Category Archives: Illustration Alumni

Illustration Alum Rima Fujita at Museum of Tibetan Art

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Family Program: Himalayan Animal Stories — Compassion for Endangered Species
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
Sunday January 17, 2010 2:30-4:30

Participants will discover the endangered animals of the Himalayas and write and illustrate their own animal story. Artist and Books for Children Founder, Rima Fujita, will read her children’s books including a true story of the Dalai Lama’s dog, and will lead participants in creating their own hand-made books. Recommended ages: 8 – 12. Admission, $10 for adults, $8 for members and children.

_________________________________________

Rima Fujita was born in Tokyo and has lived in New York since 1979. She studied at Parsons School of Design and received her B.F.A. in illustration and painting and has exhibited her work internationally to much acclaim.

In 2001 Rima established Books for Children, an organization that produces children’s books and donates them to orphans and poor children around the world. Her first book, Wonder Talk, was officially selected as recommended reading by the United Nations, and TB Aware has received various awards in the United States.

In 2006 she designed the signature poster for the International Peace Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where she received special recognition from several Nobel Peace Laureates including the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Betty Williams.

Her published books include Simple Meditation, The Little Black Box, Wonder Talk, Wonder Garden and TB Aware. For more information about Rima please visit: www.rimafujita.com

The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art was founded in 1945 to foster awareness and preservation of Tibetan art and culture. Public programs at the Museum are funded, in part, by funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Located at 338 Lighthouse Avenue, the Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM. For further information, please call 718-987-3500 or visit the museum’s website at www.tibetanmuseum.org.

Vote for Guillermo!

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Parsons Illustration Alum Guillermo Riveros (’09) tipped us off (via email) that he’s involved in a photography portfolio contest, hosted by artistswanted.org.  The title of the contest is “The Power of Self,” an international competition celebrating the vitality of self portraiture. A panel of judges including actor Steve Buscemi, director Chris Weitz, Guggenheim curator Helen Hsu and Flavorpill founder Sascha Lewis will award one artist a package of incredible prizes including six months of free living at The Edge in New York City or $7007 in cash. The most popular portfolio as voted by the public will also receive $1,000 cash.

You can view and vote for Guillermo’s portfolio here:

http://www.artistswanted.org/GRiveros

Every vote counts!

Also, make sure to check out more of Guillermo’s work at his website:

www.guillermoriveros.com

Good luck, Guillermo!

Parsons Illustration Faculty featured at Brooklyn Comics & Graphics Festival this weekend!

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PictureBox & Desert Island Present:
The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival
Saturday December 5th 2009: 11 AM – 7 PM
Our Lady of Consolation Church
184 Metropolitan Ave.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Free admission

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival consists of 3 components in 3 nearby locations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn:

-Over 50 exhibitors selling their zines, comics, books, prints and posters in a bustling market-style environment at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 184 Metropolitan Ave.
-Panel discussions and lectures by prominent artists, as well as an exhibition of vintage comic book artwork at Secret Project Robot, 128 River St.
-An evening of musical performances at DBA, 49 S. 2nd St.

In the cozy basement of Our Lady of Consolation Church (184 Metropolitan), exhibitors will display and sell their unique wares. Exhibitors include leading graphic book publisher Drawn & Quarterly of Montreal; famed French screenprint publisher Le Dernier Cri; artist’s book publisher Nieves of Zurich, Switzerland; Italian art book publisher Corraini; master printer David Sandlin; and tons of individual artists and publishers from Brooklyn.

Featured guests include the renowned artists Gabrielle Bell, R. O. Blechman, Charles Burns, Anya Davidson, Kim Deitch, C.F., Carlos Gonzales, Ben Katchor, Michael Kupperman, Gary Panter, Ron Rege Jr., Peter Saul, Dash Shaw, R. Sikoryak, Jillian Tamaki, Adrian Tomine, and Lauren Weinstein, among others.

FESTIVAL GUEST SIGNINGS

184 Metropolitan Ave.

1:00: Jillian Tamaki and Lauren Weinstein

2:00: Matthew Thurber, Ron Rege, Jr., C.F.

3:00: Kim Deitch, R.O. Blechman, Dash Shaw

4:00: Ben Katchor and Gary Panter

5:00: Mark Newgarden, David Sandlin, Lisa Hanawalt

6:00: Gabrielle Bell & R. Sikoryak

The commerce portion of the Festival is partnered with an active panel and lecture program nearby at Secret Project Robot, 5 minutes down the street at 128 River St. This mini symposium will run from 1 to 6 pm and is being overseen by noted comics critic Bill Kartalopolous.

PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE:

Secret Project Robot
128 River St. and Metropolitan

1:00 GARY PANTER & PETER SAUL

Two generations of painters, Gary Panter and Peter Saul, will discuss their shared history, image-making, narrative, and the joys and dilemmas of making difficult work. Moderated by Dan Nadel.

2:00 PANELS AND FRAMES: COMICS AND ANIMATION

Comics and animation operate very differently, yet retain deep historical and stylistic connections. R. O. Blechman, Kim Deitch, and Dash Shaw will discuss the relationship between the two forms with moderator Bill Kartalopoulos.

3:00 BEN KATCHOR

Ben Katchor has chronicled the pleasures of urban decay and other metropolitan phenomena in comics including Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer and The Jew of New York. Katchor will read performatively from his comics and discuss his work in this rare spotlight presentation.

4:00 FLATLANDS: COMICS ON THE PICTURE PLANE

Do comics need a third dimension? Lisa Hanawalt, Mark Newgarden, Ron Regé, Jr., and David Sandlin will consider the tension between comics’ illusionistic worlds and
their status as images on a picture plane. Moderated by Bill Kartalopoulos.

5:00 LIVE COMICS DRAWING

In a one-of-a-kind comics drawing session, Frank Santoro will present Gabrielle Bell and R. Sikoryak with a rough page layout based on his principles of composition and design. These two artists will translate Santoro’s layout into two unique pages of comics, live, before your very eyes.

Also: An exhibition of 1950s original comic book art curated by Dan Nadel

Guest artists:

Gabrielle Bell
R. O. Blechman
Mat Brinkman
Charles Burns
Anya Davidson
Kim Deitch
C.F.
Carlos Gonzales
Ben Katchor
Nora Krug
Michael Kupperman
Mark Newgarden
Gary Panter
Ron Regé, Jr.
Peter Saul
Dash Shaw
R. Sikoryak
Jillian Tamaki
Matthew Thurber
Adrian Tomine
Lauren Weinstein

PERFORMANCES

Death by Audio
49 S. 2nd Street

Finally, at the end of the day visitors can troop over to Death by Audio at 49 S. 2nd Street, for an evening of musical performances by cartoonists, organized by Paper Route, and including performances by Kites, Ambergris, Sam Gas Can, Boogie Boarder, Nick Gazin, Graffiti Monsters, Dubbknowdubb.

The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival

Exhibitors and Artists:

Our Lady of Consolation Church
184 Metropolitan Ave.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
11 AM – 7 PM

Panel Discussions, Lectures & Art Exhibition:

Secret Project Robot
128 River @ corner of Metropolitan Ave.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
1 PM – 6 PM

Musical Performances:

Death by Audio
49 S. 2nd St Between Kent & Wythe
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
9 PM onward

Parsons Alum and Faculty at Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair this Saturday

Events, Illustration Alumni, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, Inspiration, , ,

Children’s Book Fair
Saturday, November 21, 12-4 p.m.
The Rubin Pavilion @ Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum presents the third annual Children’s Book Fair, with more than 30 Brooklyn authors and illustrators.

The fair features storybooks, picture books, and graphic novels and will include author readings, a game for children, and light refreshments.

Readings

1:00 p.m. John & Wendy, authors of Periwinkle Smith and the Twirly, Whirly Tutu

2.00 p.m. Paul Hoppe, author of Hat

3:00 p.m. Tad Hills, author and illustrator of Duck & Goose

Participating Authors and Illustrators

Selina Alko, Gail Ablow and Kathy Osborn, Phil Bildner, Sophie Blackall, Peter Brown, Michael Buckley, Shana Corey, Lauren Castillo, R.Gregory Christie, Randall de Seve, Buket Erdogan, Zetta Elliott, Emily Goodman, Melanie Hope Greenwald, Isabel T. Hill, Tad Hills, Paul Hoppe, John & Wendy, Nancy Krulik, Kevin Lewis, Laura Ljungkvist, Andres Vera Martinez and Vito Delsante, Meghan McCarthy, Hiroe Nakata, Roxie Munro, Claudia Pearson, Sean Qualls, Sergio Ruzzier (Parsons Illustration Faculty), Shandra Strickland, David Ezra Stein (Parsons Illustration Alum), Lauren Thompson, Dwight Jon Zimmerman.

 

[Illustration by Peter Brown from The Secret Garden]

Alumni Update: Crystal Bretschger Johansson (’05)

Illustration Alumni, Illustration Industry, Interviews, ,

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We recently received an email from Crystal Bretschger Johansson (’05) updating us on what she’s been up to after graduation.  She writes:

I currently live and work in Toronto and was just interviewed by an organization here called Toronto Craft Alert.  I wanted to share it with you and the office.  They are featuring an interview with me since I just re-designed their e-newsletter.

Here’s an excerpt from that very interview!

Can you tell me about how you started your work as an illustrator? Had you always been doing illustration, and when did you decide to make it your “work”?

Well, I guess I started to think of myself as an “Illustrator” when I graduated from the Illustration Department at Parsons. I had gotten all of the tools that I needed from school and after graduation it was really about taking all I learned and applying it to real life. We were constantly told during school that you have to pound the pavement, get your work out there, get it seen and get it seen regularly. I try to send out emails or postcards every six months that showcase new work. I contact design studios just as frequently to find freelance graphic design work.

The funny thing about being an illustrator, and this was the case with the majority of my professors, was that it was not their full-time job or their main source of income. Rather it was a supplement to a balanced creative lifestyle. My professors taught classes as well as holding full-time positions as graphic designers, animators, exhibiting artists, and even a few mothers.

I learned quickly after graduation that it was all up to me to find my own creative balance. I loved school for the support and freedom that it allowed me, but it was like living in a bubble. Life after graduation has been a lot of work but I’m beginning to find my groove…4 years later. I work as a graphic designer during the day. I do my illustrations/digital work in the evenings. I also love to take printmaking classes when time allows. And eventually, I would love to go back to Parsons and teach a course.

Make sure you read the rest of the interview here.  You can also check out Crystal’s website and her blog for more of her super-rad work (which is seen above!).

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, Crystal!

Isabel Samaras at La Luz de Jesus Gallery on Nov. 13

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Lisa Petrucci and Isabel Samaras double book signing:
“Kickass Cuties – the Art of Lisa Petrucci” and
“On Tender Hooks – the Art of Isabel Samaras”
Friday, November 13, 2009 6 pm – 9 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

These two original “ladies of lowbrow art” are featured in the books ” Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art” by Kirsten Anderson and ” Vicious, Delicious and Ambitious – 20th Century Women Artists” by Sherri Cullison. Both Lisa Petrucci and (Parsons Illustration Alum) Isabel Samaras are making a special trip to Los Angeles for this event only. Please join us at La Luz de Jesus for a fabulous night of female fun! We will have on hand numerous items by both artists and of course, there will be free refreshments for all!

“ On Tender Hooks – The Art of Isabel Samaras”

Isabel Samaras folds in familiar icons from classic TV shows, comic books, and movies to create imagery that is very much of the now. Any archetype, from the Bride of Frankenstein to Little Red Riding Hood, Gilligan to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, can find true love (or at least a sexy entanglement) in a painting by Samaras. Never failing to shock and delight with their eagle-eyed perceptions of human folly and animal passion, the paintings in On Tender Hooks tell stories that are tender, bewitching, and fascinating. On Tender Hooks is a look at Pop Culture as filtered through the eyes of an artist with a bent for twisted narrative, saucy erotica and quirky humor. According to Samaras, “People who like classic monsters, fairy tales, and cheesy American cultural icons will get a kick out of this book.” Essay and orchestration by Colin Berry, Text by Justin Giarla, Lucy Blue, Shag, and The Pizz, published by Chronicle Books.

___________________

“ Kickass Kuties: The Art of Lisa Petrucci”

Walk through a sparkling wonderland of make-believe, a cotton-candy-colored dreamworld of hearts, flowers and switchblades, of glamorous, dewey-eyed cartoon pin-up gals, kutie-pie kowgirls, leopard-skinned sweeties, hatchet-wielding honeys, and the cuddliest devil kitties Hell has to offer. The art of Lisa Petrucci is a honey-coated maelstrom of contradictions — the innocence of lost Americana, childhood nostalgia, and traditional feminine iconography all presented with a rebellious spirit. “Kickass Kuties: The Art of Lisa Petrucci,” is the first collection of the artist’s remarkable catalog, a hallucinatory tour through an emporium of cultural chaos, a bipolar gallery of imagery both sacred and profane. Foreword by Kirsten Anderson, Published by Chronicle Books.


Quick Hit: Art for Gifts

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ART for GIFTS

Nov. 24th – Dec 13th 20009

“Give an original art piece as a gift” to someone you love, so they can feel closer to art and have art as a part of their life… That is the concept of “Art for Gifts”. With the winter holiday season coming close, Ouchi Gallery will turn into an art store for 3 weeks to exhibit and sell various artists’ works as gifts.　We encourage craft artists, jewelry artists, illustrators, and postcards, t-shirts, prints designers in New York area to submit small to middle size works that will be great for gifts.  The joy you feel when your art becomes somebody’s gift. That would be the best gift for yourself too.

DEADLINE: November 15th.

Application Eligibility: Local artists and craft artists who can carry in their art to the gallery.

To Apply: Please email up to 3 pictures of your artwork to be judged including the following information of your submitting works; title, year, size, medium     to: info@min-gei.com

 

[Thanks for Illustration Alum Shu Okada for passing along this opportunity!]