wagner’s work in mediums ranging from film to fashion to fine art.

Saturday High instructors worked with fashion students at Downtown Magnets High School and photography students at Fremont High School for the event. Fashion students responded to Wagner’s classic opera by designing, and with the help of a seamstress, sewing outfits reflecting themes from the classic opera. Other students documented their lives by taking photographs reflecting personal struggles with friendship, love, betrayal and identity. These creative pieces, well as work from more than 200 other students, will be exhibited April 16. The event is free and open to the public, with a  suggested donation of $5.

Humanitas Arts Festival
Friday, April 16, 6-9 pm
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles
213.622.5237