2011 award recipient Nathan Greno accepting the award from CCAD President Denny Griffith

The Joseph V. Canzani Alumni Award for Excellence (AAE) has been honoring extraordinary alumni since it originated in 1962. This year, the Alumni Relations team will revamp the award by adjusting the timeline to allow an earlier call for nominations and more time to coordinate plans with the recipient.

“To receive this award is quite an honor,” said Molly Gilbride, alumni & parent relations officer. “We recognize one alumna/us each year with this award, which makes it prestigious for not only the recipient, but also the college. Having an extended time frame allows for a couple of things to happen. We have more time to deliberate and research the nominees, to plan an exhibition, and to work with the winner’s personal and professional schedules to coordinate a trip back to Columbus.”

This year, CCAD will accept nominations Feb. 4–March 1. Nomination forms call for alumni who not only exemplify the CCAD brand of hard work and innovation, but can also show their accomplishments and artistic excellence and how they have impacted a broad spectrum of people.

President Griffith presents the 2010 AAE award to Rosanne Percivalle

Alumni will get the opportunity to vote on the final nominees starting March 15. Alumni votes are then used by a predetermined committee to help select the winner.

The winner not only receives the award (we’re not going to lie—it’s a pretty sweet-looking trophy), but also has their work displayed in an exhibition on CCAD’s campus.

“Michael Goodson, our director of exhibitions, has done an amazing job with installing and organizing our shows this year,” Gilbride said. “The extended timeline will take advantage of this and will allow Michael a lot more time to coordinate and install a show that really showcases the winner’s work.”

The exhibition will be installed in the fall and will be coordinated with an alumni reception to honor the winner and his or her professional career.

For a full list of previous recipients and more details on the updated timeline, click here.

CCAD alumni pictured in front of the Disney Animation Studios

Disney Animation has created beloved movies such as Tangled, Winnie the Pooh, and Bolt, and CCAD alumni have worked on story boarding, sketching, and programming for all of these hit features. We got a chance to talk to seven of our graduates about what it’s like to work with CCAD peers in this creative environment.

Meet Director Nathan Greno (Illustration 1993–1996), Story Artist Ben Lane (Illustration 1996), Character Designer Chris Oatley (Illustration 2001), Story Artist Ryan Green (Media Studies 2003), Story Artist Fawn Veerasunthorn (Media Studies 2005), CG Layout Artist Joaquin Baldwin (Media Studies 2006), and Stereoscopic Artist Trainee Darren Simpson (Media Studies 2011).

Q)  What is it like to work with other CCAD alumni?

Nathan Greno (NG): For me, it’s always a pleasure to be working with CCAD alumni. CCAD teaches a strong work ethic and a strong work ethic, gets the job done on time.

Ben Lane (BL): It’s a bit like old soldiers who can share war stories of late nights, rubylith, and scars from dull X-Acto blades. We grumble about the young punks who have it so easy these days with them computers, unseasonably warm winters, and the ability to tote their entire portfolio on miniscule flash drives. In all seriousness, it’s nice to have a common background with people, especially when starting a new job in LA. It’s comforting to know there are people who have been in the same trenches.

Chris Oatley (CO): The CCAD alumni who have made it to Disney are top talent. Ryan Green and Fawn Veerasunthorn are not only some of my best friends at the studio, but they are also some of the most talented people I know. It’s ridiculous and inspiring.

Ryan Green (RG): I feel that we have a bond, not just because we came from the same school, but because the animation jobs we wanted were unfortunately in a city other than Columbus. We all had to venture away from home, a little naive of the rules of the LA animation industry. Some of us had more roundabout career paths than others, but in the end, we kept learning and making connections until we were finally invited into the Disney family. By the nature of our school’s distance from LA, every CCAD animation student who wants to work for Disney will have to deal with a similar journey, and I think all alumni are aware and empathetic to that fact.

Fawn Veerasunthorn (FV): Most of the people I work with went to school in southern California, so I feel this instant bond whenever I meet another CCAD alum working at Disney or other studios. It is a small group of us, but a strong one. Even if we’re from various majors, we all fought through the same tough foundation year that allowed us to be where we are today.

Joaquin Baldwin (JB): Because we are all in different departments, I don’t really work directly with any other CCAD alumni. It’s great to know that they are around in the same studio.

Darren Simpson (DS): It’s exciting knowing that there are people in the same building that graduated from the same college. I have a friend here in particular that graduated the same year as me, and we were roommates freshman year. To eventually reconnect in a professional environment is very nice.

Q)  Why do you think Disney Animation has a lot of CCAD alumni?

NG: CCAD focuses on teaching the fundamentals. Every artist that works at the Disney Animation Studios need a strong fundamental structure to succeed. It’s been over a decade since I attended classes at CCAD, but what I learned there I use every day. The technology will change over the years, but the fundamentals stay the same.

BL: CCAD has a great program. Any artist could benefit from the foundation year alone. I think Disney recognizes that quality in the students and sees the school as a good source to draw its future employees.

CO: Disney Animation is still all about strong drawing and painting. If you submit a portfolio to Disney, people will go nuts for beautiful life drawings or plein air paintings. A high value is placed on classical art skill because it’s an inextricable part of the Disney legacy, regardless of the pervasive obsession with [Computer Graphics].

RG: Disney artists who come from CCAD embody the school’s foundation program. These individuals have found strength in their drawing, painting, or design skills and deliver high-quality craftsmanship on the job.

FV: CCAD focuses so much on the strong foundation in drawing, color, and design. Those are very important skills to have regardless of the department you’re working for. Not many schools emphasize them. Technology will always be changing, but the principles you learned from color concept classes will always be relevant in your career.

JB: I have no clue! I think it’s all due to random chance, depending mostly on the amount of available positions. Our studio has been hiring a lot of new people lately.

DS: There are a lot of passionate artists from CCAD doing many great things. I feel that having a desire to be in your respective profession will get you anywhere you want to be.

Q)  Any advice for current students or fellow alumni who want to become involved with Disney?

NG: It takes a lot of hard work to become an artist at the Disney Animation Studios. It’s not easy to get in the door, but it’s a goal worth fighting for. At Disney it’s possible to create films that will be loved worldwide. Tangled is a film I will be proud of for the rest of my life. Our animated films inspire toys, theme park rides, and attractions. It’s an amazing place to work. Aim high and never stop fighting for your goals.

BL: Many people who work in the animation industry, including some of Disney’s best artists, have websites, post on twitter, and regularly blog. Google search these guys and study their work, read what they have to say, contact them (if their contact info is readily available), and get their opinion of your work. The only caveat I would add is that they may not respond—these guys are busy. If you don’t hear anything, don’t get discouraged, but don’t become a pest, either. Also, start a website, or a blog or anything accessible via the internet. It doesn’t entirely replace having a portfolio, but it comes in handy when getting opinions of your work.

CO: Do great work and be great to work with. Every investment of time, money, and energy that you make as a professional artist should be in service of one or both of these goals. So the next time you start to get overwhelmed or depressed, just ask yourself:  Is this (time, energy, emotional, financial) investment helping me to focus on one of the two principles for success in the industry?

RG: Get personally involved with artists who do what you want to do. Be proactive. Use the internet to your advantage. If you want to be a Disney story artist, find a current Disney story artist’s website, study his/her work, and email him/her questions about what it takes to get into that specific position. Show your work and ask for a brutally honest critique. If that professional feels you’re not quite up to par yet, then make new samples and get a new critique in a few months. Ultimately, keep communicating with professionals and don’t stop making new art.

FV: The internet has opened up a new world full of great references to study. I’d recommend for students to look up artist’s blogs that are currently working in the industry, and don’t be shy to ask for their advice. Lastly, keep on practicing and never be discouraged by rejections.

JB: Definitely try for the talent development program. I would say it’s even better than being hired regularly, because they train you, give you tons of free classes, have you meet other departments and great people, and they pay you for it all. It’s also easier to get in since they expect you to prove yourself once in, rather than depend entirely on previous work experience like most of the other standard positions.

DS: It’s not required, but it helps living close to the studios. I think being around the studios and creative people fuels creativity further. Also, be persistent when trying to achieve a goal, and be open minded. You will never know which skill of yours will eventually get your foot in the door—It took me by surprise.

Q)  Why do you love your job/working in a creative environment?

NG: I can’t imagine not working in a creative environment. I don’t have an easy job, but I have a very rewarding one. I can’t imagine doing anything else in the world. I’ve been at Disney Animation for 16 years. There’s no other place I’d rather work.

BL: I love working with like-minded people. It’s amazing to be surrounded by so many artists who are passionate about animation, telling stories, and creating entertainment. The caliber of talent at Disney is humbling, and I can’t help but be inspired to be a better artist.

CO: I make a living from my imagination. It’s what I was born to do, so the privilege to do that 24/7 is overwhelmingly awesome. I’m also a people person. Some folks are made to go off into the woods, live life in a log cabin and paint lakes—that’s not me. I am made to collaborate, encourage, challenge, argue, etc. So to be released to just be myself in an environment where I can learn from and be challenged by everyone…well, it’s a dream come true.

RG: Animation is a collaborative medium, especially at a studio like Disney. For me, doing my art amongst creative peers is not only inspiring and informative, but in a racehorse kind of way, keeps me focused on being the best I can be, offering the best solutions for our films.

FV: Disney Animation has a long line of legacy and knowledge that has been passed along from one generation to the next. I learn so much from my colleagues each day, and they inspire me to be better at my craft.

JB: I feel like I can provide a lot of creative input into the films we are making. There is a hierarchy here, but it doesn’t mean that only the directors and producers have a say on it all. I tend to be very vocal and push new ideas. I feel that if I was just creating the shots that I was assigned to without questioning them, I’d get bored very quickly.

DS: I love it because I get to be creative. In any creative environment with passionate people, you will get sucked up in a whirlwind of creative magic—and it feels great.

Q) What past experiences do you share and remember from being a student at CCAD? How has this impacted your professional career?

NG: CCAD really taught me the importance of getting the job done on time and putting the most into everything I do. I learned work ethic and skills at CCAD that I apply every day at the studio. Without CCAD, my artistic toolbox would be empty. I owe a lot to all of my instructors at CCAD. I worked hard while I was in Columbus, and my reward has been a successful career at the Disney Animation Studios.

BL: I had to explore a few different directions in art before settling on animation. CCAD exposed me to many different artistic paths and helped me discover where I wanted to go. Specifically, Ron Saks’ class on storyboarding opened my eyes to an exciting new world that I had never considered before.

CO: When I was at CCAD, the animation industry was getting turned upside-down by the likes of Woody, Buzz, and Shrek. Meaning, CG [Computer Graphics] was changing everything and art schools everywhere were trying to figure it out. The internet wasn’t really “The Internet” yet, so information moved more slowly. My teachers at CCAD knew something that has been proven true in my life over and over and over, that regardless of what changes are happening in any area of commercial art, the art part should always be your main focus. CCAD taught me to set unreachable high standards for myself and to focus on drawing and painting above all else. It took me six years to break into the industry, but ever since then I haven’t had a single day without work. I owe a great deal of that consistent success to CCAD. CCAD is unlike many art schools in that they don’t chase software trends. They focus on drawing, painting, color, composition, etc. That’s the important stuff. That’s the stuff that will get you through the long haul.

RG: Around my junior year, the Media Studies department invited Dr. Stuart Sumida, a paleontologist and animal locomotion expert, to give an intensive seminar at our school. In his “You Are What You Eat” presentation, he broke down and defined the differences between herbivores and carnivores and how their anatomy affects their movement and behavior. Fast forward to my current Disney project, a movie involving a fictitious animal. In what started as a casual conversation with my director about this animal’s movement, I was eventually asked to create a presentation for the team that would clarify how this animal would move and what features needed to be changed so the character would be more believable to the audience.

FV: During my junior year at CCAD, I took Mr. Tardino’s illustration class, despite being a Media Studies major. I learned so much about character development and story, that I went back and took it again the next semester. The knowledge I gained then has been very helpful to me as a story artist today.

JB: I remember a lot of cheap ramen. I remember freezing my butt off. I remember cleaning the ceramics lab as a student worker, and growing clay stalactites in my nostrils. I also remember picking the hard teachers on purpose so I’d be pushed harder, and always trying to do a bit more than what any assignment asked for. I think that CCAD was as much about learning art concepts and skills as it was about learning to be self dependent and self driven. In a creative work environment they look for people that can handle the tools well, but that are also able to take initiative and improve the tool set and quality of the work.

DS: Foundation year. We all have our own experiences and memories from foundation year, but it was a huge stepping stone for me. I learned a lot about so much, and I still have a lot of learning and growing to do. I’m always trying to better myself and discover/learn new ideas, techniques, etc.

Check out our alums’ websites for more information:
Ben Lane
Chis Oatley
Ryan Green and Fawn Veerasunthorn have Bluefoot Studios
Joaquin Baldwin
Darren Simpson

John Jude Palencar’s illustration for the best-selling children’s novel “Eragon”

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but since 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 2011, January 2012, and February 2012.

Ron Miller ’70 created the illustrations for an iPad app Journey to the Exoplanets. Read more here.

Nicky Epstein ’74 has finished her 24^th book about knitting design. Read more here.

Tim Rietenbach ’77, Danielle Julian Norton ’99, Mariana Smith ’02, and Michael Litzau ’04 were among 10 CCAD-affiliated artists in a recent exhibition. Read more here.

Tim Rietenbach ’77 is a participating artist in FINDING TIME: Columbus Public Art 2012, a multi-artist public art project to celebrate the city of Columbus’ 200^th birthday. Read more here.

Kent Roberts ’77 had his work accepted in the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society’s Annual Show.

Wong Wo Bik ’77 was in the group exhibition Memory and Fiction at Blindspot Gallery in Hong Kong. Read more here.

John Jude Palencar ’80 illustrated the newest book in a best-selling children’s series, the Inheritance Cycle. Read more here.

Michael Neno ’84, Andy Bennett ’94, and Ryan Brinkerhoff ’08 all worked on the fourth issue of a Columbus based comic book. Read more here.

Kurt Fondriest ’85 was featured in the film Operation Rhino, which received a Midwest/Chicago Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Read more here.

Inka Essenhigh ’91 had a solo exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery in Kyoto, Japan. Read more here.

Anita Miller ’91–’99 continues to tour her exhibition The Eyes of Freedom: the Lima Company Memorial. Read more here.

Nathan Greno ’93–’96 co-directed Disney’s animated short Tangled Ever After. Read more here.

David Breaux ’94 is a senior animator on the FOX television series Terra Nova, produced by Steven Spielberg. Read more here.

Sandy Kessler Kaminski ’93 had her piece Around 65 featured in Studio Visit magazine, vol. 14.

Ron Stasko ’93 had his work Liquid Color displayed in Tsunami, a Baton Rouge restaurant.

Kathleen ’94 and David Hartman ’95 both worked on the film John Dies at the End, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Read more here.

Samantha Bennett ’95–’99 had a solo exhibition, Scars, Portraits and Beyond, at Hayley Gallery in New Albany, OH. Read more here.

Michael Newton ’96 and Jeremy Sorrell ’04, exhibited their work at Rivet Gallery in downtown Columbus, OH. Read more here.

Laine Bachman ’97 had a solo exhibition, Birds of a Feather, which was reviewed by The Columbus Dispatch. Read more here.

Nicole Bruckman ’00 was in a group exhibition at WWA Gallery in Culver City, California. Read more here.

Michael Guinane ’00 showed his work at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, OH.

Adam Brouillette ’02 and Boryana Rusenova Ina ’00 were on the Best Local Artists list of 2011 in Columbus Underground. Read more here.

Anne Holman ’02 is featured in The New Artisans: Handmade Designs for Contemporary Living. Read more here.

Carl Bork ’03 had a solo exhibition at Tointon Gallery in Greeley, CO. Read more here.

Kenneth Hall ’04 had a solo exhibition at Parkland College Art Gallery in Champaign, Ill. Read more here.

Manjari Sharma ’04 was featured in The New York Times discussing her photography project Darshan. Read more here.

Melissa Spencer ’06 displayed her photography in Cleveland, OH at Sunny Side Up Gallery.

Maris Turner ’07 and Sara Renner ’08 opened a boutique in Ann Arbor. Read more here.

Genoveva Christoff ’09 was a finalist in the E! Live from the Red Carpet Design Contest and presented her work at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

"Tangled Ever After," movie still (Disney Enterprises)

Alumnus Nathan Greno (CCAD 1993-1996) has brought back to life the beloved characters from Disney’s box-office hit Tangled in the newly released animated short Tangled Ever After.

Greno co-directed both animated movies with Bryon Howard, the first being released in 2010.

In a recent LA Times article Greno said that “the [first] movie kind of buttons up, but the one thing we didn’t do in the movie was a wedding. There’d be a beautiful wedding of Flynn and Rapunzel, just like the royal wedding. It would be this big, grand event. And Byron and I thought, ‘Well that’s not entertainment. Maybe little girls would like to watch that, but that’s about it’.”

The new animated short features two sidekick characters, Maximus and Pascal, in a comical chase around the kingdom trying to catch Flynn and Rapunzel’s runaway wedding rings while the wedding service is being performed.

“We figured out a way to give [the audience] exactly what they wanted, so there is a beautiful grand wedding in the short, but what happens pretty quickly, [is that] those two goofballs Maximus and Pascal lose the wedding rings. It turned into this big, zany, cartoony, fun, action-packed short,” Greno said.

Greno and Howard shared with the LA Times that the two side characters were inspired by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The animators were able to do a lot of slapstick comedy in the short that didn’t make it into the original feature film.

Tangled Ever After is shown before Beauty and the Beast 3D, which was recently released in theatres.

Greno has worked with Walt Disney Animation since 1996 on films such as Mulan, John Henry, Brother Bear, Meet the Robinsons, and Bolt.

Alumna Kristi Kalkman's font created for Victoria's Secret

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but since 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, too, 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 September, October, and November (2011).

William Walker (CCAD, 1953) was featured in a Chicago Sun-Times article about the mark he left on the city with his murals; read more here.

Ben Mahan (CCAD, Illustration, 1965) participated in the 16th International Competition of Illustration in Italy. Read more here.

Robert Tavani (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1985) participated in an exhibition at the Cummings Art Gallery featuring recent works from members of the Mercyhurst College Art Department. He showed oil paintings including both portraits and landscapes.

Anthony Baker (CCAD, Illustration, 1986) was appointed the team lead, medical illustrator at The Ohio State University’s health science library.

Christopher Yates ( CCAD, Fine Arts, 1987), Steve Bush (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1994), Hiroshi Hayakawa (CCAD, Photography, 1995), Casey Bradley (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2001), Mariana Smith (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2002), Tina Matthews (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2003), Lauren Mudd (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2004), Mylesant Carreno (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2005), Brandon Noblet (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2005), and Nicki Strouss ( CCAD, Fine Arts, 2008) all were involved in the exhibition Crossroads. Read more here.

Julie Abijanac (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1992) had work in a two-person exhibition with Dean of Faculty Char Norman. Read more here.

Steve Bush (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1994) was commissioned for a public art piece in Creekside Plaza (Gahanna, Ohio). Read more here.

Craig Swoboda (CCAD, Illustration, 1994) took the position of package creative manager at Anheuser-Busch Inc.

Nathan Greno (CCAD, Illustration, 1996) won the Joseph V. Canzani Alumni Award for Excellence. Read more here.

Kelly Weik (CCAD, Illustration, 1996) was featured as artist of the month in the Chicago-based company Faux by Kathy.

Michael Auger (CCAD, Illustration, 1998) was featured in DC Conspiracy magazine. Read more here.

Johnny Yanok (CCAD, Illustration, 1998) was featured in an exhibition at Rivet Gallery in the Short North (Columbus, Ohio). Read more here.

Josh Sutton (CCAD, Illustration, 2000) was featured in a (614) magazine article detailing his work as a freelance toy sculptor.

Matthew Klos (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2001) had an exhibition at the Still Life Gallery in Ellicott City, MD, this fall.

Ryan Green (CCAD, Media Studies, 2003) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (CCAD, Media Studies, 2005) were both hired as story artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Read more here.

Jen Chapman (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2004) and her company, Redsnapper Baby & Toddler, were featured in HOW magazine. Read more here.

Holly Koskinen’s (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2005) freelance agency won a 2011 American Graphic Design Award.

Molly Burke (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2006) participated in the Sculpture X Symposium and its 2011 fall juried exhibition in Cleveland, OH. Read more here.

Justin Cohen (CCAD, Industrial Design, 2006) won a 2010 Good Design award.

Kendra L. Meyer (CCAD, Fashion Design, 2007) has joined Albright College as assistant professor of fashion design.

Angela Svarda (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2008) was in ArtSpan’s 2011 SF Open Studios in San Francisco. Read more here.

Christie S. Craven (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2009) is now working as a web designer for Direct Brands/Columbia House in Manhattan and also started her own venture, www.samplesaleavenue.com.

Kristi Kalkman (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2010) created a font for a Victoria’s Secret campaign. Read more here.

Catherine Proctor (CCAD, Media Studies, 2010) had images published in The Ohio State University Dance Department’s annual magazine, InFORM.

Alex Alvarado (CCAD, Illustration, 2011) received a job as a look development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Read more here.

Eric Coolidge (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2011) was featured on the Ohio Department of Education website to promote National Arts in Education Week. Read more here.

Ryan Monroe (CCAD, Photography, 2011) did the photography for the 10^th anniversary calendar for a restaurant in Columbus, OH. Read more here.

In Memoriam:

Walker, Steve (CCAD, 1970) Obituary here.

William, Walker (CCAD, 1953) Obituary here.

Nathan Greno at work

In his motion picture directorial debut, Nathan Greno, who studied Illustration at CCAD, pulled down a $49-million opening weekend and received a Golden Globe nomination for the film Tangled.

Now he can add the Joseph V. Canzani Alumni Award for Excellence to his many accolades.

CCAD will formally acknowledge the success and contributions of Greno, as well as the impact that CCAD alumni have all over the world, Oct. 7 and 8 during Family Weekend & Homecoming. The Award for Excellence will be presented and an exhibition of Greno’s work will be displayed during the college’s annual celebration.

When Greno (Associate 1993–1996) returns to campus he just may catch up with CCAD grads he has met while working at Walt Disney Animation. He said some of the best animators on Tangled attended CCAD and that it is fun sharing stories with other alumni. “It’s like we were part of a club,” he told Image magazine.

Greno advises others to “never stop fighting for your goals.” He described himself as one of the weaker figure drawing students when he first started at CCAD, but three years later he was working at Disney. “I had to work crazy hard to make that happen,” he said.

After sitting in on extra figure drawing classes and working diligently on his animation portfolio, Greno received an internship offer from Disney at the end of his junior year and he has been there since 1996. He hated his first job as a clean-up animator on Mulan and faced a crisis moment because he didn’t feel like he was being creative but had been dreaming about working for Disney since elementary school. Fortunately for audiences, he found the storyboarding department and spent about 10 years there before having the opportunity to direct.

Greno has worked on other Disney films, including John Henry, Brother Bear, Meet the Robinsons, and Bolt.  As he saw people in the theater laughing, crying, and having fun, he thought about CCAD and the long road to directing.

“It was all worth it,” he said.

Congratulations to all of the 2011 Alumni Award for Excellence nominees.

Media Studies alumnus Nick Burkard worked on feature film Puss in Boots

Classnotes

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but since 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, too, 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 June 2011 – August 2011.

Jerry W. McDaniel (CCAD, Illustration, 1957) opened an art gallery and created a process video. Read more here.

Ming Fay (CCAD, Industrial Design, 1965) marked his 20-year anniversary displaying at Butters Gallery with his exhibit Full Circle.

James Markle (CCAD, Industrial Design, 1970) presented a speech about his environmental photography at the Tahoe Art League. Read more here.

Ron Miller (CCAD, Illustration, 1970) illustrates a French youth science magazine. Read more here.

Jamie Berger (CCAD 1975-1978) was featured in a HOW magazine article detailing the rebranding and success of their printing company. Read more here.

Jon Hair (CCAD,  Advertising & Graphic Design, 1976-1978) was featured in North Carolina’s Our State magazine. Read more here.

Kate Rivers (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1977) had an exhibition in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Read more here.

Michele Householder Funk (CCAD, Illustration, 1978) has released her children’s book, The Adventures of Pete and Max and the Lost Sock. Read more here.

David Groff (CCAD, Illustration, 1979) had illustrations featured in a healthcare calendar.

Matthew Kaser (CCAD, Industrial Design, 1984) and his design firm, Kaser Design, were recently awarded another interpretive planning and design job in Texas. The newest project is the historic site Presidio de San Sabá, in Menard, Texas.

Kurt Fondriest (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1985) was included in the annual Misericordia Home group show, which was visited by more than 1,400 guests. Read more here.

Jeff Preston (CCAD, Illustration, 1985) is featured in the DVD Masters of Art: Markers with Jeff Preston. Read more here.

Edward Buchanan (CCAD, Fashion Design, 1988-1991) had his designs  featured in the spring 2011 issue of France’s Blast magazine. Read more here.

Paul Hamilton (CCAD, Illustration, 1988) received the Phil Desind Award, given annually by the Butler Institute of American Art to an outstanding representational work. Read more here.

Scott Musgrove (CCAD, Illustration, 1989) launched an online show and nearly sold out in only three weeks. Read more here.

Tracy Hayes (CCAD 1990) recently moved her design firm SKUBA Designs to a new location on New Orleans’s popular Magazine Street. Read more here.

Peter Wachtel’s (CCAD, Industrial Design, 1990) invention, STAKE, is available for presale on Quirky. Read more here.

Wendy Emrey’s (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 1991) long career influenced a new pursuit. Read more here.

Julie Abijanac (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1992) has been accepted into the Studios of Key West Artist in Residency Program for the summer 2012. Read more here.

Samantha Bennett (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1995-1999) appeared on an episode of Everyday People on TLC’s NY Ink. Find out more here.

Hiroshi Hayakawa (CCAD, Photography, 1995) showed his kinetic sculptures in a Columbus gallery. Read more here.

Susan Li O’Connor (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1996) was one of three artists featured in an exhibition at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Carnegie Gallery. Read more here.

Sara Adrian (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1998) presented in September at FLASH!, an art show in Columbus.

Several CCAD alumni received awards at the opening of this year’s fine arts exhibition at the Ohio State Fair, including Andrew Ina (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2006), Corey Aumiller (CCAD, Media Studies, 2006), Amanda H. Cook (CCAD, Illustration, 1999), Eric Homan (CCAD, Media Studies, 1998), Brandon Antczak (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2007), and Adam Brouillette (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2002) . Find out more here.

Justin Shady (CCAD, Media Studies, 1998) interviewed Michael Altman (CCAD, Media Studies, 2000) in OC Weekly. Read more here.

Danielle Julian-Norton (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1999), a co-founder of Suite 42,  had an open-studio exhibition in Dresden, Germany. Read more here.

Michael Marucco (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 1999) has been promoted at Limited Brands, Inc., to senior art director of internet content for Victoria’s Secret Direct.

Damian Ward (CCAD, Illustration, 1999) illustrated a book written by Oscar-nominated writers. Read more here.

Anthony M. Nesossis (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2000) recently completed a rebrand of various materials for the Educational Council. Read more here.

Brent Woodard (CCAD, Illustration, 2000) helped with a global anti-drug message. Read more and see the image here.

Paul Tepper (CCAD, Illustration, 2001) was recently featured on the cover of Columbus Alive! Read more here.

Nikos Rutowkski, (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2002) helped coordinate Franklinton’s Go West Festival, which featured work by several CCAD Alumni. Read more here.

Michelle Rozic (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2003) was appointed the new assistant professor of art at California State University, Northridge.

Cat Sheridan (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2003) was featured in a Wexner Center blog for her volunteer efforts. Read more here.

Michael Carney (CCAD, Media Studies, 2004) and John Malta (CCAD, Illustration, 2010) were both in the NY Times in August. Read more here.

Jen Chapman (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2004) will be featured in HOW magazine in the fall of 2011 for her company Redsnapper Baby & Toddler. Read more here.

The alumni music trio of Beth Murphy (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2004), Adam Elliot (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2004), and Jared Phillips (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2004) performed at the Wexner Center and were featured in the Columbus Dispatch. Read more here.

Manjari Sharma’s (CCAD, Media Studies, 2004) latest project was featured on an NPR blog. Read more here.

Gabe Shultz (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2004) created an experimental multimedia project and music album samples from the music of rock band Steely Dan. Read more here.

Elizabeth Weissbrod (CCAD, Illustration, 2004) was one of the featured artists in the June 2011 Hopkins Medicine magazine article “Illustrators of the Century.” Read more here.

Brian Scott Campbell (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2005) was invited to Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina as a visiting artist in September and will also be an artist in residence this fall at the McColl Center for Visual Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Steven Weinzierl (CCAD, Media Studies, 2005) has been named Favorite Color’s new creative director. Read more here.

Molly Burke (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2006) recently participated in a Cleveland West Art League (CWAL) exhibition with Cleveland painter Julie Morgan. Read more  here.

Andrew Ina’s (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2006) exhibition New Frontier was recently reviewed in the Columbus Dispatch. Read more here.

Melissa (Hofelzer) Spencer (CCAD, Media Studies, 2006) designed an exhibition invite and an interactive website. Read more here.

Seven alumni, including Nate Burns (CCAD, Illustration, 2010), Travis Czekalski (CCAD, Media Studies, 2010), Julie Hall (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2010) Katie Herbst (CCAD, Media Studies, 2010), Michael Lovett (CCAD, Fine Arts 2011), Alex Moore (CCAD, Fine Arts 2011), and Kevin Smalley (CCAD, Media Studies, 2006-08) teamed up to present Fringed: A Fashionably Fine Art Exhibition in Columbus. Read more here.

Nick Burkard, (CCAD, Media Studies, 2007) Dreamworks effects animator, detailed the work he did on the upcoming film Puss in Boots. Read more here.

Michelle Dick (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2008) had her first trunk show hosted by a Columbus boutique. Read more here.

Ashley K. Alexander (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2009) published her first novel. Read more here.

Cory Cantelupe (CCAD, Illustration, 2009) is currently doing work as a freelance sculptor for Hasbro, Inc.

Navy Seaman Jessica M. Pettinger (CCAD, Interior Design, 2009) recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

Emily Spear (CCAD, Illustration, 2009) is finishing her first year as an associate product designer for Hasbro Inc.

Ian Horn (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2010) has found success with a new NYC business. Read more here.

Mallory McClellan (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2010) was featured in Columbus Alive! for the sculpture she built for Harrison Park in Columbus. Read more here.

Kartika Mediani (CCAD, Animation, 2010) was one of 40 college students across the country to receive a summer internship with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. Read more here.

Ross Caliendo (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2011) was featured in a weekly Cincinnati newspaper for his participation in an exhibition. Read more here.

Jen Hutson (CCAD, Fine Arts, 2011) has been accepted into the St. Petersburg Clay Company’s Artist in Residence Program for the 2011-2012 term.

Angela Mancuso (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2011) was appointed as the newest art director at Peebles Creative Group. Read more on their blog.

Amy McQuillin (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 2011) was hired as the Upper Arlington’s Cultural Arts Division’s intern.

Local tech company Bluemile, ranked in 2010 by Inc. Magazine as one of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, is featuring artwork by CCAD alumni and faculty in its New Albany office as one way to introduce visitors and other programs to the college. Read more here.

In Memoriam
Edmund Kuehn, (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1938). Read more here.
Charles (Chip) Kirker III, (CCAD, Illustration, 1971). Obituary here.
Dan (Danny) J. Schroll, (CCAD, Fine Arts, 1973). Obituary here.
Gerome Alexander, (CCAD, Advertising & Graphic Design, 1982). Obituary here.
Teresa Williams, (CCAD, Illustration, 1988). Obituary here.
Kathryn A. Gough, (CCAD, 1990). Obituary here.
Lacey L. Pope, (CCAD, Industrial Design, 2002). Obituary here.
Christine Salisbury, (CCAD, Media Studies, 2005). Obituary here.

The nominees are Fine Arts alumni Roy Doty (CCAD 1942), Kate Rhoades (CCAD 2010) and Robert Tavani (CCAD 1985), Industrial Design alumnus Matthew Kaser (CCAD 1984), and associate alumni Nathan Greno (CCAD 1996) and Aminah Robinson (CCAD 1960). Read all the nominee bios here.

The AAE will be presented Saturday, Oct. 8 during the annual Homecoming celebration, which is part of an entire weekend of events for the whole CCAD family—alumni, students, parents, and faculty and staff. Family Weekend and Homecoming is Oct. 7–9, 2011.

In addition to acknowledging the success and contributions of one very deserving person, the award is one way for the college to highlight the impact CCAD alumni have all over the world.

CCAD alumni, students, faculty, and staff can vote on the nominee of their choice  via an online poll through Monday, Aug. 15. Bios on each recipient are available on CCAD’s website, as

well as details about the award and the nomination process.

Dennison W. Griffith

What does it feel like when a college is good? Not just ok, but really good?

To be honest, at CCAD, we’re starting to think we know. Of course it’s great to have a compact, attractive campus right in the heart of downtown. Lots of new talent arriving every semester. Strong fundraising, with committed donors and dedicated volunteers. Insightful, thought-provoking conversations going on all over the place.

But what comes of all this after students graduate and leave campus? That‘s what’s making us feel extra-great this spring, so we’re putting it right up front in this issue. A college’s truest measure is the accomplishments of its alumni—and we’re ready to brag.

• Nathan Greno (Associate 1993–1996) made his feature film directorial debut with a movie that not only updated some hoary gender clichés, but also topped the box-office rankings for weeks. … more
• Package designer Michael Carney (CCAD 2004) won a 2011 Grammy. (For his work on an album by an Ohio band, no less!) …more
• Je Jung (CCAD 1998) and Rujira Lawonvisut (CCAD 1999) are pulling down raves in places like Vanity Fair as they take their fashion line global. …more
• Corey Favor (CCAD 2002) is back on campus at the center of a revival of CCAD’s Black Student Leaders Association—and he’s brought Marshall Shorts (CCAD 2006) with him. …more

Feeling really good yet? There’s more. Don’t delay, start reading!

Warm regards,

Dennison W. Griffith

President

Movie still from Tangled (2010). Walt Disney Pictures. Reproduced with permission.

Getting a “we’re so grateful for films like this” out of the Los Angeles Times is no easy task. Then again, neither is pulling down a nearly $49-million opening weekend and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.  But that’s exactly what CCAD alumnus Nathan Greno (Associate 1993–1996) did in his motion picture directorial debut as co-director of Tangled.

So what does Greno think of all this? We recently spoke with him to find out what it’s like going from a CCAD student to a Golden Globe nominee in 14 short years.

Nathan Greno

IMAGE: You just directed the number one film in America. What keeps you grounded?

Nathan Greno (NG): We were thrilled to have a number one weekend. It’s incredibly exciting to direct a well-loved film that is enjoying a healthy box office. I am well aware that these films can fail, and I’ve seen ego destroy careers in animation. I think about those things every day. It keeps your head screwed on straight.

IMAGE: Can you walk us through the process a bit? How did Tangled become what it is?

NG: I worked as the story board supervisor on Bolt. John Lasseter (the creative lead at Pixar—and now Disney Animation) saw director potential in me and asked if I was interested in directing a DVD short for the film. Yes! Of course!

After the short was completed, John needed someone to direct the Rapunzel project. He asked me—again, I said yes. I really wanted to work with Byron Howard (director of Bolt), and John was great with that.

We started with a blank slate on Tangled. Everything started with us in the story room. Luckily, we had an amazing crew that helped bring the film to life in two short years—you usually get four to five years.

IMAGE: Do you work with any other CCAD alumni?

NG: I’ve met a number of CCAD graduates at Disney. Some of our best animators on Tangled attended CCAD.

IMAGE: What’s that like?

NG: It’s fun sharing stories with people who also went to CCAD. It’s like we we’re part of a club or something.

IMAGE: Do you have a single piece of advice for today’s students?

Nathan Greno at work. Photo credit: Eric Charbonneau

NG: As corny as it sounds, “Never stop fighting for your goals.” I was one of the weaker figure drawing students when I first started at CCAD (my figure drawing instructor told me so!), but three years later I was working at Disney. I had to work crazy hard to make that happen.

An animation portfolio is mostly made up of figure drawings, and my world revolved around my Disney portfolio. So during my sophomore and junior years, I started sitting in on extra figure drawing classes, sometimes attending four figure drawing classes a week. Disney offered me an internship after I finished my junior year in 1996, and I’ve been with them ever since.

IMAGE: Was there a smooth path from where you started to where you are now?

NG: I started as a clean-up animator on Mulan. I hated the job! It was very technical, and I didn’t feel like I was being creative. It was a real crisis moment for me because I had been saying I wanted to work for Disney since I was in first grade.

Luckily, I found the storyboarding department, which is one of the best jobs in the world. I spent about a decade doing story before John asked me to direct.

IMAGE: What makes you sit back and say, “This is why I do what I do.”

NG: I just had a moment like that recently. I went to the theater on opening night for Tangled. People were laughing, crying, and really having fun. It was the best feeling in the world. That night I actually thought about CCAD and the long road to directing the film. It was all worth it.

IMAGE: Finish the sentence. The best class at CCAD was…

NG: Dennis Drummond’s figure drawing class. Freshmen couldn’t take his class, but he let me sit in anyway. Sophomore and junior year I took his class and attended extra classes of his. He was an incredible teacher and an amazing draftsman. I don’t know if Disney would have happened if I never had Mr. Drummond for an instructor. I certainly wouldn’t have gotten in as fast as I did. I owe him a great deal of thanks.

IMAGE: What’s ahead?

NG: Byron and I pitched six new film ideas to John. We’re currently developing one of them.

IMAGE: Any plans to come back to CCAD in the future?

NG: Invite me back to give a talk about Disney! I’d love to do it!