At the Teaching Excellence ceremony, from left to right, Kevin Conlon, James Lutz, Mark Hazlerig, Stewart McKissick, and Denny Griffith

Professors Mark Hazlerig and James Lutz received CCAD’s Teaching Excellence Award and Professor Ronald Tardino, who is retiring this year, was honored in an event on April 18 in the Canzani Center atrium.

Each year CCAD recognizes an outstanding faculty member for excellence in teaching—and this year the college gave the honor to two faculty members. The award celebrates the exemplary efforts faculty members contribute to the college as a whole, using the classroom setting to engage and enhance students’ experiences.

The recipients were selected after receiving 57 nominations, which were solicited from students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Hazlerig, a CCAD alumnus, graduated with a degree  in Advertising & Graphic Design in 1974 and received his degree in Illustration in 1977. Lutz is also an Advertising & Graphic Design alumnus, graduating in 1978.

Hazlerig has taught at CCAD for 39 years teaching classes ranging from lettering and packaging to illustration and welding. He also is a freelance illustrator with clients including the state of Ohio, General Electric, and Hallmark Cards.

Student nominators said that Hazlerig “makes you answer your own questions as you work and go through the design process” and “encourages experimentation and independence.”

Ronald Tardino speaks during the April 18 ceremony

Lutz has served as a faculty member at CCAD for 19 years and is the current chair of the Advertising & Graphic Design department. He also is the senior designer and owner of Lutz Design Group LLC that has clients including Ohio Health Group, South-Western City Schools, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health.

Student nominators touched on his ability to provide opportunities for students to get them on the right career path. One student commented that he is “always trying to get students involved with each other, and really pushing us to network and advance ourselves.”

After Hazlerig and Lutz received their awards, Stewart McKissick, professor and chair of Illustration, honored Tardino talking about his years of service to the CCAD community. Tardino, an Illustration alumnus, has taught at CCAD since 1971.  He helped establish the Directions Career Fair, a reverse career fair where potential employers come to check out the work of CCAD students. He is also a liaison for Walt Disney Studios and has served as an instructor and adviser to CCAD’s Art Explorer Post 407 program, guiding high school students interested in art careers.

Classnotes, March 2013

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but because there are more than 10,000 of you making news all over the world, not everything can make it into the blog. We’re glad to have another venue where we can share everything with you—this newsletter’s classnotes.

You can submit classnotes via the easy-to-use form on the alumni landing page. We only post career-related successes, awards, exhibitions, and publications, but we’d also love to know when you move, get married, or have children—just use that same form.

Now, without further ado, your classnotes from December, January, and February!

Tim Rietenbach ’77, Joel Gundlach ’86, David Burghy ’89, and Danielle Julian Norton ’99 showed their work in a CCAD faculty exhibition at Columbus’ Cultural Arts Center. Read more here.

Jamie Berger ’78 curated PUSH Print, a book on contemporary printmaking published by Lark Crafts. Read more here.

Paul Emory ’78, Ellen O’Connell Bazzoli ’83, Alex Conrad MFA ’12, Nicole Crock MFA ’12, and Virginia Kistler MFA ’12 showed their work in the Ohio Art League Curated Exhibition, presented at the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery. Read more here.

Richard Cowdrey ’81 illustrated the re-released children’s book The Legend of the Candy Cane. Read more here.

Joel Gundlach ’86 designed new starting blocks for New Albany High School’s natatorium. Read more here.

Ed Valentine ’91 and Michael Stillion ’02 had exhibitions at Linda Warren Projects in Chicago. Read more here.

Julie Abijanac ’92 had her piece Disease Mapping selected for the Fiberart International 2013 exhibition. Read more here.

Anthony Weiler ’94, Annie Weihrauch ’03, Hazel Tarr ’07, and Maggy O’Reilly VanOrder ’09 are participants in CCAD’s MindMarket Incubator. Read more here.

Benjamin Lane ’96 is now a story artist at Disney Feature Animation Studio in Burbank, CA.

Daniel King ’00 was featured in Temporary Art Review discussing his artistic career and inspiration. Read more here.

Anne Holman ’02 had a busy winter full of exhibitions and art sales. Read more here.

Mariana Smith ’02 showed work in exhibitions from the East Coast to the West Coast. Read more here.  She also had her piece Untitled (After Tarkousky Stalker) in the 34th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition, hosted by Bradley University, Peoria, IL. Read more here.

Brian Williams ’03 had an illustration featured in ARTnews. Read more here.

Lea Gray ’04 and Eric Jefferson ’04 were featured in Alive!, a weekly magazine that covers events and culture in Columbus, OH. Read more on Gray here and Jefferson here.

Sean Conner ’05, Nate Reese ’05, Chris Meister ’06, Andrew Mark ’07, Scott Ulliman ’10, and Chavilah Bennett ’12 took home Columbus Society of Communicating Arts (CSCA) Creative Best Awards for their work with S77, a motion graphics company in Columbus, OH. Read more here.

Joaquin Baldwin ’06 was a juror for the 40^th Annual Annie Awards. Read more here.

Andrew Ina ’06 received a Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) Individual Art Fellowship in Media Arts this year. Read more here.

Boryana Rusenova Ina ’06 was in two group exhibitions in Michigan. Read more here.

Brent Payne ’06 was included in two juried exhibitions in Ohio. Read more here. He was also had work in an exhibition hosted by Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, TX. Read more here.

Michelle Dick ’08 is now working as an interior designer with Organized Home Remodeling, in Columbus, OH.

Brian Uhl ’08 had a solo exhibition at Static Age Gallery in Cincinnati. Read more here.

Steve Hubbard ’10 worked on animations for the movie Life of Pi. Read more here.

John Malta ’10 had his third illustration published in The New York Times. Read more here.

Kerry Kunze ’11 showed work in a group exhibition at Mount Vernon University. Read more here.

Alex Conrad MFA ’12, Nicole Crock MFA ’12, Leah Fisher ’12, and Crystal Tursich MFA ’12 had work included in the 13^th annual ImageOhio exhibition organized by Roy G Biv Gallery. Read more here.

Amanda Rouse MFA ’12 had a busy exhibition schedule including three juried and two group exhibitions. Read more here.

Cover of “PUSH Print”

Alumnus Jamie Berger (CCAD 1978) curated PUSH Print, a book on contemporary printmaking published by Lark Crafts.

The book showcases more than 30 contemporary printmaker with techniques ranging from screen printing to woodcuts.

“It was a great opportunity to explore printmaking outside my everyday little world of letterpress graphics,” Berger said. “I hope the book will pique curiosity and spark inspiration by illustrating the scope and power of printmaking today.”

Berger is the co-founder of Cranky Pressman, a commercial letterpress printer located in Salem, OH.

Ellen O’Connell Bazzoli’s “Spring 1104″

CCAD alumni and faculty will show their work in the Ohio Art League Curated Exhibition, presented by the Ohio Arts Council at the Riffe Gallery, Jan. 31–April 14.

The Ohio Art League Curated Exhibition contains work from 18 artists chosen by curator Dennis Harrington, director of the Weston Art Gallery in Cincinnati, OH. The work in the exhibition features seasoned and emerging artists, and explores a dialogue of visual connections created by assembling a group of eclectic and inspired works in one place.

CCAD artists include associate alumna Ellen O’Connell Bazzoli (CCAD 1983), MFA alumni Alex Conrad and Nicole Crock (CCAD 2012), Assistant Professor Steven Elbert, associate alumnus Paul Emory (CCAD 1978), adjunct faculty and MFA alumna Virginia Kistler (CCAD 2012), and coordinator of printmaking Kathy McGhee.

There will be an opening reception Jan. 31, 5–7 p.m., and a tour with the curator Feb. 1, noon–1 p.m.

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

2011 AAE recipient Nathan Greno (right), accepting award from Denny Griffith (left)

Sixteen distinguished Columbus College of Art & Design alumni have been nominated for the 2012 Joseph V. Canzani Alumni Award for Excellence (AAE). Nominees range from a fashion knitting queen to a Pixar storyboard artist and an art therapy director to an internationally recognized fine artist.

The nominees are Bryan Ballinger ( CCAD 1990), Charlotte Belland (CCAD 1997), Samantha Bennett (CCAD 1995–1999), Sean Blanton (CCAD 2011), Roy Doty (CCAD 1942), Nicky Epstein (CCAD 1974), Michael Flechtner (CCAD 1981), Scott Hull (CCAD 1977), Matthew Kaser (CCAD 1984), Jon Hair (CCAD 1976–1978), Catherine Hyland Moon (CCAD 1978), Paitoon Ratan (CCAD 1993), William D. Ray (CCAD 1992–1994), Benjamin Roseland (CCAD 2005), Dan Scanlon (CCAD 1998), and Charles Wilkin (CCAD 1992). Read the nominee bios here.

The AAE will be presented on Saturday, Oct. 13, during Family Weekend & Homecoming. This event is part of an entire weekend of events for the whole CCAD family, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Each year CCAD accepts nominations for AAE as a way to acknowledge not only the success and contributions of one very deserving graduate, but also the impact CCAD alumni have all over the world. Alumni are currently voting on the finalists, after which a committee will review the nominees and choose the recipient. To learn more about the nomination and voting process, click here.

“Traveler,” Mixed media on wood panel, license plates, keys, cardboard, and encaustic, 45"X65”.

Pastiche, an exhibition by Fine Arts alumna Kate Rivers (CCAD 1978), will open August 5 at Mathews Gallery in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Consisting of collages and mixed media, Pastiche will remain open through August 31. Click here to learn more about the gallery.

“I collage fragments of these things that I collect: maps, notes, cancelled stamps, old books, children’s drawings, clothing labels, love letters, buttons and pins and weave them together as a bird constructs a nest,” Rivers said on her website. “The collage elements that I use are deliberately selected from that which would have been or was thrown away, discarded or set aside. I specifically include things that are given to me and things that reflect that day or week that the piece was created.”

Learn more about Kate Rivers on her website.

Michele Householder Funk's book is now available for purchase.

Illustration alumna Michele Householder Funk (CCAD 1978) has released her children’s book, The Adventures of Pete and Max and the Lost Sock, via Author House.

The Adventures of Pete and Max tells the tale of a boy, Pete, and his faithful dog, Max, who support each other on a journey from inside the house, to around the neighborhood in their search for the missing sock.

Funk’s biography reads, “Michele is a well-loved graphic illustrator and designer in her area. The Adventures of Pete and Max is her premiere book, with sequels to follow. Michele lives in Ohio with her husband Dan and 10-year-old basset hound, Max. They have one son, Tanner. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.”

Order the book here.

Photo courtesy of Our State magazine.

Associate Advertising & Graphic Design alumnus Jon Hair (CCAD 1976-1978) was recently featured in North Carolina’s Our State magazine.

The article details Hair’s entire career, including his first major sculpting job. “He secured his first major commission at Miccosukee Resort and Gaming in Miami, Florida, after sitting in the waiting room for an entire week hoping for a few minutes to pitch his idea to the chairman. Two days after his initial meeting with the chairman, he came home with a commission and a check for $110,000. His Miccosukee Boy with Egrets, which stands at the entrance to the Florida resort, was one of his first large pieces.”

“In the 11 years he’s worked full time as a sculptor, Hair has created 79 pieces on commission,” Lori K. Tate wrote in her piece, Think Big. “From 2003 to 2008, he was the official sculptor for the United States Olympic Team and the United States Olympic Committee. His Olympic Strength sculpture, which depicts four bodybuilders holding the world in an Atlas fashion, stands 35 feet tall in front of the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. His work is on display throughout North Carolina and the United States and as far away as Beijing, China.”

Read the article in its entirety here.

To learn even more about Hair, visit his website.

Associate alumnus Jamie Berger and his brother were featured in the May 2011 edition of HOW Magazine.

Associate alumnus Jamie Berger (CCAD 1975-1978) and his brother were recently featured in a HOW Magazine article detailing the rebranding and success of their printing company, Cranky Pressman.

“My younger brother has owned and operated a printing shop in Salem, Ohio for years,” Berger said. “As with many print and graphics companies, the shop has had some ups and downs since the Apple and digital artwork took over the world.”

“In 2000, I convinced him to get rid of all his new printing equipment and focus on letterpress production. I created a brand for the new old shop called Cranky Pressman. The current HOW Magazine has a feature story on us and our cranky old persona.”

The article was featured in the May 2011 edition of HOW Magazine.

To learn more about Cranky Pressman, visit the website.

A portfolio review at Directions

There was ample evidence at Directions, CCAD’s annual career fair, to indicate that more than 160 soon-to-be graduates are eager and prepared to enter the workforce.

Armed with faculty-juried portfolios, polished résumés, branded business cards, ready smiles, positive attitudes and a few cases of nervousness, the seniors and some December graduates networked with nearly 200 employer representatives in the Canzani Center.

Small, large and international companies, including McGraw Hill, American Greetings, Abercrombie & Fitch, Interbrand, Columbus Idea Foundry, LimitedBrands, and LPK, attended the April 20 career fair, which opened with a preview hour for employers to privately review student portfolios.

Cynthia Gravino, director of Career Services, said several factors indicate that the job market looks good for creative individuals. Her office currently is receiving more full-time job descriptions than it has in the recent past and salary ranges, in some cases, are $10,000 to $15,000 higher.

Kristen Macauley was the sole Fine Arts senior participating in Directions. Her burgeoning love for design compelled her to register for the annual career fair.

“It’s exciting to see interest in my work. I expected to be ignored but it has been very rewarding to describe my work and jewelry designs.” Macauley is heading to New York City after graduation for a three-month paid position with The Jones Group. During the career fair the Idea Foundry approached her about conducting jewelry workshops in Columbus.

Justin Highlander, a senior in Interior Design who is an intern at Asset Strategies Group, LLC, confessed to being a bit nervous but said his goals for Directions include getting his name circulating among potential employers and creating an impression that helps retail design and commercial design firms to remember him.

“Directions is helping me understand what companies expect from an entry-level designer,” said Highlander, who is willing to relocate and is looking at opportunities in Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. He said preparing for Directions taught him how to memorably brand himself, how to explain his work and to convey his personality. “I feel prepared for any interview in the future,” Highlander said.

Several CCAD alumni were among the employer representatives networking at Directions. Tom Studer (CCAD 1993-97), digital strategy director at LPK in Cincinnati, said he loves the diversity of projects at the event. “This is an opportunity to create interest in LPK. A job opportunity might be a year from now but it’s still important to make a memorable connection today,” he said.

Studer’s co-worker, Steve Bowling, a talent acquisition specialist at the global design agency, said he participates in Directions because he respects the talent. Bowling and Studer, who studied Fine Arts at CCAD, are especially interested in students who can cohesively story-tell across multimedia.

Interbrand’s representatives teamed up to review all the available portfolios. Jamey Wagner, creative director, and junior designers Katie Carter, Susan Burke (CCAD 2010) and Jen Rossignol (CCAD 2009), summed up their impressions by describing the students as eager, the vibe as good, and the work as strong. Both Burke and Rossignol studied Advertising & Graphic Design at CCAD.

Jennifer Chema, who describes herself as a research designer, talked to seven companies at Directions. Participating was a “no brainer,” she said. “I want to learn about people’s mindsets and to network. You learn more from interacting with people than from a website.”

One project featured in Chema’s portfolio, completed as a senior capstone project in CCAD’s Honors Program, included a redesigned federal income tax form. Jim Lutz (CCAD 1978), an instructor in Visual Communications who majored in Advertising  & Graphic Design, served as her project mentor as she researched the history of the form, its current design, gathered feedback and tested new designs.

The Advertising & Graphic Design senior said her future design work will involve “turning something negative into something positive.” Her portfolio reveals just such plans for nuclear power plants.

"San Francisco" is a part of Moran's "April Rains" exhibition

Alumnus Max Moran (CCAD 1978) showcases his rainy day paintings in his exhibition, April Rains,  at 4N Main Gallery in Southampton, New York.

“Navigating glorious sunny landscapes provides artists with ample subject matter, but I’m drawn to the element of rain because it acts like a trigger,” Moran explains on 4 North Main Gallery’s website. “It’s usually avoided, ignored, however in an urban setting there is a certain atmosphere and mood that lends itself to all kinds of interesting possibilities.”

“When it rains I fly out with my sketchbooks and sit at corner coffee shops filling them with observations and notes,” Moran continued. “Rain is a great equalizer in the city, we all need a cab at the same time, we all may feel uncomfortable, however we are all basically waterproof.  As a painter I take the opportunity to watch and sketch people as they do every day things amongst the right angels of Manhattan. Many of these observations can be seen in this exhibition of paintings.”

April Rains opened, Saturday, April 2, at 4N Main Gallery. For more information about Moran, visit his website.

Moran's painting, "Waiting for a cab on Park Avenue"

Partly Cloudy–Chance of Rain, an exhibition featuring the paintings of Max Moran (CCAD, ’78), runs through October 11 at Jedediah Hawkins Inn, 400 S. Jamesport Ave. in Jamesport, NY.

Moran is also teaching painting workshops at the inn about organizing successful compositions, achieving depth and atmosphere, color principles, palette development and capturing the light.

Gallery hours are 5–8 p.m. Friday and 12–7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and by appointment.  For more information about the artist or to register for the workshops, visit www.maxmoran.com.