All posts by amt

Parsons Illustration Alum wins 2011 Caldecott Honor

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqB-Jue1oeA]

Parsons Illustration Alum David Ezra Stein has been awarded a 2011 Caldecott Honor for his book, “Interrupting Chicken” (see the trailer above!).  Here’s an excerpt from the official press release:

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in San Diego.

Two Caldecott Honor Books were named: “Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.; and “Interrupting Chicken,” written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein and published by Candlewick Press.
Congratulations to David on this very high honor.

Carol Peligian solo show at Dean Project

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Carol Peligian
Solo-exhibition
Exhibition dates: Through February 12th

Official Press Release!

DEAN PROJECT gallery is thrilled to announce “Sosomuch”, a solo exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Carol Peligian. The exhibition continues Peligian’s alchemical seduction of material possibility: aluminum, oil, enamel, latex are equally employed to generate an altered state existing somewhere between atmosphere and stratosphere. These works alternately confront and quietly elicit questions related to the idea of infinity and existence.

The work’s delicate construction and implacable physicality provide the viewers with a space where the surrounding and the self become one in spirit. The understanding of material/form is evident in each of the works. Moreover, the integrity with which Peligian has approached her subjects, results in a paradoxical visual experience of reality/reassurance and the mystery of the purity of time/space. The juxtaposition of the organic and manufactured as they trade boundaries, make more permeable the borders between the work and the viewer.

Carol Peligian lives and works in New York City. Her drawings and sculptures have been shown in both the United States and Europe. Current work includes a recently installed outdoor public sculpture. Two projects are in proposal, one of which is Mountain of Tears, a Threnody, to be installed on the banks of the Providence River. In 2008-09, she had a solo exhibition, Transfluence. at MOBIA (The Museum of Biblical Art) in New York City. She has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design and has been a faculty member at Parsons School of Design since 1994 where she currently teaches drawing.

Nearly, 2009-10 Rolled and painted aluminum 3.5' and variable dimensions

Congratulations to Carol on this tremendous accomplishment.

Caty Bartholomew interviewed by Groovy Careers

Education, Illustration Faculty, Inspiration, Interviews, , , , , ,

Little Red Riding Executive by Caty Bartholomew

Sophomore Concepts and Toy Design faculty member Caty Bartholomew was recently interviewed by the fine folks over at Groovy Careers. Caty talked about teaching, working as a freelance artist, and how awesome toys are.  Here’s a snippet:

You are an artist and a teacher. What’s the grooviest part of your work? What’s the most fun? It’s a great balance. Being an artist is a pretty solitary experience. Teaching is outward and group-oriented.

Illustrating is great. I love making pictures, creating characters and stories, communicating ideas. It’s rewarding to see my image in print, in The New York Times, or some other magazine or newspaper, knowing how many people will come across it.

How did you get into teaching?

I was feeling very fulfilled in my freelance illustration career, when a teaching job kind of fell in my lap. I agreed to do it because I have a knee-jerk response of “yes!” to almost any career opportunity that comes my way. I was truly surprised to discover how creative teaching can be. Art school is a rich and stimulating environment. The student work is inspiring and I often invite guest artists to come in and talk about their work. I also enjoy creating a curriculum and crafting the exercises and assignments to support my teaching goals.

Last year we made people-size marionettes of some of the characters in Pinocchio and dangled them out of the eighth floor window to the street. We had a great time and bystanders seemed to enjoy the show.

Here’s the link to our class blog: toyconceptsparsons.wordpress.com

Make sure you read the rest of her interview here.  Stay groovy, Caty!

Quick Hit: Pillows designed by Illustration Alum Lindsey Balbierz

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Parsons Illustration Alum Lindsey Balbierz recently contacted us with the following news:

I’m really excited to share with you what I have been working on the past few months: my new illustrated traffic scene pillow designs.

My pillow covers are available for purchase here: http://envelop.eu/shop/designers/p/detail/lindseybalbierz

Congrats, Lindsey.  Fantastic, fun work!

Still time to see the LUV-able + WEAR-able show at gallery hanahou

Class Projects, Current Students, Exhibitions, , , ,

ozarba by juan c. ortiz

Caty Bartholomew’s Toy Concept Development and Design class was happy to be invited to participate in this years LUV-able & HUG-able & WEAR-able show at gallery hanahou. The special challenge was this year’s wearable plush component. Students got very creative, with hats, shawls, brooches and neck pillows, among other wearable items. Congratulations to Juan Ortiz, whose character “Ozarba” was ultimately selected as the finalist to be displayed in the show. There will also be an ongoing slide show in the gallery, of all the students’ submissions.

Character name: Ozarba

Ozarba, came from the Spanish word abrazo, which means hug. I just decided to flip the word backwards. Abrazo= Orzarba. He came from a science lab that experimented on hybrids. Ozarba is the mix of a koala bear, rabbit and a snail. He’s in search to climb on anyone’s back, hold on tight. Hybrids that go wrong need love too. Give Ozarba a chance.

The concept behind my toy creation was to make a toy that was wearable but can have more of a function than an accessory. I chose to create a travel pillow. The toys arms wrap around the neck of the passenger. It will move with the passenger as the may wander around in his/her passenger chair. In doing this it will keep the passenger from having pain or stiff neck.

Congrats to Juan and all the students involved!  Amazing creativity!

Luv-able & Hug-able (and Wearable!): through January 14, 2011

gallery hanahou
611 Broadway, Suite 730, NYC
7th Floor of the Cable Building, NW corner of Broadway + Houston
646-486-6586

 

Lauren Redniss’s new book: Radioactive!

Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, News, Publications, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Associate Professor Lauren Redniss has a new book out!  Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout is an art book comprised of history, love story, and gorgeous imagery.  Here’s what Lauren has to say about the book and her creative process:

To research the book, I traveled to Hiroshima to interview atomic bomb survivors, to the Nevada Test Site outside of Las Vegas to talk with weapons specialists, to Warsaw to see the house where Marie Curie was born, to the Curie Institut in Paris to interview the Curie’s granddaughter. I spoke with an oncologist exploring innovative radiation treatment in San Bernadino, California and the Idaho National Laboratory’s Director of the Center for Space Nuclear Research about how nuclear power and propulsion could enable space exploration and crystal cities built on the moon.

I made the artwork for the book using a process called “cyanotype.” Cyanotype is a camera‐less photographic technique in which paper is coated with light‐sensitive chemicals. When the chemically-treated paper is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, it turns a deep blue color. Photographic imaging was critical to both the discovery of X-rays and of radioactivity, so it made sense to me to use a process based on the idea of exposure to create the images in Radioactive.

You can read more about Lauren’s methods and the book here.  You can grab a copy here, or at any number of fine bookstores.

Lauren will also be taking part in a talk with Nobel Laureate Harold Varmus, MD.  They will discuss Lauren’s work, science, and discovery.  The talk will be Friday, January 21, 2011 – 7:30 PM EST at the NYPL.

New York Public Library
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018-2788

Congratulations on your tremendous accomplishment, Lauren!

“The Wreath: Interpretations” features work by Illustration sophomores

Class Projects, Current Students, Exhibitions, Inspiration, News, , , , , , , , , , ,

[slideshow]

Sophomore Concepts Instructor Wendy Popp sent us the above images and below information about “The Wreath: Interpretations”, which her students created work for.  The event has gotten a ton of positive press.  Here’s Wendy on the project:

Essentially, this is the 28th year of this show. I had my students write proposals and submit sketches. The theme is to interpret – the wreath. I added the parameters to concentrate on a 21st Century issue that they could be passionate about which reflects nature, (since the show is situated just in front of the Zoo and inside Central Park). The students submitted on their own independently and got in on their own merit. Seven got in, but one did not submit the final. Last night was the opening and Commissioner Bebepe commented that this was the best show he had attended and proceeded to comment on 5 of the wreaths our students created! He particularly liked Adrian Smith’s acknowledgment of Eine Sitlle Nacht , which is a very appropriate story to tell in this context.

All of us really stretched our comfort zones with the 3d element, many used other facilities, (woodshop and laser cutting) at Parsons to create their pieces. It was a very satisfying project all around.

Our students participating are Adrian Smith, Vilde Braanaas, Anastasia Ionkin, Richard Pean, Lea Mieret, Abigail Malate.

You can read more about the exhibition in the WNYC article or by watching this YouTube clip from NY1:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrTWWinaJzg]

Congratulations to all the students involved on such a successful project!

“The Wreath: Interpretations”
Arsenal Gallery in Central Park,
Dec 13 – Dec 17,Dec 20 Ending: Thu Jan 06
830 Fifth Ave (at 64th St)

Illustration Alum Rodger Stevens exhibits works at Goose Barnacle

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Goose Barnacle Holiday Reception
Thursday, December 16th, 6:00pm – 9:00pm.

GOOSE BARNACLE presents recent works by Rodger Stevens

Rodger Stevens (b: 1966 in Brooklyn, NY) is a contemporary American artist whose work is known globally for his intricate wire sculptures.

His latest exhibition features wire sculptures – both wall-mounted and suspended from the ceiling, string drawings mounted on wood, and steel plate paintings. The piece that I’m most excited about is one that
Rodger created especially for the Goose Barnacle window.  For this work Rodger adapted elements from our Brooklyn heritage as well as shapes that evoke the nature of Goose Barnacle.

Rodger, graduated from the Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn.  Since then he has attended Pace University, Parsons: The New School for Design, and the School of Visual Arts.

Rodger has exhibited in some amazing places, such as Tiffany & Co., MTV headquarters, the Todd Oldham boutique and the Yohji Yamamoto showroom in SoHo. In recent years he has done commissions for the Whitney Museum, the American Folk Art Museum, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Barney’s, Stuart Weitzman, The Rockwell Group, and the W Hotel.

Goose Barnacle
91 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 855-2694