Clinton Reno’s “Long Live Rock”

CCAD alumni are a big part of a group exhibition at Rivet Gallery in the Short North, Columbus’ arts district, through March 10.

Ohio, You RAWK! features the work of 18 artists and six are CCAD Illustration alumni: Graham Erwin (CCAD 2011), Jason Goad (CCAD 1996), Mike Martin (CCAD 1985), Ryan Mowry (CCAD 2004), Clinton Reno (CCAD 1995), and Miles Tsang (CCAD 2012).

The show features gig posters and rock inspired poster art.

Erwin is a native of Columbus and attended Whetstone High School; Goad is from Dayton, and attended Centerville High School; Mowry is from Columbus, and attended Worthington Christian High School; Reno is from Xenia, and attended Dayton Christian High School; and Tsang is originally from Ajax, Ontario, Canada and moved back following graduation from CCAD.

The garment on the left is from Rachel Kaplan's collection, inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe and Umberto Boccioni. Chavilah Bennett used the fashion shoot photo to recontsruct a work of art inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's painting “Red Canna."

When the music is pounding and the models are strutting down the runway—each bringing forth a delightful new surprise—it is easy to only see the fashion design talent at the CCAD Senior Fashion Show.

So, each year we like to take a moment and call attention to all of the other creative minds that make our extraordinary fundraiser such a memorable experience.

One piece in particular, the lookbook, lasts well beyond that one adrenaline-fueled night. CCAD students have always played a significant role in developing the book, but this year that role was increased. The book not only showcases the design talent of our fashion students, but it also showcases the talent of our photographers, graphic designers, fine artists, and illustrators—not just in its production but in the rich content seen on each page.

“The fashion designers took their inspiration from 2D and 3D artists. To showcase that inspiration, we took the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction to highlight more forms of art and design at CCAD,” said CCAD Creative Director Lindsay Kronmiller as she described the concept for this year’s fashion show lookbook.

The team that developed the concept for the lookbook, the invites, and did the design work, from left Isabella Hidalgo, Aaron Roberts, Walker Crane, and Isuri Merenchi Hewage

“We took photos of the models wearing the designs on backgrounds that make it appear that the fashion is being ‘unpacked’ for a gallery show,” explained Kronmiller. “We then gave those photos to artists, designers, and illustrators and had them reconstruct each photo into a piece of art that was inspired by the original 2D and/or 3D artist—thus creating an ‘exhibition book’ of CCAD work focused around this year’s fashion thesis projects.”

While guests of the event will appreciate the beautiful book as they wait for the main event to start, the book’s shelf life lasts quite a bit longer. For the next year the admissions office will include the fashion lookbook in packets to prospective students and bring it with them to college fairs.

“This has become a signature piece for the college,” said Robin Hepler, director of marketing and communications at CCAD. “It started as a program just for the event, but we found that prospective students considering CCAD were fascinated by it and inevitably wanted a copy to keep. So, each year we’ve improved the content and ordered more quantities turning it into a regular piece in our recruitment packet. This year we’ve gone even further to ensure the book showcases the breadth of diverse talent at CCAD, while still being true to its original purpose.”

CCAD’s Design Group is an in-house design firm staffed by students and directed by Kronmiller. The team that developed the concept for the lookbook, the invites, and did the design work, included Advertising & Graphic Design seniors, Isabella Hidalgo and Aaron Roberts; Illustration senior Isuri Merenchi Hewage; and Advertising & Graphic Design junior Walker Crane.

Lookbook photographers, from left, Danielle Ford, Xandre King, Kelsey McClellan, Lian Dziura, Nicole Miller, and Marcus Morris.

The visual content for the lookbook was also all student generated. The photographs were taken by CCAD students (and an alumnus) during a daylong photo shoot that involved several sets  in CCAD’s massive photography studio space. Photography majors on the shoot, included seniors Lian Dziura, Xandre King, Kelsey McClellan, and Nicole Miller; junior Danielle Ford, and 2011 alumnus Marcus Morris.

The ‘reconstructed artwork’ was completed by the following students and alumni: Justine Arreche (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Chavilah Bennett (Advertising & Graphic Design 2012), Danielle Deley (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Pei Yin Chen (Photography 2011), Crane,  Dziura, Ford,  Andy Hayes (Advertising & Graphic Design 2001), Merenchi Hewage, Hidalgo,  Matthew Houston (Illustration 2012), Alex Lanisoz (Advertising & Graphic Design 2013),  Brian Liston (Media Studies 2012),  McClellan, Nathan Moser (Fine Arts 2012),  Simone Noronha (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Emily Rickard (Fine Arts 2010), Madison Schneider (Advertising & Graphic Design 2012), Pallavi Sen (Fine Arts 2011) Dillon Sirimongkhon (Illustration 2011), and Miles Tsang (Illustration 2012).

Videographers, from left, Alex Trimpe and Tom Hoying

Adding to the creative mix, CCAD tapped local branding agency Ologie to provide creative consultation and mentorship for the students as they worked on this massive undertaking.

While the lookbook has become a signature piece, it’s not the only student produced work that will be seen the night of the event (and beyond). Media Studies majors Tom Hoying (sophomore) and Alex Trimpe (senior) have been filming the lookbook design process and will be filming the entirety of the event to develop promotional materials for 2013. They also worked with local videographer Ryan Sweeney to develop a piece that will run prior to the runway show.

If you have your tickets be sure to remember to pick up a lookbook to see what all the fuss is about. If you don’t have tickets, we’ll do our best to post as many student-generated photos as we can the night of the show for your vicarious enjoyment.

Third Eye image from ryansablogspot.com

A photography exhibition curated by CCAD student Ryan Walters has been extended through March 25 at OSU’s Urban Arts Space in downtown Columbus.

Third Eye, a collection of 10 artists’ work, includes CCAD alumni and students who question, revolt against, and embrace photography’s impact on perception within contemporary culture. The artists reveal photography’s capacity to illustrate the relationship between artist, subject, and viewer, and explore its constructs and limitations.

The exhibition is in the City Center Gallery, where a free reception will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28.

Walters, a senior majoring in Fine Arts, organized the grant proposal to secure funding for the exhibition after he and Christopher Von Holle, a senior majoring in Photography, took a class with John Fergus-Jean, professor, Photography and Graduate Studies.Curatorial assistance was provided by Fine Arts sophomore Alejandro Bellizzi.

Participating alumni and students include Frank Castanien (CCAD ’07), Pei Yin Chen, a senior in Photography, Evan Eisel, a sophomore majoring in Photography, Fine Arts senior Elina Khachaturyan, Eric Sherwood, a freshman in Media Studies, Clifton Stommel (CCAD ’10), Miles Tsang, a senior majoring in Illustration, and VonHolle.

Sherwood also will offer a special one-time performance just prior to the Jan. 28 reception.

Castanien majored in Fine Arts and Stommel majored in Photography at CCAD.