This Friday, 4:30 to 5:30 / Koopman Commons
All are welcome, even faculty and alumni
Seniors learn how to make your website before your senior show and graduation!

Please Sign Up Here
http://www.skillshare.com/Make-Your-Own-Portfolio-Website/805672326

About the Course
Once you make your work, whether you are a painter or a sculptor, the next step is to get your work out there and share it with the world. This presentation will provide an introduction to creating your own portfolio website.

We will start with the thinking behind why you need a site. And the importance of getting your work out there. How you can use it to find jobs or freelance work.

Then we will discuss the best online tools and platforms to build your website on. Which one is better for certain things, and what is different about each of them. We will also discuss how to design your site a bit to make it unique.

And we'll finish up talking about what to do once you have your website. How do you promote yourself and get the word out.

The goal by the end of the course is for you to be able to go home and have everything you need to start making your own portfolio website!

Watch out for Laurie Kovac's senior design project on April 7th!

Thanks so much to Jake Barton of Local Projects for giving a wonderful talk today!
Photos from Roger Castonguay of The Defining Photo, '07

Don't miss Jake Barton from Local Projects!

Thanks to Chris Piascik and Alphabet Arm for an amazing exhibit in the Silpe Gallery at the Hartford Art School.

Type of Type is a group show exhibiting the work Professor Santanu Majumdar's Experimental Type class. The opening reception is May 15th at 5:00PM and the exhibit runs until Thursday, May 20th at the Silpe Gallery at the Hartford Art School.

Kate Bingaman-Burt will be conducting a video chat artist talk on Thursday, April 15th at 7:30 PM in room E203D in the design department of Harry Jack Gray Center. The talk is organized by the AIGA Student Group.

Kate Bingaman-Burt founded Obsessive Consumption in 2002 and has documented her personal consumption in many different mediums. Her first book, Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today? has been published by Princeton Architectural Press in April 2010.

She lives in Portland, Oregon where, along with being an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Portland State University, she also makes piles of work about consumerism (zines! pillows! dresses! drawings! paper chains! photos!) She happily draws for other good people too (IDEO, Madewell, ReadyMade Magazine, The New York Times, Wieden + Kennedy).

The Senior Exhibit for Visual Communication Design is opening the first weekend in April at Artspace

Professional Opening / April 9th from 4:00 to 7:00
Opening Reception / April 10th from 5:00 to 8:00

555 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut
View the work of the seniors on the exhibit website.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the opening of the these two exhibits!

Join us at the Hartford Art School's Silpe Gallery for the opening of Guilty by Association: Art + Design by Chris Piascik and Alphabet Arm. The show will feature a broad selection of their design work as well as art pieces.

The opening is Tuesday, April 6th from 6:30 to 9:00 and will feature a Gallery Talk at 7:00 pm. The show runs from April 4th to the 8th. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 to 4:30, and weekends by appointment.

Chris Piascik is a graphic designer & artist. He is part-owner and a designer for Print Brigade, an apparel and print company. In 2008, the American Institute of Graphic Arts selected his poster design as a winning entry for its Get Out the Vote campaign. Distributed nationwide and displayed in conjunction with the Republican and Democratic national conventions, Chris’s poster was also part of the Declare Yourself campaign. He holds degrees in Visual Communication Design and Art History from the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford, where he has taught design courses. Chris’ work has been awarded numerous times in the CADC Annual Awards show, including a Judge’s Award for his student work. He posts daily drawings Monday through Friday at his blog/portfolio site, chrispiascik.com.

Alphabet Arm is a full service design studio specializing in bold, creative and distinctive print design solutions. In addition to specializing in music-based design, Alphabet Arm has expanded and diversified its client base to include advertising and word-of-mouth agencies, entertainment venues, entrepreneurial start-ups, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations and retailers.

The event is co-sponsored by CADC and the Hartford Art School.

As part of a new program from AIGA Connecticut, a group of professional designers showed up un-expectadly at a senior design critique to offer their advice and insight!

The Connecticut Art Directors Club presents their annual Student Conference and Scholarship Competition on March 27th from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is open to all undergraduate students free of charge.

Keynote Address: Scott Lerman
Broadcast Presentation: Kira Karlstrom
Photography Presentation: John Madere
Design Presentation: Plaid
Illustration Presentation: Adam Niklewicz

Get Noticed -- Career & Social Media Visibility: Karl Heine and kHyal, creativeplacement
Mohawk Fine Papers: Lee Moody
Recent Graduate Panel: Featuring Students from 2005-2009

Drop off your portfolio for consideration to win one of three $500 scholarships.
Portfolios must be submitted by 9:00 am for consideration.

Sacred Heart University
Trumbull Campus
101 Oakview Drive, Trumbull

The exhibit features the work of 20 artists who were challenged to explore their creativity. It showcases their work from the book Creative Grab Bag by Hartford Art School sophomore, Ethan Bodnar. The book and exhibit include design, illustration, photography, painting, sculpture and more and was published in August 2009 by HOW Books.

Artists Talks
February 19th, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Koopman Commons, Hartford Art School

Troy Monroe is a graduate of the Hartford Art School, a designer at co:lab, the president of the Connecticut Art Director Club (CADC) and is currently working on a new initiative called Design is Love.

Randy J. Hunt earned an MFA in design from the School of Visual Arts, is the founder of the design studio Citizen Scholar, is a partner at Supercorp, makers of Supermarket, and can be found online here.

Opening Reception
February 19th, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Silpe Gallery, Hartford Art School

Exhibit
On display from February 19th through March 4th, 2010
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

About the Book
Creative Grab Bag is a collection of work from 100 artists, illustrators and designers from around the world. Author Ethan Bodnar asked each artist to take on a task outside the realm of their normal work. Each task was randomly selected from a grab bag. This exhibit showcases a piece of their normal work alongside their randomly chosen task. The artwork captures the spirit of exploration and innovation and challenge viewers to push the limits of their creativity.

Author and curator Ethan Bodnar attends the Hartford Art School as a sophomore where he studies graphic design. He most recently spoke on the main-stage about the future of design education at the AIGA National Design Conference. Ethan represents the Hartford Art School on the Student Government Association, currently runs the AIGA Student Group, and is the founder and editor of this blog.

Location
Silpe Gallery
Hartford Art School
University of Hartford
200 Bloomfield Ave
West Hartford, CT 06117

Campus map can be viewed here, parking in Lot K

Sponsored by object | resonance, Design is Love, and the Hartford Art School
With Support from AIGA Connecticut and Connecticut Art Directors Club

Mike Perry works in Brooklyn, New York making books, magazines, newspapers, clothing, drawings, paintings, illustrations and teaching whenever possible. His first book titled Hand Job published by Princeton Architectural Press hit the book shelves in 2006. His second book titled Over & Over was released fall 2008. He is currently working on two new books. In 2007, he started a magazine called Untitled which explores his current interests. The forth issue came out fall 2009.

He has worked with an impressive roster of clients such as New York Times Magazine, Dwell Magazine, Microsoft, Zune, Urban Outfitters, eMusic, and Zoo York. In 2004, he was chosen as one of Step Magazine's 30 under 30; in 2007, as a groundbreaking illustrator by Computer Arts Projects Magazine; and in 2008, he received Print Magazine's New Visual Artist award and the ADC Young Guns (6). Doodling away night and day, Perry creates new typefaces and sundry graphics that inevitably evolve into his new work, exercising the great belief that the generating of piles is the sincerest form of creative process. His work has been seen around the world including a recent solo show in London titled "The Place between Time and Space."

Can you give us a little background about yourself and Elements?
I named my company Elements because it incorporates everything we do – all the elements of great design – art, writing, photography, interactive, etc. I began Elements in 1999 after beginning my career first as a photojournalist for the Boston Globe, then working professionally as a graphic design approximately eight years. When I began Elements, it was at my dining room table and now we occupy a beautiful office in a historic building overlooking the water and the Grand Avenue swing bridge.

What do you look for in a portfolio for students looking to get a job or internship?
Diversity in their work – I want to see a range in types of projects and originality in their solutions. I want to see what makes the student stand out from the rest and what they are passionate about. Great execution with an attention to detail is important. I also like when the student has a short explanation about each piece and why they selected each piece for their portfolio.


What are the most important qualities for design students to have?
Passion for design, creativity, and a real desire to learn.

What other advice do you have for design students?
Be honest – with your work, with your employer, with your clients but most importantly, with yourself. Discover what you love to do – is it music, working with non-profits, handcrafted invitations, silk-screened posters, your love of animals – whatever it is about you that makes you unique and provides inspiration. Follow that – find a way to bring that passion into your work – and you will be successful. It will show through in everything you do and will make you stand out.

Next bit of advice came from my Mother and it has never steered me wrong. You’ve heard it before, I’m sure – but try really living it. Here it is. Are you ready? It’s so simple. “You don’t know if you don’t ask”. I cannot tell you how much further in my career – the doors it has opened, the opportunities I’ve received, the friends I’ve made, the advice I’ve gotten. Try it.
I dare you.

My last word of advice is to put yourself in front of the people you want to notice you. Research where you want to work, find an agency you feel you’d be a good fit for, and then learn everything you can about them. If they don’t have a job opening, ask if you can intern with them. If they don’t need an intern, ask if they would consider an informational interview so you can receive so feedback on your portfolio. At that meeting, keep your eyes and ears open. Notice everything around you. What projects are they working on? Who are their clients? How is there office set-up? How many people work there? Can you see yourself learning and growing in their environment? Ask them a lot of questions and expect some insightful remarks on your work. And finally, never give up. Stay in touch with them. Send a hand written thank you note (remember those?). Let them know when you take on a new position either interning or freelancing or a full time job. You never know when they will be hiring and if you take the time to stay connected, you just might be the next designer they call. Good luck!

James Langdon is a graphic designer, the above work is a catalog for an art show focused around scultpure.

Create/Reject is the design portfolio of James West. He is an art director and graphic design who graduated from the Universiyt of Arts in London and worked for Pentagram's office in London. The above work is a book that documents an event, more below.

A book designed to document art event 'WSCONSiN' for Afshin Kruszelnicki. The 'place' is a transient location that exists wherever people come together for a pre-advertised event. This first occurence took the form of a BBQ, the next planned event will take place in Hyde Park. The events are open for anyone to attend and are devised as a comment on the overload of social hyperbole that surrounds the art and design worlds.

Troy Monroe will be a giving a talk in Koopman Commons on February 19th, at 6:00 PM in association with the opening for the Creative Grab Bag exhibit in the Silpe Gallery at 7:00 PM the same night.

What did you study at the Hartford Art School and when did you graduate?
I studied Visual Communication design (graduation in 2003).

What do you do now, please tell us about your current work.
I've settled in to what I would consider the ideal job at co:lab (based in Hartford), which is a design studio, brand house and identity foundry. We create and then weave together all sorts of things that have graphical and language roots such as identity systems, collateral, advertising and interactive media. We start with concept and allow the execution to grow out of a really smart idea. When we meet folks ready to engage and be a part of process we help them celebrate their evolution.

We're also working on a major initiative called Design is Love. We're building a site where our industry is encouraged to be creative, share perspective in a meaningful way and link creatives to those who need our talents most, non-profit organizations.


Any thoughts or advice for current students?
Work as hard as you think possible, then work more. Students at the Hartford Art School have the unique opportunity to surround themselves with peers and faculty members who are willing to support and (more importantly) push them to find greatness. Take advantage of the experience and the chance to learn on the academic side.

And to the VCD students: Take it seriously. Make the commitment to design early on, Understand that there's more to the craft than just making things pretty.


What else do you do besides art and design?
Life is rooted in art and design. Everything we do, from the time we wake to the time we return to bed, allows us to draw inspiration. Whether walking in the woods (with my wife / daughter and two boxers) or thinking about future plans for a modern house, I know there's a strong possibility that those experiences can shape my next idea. I try to look harder and understand more, all while enjoying the pleasures found in the details of daily activities (which include reading, exercising, eating, laughing and dreaming).

Abi Huynh is a graphic design that went to school in The Netherlands and is currently working and living in Vancouver.
A description of the above project can be found below from the artist.

Arietta is my first serious text face, it is intended for short subject and non fiction books, the family consists of a transitional roman with multiple text italics that provide modulating degrees of stylistic contrast from the roman. Arietta Book has a serious, unobtrusive and reserved tone while the three italic companions each produce a distinct character and textural density. The process and specimen book shows the development and current status of the type family at the end of the Type and Media course, produced for the final examination.

What did you study at the Hartford Art School and when did you graduate?
I studied Visual Communication Design and graduated in 2007.

What do you do now, tell us about your current work.
Right after I graduated I got a job at Plaid, a design and branding agency in Danbury, CT. It's a pretty awesome job. I've been fortunate enough to work with some really cool clients like Capitol Records, Segway, and TX Watches. I recently redesigned my agency's blog BrandFlakesForBreakfast which was a great experience. We got tons of postive feedback on the redesign. I've also had a chance to be a part of PlaidNation which is a summer tour going into it's third year. We take a Plaid van and drive across the country visiting agencies and brands and cool creative people. It's a pretty ridiculous experience. I designed the vehicle graphics for the 2007 and 2008 tours.

I also do some personal work. I recently started blogging a bit. The big project I've done for the past two years has been my calendars. In 2008 for every month I hand-drew a calendar, colored it in Photoshop, printed a ton of copies on my home printer, and mailed them all to my friends. It was a great experience, but a lot of work. For 2009 I just did one hand-drawn poster and had it offset printed. A few are still for sale on Etsy.

Any thoughts or advice for current students?
Don't ever be afraid to make work. Make a to-do list. Be confident in your work and don't second guess yourself based on other people's opinions. Be harsher in crits. The simplest solution is the best solution. Do what you love not what might get you a job. Have real opinions. Get on Twitter. Know what's going on in your industry. Network. Go to every opening, event, lecture, show, etc. Have fun.

What else do you do besides art and design?
Most of my non-art time is spent on my music. I make electronic music as Pop Heroes. It's kind of a one-man band thing. I write and record using my computer and a bunch of synthesizers. Occasionally, I'll go out and play a few shows in the area. There's also been a pretty nice overlap between my art and my music. I've been able to design album art, t-shirts, websites, posters, buttons, and everything else for Pop Heroes which was also the basis for my senior project. It's great to be able to create the visual side of a project as well as the musical side.

Matt Hunsberger is a designer and musician originally from New Jersey currently living and working in Connecticut. Matt attended the Hartford Art School and now works for the greatest agency in the world, Plaid in Danbury, CT. When he's not being awesome at Plaid, Matt creates a wide array of personal artwork, blogs, performs music as Pop Heroes and can be found on Twitter.

Chris Piascik creates an illustration on the spot in the spirit of Halloween. The video was nicely shot by Quarter Productions and was featured on the popular illustration blog, Drawn, today. Chris graduated from the Hartford Art School in 2005 with a BFA in Visual Communication Design and then worked for three semesters as an Adjunct Professor of Design. He now works at Alphabet Arm Design in Boston.

The ill Studio is a French collaborative of graphic designers that come together to work on projects. This is a recent design for a rench magazine called Magazine N°47.

Our goal is to bring ten individuals together, working in various artistic areas such as graphic design, photography, typography, illustration, video, motion design, etc. The studio provides an environment wherein its member’s complementary influences meet, and contribute to the stimulation and development of the whole, whether the works produced are created collectively, or individually.