Monday, August 19, 2013

28 'Cicadabots' and Detail Preperation


When I was deciding on the look of the alien robot bugs that inhabit this science fiction zombie story, cicada nymphs seemed like an obvious choice in terms of the basic look.  But when I had to draw 28 of them, it became a little more work than I thought it would be. With all the objects in ink, all that remains is applying the final value work and texture.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Back After the Break!



This past week I have been able to get back to work on this page in earnest, for the first time since my degree work began. I can not express how much I have missed being able to work on it. Looking forward to wrapping it up and finishing up the remaining fine detail work.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

A Remarkable Year

It has been a long time since my last post, and there is a lot of news to share. This past academic year has been truly memorable, and it feels appropriate to have a post to highlight it.

This past year I completed my tenth academic year teaching at my alma mater, Rhode Island School of Design, where I have risen to the level of Senior Critic. It has been an incredible and enriching experience that began with the creation of a course centered on my character creation theory, "Mythophoric Character Design". This year I once again had the opportunity to participate in the RISD Faculty Biennial and had my work displayed alongside those of my fellow artist colleagues.


This past year I also earned my Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Design-Illustration. The work associated with satisfying the degree's requirements consumed almost all of my time not teaching or spending quality time with my family. While the degree brings to a close a truly indescribable experience, I know I will never forget my time in the program and the quality of the people and institution that shaped it.


This brings me to an event that will have a profound impact on the coming year and my academic career going forward. In the midst of one of the most hectic years I can remember, I had the privilege of being considered for and being offered my first professorship at the institution where my career and love of teaching began, Montserrat College of Art.



In many ways, Montserrat College of Art is where I consider myself to have received my education in teaching. I had the benefit of the incredible mentorship of faculty members Fred Lynch and Elissa Della-Piana, who shared with me their invaluable insight and support in my early years as an educator. I have been overwhelmed by the support and well-wishes of the administration, faculty, alumni, and students of Montserrat, all of whom have made me feel very welcome.


From the beginning, this past academic year seemed special, and involved many of the people and places that shaped my first year teaching. The fact that so many of the institutions that played a role in my first year as an academic, have played such an unexpected role in the changes that are shaping this coming academic year, is incredible.

The completion of my Masters of Fine Arts thesis work will give me more time to continue other artistic pursuits that I have had to forgo in the past year. I intend to do a better job of updating this web log, and I look forward to making new memories with the academic community at Montserrat College of Art in the coming academic year.