Faculty
Faculty
Associate Professor
Amanda Fisher
Amanda Fisher is a graduate from Laguna College of Art & Design with an emphasis in 3D art for games. Amanda has worked as a 2D and 3D freelance artist for over 10 years, working with both teams and individual clients creating character concepts and illustrations, as well as assets and characters for games. Amanda…
Adjunct Faculty
Noah Alonzo
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Alpert
Adjunct Faculty
Lauren Benavides
Lauren graduated from the Animation Major at Laguna College of Art + Design with a Bachelor's Degree of Fine Art in Animation. She specializes in 2D character and environment design, 2D and 3D animation, and visual development and storytelling. She has experience as a freelance artist for over 10 years, and as an art lead…
Adjunct Faculty
Ehren Bienert
Adjunct Faculty
Ehsan Bigloo
Ehsan Bigloo has been a Sr. Character and Creature Designer/Developer in the entertainment industry for 10 years. He resides in Los Angeles, California. He is an active member of Local 800 (ADG) IATSE. He comes from a figurative traditional art background with a bit of practical effects, and also digital artworks. He is focused on…
Adjunct Faculty
Christopher Cantwell
Chris studied quantum computing, and high performance computing, at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, B.S. in Physics, and a M.S. in Physics. During his studies, he came to believe that the reason quantum phenomena seem confusing is that we don't interact with it, at least on…
Adjunct Faculty
Dan Carreker
Dan Carreker has over 10 years of teaching experience in game arts and sciences. He has industry experience as both a Database Manager for Activision's Production/QA department and as a freelance Game Designer and Programmer. He has worked on over 80 different commercial products; his credits include Medieval: Total War, Star Trek: Armada, and Pizza…
Adjunct Faculty
Travis Castillo
Adjunct Faculty
Adriana Catarino
Adjunct Faculty
Hugh Trombley
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Cuatt
Dan Cuatt is an environment artist working in games, currently at Unbroken Studios. He’s been making things since he was old enough to wield scissors and tape and paper -- which are still his preferred medium to work in when the computers are down! He draws a straight line from his upbringing surrounded by a…
Adjunct Faculty
Anh Dang
Adjunct Faculty
Aurelian Danglejan
Adjunct Faculty
Casey Dockendorf
Casey Dockendorf is a creative professional with nearly 20 years of experience, whose love of reading comics, playing video games, and collecting action figures fostered a love of the creative development process. Over the course of Casey's career he has had the opportunity to release titles on major publishing platforms (Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo), and…
Adjunct Faculty
Giselle Dougan Santos
Giselle is a game developer who focuses on UI design and programming. Currently working in the XR industry and wireless industry, she strives to create content that inspires the next generation of engineers and designers. She is committed to promoting mental health awareness and support, as well as uplifting marginalized voices.
Adjunct Faculty
Kari Dunham
Kari Dunham is originally from the Pacific Northwest. She now calls Orange County home, and serves as an adjunct in the Game Art Department at Laguna College of Art + Design. Additionally, she teaches at Biola University, Concordia University Irvine, and Irvine Valley College and earned her master’s degree from Laguna College of Art +…
Adjunct Faculty
Ariel Fain
With over 10 years of experience at Blizzard Entertainment, Ariel served as a core artist in creating memorable in game character assets for World of Warcraft, taking the role as a forefront for new, innovative content and thriving within a cross-disciplinary team-oriented environment in a variety of leadership roles. She's been employing her skills in…
Adjunct Faculty
Omar Field-Rahman
Adjunct Faculty
Justin Fields
Justin “Goby” Fields is a creative director, concept artist, and illustrator for Feature Films, Video Games, and the Broadcast Industry. As a freelance concept artist, Justin has created design content and illustrations for Jupiter Ascending, Maleficent, Noah, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Marvel’s Spider-man PS4, Bright, Falling Skies, The New Mutants, League of…
Adjunct Faculty
Kelly Gilley
Kelly recently graduated from Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) with a BFA in Game Art, and has worked in the games industry as a 3D artist since, on projects both photorealistic and stylized. She finds joy not only in teaching others industry-relevant skills and techniques, but also in guiding them to find their…
Adjunct Faculty
Alexander Gonzalez
Alexander Gonzalez is passionate about creating interactive settings and worlds as a Game Artist. He is currently an Environment Artist at High Moon Studios and an adjunct professor for LCAD Game Art. At High Moon Studios, Alexander is responsible for creating maps for the Call of Duty franchise. Along with his experience on Call of…
Adjunct Faculty
Nicholas Harvey
Adjunct Faculty
Bobby Hernandez
Adjunct Faculty
Ishmael Hoover
Adjunct Faculty
Jacqueline Jocson
Jax is an Art Director and Concept Artist with 15+ years of experience in the Entertainment Industry, specializing in design and storytelling for film, games, TV, and IP creation. She has worked with clients such as Apple, Fortnite, Capcom, MachineZone, Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment, SyFy Channel, Digital Domain, Wizards of the Coast, Super Evil Megacorp,…
Adjunct Faculty
Eli Joteva
Eli Joteva (b.1990) is a Bulgarian intermedia artist, researcher and educator. Joteva has exhibited internationally across Europe, the US, Asia, the Middle East and Australasia including at Ars Electronica, Linz; Noor Riyadh, Riyadh; Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Enschede; Fosun Foundation, Shanghai, and the Queensland Centre for Photography, Newstead. She has been a resident artist at STEAM Imaging…
Adjunct Faculty
Kyle Kane
Adjunct Faculty
Sebastian Kings
Sebastian Kings is a concept artist who specializes in environment, transportation, and prop design. An Orange County native, he was the first graduate from the Digital Media conservatory at the Orange County High School of the Arts and received his BFA in Game Art from LCAD in 2018. He strives to create designs that are…
Adjunct Faculty
Alexander Lee
Alexander Lee is a sculptor, animator, and technical artist with over a decade of experience in the game and visual effects industries. He has contributed to projects for leading companies like Apple, Survios, and Pure Imagination, including video games like Alien: Rogue Incursion, Alien: Descent, The Walking Dead, and Creed. Alexander has demonstrated his ZBrush…
Department Chair
Joseph Todorovitch
Joseph Michael Todorovitch is a figurative artist in the Los Angeles area with an undivided curiosity for the academic traditions and the conceptual possibilities that proliferate the modern art world. He explores the craft with a naturalist's lens, employing rich technical details and implied psychological narratives in his paintings. Awarded the Draper Grand Prize by…
Interim Chair of Entertainment Design
Glen Miller
Glen David Miller, BFA, MFA, began his career in the early 90's. He has worked over the years creating and supervising award-winning CGI for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Imagining (seaQuest, Star Trek Voyager), Digital Domain (James Cameron's Titanic), Marvel/Seban (Silver Surfer and Captain America), DNA/Nickelodeon (Jimmy Neutron), was a founder of Station X Studios (Dogma, Hunley),…
Chair of Entertainment Design
Todd Smith
Todd Smith is a seasoned artist who has worked as a concept illustrator and fine artist since 1998. He has worked in film and television in addition to showing his work in galleries. Todd studied Art History at UCLA, Drawing and Painting at Claremont Graduate University, and Entertainment Design at Art Center College of Design.
Adjunct Faculty
Wesley Lin
Department Chair of Illustration
John F. Malta
John F. Malta is the Chair of the undergraduate Illustration Department where he teaches courses at all levels. John's professional practice as an artist explores the convergence of illustration, comic art, installation, and design. For over a decade he has operated a professional studio working with clients such as The New York Times, Magic the…
Chair of Liberal Arts
Norman Leonard
Norman Leonard is an educator and writer with a diverse academic background, holding a B.A. in English with a Creative Writing Option from California State University, Long Beach, an M.A. in English from the same institution, and an MFA in Film: Screenwriting from Chapman University. When not teaching, Norman is a prolific writer, having published…
Chair of MFA Drawing + Painting
Peter Zokosky
Peter Zokosky was born into an artistic family where creativity and independent thinking were encouraged. He has been painting and drawing since his earliest memories. After receiving his MFA from Otis Parsons in 1981 he apprenticed under art restorer/conservator Richard Saar for six years. He has been working and exhibiting internationally for over 40 years.…
Adjunct Faculty
Juan Garrido
Juan Garrido is a Digital and Traditional painter with 14 years of experience working with various Animation Studios in Los Angeles as a BG Painter for many TV animated series. Clients include Disney, Netflix, Warner Brothers and many more. When he isn’t painting at the computer desk, he can be found traveling and painting Plein…
Adjunct Faculty
Nadine Malan
Chair of Art History
Marcella Stockstill
Marcella Stockstill is Associate Professor and Co-Chair, Liberal Arts + Art History. Her research and teaching explore the interconnected histories of the visual arts and sciences from the 15th to 17th centuries. After completing her undergraduate studies at UC Irvine, Marcella earned her MA in Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel…
Adjunct Faculty
Susan King
A painter with interest in critical theory and modernism, Susan King received her MFA from USC. A professor of both art studio and art history, she also earned an MA in Art History at UC, Riverside and a PhD in Visual Studies at UC, Irvine. Her art historical thesis focused on the reception of German…
Associate Professor
Brittany Ryan
Adjunct Faculty
Kyle Neswald
Adjunct Faculty
Seth Marinello
Adjunct Faculty
Rachelle Chuang
Adjunct Faculty
Laura Black
Laura Black is a curator, educator, and writer based in Long Beach, CA. Her practice is dedicated to developing culturally significant projects and supporting emerging and mid-career artists. Black is the Founder and Executive Director of Universal Voice, a non-profit dedicated to providing exhibition, publication, and professional development opportunities for artists from historically under-recognized backgrounds.…
Adjunct Faculty
Mason Williams
Mason Williams (b. 1995) is a passionate landscape painter and teacher from Carmel, California. A haven for plein air painting, Williams' birthplace became instrumental in his journey as an artist. He received his BA in Studio Art from Principia College in 2017, but it wasn't until after he attended a summer artist residency at Otis…
Adjunct Faculty
John Brosio
Adjunct Faculty
Kristin Donner
Kristin Donner is a Los Angeles-based artist, educator, and 17 year veteran of the animation industry. Her portfolio includes creative work for Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Warner Bros. Animation, and Cartoon Network. Her screen credits include color design on the 2D animated series Harley Quinn (Warner Bros.) and The Fungies! (Cartoon Network), as well as background…
Adjunct Faculty
Michael Dietz
Artist/Animator Mike Dietz has extensive experience as an animation director, animator, illustrator, and art director in film, television, games, and location-based entertainment, with proficiency in a variety of animation techniques including CG, stop motion, hand-drawn (both digital and pencil-on-paper), and motion graphics. Early in his career, Mike pioneered innovative animation processes that allowed hand-drawn animation…
Adjunct Faculty
Dean May
Dean May is a game developer and technical artist with a broad range of industry experience. He is the Lead Technical Artist at Aquifer Motion and an adjunct instructor for the LCAD Game Art program. At Aquifer Motion, Dean optimizes television CG assets for Unity, and uses the engine tools to create convincing environments for…
Adjunct Faculty
Bonnie Blackburn
Adjunct Faculty
Jason Dowd
Jason Dowd has been a professional freelance illustrator and fine artist for over thirty years. His clients include Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, UCI, Anheuser-Busch, and Chase Bank, among others. Most recently, he has completed sixty full color illustrations for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which will appear in 2025 for the 125th anniversary. In 2019,…
Adjunct Faculty
Taber Dunipace
Taber Dunipace is a southern California production artist and educator specializing in 3D art and animation. He has taught a wide range of subjects for more than 10 years, including 3D modeling, 3D character animation, rigging, 2D digital animation, digital painting, and game design. He also frequently does freelance work for both commercial animation and…
Adjunct Faculty
Brad McBrearty
Adjunct Faculty
Josh Freydkis
Adjunct Faculty
Kimberly Bowcutt
Kimberly Bowcutt, MFA Creative Writing (Chapman University), is a writer, educator, and developmental editor with a distinguished background in creative writing, narrative nonfiction, and research. She has taught at several institutions, bringing her love of language and storytelling to each course. In the classroom, she cultivates an environment where students discover their authentic voices while…
Adjunct Faculty
Aleah Chapin
Aleah Chapin (b. 1986 Whidbey Island, WA) is a painter whose direct portrayals of the human form have expanded the conversation around western culture’s representations of the body in art. She has exhibited in solo and group shows throughout the world, including Flowers Gallery (New York, London, Hong Kong), The Belvedere Museum (Vienna), Cascadia Art…
Adjunct Faculty
Vee Peony
Vee Peony is a 2D animator and character designer from the South Bay Area. She recently graduated from LCAD with a BFA in Experimental Animation, and is currently developing her own animated series while working as a freelance artist.
Adjunct Faculty
Christina McBrearty
Creative Leader with a background in Technical Art, serving in leadership roles across the video game industry for over 15 years. Past experience leading diverse projects including cutting edge Mobile Development, Web3 Platform experts, and traditional AAA game development from ideation to live support. Renowned for collaborative projects with major players including Apple, Disney, Sony,…
Adjunct Faculty
Christina Brubaker
Christina Brubaker was married with two small children when her husband's job relocated them to Brooklyn, NY. For him, a native Californian, the change was a bit of a shock, but since Christina was born in Queens and lived on Long Island until she was nine, the move felt more like going home. She decided…
Adjunct Faculty
Averi Endow
Averi Endow is a painter from Southern California. He received his Bachelorʼs degree in Drawing + Painting from Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) in 2012 where he was a recipient of the Weingart Foundation grant of the West Coast. His work can be found in the permanent collection at LCAD and in the…
Adjunct Faculty
Bobby Sassone
Robert (Bobby) Sassone is a traditional animator and story artist from Cypress, CA. During his college years he workedas a concept artist for See Here Studios, a Bay Area production company owned by Pixar Alum Valerie Mih. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2016 with a BA in Creative Media, and…
Adjunct Faculty
Natalia Fabia
Adjunct Faculty
Tayler Olivas
Adjunct Faculty
Matthew James-Wilson
Matthew James-Wilson is the founder of Heavy Manners Library, an art space in Los Angeles’ Echo Park. From 2012 to 2018, he ran the online art magazine FORGE. James-Wilson has curated art exhibits, worked for various independent record labels, and written for publications including Pitchfork and VICE. Matthew James-Wilson was born in Toronto, CA and…
Adjunct Faculty
Keith Ellis
Keith has a passion for mathematics and making it accessible for everyone--even those who have previously had bad experiences with it. He is also an advocate for the arts. Professionally, he has years of experience as a technology leader creating business plans, managing budgets and companies. He has taught in business settings and at the…
Adjunct Faculty
Chapman Hamborg
Adjunct Faculty
Enya Oreshkin
Adjunct Faculty
Quinne Larsen
Quinne Larsen is a Chinook cartoonist living in Los Angeles. They've worked as a storyboard artist for Sony Pictures, Cartoon Network, and Netflix, among others. They were a 2023 Sundance Native Labs fellow. They're currently completing an original graphic novel for First Second Publishing.
Adjunct Faculty
Chris Engel
Chris Engel has been employed as a professional Industrial Designer for 25 years and counting. He is currently employed at Titleist Golf in Carlsbad, CA as an Advanced Senior Industrial Designer. His job at Titleist is to create design concept sketches and renderings that help sell his ideas. He holds a BFA degree from the…
Adjunct Faculty
Kayla Janes
Kayla Janes is a fine artist located in Laguna Beach, CA. Janes received both her Bachelor's degree and Master's degree from Laguna College of Art. From growing up along the California Coast, Janes's artwork reflects her nostalgic love of the world around her. Sun drenched scenes of familiar people or places inspire Janes's drawings and…
Adjunct Faculty
Douglas Rogers
Douglas R. Rogers is a creative designer with a wide range of experience spanning multiple disciplines of visual, graphic and entertainment design. A career that started in graphic design evolved when Doug became fascinated by the power of design in storytelling. That interest led him to an MFA in Scenic Design from the Yale University…
Adjunct Faculty
Kristen Liu-Wong
Born and raised in San Francisco, Kristen Liu-Wong attended Pratt Institute where she graduated with a BFA in Illustration. She has shown extensively in numerous galleries both domestically and abroad and in addition to her gallery practice, she has worked with an extensive range of clients on projects ranging from murals to editorial illustrations to…
Adjunct Faculty
Ben Garceau
Ben Garceau has taught at multiple universities in the United States and abroad, including Indiana University, the University of Paris X Nanterre, and the University of California, Irvine. He has published research on Old English poetry, Seamus Heaney, and Jorge Luis Borges. As an academic, his research specializes in the cultures and contexts of late…
Adjunct Faculty
Rupinder Kaloti
Adjunct Faculty
Javier Perez
Adjunct Faculty
Mark Pacella
Mark Pacella has been drawing for the communication arts since the age of 9. Working in publishing as an Editorial illustrator for clients such as The New York Times, The National Law Journal, Notre Dame Magazine etc, he eventually went on to work at Heavy Metal magazine/Marvel comics/DC and Image comics etc. Tired of shoveling…
Adjunct Faculty
Ashton Haugen
Ashton Haugen is a voice talent, actor, teacher and coach from the greater Los Angeles area. She is currently a working voice actor and acting coach and is represented by Trailer Voice Artists. Ashton has worked for the past 20+ years to expand her skills as an actor and voice talent by studying and taking…
Adjunct Faculty
Ryan Darling
My career has focused on developing and refining my skills for creating highly detailed models and textures for medical 3D illustrations and animations. I have built my skill set as an artist from a traditional foundation into a network of mentors embedded in the entertainment industry. The education I receive from them is celebrated daily…
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Platt
Adjunct Faculty
Christopher Ramsey
Christopher Ramsey is currently based in Orange County. He works with both Illustration and Fine Art techniques in his professional work. Christopher is passionate about figurative and landscape works and uses these elements in his paintings and illustration. His recent works include a Second Place award for the Tustin Plein-air Competition in October 2023.
Adjunct Faculty
Sunkyung Kim
Sunkyung Kim (B.A., M.A., Seoul National University, Korea; Ph.D., Duke University) specializes in the history of religious art, focusing on Buddhist sculpture, ritual space, mortuary practices, and the visual culture of medieval China and Korea. Before joining LCAD as faculty, she was an Andrew W. Mellon postdoctoral fellow and taught at the University of Southern…
Adjunct Faculty
Alla Musgrave
Adjunct Faculty
Lou Police
Graduated Art Center College of Design LA/Pasadena in 1978 with a BFA in Illustration. Most influential instructors: Harry Carmean, Gregory Weir-Quiton, Vern Wilson, Kathy Wirch, Ward Kimball, Herb Ryman and John Asaro. Freelance illustration assignments include movie poster designs, book illustration, magazine illustration, advertising storyboarding and comps, fashion illustration, matte painting, and live action production…
Adjunct Faculty
Jamie Stark
Jamie Stark is a design and branding consultant. A native New Yorker, Jamie holds a BA from Fordham University and studied fine art at The Art Students League of NY. Jamie worked at a number of design studios and advertising agencies in NYC. Ultimately, he founded his own firm with offices in NYC and NJ…
Department Chair Animation
Eric Walls
Eric Walls has had a career in animation for over 30 years, with an extensive and versatile background in both traditional hand-drawn and CG animation for animated & live-action film and theme park attractions. His animation has been featured in many projects for Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Brothers, including The Lion King, The Prince of…
Adjunct Faculty
Ryanne Phillips
Adjunct Faculty
Maria Ferreira Kercher
Maria Ferreira Kercher is a visual development artist specialized in material behavior and cultural stylization for animation. She is a professional Costume Designer and an adjunct professor for LCAD Game Art and Entertainment Design programs. Her expertise is featured in the book, "Talking Threads: Costume Design for Animation, Games, and Illustration", through Design Studio Press.…
Adjunct Faculty
Patrick Raines
PJ Raines is a 16-year veteran of the entertainment industry. Disney Animation Studios, Warner Bros Animation, Obsidian Entertainment, and Jam City are among his credits. He is a 9-year adjunct professor at LCAD. He is currently a Principal Artist at Zynga. PJ is based in California.
Adjunct Faculty
Nicole Lima-Hartshorn
Nicole Lima-Hartshorn is an art historian and independent scholar of Roman art with a sub-specialization in Global Arts. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California and California State University Long Beach, and received additional art history training at California State University Fullerton. Nicole has over 16 years of University and College teaching…
Adjunct Faculty
Jerry Beck
Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, was instrumental in launching Animation Magazine, co-founded Cartoon Brew and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and blu-ray compilations…
Adjunct Faculty
Christian Ramirez
Christian olid-ramirez is a first-generation Mexican-American artist born and raised in San Gabriel Valley, CA. ramirez completed his MFA at Michigan State University as a University Enrichment Fellow in 2023. His studio practice explores the possibilities of constructing a system of working as an arena for social and political anxiety. Informed by his mestizo hybrid…
Adjunct Faculty
Martin Kline
Marty Kline has been in the business of creating what no one has ever seen before since pixels were this big. As the recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award for Illustration from his own Local 800, the Art Directors Guild, he has worked in motion pictures, television, video games and themed entertainment for over…
Adjunct Faculty
Brandon Ray
Brandon works at Blizzard Entertainment as an associate 3D Environment Artist working on the game World of Warcraft. He is passionate about the hand-painted style of games and specializes in 3D hand-painted environments. He was featured on the Games Artist website for his piece "Adventure Inn." He is also a fellow alumnus of LCAD and…
Adjunct Faculty
Dani Michaeli
Adjunct Faculty
Loveis Wise
Loveis Wise (they/them) is a Los Angeles based multidisciplinary artist, lecturer, and land steward from Washington, DC. Much of their work and living practice has a focus on creating worlds that encapsulate what it means to re-imagine our futures through playfulness, liberation, and community building. This exploration of their praxis comes from a goal of…
Adjunct Faculty
Rachel Bibb
Rachel Bibb has 30 years of experience in the animation industry, primarily working for Walt Disney Animation studios in Florida and Burbank. Her first credit was the original Lion King as a cleanup inbetweener. She worked up the ranks on Pocahontas, Tarzan, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch and Brother Bear, culminating with supervising her first princess,…
Adjunct Faculty
Olivia Stude
Adjunct Faculty
John Lam
John Lam is an alumnus of Laguna College of Art and Design where he found his passion for game art and began his roots in 3D sculpting. With a passion for creating creatures and characters, he specializes in high fidelity 3D sculpting for a variety of industry pipelines from: toys, 3D scan and game. After…
Adjunct Faculty
Gavin Rich
Adjunct Faculty
Mark Zoeller
Mark Zoeller is a veteran entertainment industry artist who has a long affiliation with film and television, being awarded two Emmy Awards in Outstanding Achievement in Animation, Storyboarding. He's worked for all the major studios, Warner Bros., Disney, DreamWorks SKG, Fox, Marvel, and Technicolor to name a few. During his time at LCAD, Mark has…
Adjunct Faculty
Luis Morales
Luis Emilio Morales is an adjunct lecturer and researcher with more than six years' worth of combined research and teaching experience at the secondary and university level. He holds two advanced degrees, one in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (MA), and the other in qualitative sociological research (MPhil). While a student at the University…
Adjunct Faculty
Rebecca Carmickle
Adjunct Faculty
Thadius Taylor
Adjunct Faculty
Bernard Lee
Bernard Lee was born and raised in Southern California, graduated with a BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University and worked for a time in New York City. As a former Art Director, he has had the privilege of collaborating with countless talented illustrators on award-winning projects. He now spends his days creating illustrations for the…
Adjunct Faculty
Michael Rocchio
Michael Rocchio is an architectural historian and an archaeologist. Michael has undergraduate degrees in Anthropology and Classical Civilizations from Indiana University, a graduate degree in Greek and Roman Archaeology and another graduate degree in Architecture and Urban Design from UCLA. Michael's main areas of research are Roman urban infrastructure and his particular area of expertise…
Adjunct Faculty
Xavier Coton
Adjunct Faculty
Agostino Vaccaro
Adjunct Faculty
Brett Mitchell
Brett Mitchell is an accomplished artist and designer, specializing in character design and illustration. He is currently an Art Director in the mobile game market and an adjunct professor in the Entertainment and Game Design programs at LCAD. Brett obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree at LCAD in 2009 and has been a part of…
Adjunct Faculty
Zoe Smith
Adjunct Faculty
Maxwell Murphey
Max Murphey is a teacher and researcher working in philosophy, mathematics, logic, and other related areas. He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy and mathematics from Columbia University and a doctorate in Philosophy from University of California, Riverside (UCR). Since 2015, Max has been teaching middle-school and high-school math classes at ACI Institute in Rowland…
Adjunct Faculty
David Mucci Fassett
Mucci Fassett has worked in the animation industry for 30 years as Director, storyboard artist, and as a visual development artist. MucciÕs sensibilities tend toward humor mixed with meaningful emotional storytelling and gravitas. With his vast experience and artistic virtue, Mucci will lead storytellers and artists into creating stylish and visually compelling worlds. Students will…
Adjunct Faculty
David Van Patten
Dave Van Patten is a muralist and illustrator from Long Beach CA, best known for his playful imagery and humorous tone. As a freelancer, Dave has worked with Warner Music Group/ Rhino Records, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Yeti, NPR, Hollywood Reporter, Liquid Death, and various local businesses. In 2023 Van Patten won a…
Adjunct Faculty
Robert Stacy
Adjunct Faculty
Gwendolyn Oxenham
Gwendolyn Oxenham is a writer, teacher, and producer. Her new audio docuseries, HUSTLE RULE, hosted by Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham, features the untold stories of women's soccer players, and is based on her book Under the Lights and in the Dark. She also wrote Finding the Game: Three Years, Twenty-Five Countries and the Search for…
Adjunct Faculty
Casey Follen
Adjunct Faculty
Alejandro Buchner
Alejandro Buchner was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina where his passion and career in the visual arts began. Alejandro studied fine arts at the University of Bellas Artes and trained privately with artist Fernando Arranz. Alejandro has worked as a digital artist developing concepts for animated commercials and advertisements and has worked in concept design…
Adjunct Faculty
Michael Overman
Michael is an accomplished Creative Director, Art Director and Principal Show Designer with over two decades of experience in themed entertainment. He is a graduate of Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration with emphasis in Entertainment Design. He demonstrates a passion to create astounding attractions, places and experiences. He strives to…
Adjunct Faculty
Nicole Tan
Adjunct Faculty
Kimberly Parkan
Kimberly is an inquisitive and driven Physical Therapist in the outpatient orthopedic setting with an emphasis on manual therapy treatment. She is a Physical Therapist and an adjunct professor for LCAD, teaching Scientific Anatomy. She has always been fascinated by the human body and all of its unique, dynamic intricacies, and she finds great pleasure…
Adjunct Faculty
John Hillin
Adjunct Faculty
Rachel Chang
Adjunct Faculty
Andrew Pena
Andrew Pena is a Background Designer at Warner Brothers by day and a plein air painter the rest of the time. He paints because it keeps him sane and it's his form of meditation. Whether it is a landscape, cityscape, or interior painting, he loves to focus on the light and shapes that give each…
Adjunct Faculty
Poe Tan
Poe Tan is a Professor, Instructor and Concept Designer, helping students and professionals realize their creative potential. Poe balances two roles professionally, alternating between concept artist with over 23 years in the animation field as a background and prop designer. Poe works tirelessly as a professor and instructor educating and mentoring college-level students at some…
Adjunct Faculty
Bryan Price
Adjunct Faculty
Matteo Di Ventra
Matteo Di Ventra is a contemporary painter who works in traditional and digital media. His work has been displayed in multiple galleries on the West Coast. He is currently teaching representational painting at Laguna College of Art and Design as well as other art academies in Orange County and Los Angeles. Matteo also works within…
Adjunct Faculty
Joseph Sanabria
Joseph Sanabria is a Senior Concept Artist and educator working in the entertainment industry. He has worked on numerous noteworthy projects including Skullmonkeys, Fallout New Vegas, and most recently Ashes of Creation. Josephs career spans over two decades and he has worked with a number of studios: Rockstar Games, Obsidian Entertainment, Nexon, theMill NY and…
Adjunct Faculty
Ning Tang
Adjunct Faculty
Ariana Rizo
Ariana Rizo is an art historian with over 7 years of combined museum and teaching experience. She specializes in Modern and Contemporary Art, with a focus on Latin American and Latinx art production. She currently works as a Curatorial Research Assistant at the Getty Research Institute.
Adjunct Faculty
Kimberly Mendiola
Adjunct Faculty
Matthew Duckett
Matt Duckett is a painter whose work examines the ghosts of tradition that inhabit our lifestyles, drawn from a deep involvement in the various places he’s lived, including Scandinavian cultural legacies in rural Wisconsin, the interplay of heritage and hardship in Irish immigrant communities in Chicago, and disaster-stricken refugee communities in the Philippines, investigating issues…
Adjunct Faculty
Andrew Tran
Andrew Dat Tran is a Laguna College of Art + Design Entertainment Design alum and works in games, film, and television. He has contributed to clients including Marvel, 343 Industries, Turtle Rock Studios, AMC Networks, Comedy Central, Adult Swim, and more. Andrew currently works as a Background Painter at Titmouse Inc., as an adjunct professor…
Adjunct Faculty
Matthew Taylor
Matthew Taylor is an animation director and 3D artist. Currently, a technical animator and Houdini artist at international advertising studio FutureDeluxe, and adjunct professor for LCAD Game Art. Earlier in his career, in LA and London, he worked as head of character pipeline for video game commercials and animation director for design agencies. He holds…
Adjunct Faculty
Danielle Samuels
Adjunct Faculty
Ana Meraz Perales
Ana Meraz graduated from LCAD with a BFA in Animation and has a versatile 7+ years' experience in cutting edge industry standard softwares for 2D and 3D animation. She has experience tutoring students at LCAD about the animation pipelines and softwares and has a high standard for her teaching methods. Her motto is "I am…
Adjunct Facutly
Ananda Fetherston
Ananda Fetherston received her education at the City College of New York in Mathematics and Physics. After discovering the work of painter, Jacob Collins, Ananda chose to abandon her graduate studies to join the prestigious full time student body of the Grand Central Atelier. Upon graduating from the Grand Central Atelier, Ananda assumed the position…
Adjunct Faculty
Renae Wang
Renae Wang is a California-based artist working in oil. Her subject matter focuses on nocturnal landscapes and non-places like gas stations, diners, and airports. Her work is characterized by exaggerated colors, vibrant artificial lights, and immersive compositions with first-person point of view. These nocturnal paintings explore the universal human condition of isolation, as well as…
Adjunct Faculty
Emmanuel Valdez
Adjunct Faculty
Genevieve Scott
When I was nine, the things I liked best in the world were writing rambling stories, tennis lessons on Toronto's weather-cracked courts, and playing "school" with the kids across the street. In high school and college, I didn't write as much, played less, and studied more boring things. In 2005, I got an MSc in…
Adjunct Faculty
Henry Sato
Henry Sato is a veteran 3D Character Animator with over 30 years of experience bringing animated characters to life on the big screen. HeÕs worked at top studios including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks, contributing to beloved CG features like Wreck-It Ralph, Open Season, and SurfÕs Up. In addition to fully animated…
Adjunct Faculty
James Galindo
James Galindo (b. 1983) is a Southern California oil painter and a graduate of Laguna College of Art & Design's bachelor's and master's programs. He is currently represented by Dawson Cole Fine Art in Palm Desert, CA, where he exhibits three dimensional paintings on glass and acrylic. Notable commissions include paintings for the Nolet Distillery…
Adjunct Faculty
Kyle Valentin
Kyle graduated LCAD in 2016, since then he has worked on a short film rendered in Unity, Sonder. He helped create new Real Time VFX for SMITE, before moving to Riot Games to work on League of Legends. He currently works at Riot Games on VALORANT. His favorite games are Apex Legends, Final Fantasy XIV,…
Adjunct Faculty
Joshua Steadman
Josh Steadman is joining LCAD for his first year teaching the course Sketching for Entertainment Design. Previous to joining LCAD, Josh has spent nearly 23 years as a Set Designer, Concept Designer, Show Designer, Illustrator, Production Designer, and Creative Director, working in T.V., Theater, and Theme Park Design and Build. He has worked with numerous…
Adjunct Faculty
David Bittorf
Dave Bittorf has a BA degree from the University of Wisconsin, 17 years as a CG instructor with Platt College in San Diego, and an additional 3 years teaching for the Art Institute and the Digital Media Academy. In 2010 Dave was awarded "Teacher of the Year" and in 2012 he won a world-wide competition…
Adjunct Faculty
Emily Gordon
Emily Gordon has a BFA in Illustration and completed 7 years of private study with nationally known artist William Whitaker. Named as an Artist to Watch by Riviera magazine, her art has been juried into numerous exhibitions, including the prestigious ARC Salon held by the Art Renewal Center. She received her MFA in Painting from…
Adjunct Faculty
Patrick Ward
An alumnus of Otis College of Art and Design, Patrick is an Environment Artist in the videogame industry currently employed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sucker Punch Productions. He's worked at Xbox Game Studios, The Initiative and most recently a part of Santa Monica Studio's team on the upcoming God of War Ragnarok. He's excited…
Adjunct Faculty
Stephan Dube
Adjunct Faculty
Todd Uglow
Professor Uglow has a law degree from Western State University College of Law and a degree in Business Administration from Cal State San Bernardino. He has written employee handbooks and developed policies concerning sexual harassment for Fortune 500 companies, and has also been hired by organizations to develop policies and strategies designed to reduce premises…
Adjunct Faculty
John Dubiel
John Dubiel is a graduate of The California Institute of the Arts with a BFA in Character Animation and extensive studies in the School of Theater, having previously studied Film and Animation at the Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts). He has several years of Animation Industry experience and has worked at…
Adjunct Faculty
Cody Jimenez
Adjunct Faculty
Nicholas Williams
Adjunct Faculty
Noelle Volkmann
Noelle Volkmann graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and Entertainment Art. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Art Education from California State University, Long Beach with an emphasis in creativity and play. Noelle brings her passion for and understanding of playful curriculum…
Adjunct Faculty
David Jaloza
Adjunct Faculty
Richard Ewing
Focusing on caricature and editorial Illustration Richard Ewing has been illustrating professionally since 1987. His black & white work is done in ink using a range of tools from various quill pens to brush; his color art is Acrylic, or Acrylic and Brush & Ink and various other media. His clients include: The Los Angeles…
Adjunct Faculty
Adam Matano
Adam Matano is a contemporary representational artist specializing in sculpture. His work is an organically evolving process combining a visceral reaction to life, his interest and admiration for the natural world and our relationship with it. The exploration of these ideas allows for psychologically dense, rhythmic artwork. Adam's interest and involvement with nature and the…
Adjunct Faculty
Damon Woods
Damon Woods has been a leading 3D Character Artist for the games, film, TV, and advertising industries. His work includes contributions to such titles as "Star Wars: Jedi Survivor," "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," and "The Flash" TV series. Through the years, Damon has collaborated and art directed for many clients including Marvel…
Adjunct Faculty
Beth Oualline
Adjunct Faculty
Lisbeth Welch-Stamos
Lisbeth began her LCAD teaching career in 1987, but after taking a full-time high school teaching job and having a family, she stepped away from LCAD, returning in 2016 to an utterly reimagined campus and college. Lisbeth regularly teaches Language Arts 104 and 111. She earned a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and Magazine Journalism…
Adjunct Faculty
Kelley Mogilka
Kelley Mogilka (b. 1995) is a figurative painter originally from Edmond, Oklahoma. After obtaining her BFA in Studio Art at Oklahoma City University in 2018, she attended a summer artist residency at Otis College of Art and Design that inspired her to relocate to California. Spending two years struggling as a working artist and taking…
Adjunct Faculty
Katlynn Woodward
After graduating from LCAD in 2022 from the Game Art program as a tutor and an intern at Visual Concepts 2K, I went on to work at 2K as a full-time environment artist. I then went on to work at Misfits Gaming Group as a 3D Artist and have been following a path of teaching.…
Adjunct Faculty
Chris Ulm
Adjunct Faculty
Peter Ferk
Peter Ferk is a 37 year veteran of the animation industry having worked with Disney, Discovery, Warner Bros. Film Roman, Universal, and Sony among others. Peter's career started with studies at the Ontario College of Fine Art in Toronto and Florence, Italy. His beginnings as a layout artist in Canada for "Teddy Ruxpin", Nightingale and…
Adjunct Faculty
Michael Obermeyer
Michael was presented with the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He recently won the Collector's Choice Award, Artist Choice Award and the Southwest Magazine Quick Draw Award at the Laguna Beach Invitational Plein Air Competition as well as the "Best of Show" at both the Kern County Plein Air Invitational…
Adjunct Faculty
Eric Young
As a child, Eric could always be found playing with his action figures, drawing, or making movies. When asked at a young age, ""What do you want to do when you grow up,"" there was only one answer: ""I want to make cartoons!"" Over the years Eric has had the privilege of working at studios…
Adjunct Faculty
Jeramy Zapotosky
Jeramy Zapotosky is a software engineer in the game industry. His passion for polished and creatively interesting experiences has led him towards a diverse background of projects. He has shipped numerous titles on a variety of platforms including mobile, console, PC, web, VR, and location based entertainment. His belief is that the best ability is…
Adjunct Faculty
James Fujii
Born in Gardena, California, James Fujii attended Santa Barbara City College majoring in Biology. During his time in college, James Fujii found his passion for Animation and decided to change majors. He attended CalArts and graduated from the Character Animation Program in 1983 with a BFA degree. In 1984, Fujii started his first union job…
Adjunct Faculty
Hilary Schmidt McCarthy
Hilary McCarthy is a contemporary figurative painter living in Laguna Beach. She is currently adjunct faculty in the Fine Arts Department at Laguna College of Art + Design. Prior to that she lived in NYC for 18 years. Her work has been exhibited in numerous galleries in the United States and Europe. She received her…
Adjunct Faculty
Zhang Zeyan
Adjunct Faculty
Betty Shelton
Betty Shelton is an accomplished and award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited extensively in the United States. Betty has received numerous painting and drawing awards throughout her artistic career, most notably she has been a finalist in the Art Renewal Center Salon, and the 6th Annual TAPPED at the Manifest Gallery. She has shown…
Adjunct Faculty
Kathy Zuniga
Adjunct Faculty
Eric Stoner
Adjunct Faculty
Allan Huang
Adjunct Faculty
Tim Szabo
Tim is an art director, visual development artist, and background designer with over 25 years of experience in the animation industry. He received a BA in Studio Art from St. Olaf College and also attended the Kansas City Art Institute. Tim started out as a traditional animator in Minneapolis before moving to Los Angeles in…
Adjunct Faculty
James Thistlethwaite
Adjunct Faculty
Madeline Humphrey
Adjunct Faculty
Joe Weatherly
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Von der Ahe
Daniel Von der Ahe is a writer/illustrator and teacher living in San Juan Capistrano. He trained at the Florence Academy of Art and has worked as a classical portrait artist, illustrator, and visual development artist for animation where he discovered a love for story and writing. He teaches figure drawing, color and painting in any…
Adjunct Faculty
Debra Isaac
Debra Isaac is a Visual Artist, Animator, and the Founder of https://www.houdini.school/. She loves community building, hosts Houdini Battle, and co-organizes The Los Angeles Houdini User Group (LAHUG). She has over 10 years of experience teaching Houdini. She is passionate about animation, scientific visualization, motion graphics, and emerging technologies. Her clients have included Intel, Mattel,…
Chair of Graphic Design + Digital Media
Dana Herkelrath
Dana Herkelrath is the Chair of the undergraduate Graphic Design + Digital Media Department and a Professor of Visual Communication Design. Dana brings more than 25 years of experience as a designer in Brand Identity, Packaging, Environmental Graphic Design, Merchandising, Marketing and Design Consulting. Her background includes working with clients in entertainment, medicine, urban community…
Associate Professor
Dan Jensen
Dan Jensen leads the Graphic Design department in the areas of motion, 3D, experiential design and programming. His professional work is focused in motion design and digital art. Dan's clients have included Igloo, Nvidia, Hurley, Barton Perreira, RVCA, Stussy, Union Bindings Co, Adidas, Champs, Footlocker, Capitol Records, Warner Brother Records. Previously, Dan was the creative…
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Adoff
Daniel is a multifaceted artist with expertise in illustration, graphic design, brand strategy, apparel design, and art direction. He has worked with several brands that share this same vision of a better world, such as: Access Support Network of San Luis Obispo, Whalebird Kombucha, Samabzon, HyperIce, Earnest Eats, Coromega, and Arctic Zero. He holds a…
Adjunct Faculty
Siobhan Gallagher
Siobhán Gallagher is a visual storyteller illustrating the nuances of life through humor, pop culture references, and sly observations from a feminist perspective. She is the author of Full of Myself: A Graphic Memoir About Body Image (2024) and In a Daze Work: A Pick-Your-Path Journey Through the Daily Grind (2017). She has illustrated and…
Adjunct Faculty
Justin Jones
Justin Jones is a Product/Motion Designer, Illustrator, Content Creator and Voice Actor based out of Orange County, CA. Justin has been in the design industry for over 10 years working for multiple design agencies and product companies. Throughout his career he has had the privilege to help create digital products and experiences for such companies…
Adjunct Faculty
Emily Atwood
Emily Atwood is a Graphic and Type Designer who specializes in identity, campaign, type design, editorial and digital work. She is a senior designer at Order, a New York-based design office specializing in brand identity, publication, signage and wayfinding design. EmilyAos career includes her role as a Senior Designer at Pentagram Design in New York…
Adjunct Faculty
Gong Cheng
Gong Cheng is an experienced sports photojournalist and visual artist who began his professional career in 1996, focusing on live music performances and sports events. Over the past two decades, he has photographed the summer and winter Olympic Games, Asian Games, FIFA World Cups, Formula One, NBA China Games, and an extensive range of international…
Adjunct Faculty
Winston Elliott
Winston Elliott is a Senior Designer for Taco Bell Corporation, part of Yum! Brands inc. He leads creative projects for the in-house agency, Taco Bell Design. Winston's design solutions have helped to shift and elevate the brand's position. He leads teams in high-profile projects and global campaigns. His projects have included The Bell hotel and…
Adjunct Faculty
Mollie Engel
Mollie Engel is Vice President of Design and Development for Shawmut Corporation, a 106 year-old textile company for Automotive, Footwear, and Medical industries, with a Design studio in Laguna Beach, California. Mollie is an experienced Designer and Design Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Automotive Industry and bringing Sustainable Design solutions to…
Adjunct Faculty
Isabelle Gioffredi
Isabelle Gioffredi is a designer at Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House. She works closely with authors to bring their ideas to life in book form. On top of designing the cover and interior of books, she also hires and art directs photographers, stylists, and illustrators. She has worked with and managed high profile authors such…
Adjunct Faculty
Daniel Parker
Adjunct Faculty
Amber Miller
Amber Miller is a Graphic Designer at Nike working in Global Sports Apparel on Basketball uniforms for the NBA and WNBA. Amber was born and raised in Southern California and attended Laguna College of Art + Design where she received a BFA in Design + Digital Media with an emphasis in Action Sports. Since graduating,…
Adjunct Faculty
Trevor Giove
Trevor Giove is a designer that strives to create thoughtful, fun and engaging experiences through design. Trevor is currently designing magical worlds as a Graphic Designer for Magic the Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. He is part of the Packaging and Product team that creates the visual identities and packaging look and feel for…
Adjunct Faculty
Austin Haynes
Austin Haynes is a dedicated and impassioned Illustrator and Graphic Designer, proficient in drawing and design with a focus on creating work digitally in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. He is the Creative Director at the Orange County based branding agency, Dyno Creative, and an Adjunct Faculty for LCAD Graphic Design + Digital Media (GD+DM) and…
Adjunct Faculty
Justin Jung
Justin Jung is a Director and Cinematographer based in Southern California. He has spent the past ten years traveling worldwide, capturing breathtaking videos, and directing campaign and documentary projects. Jung's work combines visual elements inspired by his love for nature and open landscapes. His work features top-action sports athletes, branded campaigns, lifestyle, documentaries, technical product…
Adjunct Faculty
Eric Liss
Eric Liss is a 3D generalist, motion designer, commercial editor/colorist and sound designer. Eric leads Motion/Division where his client projects include Art Direction, Motion Graphics, 3D, Augmented Reality, Sound Design and Audio Scores. His experience includes 10 years at FUSE Interactive. Throughout his career he's had the opportunity to work with global brands such as…
Adjunct Faculty
Julian Lozano
Julian Lozano is a Senior Visual Designer located in Los Angeles. Presently, he is part of the talented team at Huge, Inc., where he gets the fantastic opportunity to collaborate with major tech giants like Google, Ticketmaster, and LG. Together, they strive to create improved user experiences that will shape the future of design. Having…
Adjunct Faculty
Dan Marriner
Dan is the Lead Men's Designer for prAna Living, part of the Outdoor Lifestyle industry. He is a dedicated steward of sustainability and is part of a positive progression towards sustainability and circularity in the apparel industry. Growing up in Laguna, Dan made an early connection to the Ocean and surrounding hills. Surfing, Skateboarding and…
Adjunct Faculty
Jody Weisberg
Jody began his career as a graphic designer working with up-and-coming natural food brands where he quickly grew into a respected designer and brand/marketing leader with an appetite (pun intended) for helping emerging brands grow. His passion for the natural foods industry would lead him to starting his own creative agency, The Village, which he…
Adjunct Faculty
Lori Werstein
Born near Los Angeles Lori Werstein immersed herself in the art, design and diversity of the area. Attending Art Center College & Pasadena City College while in high school - studying painting, printing, 2D design, as well as model drawing. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Art at CSULB, later attending Otis College of Art…
Adjunct Faculty
Linnea Motts
Adjunct Faculty
Brandy Hwang
Brandy Hwang is a graduate from the Laguna College of Art + Design with a BFA in Game Art. She has a specialty in concept and visual development with an emphasis in Environment Design. Residing in Los Angeles, Brandy has been honing in on her skills as a 2D and 3D concept artist with freelancing…
Adjunct Faculty
Dawnson Chen
Dawnson Chen has been working as an Environment Artist for over a decade in the video games industry. Currently he works at Blizzard on World of Warcraft as a Dungeon artist, his focus is on modeling and texturing Dungeons, Raid and any architecture found in the world. Before Blizzard, he was working on stylized mobile…
Adjunct Faculty
Stephen Carter
Stephen Carter is a digital artist and fine artist with over 20+ years of designing experience in the gaming industry, working at companies like Bally’s, Gamesys and Konami in the areas of character design, environment, props and more. He has a passion for Gouache and Oil painting, portraits and plein Air. His creative journey began…
Adjunct Faculty
Matt Frantz
Adjunct Faculty
Christopher Engel
Adjunct Faculty
Angelica Silva
Angelica Silva is a VFX Artist on Overwatch, specializing in vibrant, playful, and stylized effects. After graduating from LCAD in 2020 with a focus in concept art, she pivoted into real-time visual effects two years later, blending her background in visual development with dynamic game art. Angelica is excited to share her industry experience and…
Adjunct Faculty
Travis Reid
Travis Reid is a former-AAA-game-programmer-turned-educator and indie game designer. He previously worked on mobile games at Blizzard and EA, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of video game development classes at LCAD and UC-Irvine, where he's also the faculty advisor for the Video Game Development Club. His indie game, are we good , was…
Adjunct Faculty
Kristy Doan
While going to LCAD I was able to land my first gig in the industry before even graduating. Now almost six years later I've worked on and shipped a variety of different titles. From AAA games like World of Warcraft, League of Legends, and Valorant to smaller games like Wildgate, Outerworlds 2, and Wreck Runners.
Adjunct Faculty
Bryant Koshu
"I'm Bryant Koshu, a Senior Concept Artist with a rich and diverse background in the field of concept art and design. Currently, I'm applying my expertise at Deviation Games, where I've been serving since April 2023. Prior to this, I had the privilege of instructing as a Hard Surface instructor at Laguna College of Art…
Adjunct Faculty
Mark Castanon
Mark has been working professionally for the past 15 years, primarily in game development, with projects in film, theme park design, and illustration. He has a thorough understanding of each phase of a professional concept artist's design process, from initial thumbnail sketching to final delivery. He aims to share and leverage his extensive experience to…
Adjunct Faculty
Gary Musgrave
Gary Musgrave is a Southern California-based problem-solver, illustrator, designer, and educator with both a BFA from the Art Center College of Design and an MFA in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). With 15 years of professional commercial experience, his work spans editorial illustration, branding, public art, and design, showcasing his versatility and…
Adjunct Faculty
Andrew Erickson
Andrew is a Concept Artist at Obsidian Entertainment and has worked in the video game industry for nearly a decade. He has contributed to shipped titles such as Overwatch, Pillars of Eternity, Avowed, and The Outer Worlds 2, among others. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with studios including Blizzard, Obsidian, Adult Swim, Mattel, Crayola,…
Adjunct Faculty
Russell Chong
Russell G. Chong has been a production artist for 38 years and has worked in animation, feature animation, and live-action. Some of his notable accomplishments include Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2006-2013) as a general concept artist, Emmy Award winning, Batman: The Animated Series (1990-1995) as a background designer and painter, HBO’s Spawn (1997-1999) (Emmy…
Adjunct Faculty
Rachel Nartia
Rachel Nartia is a talent acquisition and program management professional with over a decade of experience at established animation & VFX studios, including Pixar, DreamWorks/PDI, Lucasfilm/ILM, and Netflix Animation. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma,…