Tag Archives: ACSG

Photography and Imaging graduate wins Student Leadership Award

Photography and Imaging graduate Katie Buntsma. Photo: Chuck Spangler

Photography and Imaging graduate Katie Buntsma. Photo: Chuck Spangler

“I came to Art Center from a tiny town in Iowa and I thought I was going to be a big deal,” said Photography and Imaging graduate Katie Buntsma last week as she received Art Center’s Student Leadership Award for the Summer 2013 term. “I was certain of it.”

That certainty, Buntsma shared with the audience, didn’t last long.

“I broke my arm the first day of school,” she said with a laugh, recalling the most dramatic example of how reality put her ego in check. “I ran my scooter into a cement pylon and spent my first class in the Huntington Hospital emergency room.”

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Celebration of Cultures Week in Pictures

Every year, the Art Center community highlights the wonderful cultural diversity and international presence on campus with the Celebration of Cultures Week.

We celebrated this past week with international and multicultural entertainment, activities and food  offered in collaboration with ACSG, Student Clubs and Organizations, the Library, the Cafeteria, and other areas of the College.

Here are a selection of images from the week. For a complete set, check out Art Center on Flickr.

Korean Student Performing Calligraphy

Students Enjoying Swedish Waffles

Chinese Sugar Art

Polynesian Dancers

Two Days of Peace, Love and Music (Part 2 of 2)

Feeling groovy at Woodstock, a recreation of the West Canyon Concert of 1976. Photo: ACSG.

As mentioned last week, Art Center Student Government (ACSG) recently organized a half-day music festival that recreated the West Canyon Concert, a Woodstock-inspired event that took place on Art Center’s Hillside Campus 35 years ago.

For the recreation, dubbed “Woodstock,” students in the Sculpture Garden grooved to tunes by six musical acts, all featuring at least one Art Center student per lineup. Performers included: bossa nova headliner Sister Rogers, featuring Environmental Design student Carlos Vides on keyboard; The Big Bidnis Experience, aka Advertising student Andrew Kapamajian; Baba Ghanoush, featuring Graphic Design students Michelle Cho and Danny Park; EJ and the Fooldogs, featuring Advertising students Agustin Sanchez and Sean Thomas; and Marmamen, featuring students Alex Nassour (Advertising), Jom Rivers (Fine Art), Graphic Design alumnus and faculty member Ryan D’Orazi and one of the event’s main organizers, ACSG President Erik Molano (Graphic Design).

“This year Student Government really wanted to bring new experiences to campus,” said Molano, who pointed out that busy Art Center students might not always have the time or resources to go to a music festival. “Bringing a festival on campus was both a good way to utilize a space that often goes unused and a great opportunity to bring the community together.”

Given the success of the event, can students expect another concert? Before 2046?

“Well, I’m graduating next term, so I’ll be gone,” said Molano. “But it would be nice if they did a music festival once a year. Maybe based around different themes. I’m hoping the legacy continues.”

Additional pictures after the jump.

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Two Days of Peace, Love and Music (Part 1 of 2)

Art Center's West Canyon Concert, December 1976.

Next week is the last week of the Fall 2011 term, which means the current stress level on campus is higher than usual. But if you’re “freaking out,” just remember, man, to take it easy. You know, like The Beatles said, ”turn off your mind, relax and float downstream?”

Okay, perhaps that’s not the best academic advice, but a similar thought did fuel two Art Center student-led events held nearly 35 years apart.

Earlier this term, Art Center Student Government (ACSG) organized a Woodstock-inspired concert featuring musical performances by Art Center students. During the event, students lounged in the Sculpture Garden atop orange blankets, enjoyed cotton candy and grooved to music by bands like Sister Rogers. But what they may have not realized is that they were also participating in a recreation.

In December of 1976, Art Center students organized the West Canyon Concert, a Woodstock-inspired event that allowed students to take a break from their rigorous studies. When Fine Art student John Dewey saw a photo from that event in the Art Center Archives, he shared the idea with ACSG President Erik Molano and the seed to bring back the spirit of that collaborative event was planted.

“We have a lot of musical creative talent here at school,” said Erik Molano on why recreating the West Canyon Concert made sense. “And ‘mellowing out’ is definitely something that Art Center students are looking for.”

We’ll share some more thoughts and pictures on the 2011 event next week, but for now, enjoy a selection of images from the original West Canyon Concert.

Additional images, courtesy of Robert Dirig in the Art Center Archives, after the jump.

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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.

A New Face for Hillside Campus

The following is a guest post by Art Center Student Government President Erik Molano.

Photo by Katy Rose Malone

Over the past week, you may have noticed that there’s now a new, refined Art Center marquee marking the entrance to Hillside Campus. This beautiful new marquee fulfills a small dream I’ve had since starting at Art Center in 2009.

The marquee debuted when the Hillside Campus opened in 1976, along with the construction of the building by Craig Ellwood Associates. It’s been repainted a few times over the years, but the counters, or “negative spaces,” in the Helvetica Medium letterforms have shifted over time, creating a visual nuisance to Art Center’s community of designers.

I remember speaking with the late Doyald Young about the marquee, and I can still hear the frustration in his voice. He referred to it as “Art Center’s business card” and wished it refined as soon as possible.

Thanks to Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Operations George Falardeau, Jess Rivas and the Facilities crew, the marquee has been completely resurfaced! Last week they were hard at work sanding, priming, painting—and refining the letterforms, a task I was honored to oversee.

Take a quick glance when you drive onto campus, and I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with the new look. Check out the process in the photos below:

Find Out How Your Garden Grows


Have you ever wondered how to grow a tomato? Are you looking for new ingredients to add spice to your cooking? Would you be willing to share your gardening secrets? Interested in learning more about sustainable growing practices?

Whether you have a green thumb, or are a gardening novice, EcoCouncil and Art Center invites the Art Center community to grab a trowel, put on your gardening gloves and plant with us. Our new campus garden is intended to be a learning, teaching and recreation space for the College community that allows us to experience what it means to live in harmony with our environment. It is a space for experimentation, investigation and exploration of concepts of lifecycle and sustainability.

The garden is the result of careful planning, partnership with Art Center Student Government and facilities, and the support of the College president and senior staff. This collaboration has resulted in a unique and beautiful garden design incorporating low-impact materials.

Become a “founding grower” and begin your garden! We’ll provide the soil, sunshine and water. Individual students, faculty and staff, or student groups can sign up for a planting bed, which can be used to grow organic food plants or ornamentals. Eat what you grow, or share your harvest. Go to the Garden’s Facebook page for more information and to reserve a plot. Spaces will be assigned for the term in the order received.

Who Said Creatives Can’t Be Athletes?

While many students were feeling the pressures of final exams and likely recovering from recent all-nighters, a team of Art Center students rallied together to participate in the second Annual Collegiate Field Tournament last Friday night.

Art Center, along with Caltech, PCC, Le Cordon Bleu, Pacific Oaks and Fuller Theological Seminary competed in an array of challenges that included the Lego Car Design Challenge, Capture the Flag, Amazing Russet Race, Monster Croquet, and Frisbee Challenge.  The Art Center team was comprised of 10 students both undergraduate and graduate across majors. Although smaller than the other teams in sheer number, the Art Center team brought a spirit of collaboration and passion to each event. Teams created unique uniforms, and Art Center chose to represent various tools used by artists and designers—such as an X-Acto knife and Sharpie maker.

“Quality is more important than quantity,” said Team Captain, Advertising student Dante Barsotti, who was visibly  unphased by the larger teams Art Center faced. “I love competition and the opportunity to bring some glory to Art Center. Not to mention, to show people that we don’t just sit around behind computers all day.”

Representatives from ACSG, CSE, Marketing and Communications, and alumni came out to PCC’s Robinson Field to support the team.  “It was great to see students off campus, outside in the fresh air, and having fun,” says Hannah Huang, director of International Exchange and Study Away.

A great time was had by all. Check out the slideshow from the event below.

Art Center Vies for the Tourney Cup Tomorrow

Photo Courtesy of Ann Erdman

Who said creatives can’t be athletes, too?

Pasadena City College’s Jackie Robinson Stadium will be a colorful and competitive place tomorrow evening as teams from area colleges compete for the second annual Pasadena Collegiate Field Tournament Cup. Art Center, Caltech, PCC, Fuller Seminary, Le Cordon Bleu and Pacific Oaks College will battle it out for the coveted title. And we need you to cheer Art Center on and witness us crush the competition!

Everyone is invited for a day of fun, games and collegiality. Creative challenges will include Amazing Russet Race, Monster Croquet, Frisbee Touchdown Toss, Lego Car Design Challenge, Tower of Babel and Capture the Flag.

Free parking for the event will be available in Lots 5 and 5A at the corner of Del Mar Boulevard and Bonnie Street. Robinson Stadium is located on the south side of the PCC campus near Del Mar Boulevard between Hill and Bonnie avenues.

The Pasadena Collegiate Field Tournament is sponsored by the city of Pasadena. Art Center’s participation is spearheaded by Art Center Student Government and Center for the Student Experience.

Photo Courtesy of Ann Erdman

Immediately following the tournament, participants and spectators are invited to a tailgate party at Caltech’s Avery House where the Championship Cup will be presented to the winning team.

Avery House is located down the street from Jackie Robinson Stadium on Holliston Avenue at Del Mar.

Can you think of a better way to spend a Friday evening?

Go Art Center!

Pasadena Collegiate Field Tournament
Friday, April 8, 6 p.m. arrivals; 6:30 p.m. opening ceremony
Pasadena City College
Jackie Robinson Stadium

ACSG Leads Japan Relief Effort

Art Center’s Student Government is teaming up with the College to raise $5,000 in donations for the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Japan is still in desperate need of funds to revitalize their coastal communities after last month’s earthquake and tsunami. Donations will be accepted through April 20.

Art Center has maintained a close relationship with Japan dating back to the 1950s when the first design students sponsored by JETRO came to study at the College. In recent years, students from Tama Art University and Art Center have collaborated on several projects, including a study on earthquake safety, in an effort to design more effective approaches to education, preparedness and recovery. Please help us send desperately needed aid to Japan.

ACSG has set up a new website for the effort, and will update it regularly with progress. Donate today, and please tell your friends—together we can reach our $5,000 goal.

Check out the website and donate today.