Vans Warped Tour 2010

This year Vans Warped Tour is back by touring the country and intorducing concert goers to new and up-and-coming artists. Here are images from yesterday’s Vans Warped Tour in Orlando which include The Cab, The Rocket Summer, iwrestledabearonce, After Midnight Project, and We The Kings. Today they are in Atlanta! If you are free today, be sure to check out Lakewood Amphitheater from 11am-9pm. Tickets are $40 at the gate and more info can be found at the official site: here.

Talk publishing to me

Many assume that writing students are the only ones who need to get published in order to further their careers. If you write a book, your work should be published; if you want a job as a journalist for a magazine or newspaper, then your only option for getting said job is to have published materials on your resume. Yet, for the students of SCAD, getting published goes well beyond writing majors and can appeal to many fields of study.

So, what exactly is publishing all about? New American Paintings, a juried exhibition in print and venue for art publishing, stated that being published “differ[s] for every artist, but most report a significant amount of contact as a direct result of publication. For some artists, being published results in sales, for others it results in new gallery representation or the inclusion of work in an exhibition.” For every sort of artist, simply placing artwork in a gallery no longer exists; one must learn to distribute work in anthologies, postcards, social media and other outlets. This allows the artist, whether in school or out, to break into his or her chosen career path.

Georgia Lee, director of Ivy Hall and a former editor and journalist, indicated that trying to find a job ⎯ as a writer or in any artistic field ⎯ without some published material could set back job seekers in their search for employment; potential employers like to see candidates with real world experience and being published falls into that realm. Echoing her sentiments, Jay Montgomery, an illustration professor at SCAD Atlanta, stated, “Yes, it is important to try to get published before you graduate in the illustration field. It’s not a deal breaker with most editorial or small clients, but if you are wanting to illustrate children’s books, advertisements for a big company or corporate illustrations, it certainly helps ⎯ if not being required by some.” The idea is to have something to present to a potential employer. “The more the better,” stated Lee.

In dealing with employers, they want to see if you can market yourself, before you market their works. O’Seremi Odu, a third year squential art student, stated, “Work [that is] published has credibility. It shows [that] editors reviewed your work, critiqued it, you revised it and it was approved. References on the Internet have weak credibility. But, to cite something published shows people who know what is appealing and aesthetically pleasing [that you] have refined it.”

Some students at SCAD have observed that aspects of the writing world and the visual art world overlap. Curron Gajadhar, a second year painting student, stated that “an online portfolio can only go so far and if you don’t get critiqued, then you don’t get exposure.” He continued by saying, “there has to be a symbiosis between the journalistic end and artistic end ⎯ bridging [the gap] between the creator and viewer. It is a literature stepping stone for the artist to express.”

For many students, they are not only creating visual pictures, but also want to create pictures with their words. Gajadhar, paraphrasing the poet Rene Ricard, stated, “When people see a work of art and pass it around and it is good and he writes an article about it, people know it is true.”

For those who want to start marketing their work, Lee explained that the most important thing an employer looks for is errors. She explained, “Before being considered, it has to be correct … then, the content must fit.” Montgomery stated that in some cases, “there is a catch-22. ‘I can’t get published until I’m published.’ The most important thing, however, is having a professional portfolio, networking and business skills to actually use and a great attitude when you are doing it.” The combination of these attributes will help any student and/or job seeker to further their career.

Juxtaposing color and shape in “Kite”

From June 22 – July 11, SCAD exhibitions department presents “Kite,” a thesis exhibition by graduate painting student Chung-Fan Chang. This body of work, on display at Dewberry Gallery of SCAD, shows Chang’s interest in the juxtaposition of landscape with brightly colored geometric planes, symbolizing the visual elements of beauty and intrusion in society.

Chung states that she wanted to “convey the natural world with natural and synthetic colors, with the neon colors attracting with the geometric shapes.” Her concepts of beauty and intrusion are not direct or straightforward, but relate to visual intrusion. She elaborates: “It’s kind of like when I look at a neon color. At the beginning, it’s bothering me, it’s annoying. But, when you look at it, it’s very beautiful, too.” She observes that the “annoyingness” of the juxtaposition of the landscapes and neon colors can be reflected in daily life, reflecting youth culture and issues. The exhibit’s title, “Kite,” refers to the visual elements and shapes created in each work.

After completing her MFA, Chang would like to teach — perhaps, at SCAD Hong Kong, which is located in her hometown.

Students attending the exhibit’s opening reception on June 23 enjoyed Chang’s use of color and shape. Solomon A. Chaison, a fourth year graphic design student, said, “I think it turned out really well, the way she uses the colors and plays with the landscapes with shapes. [It’s] very playful.”

Omar Chisholm, a SCAD alumnus, observed: “The colors play a key element in the shapes and forms. It is something that I am more captivated by because I’m drawn to the shapes — everything like who we are and where we live. Our world is created by shapes and forms.”

SCAD student Jennifer Tripp stated, “I like how the flow of the shapes [and] brushstrokes goes along with the canvases that she made. It’s definitely beautiful to go along with the theme of beauty.”

Dewberry Gallery is located at 1545 Peachtree St., Suite 225. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Imperial author visits SCAD Atlanta

Before his lecture for SCAD’s Ivy Hall Lecture Series, held on June 18 in building 4C, author Bret Easton Ellis advised students and staff on their own writing endeavors. “The cardinal rule [is to] ignore the audience. Do not write for the reader. Write because you really want to express yourself,” Ellis said to an audience eagerly awaiting to hear about his newest book, “Imperial Bedrooms.” He answered questions from students and fans with wittiness and sarcasm, both indicative of his writing style.

“Imperial Bedrooms” is the seventh novel in Ellis’ collection of writings. An author since his twenty-something college days, Ellis’ works include “Less than Zero,” “The Rules of Attraction,” “American Psycho,” “The Informers,” “Glamorama” and “Lunar Park,” four of which were adapted into films. Ellis implied that “Imperial Bedrooms” is not a sequel, though the novel continues to follow the character of Clay from “Less than Zero.” Rather, this novel was written because he wanted to know where Clay would end up.

A writer who enjoys seeing the progression of his characters, Ellis stated that he began writing books such as “American Psycho” because of “loneliness, alienation and isolation [from] the adult world, the yuppified, consumerist culture and the attraction mixed with the disappointed feeling [towards this lifestyle].” He observed that his writing came from “filling a void and from pain.” Ellis stated that “life is lonely and the novel is your friend [and you must be] engaged with the novel” if you want a career as a writer. His engagement with the characters in his novels brought him not only solace from loneliness and alienation, but also critical acclaim from those in the writing world.

Ellis’ works may appear grizzly to some, but Tamara Joyner, SCAD graduate academic advisor, stated that “his works are for those who will ‘get it.’ [For] others, it will take a while. I expected him to be humorous to write those types of characters because there is humor in his writing, even with a sinister undertone …” “Violence is as interesting as comedy” she commented, echoing Ellis’ words.  Responding to such works as “American Psycho” she continues: “The 80s were a time of excess, true have and have nots…now everyone has everything, [but] it is lopsided.” Yet, Ellis insisted that he never meant his works to be examples of transgressive art, which aims to outrage or violate basic morals and sensibilities.

Ellis’ lecture was not only informative, but motivational to students as well. Graduate writing student Tammy Green said she “found it inspiring when Mr. Ellis reflected on being in our same shoes listening to a successful writer. It was an encouraging start to our dialogue with him and made me want to be in his seat even more.”

To learn more about Ellis and his works, click here.

Just do it: An interview with SCAD commencement speaker, Isabella Rossellini

Acclaimed actress and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini was SCAD’s chosen speaker for the May 29 commencement ceremonies. Rossellini advised graduates to “just do” in order to start their careers in the arts, using her own experiences as examples. Her illustrious career began not only as the daughter of screen legend Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini, but also through her creative endeavors as a costume designer, fashion model, actress, writer and film director. Her latest projects include two series of short films titled, “GREEN PORNO” and “SEDUCE ME,” which portray the sexual habits and mating rituals of various animals and insects. Rossellini sat down with The Connector for a brief interview before Atlanta’s commencement ceremony to share her wisdom and advice for graduates entering the art world.

TC: How did the opportunity come up for you to speak at SCAD’s commencement?

IR: SCAD contacted me. So, I don’t know how the decision was made to propose my name…

TC: So, had you heard of SCAD before?

IR: Yes, I did — because I’ve been in fashion and design. And so, I knew about SCAD, but I’ve never visited it. In fact, I’ve always wanted to come and visit Savannah, but I never did. So there was also [that] opportunity. And I arrived a little earlier than my commitment [speaking at SCAD Savannah] so that I could go around and see the campus.

TC: And how did commencement [in Savannah] go this morning?

IR: It went well! (laughs) There were so many people — it was really moving, very touching.

TC: What advice do you have for graduates trying to make a career in the arts?

IR: Hmm, it’s difficult to give advice. (laughs) In my speech, I say that what helped me was always to “just do.” You know, to take any opportunity that came my way. Because often, doors are opened as you get to know people. One of the things that I realized, I think, when I studied for fashion to be a costume designer for films — and I was familiar with sets and films because my parents were in films — So, when I became a model, I never really realized how many workers there are behind the scenes. I mean, I knew there was a photographer, but I didn’t know that there were stylists and what it meant to be a make-up artist. I just thought they slapped some make-up on you. There are many levels of jobs that I didn’t know [existed]. So, I would say to do any job, even if it isn’t really what you dream of. Because once you are in that world, you find your path — you find your way. And it takes a little bit, you know. The first years, you do many different things that don’t seem very linear, but somehow at the end, it will all make sense. (laughs)

TC: Like you said, you have used many outlets for expression as an artist, including modeling, acting, directing, writing, etc. Which one is your favorite and why?

IR: They are all connected. The truth is they are all connected. To me, the great pleasure is to work with … I would work in jobs that seem to need collaboration, whether it’s for fashion or acting or writing. Sometimes I write by myself, but then realize, to film, you need collaborators. And that’s the way to find your group of friends, to work with people who are extremely talented. When I write my own little films, I have my little crew. And on my little crew, I work always with the same costume designer, the same set designer, the same photographer. And they are so good that you should see my original script and what they come up with when all of us work [together]. It’s always much better than what I could have imagined. So, I’ve always been in jobs where collaboration was very important. And that’s also when I said, at the beginning, just do anything that comes your way, because that is where you get to know your collaborators. If you’re a director, it’s very difficult to put together your crew — until you start working. And then you say, “I love that photographer; I get along with that costume designer.” So, eventually, 10 years later, when you do your own film, you can call the people that you’ve met along the way and they will enhance your work.

TC: Can you tell us about your series “GREEN PORNO” and “SEDUCE ME?”

IR: They were a series conceived for the Internet. The idea was that a lot of people might watch short films on small devices, like iPhones. And [Robert] Redford, who runs the Sundance Institute, Channel and [Film] Festival, thought that having a new canvas that was small maybe required a new aesthetic. You couldn’t show “Gone with the Wind” on an iPhone. So, maybe there were specific films that could be done for a small screen. That’s how “GREEN PORNO” got the very colorful and overly cartoonish [look]. The stories are short, also. Redford felt that on a mobile, it was difficult to look at an hour, even a half hour for that matter. And he thought that three to four minutes … and now I think they have them down to two minutes. One minute and a half to two minutes is really the right length for walking in the street and looking at a short film. So, this is a whole new world of the Internet — and traditions and formats and businesses are not yet established. We’re all experimenting. And little by little, we’re chin out, shape up. So, we will have many more answers five or ten years from now than we would have now, which is still very much in an experimental phase.

TC: I really enjoyed the visuals in “GREEN PORNO” and “SEDUCE ME.” They involve a lot of paper and cloth constructions to simulate the animal features and body parts. Were you involved in any of that construction?

IR: I draw. I draw them, but then I have my two collaborators, [designer Andy Byers] and [producer/art director Rick Gilbert], execute them. But, as I said before, if you see my drawing and then what they do … You know, when you have good collaborators, they take your ideas through the stratosphere. So, I always feel like, I feel embarrassed when I say, “I draw.” Yes, I do draw the basics. I write the script, I draw the basic solutions. But, then, they bring out so many details that are charming.

TC: Would you ever collaborate with students on any of your artistic endeavors? Or have you already?

IR: We have apprentices that we bring on our sets. It’s difficult to write — I feel like [with] writing, it would be difficult. I have some scientific collaborators, people who would know about the animals and the science. Though, one of the scientists wanted to co-write with me and that became a little bit difficult. Because so much I write for myself and I write for my own delivery, so I know how to … I think a writer sometimes is part actor, so he writes thinking — the actor has to own the words, you know. They have to make it up. So, when I write for myself, it’s automatic. When somebody writes for me, I still have to change it further. So, that really hits some sort of nerve and tension. But, you know, it’s very useful to have [scientific collaborators] help me with the science, definitely. And then, we do have people that help, but our operation is so miniscule. We are nine people and we do everything, so we don’t really have … we can’t accommodate a lot of people to come, which I really want to — [people] to come to learn.

TC: Both of your parents [actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini] were great creative talents. Did they influence your own artistic endeavors? Or did they give you any advice?

IR: Well, you know, there isn’t that one [piece of] advice that is the silver bullet … Unfortunately, my parents died when I was relatively young — in my twenties. So, they hadn’t really seen my work. But, I do think that they influenced me immensely. You know, I do think that. Sometimes people say, “You make such original choices in your films” or even in “GREEN PORNO,” and I would say, “Really? Well, that’s what my parents did.” They were original, too. So, maybe the easiness at which I go from a commercial film to a non-commercial film to feeling confident that [I] can do an experimental film and everything would be alright — it might have come from the family.

TC: Great. Well, thank you so much.

IR: Thank you.

The unique talent and advice of the fabulous Miss J.

By L.G. McCord

SCAD Style week was highlighted with impromptu guest speaker Alexander Jenkins, better known as “Miss J,” a sought-after expert “Queen of the Catwalk.” Born and raised in the South Bronx of New York City, he credited his mother for introducing him to fashion. Alexander has worked with the SCAD Fashion Show for the past 10 years, preparing models and enhancing their poise and grace for the catwalk. He stopped by SCAD Atlanta to speak to the fashion department and shed some insight from his experiences in the fashion industry.

During his speech, Alexander recalled stories from his childhood. He also told students how he became involved in the fashion industry. An accidental run-in with Monique Pillard, president of Elite Model Management, while he was dressed in drag began Alexander’s modeling career. Miss J expressed to the students that the best way to succeed is to “work, work, work, work, work — hard work. Dream big, big, big — huge. Plan your work, work your plan.” Alexander wished that he could learn everything through osmosis. He also admitted to taking advantage of every opportunity that came his way.

Through modeling, Alexander met Tyra Banks; they have been friends since the age of 16. He often advised Banks on her walk. Over time, he worked with fashion supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and Kimora Lee Simmons. Alexander’s passion eventually developed into a skill, launching his career. This led to a partnership with Banks and the global television show, “Next Top Model.” Alexander took time during his speech to acknowledge the influencers in students’ lives — teachers. He also encouraged students to listen with their ears and to know that they are their own best guinea pigs. Students should experiment their ideas on themselves and even on their friends.

Attack of the Creative Suite

Newly-developed and enticing the marketplace, Adobe released its plans for its next master collection — CS5. Announced on April 12, potential customers were led to a video at Adobe.com to see what to expect from the new software. The site introduced to customers some of its new changes and adjustments. For SCAD students, the new program has not been issued for an installation date to computers as of yet. What is certain is that the student body has started expressing their praise and concerns for the new software.

One of CS5’s new features allows the user to point and click to correct errors, build websites without code and crop and paste, which may have taken longer to fix in previous versions. For the technologically-challenged, the possibilities seem endless with this new user-friendly software.

Julian Young a third-year graphic design student, has some reservations regarding the new system, stating, “because of those features… it is going to be hard to distinguish the real people who actually edit photos from the ones that just [edit] photos with a click of a button. Yeah, it is a good user-friendly feature, but added on to a professional program like Adobe is a wrong turn, especially for [SCAD students] like us. Now we have to try to go against the ones who use those tools with a click-of-a-button feature, versus the people who actually do the work. If Adobe is able to mimic it, so you can’t tell the difference, that’s going to be a problem.” From this statement, the question of who the real designers are becomes the main focus. Taking a cue from Young and his conflicting thoughts, some students are harboring a slight fear for their burgeoning professions.

Forkparty.com describes the scene in detail, “Adobe [has] replaced the countless hours of sampling from the background, merging with the clone tool and sliding around different opacities, with one single button. No company manager [is] going to hire designers ever again. They [will] look at a video demonstration of Photoshop and say, ‘Pff, I can do that.’”

Some students and companies seem to be in a state of panic. Prisca Raymond and Bryant Stokes, both freshmen and fashion marketing students, ogle the computer screen while watching the Adobe launch. Raymond starts in a low tone, “CS4 is more manual, and you have to know your way around it. [Whereas] here, [with CS5] you’re skipping, like, two or three steps to get one thing done which is pretty good. For somebody going from CS4 to CS5, I can see why they may be frustrated with it, though.” Students including Raymond and Stokes are just learning CS4 and will now have to learn CS5’s new features as well.

Stokes, throughout the launch segment, maintained a simple “wow.” He agrees for the most part with Raymond, “I haven’t used CS4 very much, but seeing CS5 has gotten me excited for the Creative Suite. [I am also excited to know] that if I want a simple website or newsletter, I can bring things in from Illustrator and Photoshop and just drop them in this new “Catalyst” thing, which is new for somebody just getting into the creative suite.”

The “Catalyst thing” to which Stokes refers is Adobe’s Flash Catalyst CS5, “a new professional design tool that lets users create web application interfaces and design interactivity without writing code,” Jackie Dove, a technology writer, editor, and software reviewer from Macworld.com, states. On Dove’s blog, John Loiacono, senior vice president and general manager of Creative Solutions at Adobe, observes that “Adobe is committed to driving innovation on the web by providing the best tools to designers and developers.” He continues, stating, “By bringing together the reach of the Flash Platform runtimes with the power of the Flash Platform tools integrated in Creative Suite 5, designers and developers can collaborate more effectively, reducing the time required to deliver the compelling applications and content that users now expect on the web and mobile devices.”

So, why is everyone in such fear over the program, if the designers say the software is helpful?  Raymond and Stokes answer the question directly: “You, as a business professional are using the same tools as your customers. It presents a problem of how creative do I have to be and what tools am I using to put me at the platform that I am the business professional and you are the customer.” Raymond adds, “it challenges you as a business professional to put out better work than the customer.” Stokes continues, “Now, you have to find more tools; you want something the customer doesn’t have. That is why they come to you as the professional.”

For Adobe, countless buyers have already signed up to buy the program in advance and are waiting by their mailboxes for the new “click-and-fix” tool. The verdict is still out on whether this software will be the next great thing for SCAD students or if we will be playing violins in the rain to a tragic loss of the design professional.

Lights, camera, action! SCAD Atlanta enjoys a night at the movies

On Friday April 9, students, faculty, and the local community gathered at the Earl Smith Strand Theater for Atlantamation. Presented by the animation department, Atlantamation is a chance for students to showcase their digital short films.

The night opened with “In Theaters,” by Paul Tillery, IV. In this film, the audience was introduced to a character that appeared in his two subsequent shorts showcased that evening —— “Window Pains” and “Bathroom Break.”

Claire Almon presented two shorts that evening —— “Grampa Kevorkian” and “Quercus Venenum.” Dedicated to Almon’s grandfather, “Grampa Kevorkian” depicted a child reminiscing of the times she spent with her grandfather. “Quercus Venenum” tackled the issues of love, heartbreak and being an outsider. “Thank you all for watching my shorts. It really means a lot to me,” said Almon during the question and answer session that followed the screening.

“Jaguar McGuire” was the feature film of the night. A once legendary race car driver is shown bandaged and bruised in a hospital bed. He is alone, with only his cat for a companion. The short follows his mishaps as he, with limited movement, tends to the needs of his cat. Primarily made by Clint Donaldson and Jason Walling, the piece was a collaboration of more than 50 students and faculty.

A “Jaguar McGuire” showcase will be featured in SCAN quarterly’s spring issue, available next month.

SCAD Atlanta Scholarship Gala 2010

Photography by Jennifer Mestre / The Connector

This year’s annual Scholarship Gala was a hit among Atlanta art and fashion lovers. Doubling in size since its inception in 2008, the fundraising event included a fashion display from donor and honorary event chair, Cornelia Guest; a silent auction of student artwork; cocktails and h’or d’oeuvres from Dennis Dean catering; live entertainment by the band, Kingsized; and artist demonstrations by faculty and students. Gala guests not only enjoyed a fun and fabulous evening, but also raised money for SCAD Atlanta’s scholarship fund. Assistant Director of Media Relations Jennifer Jones said that the event is “a great way to get the word out that SCAD raises money for its students.” The combination of these two endeavors, raising money for SCAD students and creating a stylish event for the Atlanta art community, benefits students as well as the Atlanta art and social scene. Dean Art Malloy asserts that “[the Scholarship Gala] has the potential to become the biggest art event in Atlanta.” Above is a pictorial display of the event.

SCAD Atlanta Scholarship Gala 2010: Why you should care

Thursday evening will commence SCAD Atlanta’s third annual Scholarship Gala, where artists and style makers come together to support SCAD students as well as view original artwork, live demonstrations and fashionable performances. The event features more than 100 pieces of original SCAD artwork, including painting, photography, sculpture and jewelry. Guests will also enjoy spotlight artist appearances, a silent auction of SCAD artwork, cocktails, dancing and live entertainment provided by the band Kingsized.

While the gala caters to current and potential benefactors, SCAD students may wonder how the swanky event will benefit them. All proceeds from this event are directed to the SCAD Atlanta Scholarship fund, thereby increasing the award amount of each individual scholarship. The following are examples of some scholarships available to SCAD Atlanta students:

Binders Art Supply Scholarship Fund
This $1,000 (USD) scholarship is awarded annually to a full-time, SCAD Atlanta student majoring within the School of Fine Arts. Eligible applicants must retain a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, demonstrate financial need, and demonstrate leadership ability. This scholarship is not renewable.

Communication Arts Endowed Scholarship
This $1,400 (USD) scholarship is awarded annually to a SCAD Atlanta student majoring within the School of Communication Arts, which includes advertising design, graphic design, illustration, and sequential arts. Eligible applicants must be enrolled full-time, have completed 45 credit hours at SCAD by the end of Spring quarter, and demonstrate financial need. Finalists will be required to submit a portfolio.

Edward Ross Scholarship
Established in memory of Edward Ross, alumnus and professor of art at the Atlanta College of Art, this $200 (USD) scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate student. The recipient must be majoring in a liberal arts program and demonstrate financial need.

Helen Seydel Scholarship
This scholarship was established in memory of Helen Seydel, a patron of the arts in Atlanta who was killed in the 1962 Air France crash at Orly. This $700 (USD) scholarship is awarded to a senior painting major. The recipient must have a grade point average of 2.7 and demonstrate financial need.

Sue Rokfalusi Fund
This scholarship was established by professor Mark Rokfalusi and his sister, Vivian Rokfalusi, in honor of their mother, Sue. This $2,000 (USD) scholarship will be awarded to a full-time student studying advertising, graphic design or illustration enrolled at the SCAD Atlanta campus. The winning student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and demonstrate leadership ability.

A comprehensive list of available scholarships, including all-location and off-campus scholarships, can be found on the SCAD Scholarships website at http://www.scad.edu/admission/cost-financial-aid/financial-aid/scholarships/current-students.cfm. The deadline for applying to all scholarships is April 30.

Next week, images from the Scholarship Gala can be viewed on The Connector.

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