Art Center College of Design’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery has teamed with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc (Nasdaq: DWA) to produce DreamWorlds, a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and imagination of animated filmmaking at the studio. The exhibit, which opens March 4, will be on display at the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, located on Art Center’s Hillside Campus on 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena.

 

Drawing from popular DreamWorks Animation projects such as, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Monsters vs. Aliens, Bee Movie, Prince of Egypt, and many others, including the soon-to-be-released How To Train Your Dragon (scheduled for theatrical release on March 26), the more than three hundred objects in the exhibition include original and digital designs and paintings, movie posters, character maquettes, miniature sets, an artist’s workstation re-creation and other creative stages of the complex filmmaking process.

 

“We are thrilled that Art Center College of Design will showcase some of the exceptional work being done by our highly talented artists at DreamWorks Animation,” said Bill Damaschke, the Company’s Co-President of Production. “Animation is an incredibly collaborative process. It is wonderful that gallery-goers will have a chance to take an in-depth journey through the many stages of our filmmaking process and see the individual contributions of our filmmakers."

 

The exhibition features the work of a number of Art Center alumni who entered the entertainment field and were lured to the creative environment at DreamWorks Animation. As Ann Field, chair of Art Center’s illustration department, explains, “Animated film takes us on a mental journey into alternative realities -- imagined, far-fetched, exaggerated, and stylized. The work is no less than magic, and falls from the pens and brushes of talented artists, illustrators and designers.”

 

Art Center has trained artists and Illustrators for the last 80 years, with a long history in training artists for animation, beginning with Disney animation artists in the 1950s. The College’s illustration program began in 1930.

 

DreamWorlds will open with a multimedia presentation, panel discussion and reception on Thursday, March 4. The presentation and panel, which will be held at Art Center’s Ahmanson Auditorium, will begin at 7 p.m. and be followed by a reception with refreshments in the Williamson Gallery at 8 p.m., and is open to the public.

 

Ross LaManna, chair of the film department at Art Center College of Design, will moderate the panel discussion which will revolve around the connection between art, illustration, story and animation. Panelists include:

 

Gail Currey, head of studio at PDI / DreamWorks Animation ;

 

Kathy Altieri, a DreamWorks Animation production designer for How to Train Your Dragon, was the first artist hired when DreamWorks was formed. She studied illustration at Art Center for three years;

 

Kendal Cronkhite, a DreamWorks Animation production designer whose credits include the Madagascar films and an Art Center alumna. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree with a major in illustration; and

 

Sam Michlap, a DreamWorks Animation production designer and visual development artist and one of the co-curators of DreamWorlds. He is a former Art Center guest instructor.

 

The Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Friday evenings to 9 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.artcenter.edu/williamson/ or contact the gallery at 626.396.2397.

 

DreamWorlds has been made possible through the support of DreamWorks Animation, the Williamson Gallery Patrons, and the Pasadena Art Alliance. The exhibit was organized by Angela Lepito, production manager of artistic development and training at DreamWorks Animation, and curated by Stephen Nowlin, vice president and director of the College’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, in collaboration with Sam Michlap, production designer at DreamWorks Animation; Ann Field, chair, and Aaron Smith, associate chair, of the illustration department at Art Center. Assistance for the show was provided by Beverly Herman, DreamWorks Animation Archivist, and Brian Smith, Production Supervisor of Research & Library, also of DreamWorks Animation.

The Board of Trustees of Art Center College of Design announced today that Robert C. Davidson Jr. has been elected board chairman. His appointment continues a new era of leadership at the College, following the announcement of a new president in October 2009.

 

Davidson is the first African-American to serve as board chairman at Art Center, and among the first African-Americans to assume Board leadership of a member institution within the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.

 

Mr. Davidson has served on the Board since 2004. Most recently, he served as chair of Art Center’s Presidential Search Committee, tasked with finding a new president and chief executive officer for the College, which resulted in the appointment of Dr. Lorne M. Buchman to that role. Mr. Davidson has also served on the Board’s Executive, Audit and Governance Committees, the latter of which he has chaired since 2007.

 

In making the announcement, outgoing Board Chairman John P. Puerner said, “Elevating Art Center to a place of new leadership has been rewarding. I am pleased to pass the torch to Bob, who has proven to be a valuable asset to the College and is sure to help maintain Art Center’s leadership position in art and design education.”

 

Mr. Davidson said, “It is an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve as board chairman for an institution as distinguished as Art Center. As the College celebrates its 80th anniversary, it is with a sense of excitement and renewed commitment that we will partner with Lorne to help Art Center achieve new levels of greatness.”

 

Dr. Buchman said, “I had the great privilege of getting to know Bob during the presidential search process. He proved to be deeply committed to Art Center and dedicated to helping me establish a clear vision for the College, engaging students, faculty and the entire Art Center community in imagining the future of art and design education.”

 

Dedicated to community involvement, Mr. Davidson sits on the board of a number of other organizations, including Morehouse College, where he serves as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees; Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.; Broadway Federal Bank; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; The White House Fellows Commission; the University of Chicago Graduate School Advisory Council. He is also vice chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Brain and Lung Tumor and Air Pollution Foundation.

 

Previously, Davidson was a director of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles; Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; Rebuild L.A.; Museum of Contemporary Art; Charles Drew University School of Medicine; Armory Center for the Arts; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; the African/American Museum of Art; Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles; Fulcrum Venture Capital Corporation; Los Angeles Urban League; and the Planning Commission for the City of Pasadena.

 

Among the many honors Mr. Davidson has received are the Man of the Year Award from the March of Dimes, the Bennie Award for Leadership from Morehouse College, the president’s residence at Morehouse College named in his honor, the Father of the Year Award from the American Diabetes Association, the Ronald H. Brown Award , the Raoul Wallenberg Save the Children Award from the Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem, Black Businessman of the Year from the Los Angeles Chapter of the Black MBA Association and Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year from the National Association of Investment Companies.

 

Mr. Davidson is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Surface Protection Industries, which he founded in 1978, and which became one of the top African American-owned manufacturing companies in California. Previously, he co-founded and served as vice president of the Urban National Corporation, a private venture capital firm that raised over $10 million for investments into minority-controlled businesses.

 

Mr. Davidson received a B.S. from Morehouse College, earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from Morehouse College. Pasadena residents, Mr. Davidson and his wife, Faye, are the parents of three sons: Robert III, John Roderick and Julian.

 

About Art Center Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for its ties to industry, Art Center is the first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, providing opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's 80-year history, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society.

An artistic collaboration between NASAimages.org and Art Center College of Design has given rise to a beautiful, awe-inspiring new web feature designed to appeal to science and art aficionados alike.  

NASAImages.org is drawing on its vast online archive, which contains more than 50 years of NASA-related media, and presenting it to the public in a whole new way.  A series of online exhibitions assembled by leading professionals invited from the fields of science, education, art, entertainment, business, and academia, the new “Guest Showcase” will feature new thematic selections from the NASAImages.org collection each month.  

The inaugural Guest Showcase, entitled Things That Float and accessible online via http://williamsongallery.net/nasaimages, debuted January 18, 2009.  It is the work of Stephen Nowlin, an Art Center College of Design vice president and director of the college’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery.

“This has been a unique opportunity, and I am honored to have been invited to join this distinguished project,” says Nowlin. “The NASA Images archive is spectacular, rich in imagery, and exhaustive in depth.  It was a dream assignment.”

For his Guest Showcase, Nowlin created a six-minute long video slideshow with an audio component—the accompaniment of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune (Moonlight).

In his curator’s statement, Nowlin says, “As a native Earthling, bred and raised with an awe-threshold heavily influenced by our terra-firma existence, I remain captivated by how big things stuck to the surface down here can hover like floating poetry up there in the blackness of space.”  

In the forward-looking educational world of Art Center, the very definition of design has come to mean multi-disciplinary innovation at the nexus of art and science – design in the service of positive change for humanity.  

“Images can embody persuasive ideas and objects can be tools for solving problems,” says Nowlin, “and when you are able to communicate ideas and overcome problems, you can make change.  Images and objects can be beautiful, but good design is only a very little about decorating the world – it is a very lot about helping to change the world.”

About NASA Images
NASA Images (http://www.nasa.gov) and the Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org), a non-profit digital library based in San Francisco, to bring public access to the largest source of NASA’s image, video, and audio collections in a single, searchable resource.  The site contains everything from classic photos to educational programming and HD video, and is growing all the time as it continues to gain both new and archived media from all of NASA’s centers.

The development of nasaimages.org is intended to promote education and facilitate scholarship in math and the sciences at all levels, and to build general interest and excitement around space exploration, aeronautics, and astronomy.

About the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery
The Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design has established a national reputation for its ongoing series of exhibitions exploring the boundaries, relationships, and perspectives of art and science.   The invitation from NASA Images comes on the heels of two recent exhibitions:  OBSERVE, a collaboration with the NASA/JPL Spitzer Science Center which brought artists and astronomers together to produce original works of art; and TOOLS, an exhibition about the historical relationship between humans and their tools which drew objects from the domains of art, science, natural and cultural history. For Google links to the Williamson Gallery art/science programs, visit http://xrl.us/gallerylinks.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design (http://www.artcenter.edu) is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College’s almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

Art Center College of Design has appointed Karen Hofmann—heralded as one of the Most Admired Educators of 2010 by DesignIntelligence—to the position of Department Chair, Product Design, it was announced today by Acting Chief Academic Officer Nik Hafermaas.

In making the announcement, Mr. Hafermaas said, “Karen has proven to be excellent at creating innovative curriculum and defining new strategies that benefit the entire College. Her leadership will help assure Art Center continues its ranking as one of the top schools for product design.”

“As an alumna and longtime faculty member, I am deeply committed to uphold the great legacy and strengths of the Product Design Department at Art Center,” Ms. Hofmann said. “At the same time, I feel a great sense of responsibility to prepare our young designers as creative citizens of the 21st century and will evolve the program to best prepare our students for meaningful careers that will have a positive impact on the world.”

“Karen was chosen from a rich and accomplished international group of applicants,” said a spokesperson for the committee that spearheaded the College’s search for a Product Design Chair. “Her vision and passion displayed a keen sense for the future of product design and the committee believes that she exhibits both a clear and compelling vision for the Department and the leadership qualities necessary to bring them about.”

DesignIntelligence, published by the Design Futures Council, recently named Ms. Hofmann one of the Most Admired Educators of 2010 for exemplifying excellence in design education leadership. The selection was made with extensive input from hundreds of design professionals, academic department heads and students.

For the time being Ms. Hofmann will continue in her role as Director of the Color, Materials and Trends Exploration Laboratory (CMTEL) at the College. Since the lab’s founding in 2006, Ms. Hofmann has worked with founding partners Nokia Corporation and Avery Dennison to develop CMTEL as a College-wide resource, creating a unique educational program around color, materials and trends. Ms. Hofmann also developed DesignStorms, one- to three-day immersive projects in which students, faculty and professionals from participating sponsoring companies—such as Disney, Faurecia, Nestlé, SanDisk and Volkswagen —collaborate and innovate around a material technology or future market opportunity.

An instructor in Art Center’s Industrial Design department for the last eight years, Ms. Hofmann was named Acting Chair of the Product Design Department in 2008. She has been instrumental in developing the department’s strategy and curriculum, integrating new design research processes, forming an industrial design foundation program, promoting sustainable design courses and launching innovative educational models. Her focus in the classroom is teaching design and market research processes and translating that research into concepts. She is also a leading faculty member for the College’s Transdisciplinary Studio projects, identifying and defining vision-casting projects with numerous sponsors including Honda, Johnson Controls, Nestlé, Nokia, Panasonic and Samsung.

Throughout her career, Ms. Hofmann has been instrumental in recognizing and translating relevant social and cultural trends, defining projects and processes that influence advanced initiatives, and inspiring development teams to think different about their product experiences.

Prior to joining Art Center’s faculty, Ms Hofmann served as senior project consultant with o2studio, a design strategy and research consultancy focusing on color, material and trends. Clients included Milliken Automotive, Nokia and Plantronics. She began her career at Johnson Controls, ultimately serving as strategic research manager in the consumer research department of the company’s Automotive Systems Group.

Ms. Hofmann graduated from Art Center in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in product design and holds a bachelors’ degree in psychology from California State University, Northridge in 1990.

Ms. Hofmann assumes the role of Department Chair, Product Design, effective January 1, 2010.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, Calif., Art Center College of Design (artcenter.edu) is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center challenges students through a transdisciplinary curriculum that explores socially responsible, creative and design-based solutions to real-world issues. During the College’s 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

Art Center College of Design will award two-dozen Public Programs scholarships during the 2009 L.A. Auto Show, it was announced today by Stewart Reed, Chair of the College’s Transportation Design Department.

Art Center will conduct a daily contest during the L.A. Auto Show’s public days from December 4 through 13, 2009, asking entrants to meet design challenges established by the Transportation Design Department. At the conclusion of each day of the show, a jury of Art Center students, faculty and alumni will judge the entries and award one Art Center at Night scholarship and one Saturday High scholarship to the two individuals that display the most aptitude for Transportation Design. Challenge themes will include “Dream Cars,” “Cars of the Future,” and “Public Transit.” The contest is open to those aged 14 to 24 years.

“We are pleased to again partner with the L.A. Auto Show to provide this unique opportunity to inform the public about our Transportation Design program, and to showcase the talented students and successful alumni involved with Art Center,” Mr. Reed said in making the announcement. “Our location in Southern California—near so many advanced automotive design studios as well as companies leading the emerging fields of new mobility and alternative energy—offers distinct advantages, including access to many professional designers who serve as part-time faculty and guest speakers, as well as opportunities for internships.”

Mr. Reed continued, “This year we’re making a concentrated effort to encourage young people—especially those from underserved communities—to think about careers in transportation design and to show them these jobs are attainable. Many of our alumni got their start by taking Art Center at Night and Saturday High classes, and by offering scholarships to these programs we want to give students the stepping stones they need to pursue a formal education.”

In 2009, Art Center College of Design again has a significant presence at the L.A. Auto Show. The Art Center exhibit will feature prominent alumni talking with prospective students and conducting demonstrations throughout the show’s public days. Participating Art Center alumni include, Rodrigo Camus TRAN ’05, Camus Design; Jason Castriota TRAN ’00, Stile Bertone; Jae Min TRAN ’94, Volkswagen; Dave Marek TRAN ’87, Honda; Freeman Thomas TRAN ’83, Ford; Mike Tsay TRAN ’92, Honda; and Franz Von Holzhausen TRAN ’92, Tesla Motors.

“Art Center offers more than an opportunity to draw cool cars. The College taught me to look at the entire spectrum of Transportation Design, from alternative fuels to safety concerns to the innovative use of materials. I learned to question things at Art Center: Does a car need four wheels or a metal body? It can all be improved upon,” said Camus. “Since graduating from Art Center, I’ve designed an electric vehicle for ZAP, automotive interiors for the new Fiat 500 and now I work on an array of industrial design projects in my own international design studio based in Mexico City.”

Mr. Camus continued, “I’ve found plenty of talent and ambition in Mexico, but we simply lack resources to develop those talents. It’s important to me to support Art Center in its efforts to reach people around the world who might not otherwise consider a career in art and design and give them the opportunity to succeed. I would add that Latin Americans bring a unique perspective to the design approach, which in turn gives added value to the vehicles, products and environments they create.”

Current students and faculty, many of whom will be conducting demonstrations themselves, will also staff Art Center’s exhibit and be available to answer questions about their experiences and about the programs available young people. On display will be student and alumni work, including two full-scale vehicles designed by well-known alumni.

Public Programs at Art Center
Art Center’s Public Programs provides people from across Southern California access to exceptional instruction, facilities and networking opportunities in courses that reflect the same high standards, rigor and professional relevance found in the College’s degree programs. Art Center at Night allows adults new to the creative process, as well as art and design professionals, an opportunity to take college-level courses with an eye toward expanding their creative and career opportunities. Saturday High gives high school students (grades 9—12) an opportunity to explore their creativity and learn about career opportunities in the fields of art and design. Art Center’s Public Programs also include Art Center for Kids (grades 4—8) and Design-Based Learning for K-12 educators.

Transportation Design at Art Center
No educational institution has made a greater impact on the automobile industry than Art Center College of Design. Founded in 1948, the Transportation Design program continues to serve as the best educational environment for designers seeking to revolutionize transportation design, from motorcycles, marines and aircrafts, to commercial transport, personal mobility and public transit. By emphasizing key topics such as sustainable mobility and the implications of product life cycle, students not only gain fluency in drawing and modeling skills, but also develop an understanding of things such as vehicle architecture and aerodynamics.

It is estimated that more than half the world’s car designers are Art Center graduates, currently holding top design positions at the studios of Pinanfarina, Ferrari-Maserati, Ford, General Motors, Daimler/Chrysler, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volvo, Nissan, Aston Martin, Hummer, Mazda, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen North America and at independent studios such as Fisker Automotive and Tesla Motors.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design (artcenter.edu) is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center challenges students through a transdisciplinary curriculum that explores socially responsible, creative and design-based solutions to real-world issues. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

Art Center College of Design will commemorate a historic mural created by artist Keith Haring on the 20th anniversary of his visit to the College and in recognition of World AIDS Day on November 30, it was announced today by Art Center President, Lorne Buchman.  

In 1989, the prolific artist and social activist Keith Haring visited Art Center College of Design and painted an interior mural, which still hangs in the Colleges’ landmark building. Having spent the last few months of his life painting murals at colleges, universities and other educational institutions, Haring was invited to Art Center by renowned interpretative illustrator Phil Hays, who at the time was Chair of the College’s Illustration Department.  Painted over the course of two days, the mural was intended to be a “permanent memorial to members of the art community who have died of AIDS and also serve as a symbol of hope and compassion.” Haring passed away two months later from AIDS-related complications in February 1990.

In making the announcement, Dr. Buchman said, “Keith Haring has had a lasting impact on the art world through the creation of images that have come to symbolize hope, love and endurance. Art Center is fortunate to have a mural of such importance to educate our students and inspire their creativity.”

In recognition of Haring’s lasting contribution to the College and in celebration of World AIDS Day, faculty member Ramone Munoz asked students to take visual themes from the mural and use them in creating posters to educate youth and society at large about safe sex and the tragic loss of life and inestimable talent due to this disease. The posters were created as part of Art Center’s Communication Design 2 class, which examines messaging in different contexts.

The posters will be exhibited throughout the week, beginning on November 30 with a reception honoring the late artist and celebrating World AIDS Day.  Also on view will be a small selection of photographs and archival video footage of Haring.  The College library will display a series of books and articles about Haring and have a special listening station set-up for visitors to hear about the mural in Haring’s own voice—recorded from a lecture he gave at Art Center upon the mural’s completion. As part of the tribute, all attendees are invited to tie ribbons emblazoned with the names of friends and relatives who have died from HIV/AIDS in front of the mural.

Himself an Art Center student at the time, Mr. Munoz said, “Haring was an inspiration to everyone at the College. Even in failing health his energy seemed boundless, he was very generous in sharing his ideas and signing anything students gave him.  Some have referred to Haring’s mural as the heart of Art Center’s Hillside Campus and 20 years later the mural still pulsates with his message of hope that a cure for AIDS will someday be found.”

“Keith was a friend and an inspiration to me at the end of his life,” said Ann Field, current Chair of Art Center’s Illustration Department. “His message of hope and joy in creativity is as fresh today as when he burst onto the scene.”

Observed December 1 each year, World AIDS Day was launched by the United Nations’ Global Program on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS) in 1988 to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.  In 1997, UNAIDS created the World AIDS Campaign (worldaidscampaign.org) to focus on year-round communications, prevention and education.

*** The Keith Haring tribute reception will take place Monday, November 30 at 6:00 p.m. at Art Center’s James Lemont Fogg Memorial Library, located at 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena, California. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, members of the public may contact the Office of Public Relations at 626.396.2338.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience.  The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center challenges students through a transdisciplinary curriculum that explores socially responsible, creative and design-based solutions to real-world issues. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

Renowned photographer and director Matthew Rolston will take part in a lively conversation with celebrity journalist Merle Ginsberg at Art Center College of Design, it was announced today by Dennis Keeley, Chair of the College’s Photography and Imaging Department. Serving as a theme throughout the evening will be beautyLIGHT, a spectacular collection of Rolston’s photographs captured from the past 20 years.

 

Widely recognized as one of the leading photographers and directors of his generation, Matthew Rolston’s imagery has helped define today’s aesthetics of celebrity and beauty photography. Whether in print or on television, Rolston’s work truly embodies modern glamour.

 

In making the announcement, Mr. Keeley said, “Mathew is internationally recognized as one of the most noted fashion, beauty and celebrity photographers of the twentieth century. As this twenty first century unfolds, we find him continuing as one of the leaders in photography’s ever greater prominence in media and culture. His continued involvement with Art Center has benefited the Photography and Imaging Department greatly.”

 

Rolston studied illustration, photography and film at Art Center, an institution that he continues to avidly support.  In 1998, he endowed the “Matthew Rolston Scholarship for Photography and Film,” and in 2008, Rolston renewed his support for the scholarship, adding the very special privilege of mentoring its recipients.  In August 2006, Art Center awarded Rolston an honorary doctorate for his contributions to the field of photography.

 

Art Center President Lorne M. Buchman, said, “We seek to provide our students an affordable education and Matthew’s scholarship helps us to meet this important objective.  More than merely providing funds, Matthew’s scholarship and mentorship sends a clear message that he and the College are committed to our students and the promising future that lies ahead of them as professional photographers.”

 

Renowned for his influential lighting techniques, Rolston has helmed award-winning music videos for artists as diverse as Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé Knowles and even Marilyn Manson, as well as print and television campaigns for a wide variety of internationally recognized brands, including Campari, Bacardi, L’Oreal, Revlon, Esteé Lauder, Clairol, Pantene, Gap and Polo Ralph Lauren.

 

Spanning a spectrum from vampish intrigue to retro glamour, beautyLIGHT offers a unique series of photographic portraits by Matthew Rolston. With painterly skill, Andy Warhol's protégé combines elements of style, staging, light and color to create indelible impressions of some of the world’s most scintillating and talented people, such as Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek. Rolston's photographs build a stage for his characters, imbuing them with the iconic power of vintage Hollywood at its peak. His distinctive work has been featured in such leading publications as Interview, Harper's Bazaar and Rolling Stone, among many others.

 

Matthew Rolston will speak at Art Center College of Design on Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the College’s Ahmanson Auditorium, located at 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena, California. Seating for the general public has reached maximum capacity, however journalists may contact the Office of Public Relations at 626.396.2251 to request special access and interview availability.

 

 

 

 

Images for Human Rights: Student Voices, a provocative exhibition exploring young artists’ perspectives on the issues of freedom and human rights, will be on display at the Skirball Cultural Center from October 13, 2009 through March 14, 2010. Organized by Art Center College of Design, this exhibition features more than a dozen large-scale, illustrated posters created by Art Center students. Admission to the exhibition is free to all visitors.
 
The exhibition was designed in 2008 to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in Paris in 1948. The historic document arose out of the tragedies of World War II and is modeled after the United States Constitution. Co-written by Eleanor Roosevelt, among other dignitaries, it represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are entitled, and has been adopted as a model for state charters around the world.

Images for Human Rights: Student Voices displays fresh interpretations of the declaration’s many principles, encouraging viewers to reflect upon its continuing significance. Taking such declarations as “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude” (Article 4), “No one shall be subjected to torture” (Article 5), or “Everyone has the right to education” (Article 26), the artists were challenged to represent these assertions through visual images. Each poster is accompanied by the text of the article(s) that inspired it, as well as insightful commentary by the student.

Sample works include Sharon Levy’s Sweatshop Sally, which adopts the commercial language of toy product packaging: a doll with a sewing machine appears below the advertising slogan “Collect them all! Over 240 Million Child Laborers World Wide!!” Christopher Cosek grapples with the phenomenon of child warriors in his poster, depicting a soldier, hand-drawn as if by a child, along with the statement “An estimated 300,000 children serve as soldiers worldwide. Some are as young as 8 years old.” Ani Gevorgian’s Right to Bare Arms shows two hands entwined, each a different skin color, to illustrate that “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race” (Article 2), while also addressing the controversial Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Of her work, Gevorgian writes, “There can be no justice when there is discrimination. As artists, we have the tools to make a difference through images.”

Images for Human Rights: Student Voices was developed by a multidisciplinary team of Art Center students in the College’s Illustration Department and developed by Designmatters, Art Center’s social and humanitarian educational initiative. The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of France Los Angeles Exchange (FLAX), a Los Angeles–based cultural organization dedicated to fostering a better understanding of France through public art events that promote cross-cultural learning. The exhibition premiered in the summer of 2008 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, and was subsequently presented at Pasadena Central Library.

At the Skirball, Images for Human Rights: Student Voices is presented to complement the exhibitions Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956–1968; Breach of Peace: Photographs of Freedom Riders by Eric Etheridge; and An Idea Called Tomorrow, organized by the California African American Museum (CAAM) and on view both at CAAM and the Skirball. Together these four exhibitions explore issues of freedom, justice, and peace.


Visiting the Skirball
The Skirball Cultural Center is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 (exit 405 Freeway at Skirball Ctr Dr). Parking is free. The Skirball is also accessible by Metro Rapid Bus 761. Museum hours: Tuesday–Friday 12:00–5:00 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays and holidays, including November, 26, December 25, and January 1. Admission to Images for Human Rights: Student Voices is free to all visitors. Admission to other exhibitions is as follows: $10 General; $7 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children over 12; $5 Children 2–12. Exhibitions are always free to Skirball Members and Children under 2. Museum admission is free to all visitors on Thursdays. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit www.skirball.org. The Skirball is also home to Zeidler’s Café, which serves innovative California cuisine in an elegant setting, and Audrey’s Museum Store which sells books, contemporary art, music, jewelry, and more.

About the Skirball
The Skirball Cultural Center is dedicated to exploring the connections  between 4,000 years of Jewish heritage and the vitality of American democratic ideals. It welcomes and seeks to inspire people of every ethnic and cultural identity. Guided by our respective memories and experiences, together we aspire to build a society in which all of us can feel at home. The Skirball Cultural Center achieves its mission through educational programs that explore literary, visual and performing arts from around the world; through the display and interpretation of its permanent collections and changing exhibitions; through an interactive family destination inspired by the Noah’s Ark story; and through outreach to the community.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has honored Art Center College of Design alumnus Michael Sucsy with six Emmy® Awards, it was announced today by Robert Petersen, Chair of the College’s Graduate Broadcast Cinema Department.

With the most nominations of any other made for television movie this year, Grey Gardens—the first feature film directed by Art Center alumnus Michael Sucsy—is the recipient of six Primetime Emmy® Awards, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie. Grey Gardens tells the story of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ relatives "Big Edie" Beale and her daughter "Little Edie," who forged a unique bond while living in a ramshackle East Hampton mansion.

In making the announcement Mr. Petersen said, “As a first-time filmmaker, Michael’s best picture award, on top of having more nominations than any other television movie, represents a true collaborative filmmaking project. Beyond the individual talents Michael brought to Grey Gardens, the number of talented collaborators an alumnus of the College was able to bring on board his first feature film is inspiring.

“The core of the Graduate Broadcast Cinema program at Art Center has been designed to encourage and support the formation of multiple-discipline filmmaking teams such as Michael’s to develop and create films that go well beyond traditional collaborations” Petersen continued. “We give our students complete creative freedom in development and choice of visual and conceptual content.”

“The Graduate Broadcast Cinema program prepares you in slightly different ways than a traditional film program,” said Mr. Sucsy. “At Art Center, I learned more than the technical aspects of filmmaking—I learned the art of filmmaking, and that really helped me execute my personal vision for Grey Gardens.”

Art Center alumnus Greg Whiteley, producer and director of Resolved, was also recognized by the Academy with two News & Documentary Emmy® nominations, including Outstanding Information Programming (Long Form) and Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Editing. In Resolved, the fascinating intricacies of high school debate give way to a portrait of the equally complex racial and class divide in American education. Like Mr. Sucsy, Mr. Whiteley’s first major project, the documentary New York Doll, also received critical acclaim and significant award nominations, including its nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.  

About Art Center College of Design Film Graduates
Award-winning Art Center film program graduates are prominent within the entertainment industry as writers, directors, producers, executive producers, directors of photography, production designers, editors and visual effects artists in all areas of theatrical and television film, theatre, commercials, documentary and educational films, and music videos.

Acclaimed graduates include: Roger Avary, Aaron Barnes, Michael Bay, Monte Bramer, Doug Claybourne, Don Burgess. Larry Fong, Valerie Gordon-Johnson, Tom Hammel, Shelly Johnson, Michael Karp, Rolf Kesterman, Farhad Mann, Adam Massey, Ron Osborn, Damon O'Steen, Josh Senter, Jennifer Shainin, Zack Snyder, Michael Sucsy, Tarsem, Randy Walker and Greg Whiteley.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for its ties to industry, Art Center is also the first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, providing opportunities for students to develop creative and design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society.

One Colorado’s bi-annual Art + Design Open Market will take place on Sunday, October 4, 2009, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. The one day event will host more than 100 artists from Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College selling their work in the central Courtyard and in the surrounding pedestrian alleys. The event is presented in part by KPCC 89.3 FM and Pasadena Now.
 
The Open Market provides a rare opportunity for the public to interact with emerging and established artists from Pasadena’s leading cultural institutions. It is especially notable that any purchases go directly to participating artists, thereby supporting individual careers and artistic expression.  In addition, artists are on hand to interact with the public and discuss the creative process behind their works.  
 
Since its launch in 2003, the Open Market has provided visibility for more than 600 artists, and has served as a destination for thousands of art collectors and appreciators.  Participating institutions include Pasadena City College, which focuses on painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography and illustration, and Art Center College of Design, which has a long legacy of graduating artists and designers who have significantly influenced our culture.  Art Center’s participating students, faculty and alumni stem from a variety of the College’s art and design disciplines including fine art, illustration, photography, transportation design, graphics, product design, film and entertainment design.  

PUBLIC: For further information, please visit www.onecolorado.com or call 626.564.1066.

MEDIA: The media is asked to please call Robin Faulk (One Colorado), 626.844.8855, robinfaulk@att.net for photos and/or interviews.

The Pasadena Arts Council (PAC), managing partner of the innovative Art + Ideas Festival, has announced the lineup of activities for the fifth biennial fall festival entitled “Origins.” The festival, which will be held at various venues throughout the city from October 23 through November 9, 2009, is a multi-media collaborative of cutting-edge Pasadena arts, science, and cultural organizations.

“Pasadena is an incredibly rich nexus of arts, culture and science, so collaborating on an idea-based festival comes naturally to the partner institutions,” said Terry LeMoncheck, PAC Executive Director.

This year's Festival includes a full array of theater, dance, music, visual art, poetry, film, interactive workshops and children’s performances, as well as its popular “Ideas” component, a series of discussions and debates hosted by PAC and other partners. The various events are woven together by the Festival's theme, “Origins,” paying homage to Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday.  

“Our theme is about much more than evolution in the strict sense – it’s about exploring the idea of ‘the beginning,’ because as humans we have this need to understand how things started, where they come from,” said LeMoncheck. “Exploring beginnings helps us take a peek into the future as well.”

Highlights of the 2009 Festival include the world premiere of the Theatre @ Boston Court’s God Save Gertrude, a musical examining the origins of political dissent; Family Stories: Sharing a Community’s Legacy at Pasadena Museum of History, inspiring reflection on one’s own family’s origins; and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope Science Center/One Colorado’s exploration of the origins of the universe including scientific demonstrations, “Ask an Astronomer,” and spectacular cosmic imagery. 

Partner organizations presenting  include: Armory Center for the Arts; Brehm Center at Fuller Theological Seminary; Boston Court Performing Arts Center; Gamble House; Huntington Library; Lineage Dance; One Colorado; Pasadena City College; Pasadena Museum of California Art; Pasadena Museum of History; Pasadena Public Library; Pasadena Symphony; Shumei Arts Council; Spitzer Science Center at Caltech; Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design.

A large percentage of the Art + Ideas events will be FREE. Tickets for some events will be sold separately at the venue. Please visit the individual Festival partner websites through our Festival Partners & Programs page for detailed information.

For complete information and a comprehensive list of all events, visit www.artideasfestival.org.

ABOUT PAC: The Pasadena Arts Council is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that provides resources, programs and services to artists, arts and cultural organizations, audiences, young people and visitors to Pasadena. The agency offers an independent voice for promoting a vibrant cultural community by facilitating, empowering and advocating for the arts.

Five-time Academy Award nominee and American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award winner Allen Daviau, ASC, has joined Art Center College of Design's undergraduate film department's part-time faculty. Mr. Daviau will be teaching a Master Class in Cinematography.

In making the announcement, Ross LaManna, Chair, Undergraduate Film said, "We are delighted that our students will have this extraordinary opportunity. Having an artist of Allen's caliber teach a master cinematography class is emblematic of what makes the Art Center Film program so unique. We believe visual storytelling skills are taught best by those doing the best work themselves."

Mr. Daviau's credits as Director of Photography include Amblin', E.T. The Extraterrestrial, The Falcon and the Snowman, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Avalon, Bugsy, Fearless, Congo, The Astronaut's Wife, Van Helsing, and many others.

Other honors include a BAFTA Award, two ASC Cinematography Awards, and the Art Directors' Guild Distinguished Career Award.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

Separated United Forms, a public art installation commissioned by the City of Pasadena and created by sculptor David Schafer in collaboration with Art Center College of Design and the Norton Simon Museum, was unveiled today at Huntington Pavilion, an outpatient facility being developed by Pacific Medical Buildings on the campus of Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.

For the commissioned piece, Schafer was granted special access to the Norton Simon Museum's vast collections and given permission, by both the Norton Simon Art Foundation and the Henry Moore Foundation, to appropriate Henry Moore's Reclining Form (1966). Schafer scanned the small, original two-piece marble artwork using digital imaging technology made available by Art Center College of Design, where he served as a faculty member in the Fine Art Department for nearly a decade. He then digitally manipulated the forms by scaling, rotating, superimposing and doubling. The result is Separated United Forms, a major sculptural project that encompasses two large-scale cast bronze sculptures, each measuring over 7' x 12' atop a 20' x 40' concrete platform illuminated at night with eight in-ground luminaries.

Henry Moore (1898-1986) is well known for monumentalizing the abstracted human form for public, outdoor and sited works of art. Working within certain conventions of monumental outdoor sculpture popularized by Moore, Schafer's project also engages a complex set of conceptual issues including appropriation and digital sampling.

The City of Pasadena supports public art as the perfect medium for illustrating the broad range of cultural expression practiced in the Pasadena community. The goal of the Pasadena Public Art Program is to create an accessible collection of contemporary art that celebrates the human spirit and condition, thereby encouraging dialogue, understanding and enjoyment of public art. In support of these efforts, Schafer thoughtfully placed the sculptures in a landscaped setting with park benches, making the site easily accessible by the public.

"I really wanted to engage the community on multiple levels," Schafer said. "I'm interested in the idea that visitors viewing the sculpture at the Huntington Pavilion might be prompted to visit the Norton Simon and study the relationship between sculpture and the human body. Visitors might also consider how the same 3D software and scanning technology used to create 'Separated United Forms' is used at the Huntington Pavilion to analyze medical conditions and at Art Center to create other works of art."

Laurence Dreiband, Chair of the Fine Art Department at Art Center College of Design, said, "David's use of 3D imaging technology in creating his work is an excellent example of how contemporary artists can take advantage of tools developed for industry, and outside typical artistic practice, to expand our ideas of art. Art Center students, through interdisciplinary classes like Digital Constructions, have regular access to this cutting edge technology--something most other art schools can't offer--expanding their personal artistic vision."

"We were intrigued by David Schafer's proposition to pay homage to Moore's piece in the Norton Simon collections," says Norton Simon Museum Chief Curator Carol Togneri. "What a pleasure it has been to watch his work take shape--from its creative inception, to small scale model, to its ultimate setting in the new Huntington Pavilion. The final sculpture is very much Schafer's own, but reflects the artist's respectful reverence and admiration for Moore."

In conjunction with the public art installation, Separated United Forms, a publication is being produced to document the project. The book will feature essays by the artist and noted art critic Christopher Miles, with a technical overview by Jason Pilarski, co-founder of MachineHistories and a faculty member in the Graduate Media Design program at Art Center College of Design. Mitchell Kane, Director of the Fine Art Department at Art Center, is designing the publication with photography by Eric Staudenmaier, an architectural photographer and alumnus of the College.

Appropriating from the vocabulary and motifs of Modernism and an array of idiosyncratic subjects, Schafer works across multiple platforms of production including collaborations with architects, graphic designers, voice actors, digital engineers, fabricators, and sound studios. In addition to several temporary public art projects, his work has been displayed in numerous international solo and group exhibitions, showcased in exhibition catalogs, and written about in over a dozen publications. Schafer was a Professor of Fine Art and the Director of the Sculpture and Installation Program at Art Center College of Design from 1998 to 2007, where he received numerous teaching awards. His other teaching experience includes CalArts, Otis College of Art and Design, School of Visual Arts, Cooper Union, Rutgers University and Parsons the New School for Design, where he is currently an Adjunct Faculty member. Schafer received a B.A. from the University of Missouri, Kansas City and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from the University of Texas, Austin. In 1989, Schafer received an award in Sculpture from the National Endowment for the Arts.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's almost 80-year history, Art Center alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

About the Norton Simon Museum
The Norton Simon Museum is known around the world as one of the most remarkable private art collections ever assembled. Over a 30-year period, industrialist Norton Simon (1907-1993) amassed an astonishing collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century, and a stellar collection of South and Southeast Asian art spanning 2,000 years.

About Huntington Pavilion
Pacific Medical Buildings was chosen by Huntington Memorial Hospital to build additional medical office and outpatient services space, including a Breast Center, Cancer Center, Imaging Center, Sleep Center and Ambulatory Surgery Center, providing state-of-the-art healthcare to the Pasadena community. The 190,000-square-foot Huntington Pavilion is the first new outpatient services building to be developed on the hospital's campus in more than 20 years. The multi-level building is a combination of three- and four-story elements featuring twin lobbies and a six-story, 700-space parking structure. The first Huntington Pavilion tenants began seeing patients on June 30, 2009.

About Pacific Medical Buildings
PMB specializes exclusively in the development and management of medical buildings, outpatient facilities and parking structures for hospitals, medical groups and universities. PMB was formed when the senior executives of American Medical Buildings acquired the West Coast division in a management buyout; the newly formed company was named PMB. For more than 37 years, PMB's executives have led the industry in the development and management of medical care buildings, with 75 healthcare facilities constructed to date throughout the Western United States. The firm currently owns and manages more than 30 facilities totaling more than 2.5 million square feet, and has 12 more facilities under development that will total 750,000 square feet with 2,000 structured parking stalls. The San Diego-based firm also has offices in Honolulu; Los Angeles; Phoenix; Vancouver, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Nevada.

You don’t have to be a full-time student to explore your creativity, hone your skills, or prepare for a new career.  That’s the message of Art Center College of Design’s Open House events this summer.

As a global leader in art and design education for nearly eight decades, Art Center is committed to serving as a creative resource not only for traditionally enrolled students, but for the entire community.

Art Center’s many non-degree educational programs—with classes ranging from digital media to costume design to oil painting—invite students of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves and refine their talents.  And there is no better way to investigate the range of open enrollment classes available to the public at Art Center than through one of its many summer Open House events—casual yet mind-opening opportunities to explore the campus, meet instructors (all of whom are art and design professionals), and chat with current students about their artistic accomplishments.

Saturday High Open House (for Teens)   
On Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Art Center’s “Saturday High” program will welcome high school students, parents and art educators to its informal Open House. All Saturday High classrooms will be open to the public, and a list of classes and maps will be available in the student gallery at the Hillside Campus (1700 Lida Street) and in the Public Programs office on South Campus (950 S. Raymond Avenue).

“I am taking a character creation class using the program Maya and we are learning the basics of character creating [and] texturing, along with other things involving Maya.  My teacher, Ali, is a great modeler and helps us a lot when we do have trouble, and answers all of our questions as quickly as she can,” said Evan, age 16, a student in “3D Character Modeling for Gaming.”

Art Center for Kids Open House
On Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 4:00 p.m., Art Center College of Design will welcome elementary and middle school students, parents and educators to its Hillside Campus and its South Campus for exhibitions of fine art, design, and digital media work created by the summer term children.

“I’ve taken ‘Drawing the Clothed Figure’ fives times,” said Art Center for Kids student Christina, age 12. “I thought I knew all there was to know on that subject.  But I learned a lot more things than I expected, made new friends, and had fun.”

Go Beyond: Art Center at Night’s Annual Open House (for Adults)
On Wednesday, August 12, 2009 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Art Center at Night (ACN), the college's continuing studies program, will host an end-of-term Open House/Fall Registration event on its South Campus for prospective students and invited guests.  This special event will showcase Art Center at Night classes and allow prospective students the opportunity to become better acquainted with the possibilities of an Art Center education.  Attendees can:
 

• Visit ACN classes to see student work, sit in on final critiques and presentations, and gain a firsthand impression of the excellent education and portfolio preparation assistance that Art Center at Night students receive;
• Network with peers who are also interested in art and design; and
• Talk to Art Center at Night staff and selected faculty members.

“Not only was I able to change my career, but [Art Center at Night] has given me the confidence to move from freelancing to doing what I want full-time,” said Deanna Lau-Ino who transitioned from the healthcare industry to a position as a print production designer in Disney’s worldwide technical services department. “I hope I’m also setting a good example for my kids.”

The registration period for Art Center at Night’s fall term is August 10 to September 4, 2009.  Classes begin September 8.  For more information about course offerings and schedules, visit http://www.artcenter.edu/atnight.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design (www.artcenter.edu/) is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College’s almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

The Board of Trustees of Art Center College of Design announced today that Lorne M. Buchman has been appointed its President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Buchman, only the fifth president of Art Center since its founding nearly 80 years ago, will take office in October 2009, succeeding Dr. Frank L. Ellsworth, who has served as Interim President of the College since Fall 2008.

Dr. Buchman was unanimously selected by the Board following the enthusiastic recommendation of a committee of faculty members, students, trustees and staff that conducted an international search over the past ten months.

In making the announcement, Board Chairman John P. Puerner said, "I am confident that Lorne will ensure Art Center continues to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment and is able to maintain its leadership position at the center of excellence and innovation in higher education. Our students' experience will be elevated by his balanced approach to learning."

With a wealth of academic leadership experience, Dr. Buchman's presidency of Art Center marks his return to art and design education. Previously, Dr. Buchman served as Provost, then President of California College of Arts and Crafts. There he spearheaded the 1994 strategic plan that led to the creation of its renowned San Francisco campus, and he was instrumental in the success of the historic capital campaign that made the new facility possible. During his tenure at CCA, he also oversaw significant enrollment growth, launched a major public programs initiative, engaged in bold community service initiatives, and diversified the faculty with several new hires. Most recently, Dr. Buchman served as President of Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center where he led the institution in a plan to transform from a graduate school to a multidisciplinary university. A trained theatre director and scholar, he has also held a number of faculty and administrative positions at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of a book on filmic adaptations of Shakespeare's plays.

Upon accepting the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Buchman said, "I'm thrilled to be joining this extraordinary community, and I look forward to the chance to build on its distinctive and distinguished history. Art Center has always been one of the most highly respected independent colleges of art and design in this country, and I couldn't be happier about this opportunity. This is a fabulous moment in my life."

Dr. Buchman serves as Principal and Founder of Buchman Associates, a private consulting firm he established in 2000 whose focus is identifying philanthropic and private investment sources to develop facilities for non-profit organizations. A principal project of Buchman Associates included his work as Executive Director of the highly acclaimed Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley, California, an international center dedicated to disability rights and universal access that will be a home for people with disabilities to live independently and without discrimination.

In addition to his work in higher education, Dr. Buchman is actively involved in community service. He has served on the Board of over a dozen organizations, including Haifa University, Youth Enrichment Strategies, San Francisco Art Institute, Redwood Day School, The San Francisco Jewish Museum and the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival. Dr. Buchman earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University and received a B.A. from the University of Toronto. He is married to Rochelle Shapell, an attorney and professor of law. They have four children.

"With representation from students, faculty, alumni, staff and trustees, the search committee represented a true cross-section of the Art Center community," said Robert C. Davidson, Jr., Trustee and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. "While we considered many outstanding individuals for the position, Lorne emerged as the clear choice to lead Art Center. The entire Art Center community will no doubt benefit from Lorne's deep understanding and appreciation of design and the creative process, and his ability to articulate and implement a strong strategic vision for the College."

Of Dr. Ellsworth's accomplishments, Mr. Puerner said, "Frank has done a remarkable job at moving the College forward during our time of transition and his contributions will have a lasting effect on Art Center. We thank him for his work on behalf of Art Center and wish him continued success in his future endeavors."

About Art Center
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

The Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design, the Pasadena Playhouse and the Pasadena Arts Council have received news that they will be recipients of major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law on February 17, 2009. The funding is to support the preservation of jobs that are threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.

Of 631 arts agencies to receive this funding nationally, 99 California-based organizations have been designated as recipients, and four in Pasadena. The Armory Center for the Arts will receive $50,000 in the Visual Arts category; Art Center College of Design will receive $50,000 in the Design category; Pasadena Playhouse will receive $50,000 for Theater, and Pasadena Arts Council will receive $25,000 in the Local Arts Agencies category.“I am so pleased that the Pasadena Playhouse is among the esteemed arts institutions that have been chosen for this special recognition and support from the NEA,” notes Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps. “Beyond the much-appreciated financial assistance that this grant brings our way, it also recognizes the vitality of the work that is on our stage as well as all of the programs that we do to serve our community. This is an exciting time for the Playhouse because of the strength of our programming, as well as the wonderful addition of Stephen Eich to our staff as Executive Director. The NEA grants are one of the sure signs that the arts in Pasadena are being recognized and rewarded for all of our achievements.”

For media queries about the NEA Recovery grants, visit www.nea.gov/recovery, or contact Victoria Hutter at 202-682-5692 or hutterv@arts.gov.

The Pasadena Arts Council is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization formed in 1964 to provide resources, programs and services to artists, arts and cultural organizations, audiences, young people and visitors to Pasadena. The agency provides an independent voice for promoting a vibrant cultural community by facilitating, empowering and advocating for the arts. For more information about PAC, call 626-793-8171 or visit www.pasadenaartscouncil.org.

It's not just about cars anymore. This year, Art Center College of Design's annual Car Classic event will move beyond the automobile to showcase the best of all forms of transportation that push the boundaries of design.

The world's top transportation designers, collectors and enthusiasts will gather Sunday, July 19, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Art Center's Hillside Campus at 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena to peek into the past as well as view the work of the next generation of transportation visionaries.

The theme of Car Classic '09, "By Air, Land and Sea," invites participants to explore the historic, fruitful relationship between aircraft, watercraft and automotive design, and reflects the broadening scope of Art Center's Department of Transportation Design, which has been graduating leaders in the field for 60 years.

The daylong exhibition will feature more than 100 rare and exotic vehicles, including classic, sports, and custom cars, hot rods, motorcycles, aircraft, and watercraft.

Exhibit Highlights
To kick off the event, at 10:00 a.m. the crowd will be treated to a flyover by aircraft designed by world-renowned aerospace engineer Burt Rutan, who is speaking later in the day. Two more Rutan aircraft--a Vari EZ and a Long EZ-- as well as the black A-Star helicopter used in the television series 24--will be temporarily installed in the Sculpture Garden. Attendees will enjoy additional flyovers throughout the day, including one by Formula One Air Racing champion Nemesis NXT.

Other exciting vehicles on display will include:

• A GM Ultralite concept car designed by Burt Rutan;
• A "Fins and Wings" corral including the original Barris-designed Batmobile and GM Firebird III concept car;
• Amphibious vehicles to include a 1967 Amphicar and a 1944 VW Schwimmwagen;
• Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's flying Rotar car;
• "TV" Tommy Ivo presenting his legendary Barnstormer drag racer;
• A Raymond Loewy exhibit including a 1963 Avanti, a 1960 19-foot Dorsett San Juan Cabin Cruiser, and large-scale models of Loewy's designs for Air Force One, a Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive and a 1950 Greyhound Scenicruiser;
• Rare and exotic motorcycles including a 1928 BMW and a 1956 BMW with sidecar, custom bikes, and the debut of the Polaris "Core" concept bike;
• The unveiling of Blastolene Brothers' new hot rod based on a full-size Peterbilt tractor; and
• Ten rare microcars including Messershmitts, Goggomobiles and a Vespa

Speaker Highlights
The only thing more inspiring than seeing the vehicles may be hearing from the people behind them. Burt Rutan, designer of the record-breaking aircraft Voyager and SpaceShipOne and winner of the 2004 Ansari X-Prize, will deliver the keynote address at Car Classic '09. Rutan is currently preparing to open the doors for sub-orbital space tourism with the launch of the Virgin Galactic spaceline with Sir Richard Branson, and is scheduled to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from Art Center and General Motors Design at the event. Mike Melvill, who piloted SpaceShipOne to win the X-Prize, will be in attendance.

In the afternoon, KABC-TV automotive reporter Dave Kunz will moderate a panel of Art Center graduates who have attained great success designing motorcycles, yachts and aircraft. In addition to leading the automotive studios of Pininfarina, Ferrari-Maserati, Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volvo, Nissan, Aston Martin, Mazda, Toyota/Lexus and Volkswagen North America, Art Center alumni also currently head design teams at Harley Davidson, BMW Motorcycle, Aprilia Motorcycles, MV Augusta Motorcycles, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, Teague, Gulfstream Aerospace, Bombardier, Cessna Aircraft, ICON Aircraft, Lear Jet, Tiara Yachts, Bayliner Boats and Glade Johnson Yacht Design, among others. Alumni on the panel will share examples of their award-winning work and discuss design challenges unique to their industries.

Barry Meguiar, host of Speed Channel's Car Crazy, will once again emcee the awards ceremony, where twelve honors will be presented to vehicles of exceptional design. Awards include seven Design Showcase Awards, three Designers' Choice Awards judged by a stellar panel of professional automotive designers, a Students' Choice Award judged by a team of Art Center's top Transportation Design students, and a People's Choice Award judged by all in attendance.

Car Classic '09 tickets are $60 at the door or $50 online at the Car Classic website. Photographs, press and award information from past years' Car Classic events are available at the Car Classic website.

About Art Center College of Design
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, Art Center College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. Art Center offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of art and design disciplines, as well as public programs for all ages and levels of experience. The first design school to receive the United Nations' Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status, Art Center provides opportunities for students to create design-based solutions for humanitarian and non-profit agencies around the world. During the College's almost 80 years, Art Center's alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live, and important issues in our society today.

This summer, three institutions join their efforts to celebrate a love of reading and the visual aesthetics surrounding the very human act of reading the written word. Art Center College of Design will launch this endeavor with an exhibition of the photographic work of Andre Kertesz. The Armory Center for the Arts will offer children art-making experiences that explore reading. The Pasadena Public Library will feature a photography contest for teens, along with their summer reading club and Try-It @ Your Library camps for teens. In three of the camps, teens will learn and perfect their photography skills.

In its most basic sense, the act of reading remains the same today as it was a century ago. But there are aspects of reading that are unique to this century, to this specific generation and this particular time and space. Through computers, the Internet and other electronic media, humans are reading and acquiring information in ways never imagined 50 years ago, let alone one or two centuries ago. Information, ideas, messages, facts and all manner of vital communication is presented in a written format without ever coming into contact with a human hand. Art Center, the Armory, and the Pasadena Public Library have come together to explore various aspects of reading and what it looked like in the past, what it looks like today, and how reading may possibly manifest in the future.

Andre Kertesz: On Reading
June 26 - August 23, 2009
Andre Kertesz: On Reading is a collection of 104 gelatin-silver photographs by this significant and influential photographer, taken over a 50-year period, beginning in 1925. On view in the Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery at Art Center College of Design, the exhibition highlights Kertesz' signature style of visual poetry and choreography in everyday life. By capturing individuals immersed in the act of reading in a variety of settings--parks, cafes, libraries, rooftops, backstage, street corners, trains, and bookstands--Kertesz uses the activity of reading as a constant motif for his narrative, which weaves in and out of public and private spaces. These observations form an engaging, and often amusing, study of the universal and captivating power of reading. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; and Friday, noon-9 p.m. Williamson Gallery.

Armory Summer Art Classes
July 6 - September 4, 2009
The act of reading often takes us to a visual place, a place we can imagine, visualize and picture. In this way, reading and art share a symbiotic relationship. The Armory's summer studio program offers classes where reading and art come together. Themed classes such as Building Stories for ages 4-5, Storybook Lands for ages 4-5, and Bring Stories to Life for ages 6-9 offer students the experience to combine reading, drama and art while expanding their imaginations through creativity and exploration. Armory Center for the Arts.

Reading in the 21st Century: Photography Contest for Teens!
July 1 - July 22, 2009
Express yourself through the lens of a camera on the subject of "Reading in the 21st Century." Entries will be accepted at all Pasadena Public Library sites July 1 - July 22. Winners will be notified by August 1. Prizes will be awarded: First Prize is $100, Second Prize is $50, Third Prize is $25, and Honorable Mentions receive a $5.00 gift card. Winning entries and Honorable Mentions will be on exhibit at the Central Library during the month of August 2009. Pasadena Public Library.

Andre Kertesz: On Reading is organized by The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College, Chicago. The exhibition tour is organized by Curatorial Assistance, Pasadena, California.