Directory
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 Bachelor of Art in Illustration from LCAD and a Master of Fine Art degree in Single Subject Art, Illustration from California State University at Long Beach.
Chloe Allred graduated from LCADAos MFA program with honors in 2018. She is a contributing artist and writer for the book, We Believe You (published by Henry Holt in 2016.) Her paintings and writing have been featured in Orange Coast Magazine, Huffington Post, USA Today, and the BBC. She is a founding and active member of The Body Joy Project, a feminist artist collective that critiques and challenges the way our culture thinks about the body.
Brett Anderson is a Senior Product Designer at Kroger where Brett focuses on creating design systems that help enable designers to reuse design elements for a consistent user experience. Before Kroger, he was at a real estate tech start-up designing a marketing website platform and setting up their design system. For 6 years, he led the design team of an interactive design agency. Brett is a curious and passionate interaction designer. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design + Digital Media from LCAD. Brett teaches how to design for the web experience and collaborate with their developer partners in his Internet Design course. When not on the computer designing, Brett can be found with his family, playing soccer, or drawing and painting.
Beverly Arce is an illustrator, designer, and Visual Development Artist who has been active in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade. They have worked with a variety of publishers and studios in both illustration and animation. Work credits include: Disney/Marvel Animation, AGBO Films, HarperCollins publishing, Gallery Nucleus, Octopie studios, Lionsgate, and more. They really (really) like Tolkien and re-watching 90's anime.
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 City for Paula Scher, leading identity, editorial, campaign and web design projects. She also worked as a Product Designer at Envoy in Irvine, California developing visual design for mobile and TV interfaces. Emily holds a BA in Visual Art from Fordham University and a BFA in Graphic Design + Digital Media from LCAD. She completed the Extended Program Certificate in Type Design at The Cooper Union. Emily brings her extensive knowledge and passion to typography and graphic design courses.
Alla Bartoshchuk is a storyteller at heart and uses symbolic imagery to tell those stories. The symbols in her work are usually implied and are not always used in a literal sense. Rather they are private, imaginative images that arise from the depth of the psyche and embrace the surreal quality of dreams, fantasies and premonitions. She often employs human body to tell a story and convey specific emotions. Even the tiniest movement of a muscle isn't arbitrary. Every detail, every movement adds to the drama of the overall painting. Born in Rivne Ukraine, Alla received her BFA from Memphis College of Art (2010) and later completed her MFA at Laguna College of Art and Design (2013). She currently lives and works in Huntington Beach, CA.
Aaron Batara grew up on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and moved to California in 2000. He attended the Academy of Art University San Francisco where he studied under Pixar Story Artist Rob Gibbs as well as Pixar Character Animators.
Aaron has worked as a professional storyboard artist in television, toys, games,
theme park attractions, and commercials. His recent clients include DreamWorks TV, Walt Disney TVA, Universal Studios Japan, Paramount, Brown Bag Films/Nickelodeon, and Rooster Teeth.
He has also worked in story on animated international features in China and Malaysia.
Aaron is well-versed in all the modern digital toolsets and believes in continual self- improvement with the philosophy that learning is a life-long pursuit.
Award-Winning Game Designer Chris Bateman has been writing and designing games since the 16-bit consoles and he has worked on over fifty published games. His first game as lead designer and writer was Discworld Noir, and his most recent titles are the PlayStation VR Game The Persistence, Shadows: Awakening, and the hit strategy game Tropico 6.
Chris was the founder of Develop Award Nominee International Hobo Ltd, the first consultancy to combine narrative and game design skills under one roof, and the origin of the job title Aonarrative designerAo. He won the IGDAAos MVP Award for his work founding and running the organizationAos highly-successful Game Writers Special Interest Group.
He is a veteran of over 50 speaking engagements across four continents, including keynoting SB Games in Brazil 2015 and NASCOMM in India in 2005, five sessions at GDC, plus GDC Europe, MIGS, Develop: Brighton and many more besides.
Hartford Art School, University of Hartford A fine arts
California Institute of the Arts A Design / Animation
Allen began his career as an art director in the early years of computer animation, leading projects for Jim Henson and The Walt Disney Company. Over the course of the last 30 years he has designed characters, environments and led story development in a wide variety of digital media; feature film, television, games, commercials, VR, live events and theme park attractions. In 2015, Allen began teaching the creativity techniques he has used in the entertainment industry while continuing his studio work, to help young artists expand and meet the expectations of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and beyond.
Designer/Director for Evolving Media
Character Designer- Clifford The Big Red Dog, The Smurfs 1&2, DisneyAos G-Force, CharlotteAos Web, Yogi Bear, DisneyAos Inspector Gadget, George of the Jungle
VR Director, Art Director - Jurassic World Attraction for Universal Studios Creative
Cinematics Design/Direction - Star Trek: Discovery game for Playchemy / CBS Interactive
Concept & Matte Painting - 6 feature films for Rhythm & Hues
Concept Development - Lego Justice League: Flash / Aquaman for Warner Bros Animation
Attraction Concept Design - various 21st century projects for Walt Disney Imagineering
Art Director, Jimmy NeutronAos Nicktoon Blast for Nickelodeon Animation Studios
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 and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. He is on the faculty here at LCAD teaching animation history and is currently editing two blogs, Animation Scoop (for news) and Cartoon Research (history).
Brendan Beirne is a scholar of American literature and a seasoned writer and editor. He has worked as the editor of FierceBiotech, a developmental editor for two books published by Random House, a UX writer at a tech startup and a copyeditor at Alive Magazine. Brendan has a Ph.D. from New York University, where he won the Distinguished Teaching Award. He has also held post-doctoral fellowships in contemporary American fiction at Washington University in St. Louis and in the college core curriculum at NYU.
Shannon Bellanca is a mutli-disciplinary Art Director/Designer living and working in Los Angeles, CA for the past 10 years. Her passion is not only for design, but for all parts of print, especially the intricacies of production. Her work encompasses brand identity, packaging, advertising campaigns, and websites for clients that include fashion, cosmetics, events, creative professionals, and nonprofits.
Growing up in the town of Beaverton, OR, famed as the headquarters of Nike, she was surrounded by innovative design and technology. Other childhood influences include 1980's aesthetics, including The Memphis Group, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and "Teeny Little Super Guy" stop motion animation.
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Since her formal design training at Chapman University, Shannon has brought her unique design sensibility to companies large and small. She recently spent the last 4 years as creative lead at CauseForce, a specialty agency focusing on nonprofit fundraising. She played a major role in elevating the creative standards of the agency, helping them almost double in size during the process. Now freelance, her clients have included Variety Magazine, Hollywood Forever, and Old Navy.
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 on independent studio projects and app games with indie teams and IMAX. Lauren has been teaching character design and animation courses throughout Orange County for over 6 years, and is now exclusive to LCADs Game Art department. She loves the opportunity to share her passion for the entertainment industry and storytelling through fostering a professional and uplifting environment.
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, Tiana, on Princess and the Frog and finally, Pooh and Christopher Robin for Winnie the Pooh. Since the end of traditional features being produced at Disney, she's worked on dozens of shorts and smaller projects for the studio. She's also worked in storyboards for Nickelodeon and storyboard revision for Cartoon Network.
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 practical effect, and also digital artworks. He is focused on creature/character/costume/armor/environment/shot designing & World Building from script to screen shots. He has worked with top notch film studios, streaming TV companies, practical effects shops, and AAA video game studios. He is looking forward to helping students visualize their dreams. www.ehsanbigloo.com
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 and was named "CG-VFX Instructor of the Year". He is currently working as a 3D modeler on a children's cartoon series and several apps have been developed using his complex 3D anatomical models. He has also worked with a team that created the box cover art to PS4's "The Order 1886". Dave has worked professionally doing CG modeling and rigging for almost 20 years. He is one of the ZBrush instructors at LCAD.
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. Additionally, Black serves as Chief Curator for Universal Voices Gallery UV in Carson, CA and is the Gallery director and collection curator at Golden West College. Black has developed and led courses in Art History, Exhibition Design, and Writing for the Arts at several local colleges including Laguna College of Art and Design and California State University, Fullerton.
Black holds an MFA in Exhibition Design from California State University, Fullerton and is currently working towards a PhD in Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. Her scholarly interests focus on the history and theory of Minimal and Post-Minimal Art (late 1960s to present) and contemporary museological ethics.
Megan Brock is a Creative Director at Envoy, a digital agency whose work spans across branding, web, product and ad campaigns. With 15 years of experience, she has worked on clients such as FedEx, Vizio, Verizon, TCL, Velcro, Arlo and others across beauty, tech, health, sportswear and more. Megan holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design and finds great value in applying her traditional design knowledge to the digital space. Megan teaches advanced Typography courses at LCAD.
Christina Brubaker was married with two small children when her husbands 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 the sudden change was a sign-- an opportunity to finally pursue writing full time, something shed been planning since the fourth grade. Planning while simultaneously letting life get in the way, they spent a year in Brooklyn. In that time, she took three writing workshops at The Writers Studio. Once they were back in Orange County, she continued workshopping at UCLA Extension, but it was an acceptance into a community workshop at Chapman University that led to a fellowship which allowed her to pursue an MFA in creative writing, which led to a teaching position at Orange County School of the Arts. There, she discovered a knack for helping students learn how to unearth and cultivate their own unique creative voice. In the ten years since that move back east, she's had several short stories published, as well as a non-fiction piece, and one really bad poem. Recently, she finished the first draft of a novel and while it took her a lot longer to get here, she likes to think her younger self would be pleased.
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 for Le Elephant Blanc in Paris, France. Since returning to the United States, Alejandro has exhibited his figurative sculpture throughout Southern California and teaches classical drawing and sculpture in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Montserrat (Montse) Bugueno is a Political Scientist who graduated with honors from California
State University, Fullerton (B.A. 2020), and achieved a master's degree in International Studies
from Chapman University (M.A. 2022). Her master's thesis centered on the renegotiation of the
bilateral free trade agreement between Chile and South Korea.
Most recently, her research efforts have primarily been directed toward the examination of
gender roles in the region surrounding the United States-Mexican border. Her areas of research
interests include womens rights, the Asian-Pacific region, gender studies, Latin America, and
the role Global North countries play in the development of the Global South.
Though not an artist herself, she highly values the representation of different cultural views that
can be seen in diverse artistic expressions. The narratives and stories told through literature,
animation, and countless other artistic mediums echo the same historical lessons and ideas that
she seeks to highlight through her cross-cultural writing and research.
Dan Carreker has over 10 years of teaching experience in game arts and sciences. He has industry experience as both a Database Manager for Activisions 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 Morgana.
He completed his M.F.A at Laguna College of Art + Design and has been an active advocate for both the industry and for game students, lecturing and writing articles on subjects such as selecting a college and how to break into the industry. His work, The Game Developers Dictionary (Cengage Learning) is the first dictionary specifically for the video game industry.
Kenny Carvalho is currently an Art Recruiter at Riot Games. Kenny has been in the games industry for over 14 years. After graduating from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in computer animation, he started an independent game company called Parasytic Moon where he worked with talented developers on an unreleased title, Dissonance: Days of Anathema. After the closure of Parasytic Moon, he joined Thomas Buscaglia, a game attorney, where he learned much about the business side of the games industry. From there, Kenny discovered recruiting at GameRecruiter.com. At this recruiting firm, Kenny began to learn the importance of building solid game teams and networking with developers around the world. That role took Kenny to his next adventure, working at Blizzard Entertainment where he recruited primarily artists for all the game and cinematic teams at the studio. He later went on to become a Character Art Manager on Blizzard Entertainment's Next Gen MMO project before heading to Riot Games. At Riot Games, Kenny has moved back into doing what he is most passionate about and that is recruiting artists, being part of the art community while helping upaiandaicoming art talent reach their goals.
The Chilean native was born in 1994 to a Graphic Designer and an Advertiser, which laid the foundations for his own passion in arts. In 2009, Gabriel Castro began his art school career with interests in concept design and graphic novels in the Visual Arts Department at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. His interest in Fine Arts peaked there, thanks to history classes taught by art historian, Lori Rusch. Craving the regal, traditional styles and training, he attended Laguna College of Art + Design for Drawing + Painting with a minor in Sculpture. In 2015, Gabriel made it to the Florence Academy of Art in Italy, where he was the first LCAD student to attend their Sculpture department as part of a study abroad program. While there, he studied under renowned sculptor Robert Bodem for two trimesters before returning to California to finish his BFA with LCAD. Then he returned to Florence for one more year before returning home to Los Angeles.
Talia Ceravolo is an oil painter, songwriter and MFA graduate. She spent the last three years completing her MFA in Painting from the University of Miami, while experiencing the vibrant art scene of Miami, FL. Born and Raised in San Diego, CA she received her BA in Studio Arts from San Diego State University. Her work embraces a feminist perspective of figurative oil painting drawing from her inspirations of nature and using a strong direct eye contact to challenge the male gaze. For her most recent body of work, Talia created a series of organically shaped canvases as a way to move beyond the traditional boundaries of oil painting. Talia currently resides in the Los Angeles area where she continues painting and teaches drawing at CSU Long Beach and Laguna College of Art and Design.
Xun Chi is a Professor of Visual Communication Design, International Curator, and the Rotating Chairman of the Association of Chinese Artists in American Academia. He holds a MFA degree in Visual Communication Design from Purdue University, where his design work achieved national recognition. Xun completed a medical degree from Tianjin Medical University in China. His professional awards and recognition include the 10 Young Chinese of Excellence Award"" at Chinese Magazine's 40-year anniversary; Excellent Advisor Award from the International Green Design Competition; The Best Advisor of Beauty of Chinese Characters Global Youth Design Contest; Outstanding Curator Award of Pingyao International Photography Festival, and the Winner of the Idea Festival Best 2D Award for two consecutive years.
Xuns photographic work has been published in magazines worldwide including Juxtapoz, Harpers Bazaar China, Elle UK, and Vogue. His photography and artworks have been exhibited in notable institutions at Stanford University, Nixon Presidential Library, San Francisco Public Library, and Ningbo Museum of Contemporary Art. He has been an invited guest presenter and lecturer at Beijing University, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Art Center College of Design, Stanford University, Tongji University, Beijing Normal University, Dakota State University, Biola University, College Art Association, AIGA, and LA LIVING TV show. Xun teaches a broad range of courses at both foundation and advanced levels including graphic design, composition and color, 3D animation, motion graphics, and photography.
Jeff has had a full career in the arts, however, he is a teacher at his core. ei_a__ne of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who SERVES almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.ei_ ei_i_a Gordon B. Hinckley. Jeffei_i_s journey has taken him through the ranks of the educational system from his Bachelor degree in Game Art and Design to his Masters of Fine Arts in Painting. He has over fifteen years of experience in the entertainment industry, fourteen overlapping yearsei_i_ experience as a college art instructor, and two decades as a volunteer mentor for local high-risk youth. He has worked as a concept artist/art director on a hand full of titles like Fallout, GoldenEye, Alpha Protocol, and StarCraft for Blizzard, Obsidian, Activision, EA, Interplay, Konami and Technicolor.
Although Jeffei_i_s fine art journey is relatively new, his works have been displayed at the Laguna Art Museum as a part of the Emerging Artists show, at Twitchcon in the Artists Corner Exhibition, and his work hangs in a plethora of private collections across the globe. Although Jeffei_i_s personal artistic expression is important to him, he recently took the leap towards teaching by dedicating a full-time effort to this endeavor. He is now teaching as a foundations instructor here at LCAD and continues to pursue teaching wherever the need arises. Last but certainly not least, and definitely not just a footnote in his life, he is a dedicated and passionate father, gamer, extreme sports enthusiast, and out-of-doors adventurer.
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After growing up in Arizona I went to graduate school to study design in Southern California, and I've lived there ever since. I've been working as an artist in the gaming and publishing industry for over 17 years, working with studios like Steve Jackson Games and Wizards of the Coast. I'm currently Art Director at Hunter Books, where I co-created the ENnie Award-winning children's books The ABCs of RPGs. I've been teaching Illustration at LCAD since 2012.
I live with my wife in San Diego, spending my time away from LCAD raising my daughters and drawing stories whenever I can! My work can be found at www.calebisdrawing.com
As a local who grew up in the area, it wasn't hard to focus my career on game art. The vibrant art community of Laguna Beach, the many local game studios, high school, after school digital and industrial art classes, all combined to provide a strong foundation for my future career choice. Originally, I studied biology, not art. 2 years into college, I discovered a very important thing about education - what you learn should matter to you and your future. I then enrolled at The Art Institute of California - Orange County to pursue my BS in Game Art and Design. There I learned the digital and conceptual basics needed to get in on the ground floor as an artist at Carbine Studios as a Texture Artist working on Wildstar.
My art career has since blossomed beyond the game industry. In addition to working as a texture artist and teaching, I do freelance in the hobbyist jewelry industry. My metal clay stamps are for sale on the Rio Grande website under my future married name, Rebecca Chung. At home, I continue to practice more traditional art forms to expand my horizons as an artist in general. From traditional oils and water colors, lino block carving and printing, encaustics, to metal clay, I love discovering and learning new art mediums.
I post many of my personal works up on Etsy:e ohttp://www.etsy.com/shop/RebeccaChungDesigns
Ellen Coons has worked in animation, specifically stop motion, since her graduation in 2012 from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. Her focus of study was indeed that ridiculous but entrancing art of bringing inanimate objects to life. Her professional career includes work on 3 feature length films, 7 network series, 1 live stage musical and a slew of commercials and odd bits in between; all of them are stop-motion productions. She has worked in multiple roles on these projects including animator, art director, set builder, set dresser and visual effects compositor, mostly based in Los Angeles. Her experience also includes 3 semesters as an on-site Adjunct Faculty in the animation department of her alma mater.
A fluid artist with a proven track record in game, commercial and corporate arenas. Experience working independently and in leading teams and mentoring artists. Solid organizational skills. A calm presence in stressful situations.
Dan Cuatt is an environment artist working in games, currently at Unbroken Studios.
Hes 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 creative family, to his time learning and teaching at LCAD,
to the person he is today.
Making art and environments isn't a solitary act for Dan, it's a hybrid process of
collaborative construction and play. In the past it was building cardboard forts with brothers.
Today, its between him and the team at the studio, and the players out in the world. The tools
may change, but the core remains the same -- building a space for players to explore and play
in!
I am an anthropologist whose background includes biological, cultural and medical anthropology. My diverse background in anthropology and lifestyle provides me with the knowledge and experience needed to teach a variety of subjects in the Liberal Arts Department at LCAD including Human Diversity, Human Evolution, Multi-cultural Healing and Human Sexuality. As a Professor of Anthropology I have lived and taught all over the world including Ecuador, Costa Rica and Spain. My field work has taken me to the Amazon, Andes, Eastern Europe and the Himalayas. I am President and Co-Founder of Women for World Health (www.womenforworldhealth.org) a volunteer organization dedicated to providing free plastic/reconstructive surgery in developing nations. I serve as trip coordinator, translator and international liaison for our international medical missions. I have two children, Jordi age 29 and Tess age 27. I have a home in Ibiza, Spain where my daughter was born. I spend two months a year there soaking up the Mediterranean spirit and cooking in my kitchen. I have a quadrupedal boyfriend named Sammy who is my exercise partner and travel companion. Sammy and I walk, bike and kayak regularly and he goes to Spain with me. I also have a bipedal boyfriend named Bill. Bill and I have been together for six years and he is honestly the nicest man I have ever met. I am in awe of the talent my students have. I am grateful for my 23 years at LCAD, my entertaining, challenging and creative students, my colleagues and the administration.
Alan Cusolito is a product designer with a background in the toy industry having worked for 20 years with Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Ind. Alan has also done consumer and sports products primarily in the scuba diving industry for 10 years. Alan was formerly the Chair of Industrial Design with the Art Institutes and have placed graduates with industry leaders such as Tesla, Honda, Oakley, and Walt Disney Imagineering as well as others. Alan holds multiple industry awards and patents and is skilled in product design, 3D computer modeling, digital illustration, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing. Alan has taught with institutions such as Rhode Island School of Design, Otis College of Art and Design, and Cal State Long Beach Industrial Design program.
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 within the work that I do. My ability to grow with industry standards continues to be one of my most valued assets.
With 18+ years of work experience in the medical device industry creating a variety of medical based visuals. I have a passion for maintaining and learning industry standard workflows for 3D development. I enjoy the process and development of 3D animation, illustrations and building XR optimized for the Oculus Quest. I'm proficient in figurative and scientific anatomy as well as traditional and digital execution. I have experience leading a team with building XR (Extended Reality) pipelines and scaling resources to support and service corporate XR deliverables.
Now with the opportunity LCAD is giving me to come back and teach again, I look forward to doing my part to help the students continue to grow into the dawn of their professional careers.
With more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment and animation industry, Mo is an Emmy award-winning and Academy Award Selected CEO and Executive Creative Director of Brain Zoo Studios. At Brain Zoo, he oversees the vision and creative standards of the company and is instrumental in the company's growth and IP creation.
Mo manages the business development, client relations, and the day to day operations, while maintaining working relationships with clients like Activision/Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, and Marvel. Some of his key projects are Guardians of the Galaxy series, Ultimate Spiderman series, Call of Duty Black Ops 4, Game of Thrones Game, Lego Star Wars, Disney Infinity 3, Skylanders, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars franchises.
Mo received a BS degree in Industrial Design from Art Center College of Design, MBA degree from Pepperdine University and is a member of Visual Effects Society.
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 academys in Orange County and Los Angeles. Matteo also works within retirement communities and memory care facilities sharing his passion for art to Seniors.
Bernie Dickson runs AuOur Friends Inc.Au. She is also the co-creator and co-owner of LA based Popsicle company called Mom & Pop Shop and a part-time professor at Chapman University in the Graphic Design Department specializing in Typography and Color Theory. She has experience working as a Creative Director for a Marketing agency and absuletly LOVES helping new companies find their unique visual expression. Some brands she has worked with: Amy Jo Martin LLC, Invisalign, Tofurkey, Bark Inc. Justice Rising, Caroline Lee, and IFC.
I'm a primarily based 3D artist with a focus on creating props and hard surface assets for the gaming and film industry. While my passion is bringing virtual worlds to life, my goal is to produce high quality assets that help to create immersive and engaging experiences for players and viewers alike. I've had the honor of contributing to projects at Little Bang Inc. and Normal VR!
Originally from Philadelphia, I recently moved to Orange County in my pursuit of the arts. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing cozy games, reading novels, and going on hikes in the local area!
Bachelor of Architecture with distinction - Film and Theatre minors
Art Director - Double Helix Games (Foundation 9 Entertainment)
David Robert Donatucci is an art director with a passion for architecture, film and theatre. Always mindful of drama and staging, Bob has worked in the computer entertainment industry for 20 years. With a strong architectural background gained while studying and working in Rome, Italy and New York City, he began his career in his native Canada designing environments for motion based simulation rides. Featured in various industry articles, Bob has also lent his talent as a guest lecturer and architecture critic at Carleton University School of Architecture and the University of Waterloo. Most recently as a professor at Laguna College of Art and Design, he teaches architecture visualization to a new breed of artists.
Bob currently resides in Southern California and draws on his extensive knowledge of architectural style and geographic locations to breathe life and a credible history into the worlds he has conceptualizes and creates for next gen platforms at Double Helix Games (Foundation 9 Entertainment). His most recent game is the much anticipated Killer Instinct launching on Xbox ONE.
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 paint for The Fairly OddParents and T.U.F.F. Puppy (Nickelodeon).
As an active member of The Animation Guild, Kristin has served as a committee chair, convention delegate, and panelist. She has been featured in industry publications such as Keyframe (2021), Toon Boom (2021), Cartoon Network Studios First Look (2020), and The Pegboard (2019). Kristin has moderated professional panel discussions at San Diego Comic-Con International and The Animation Guild, and has shared her passions for creativity and inclusivity at schools, conferences, and exhibits around the globe.
Kristin holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco (2003), a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Entertainment Art/Animation from California State University, Fullerton (2000), and is currently a Co-Executive Producer in Development at Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
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, he received a commission from a UCI astrophysicist to illustrate the future
capabilities of the James Webb telescope. The digital diagram produced was needed as a visual presentation tool for NASA, to show how deep into space the telescope would actually see. Jason graduated with distinction from Art Center College of Design in 1990, majoring in Illustration. In 2006, he and his family moved from the Midwest to
Orange County, CA. In 2007, former LCAD President Jonathan Burke hired Jason as an Adjunct Faculty at LCAD, where he has been teaching talented and inspired students for fifteen years.
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 Warner Bros. Animation, Universal Cartoon Studios, Film Roman, Hyperion, Mike Young Productions and Rich Entertainment, primarily as a Storyboard Artist. Projects worked on include: Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, The Mummy: The Animated Series, Family Guy, Toddworld, Chloes Closet, Care Bears, Life With Louie, HBOs Happily Ever After, American Heroes: William Bradford, The Swan Princess and The King and I. He has done Live Action Storyboarding on a couple of projects for Generation Entertainment and Development work for The Disney Channel. He has also done Illustration Work on
Collectible Pin Designs for Disney.
John has been part of the adjunct faculty of Mt. San Antonio College for 20 years, having taught classes in Figure Gesture, Figure in Motion, Storyboarding, Character Development and Drawing Fundamentals among others. He has taught Fundamentals of Story and Storyboarding at Laguna College of Art and Design. He has lectured at California State University Northridge and Information Resource Systems. He has been a guest artist at The Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA.
John is also a Screenwriter and Playwright. He has written for Steven Spielberg / Warner Bros. Animaniacs and done script work on the animated feature, My Little World. John is a member of The Company of Angels, the oldest repertory theater company in Los Angeles where he co-facilitates the Playwrights Group and has worked as a director. He has had several theatrical plays produced.
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 mobile games.
My name is Kevin Duong and in 2008, I started attending LCAD as a Game Art Major with an emphasis in 3D modeling for games. I found that during my time here, I learned the necessary skills required to succeed in the game industry, and was able to network with a number of influential teachers and industry professionals.
Since graduating in May of 2012, I have been working as an Associate 3D Artist at High Moon Studios located in Carlsbad. My job title entails the creation of 3D environmental / interactive props which populate various levels throughout the respected game. As the new consoles arrive, my responsibilities have broadened to optimizing models and textures to ensure that the game will be capable of running efficiently on both current- generation and next -generation consoles. I must always take technical limitations into account , while consistently upholding the artistic standards of the Intellectual Property.
My first shipped title was Deadpool (June 25th 2013) I am currently working on an unannounced Activision title for HMS.
www.kevinduongart.com
David Edwards is an ardent game developer with a proficiency in character animation. Currently he is working as a Lead Animator at Blizzard Entertainment on Warcraft's Arclight Rumble. David has worked at Blizzard for almost a decade with credits on several World of Warcraft expansions, including Warlords of Draenor, Legion, and Battle for Azeroth. Before Blizzard, David worked at Sanzaru Games on Sly Cooper's Thieves in Time; He also has worked in film as an animator at Rhythm and Hues VFX house. David holds a Bachelor of Science degree from East Tennessee State University, focused in Digital Media. His post graduate studies include Animation Mentor and on the job training. He loves animating, painting, gaming, motorcycles and dungeons and dragons.
Rachel Elese Morales has been working in the Animation Industry for five years as a Visual Development Artist. She has worked for studios such as DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Bento Box and more. Before working as a Visual Development Artist, she was a Production Intern where she learned the ins and outs of the Animation pipeline. Now as an artist, she specializes in using color to evoke feelings and better tell her narrative. Her past opportunities to work in a studio have provided her with the skills to make quick and wise decisions, work patiently and well with other people, and most importantly, be creative. She is looking forward to helping students experiment and learn the power that color has in their field.
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. WinstonAos 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 resort in Palm Springs. He also partnered with Playboy to support The Trevor ProjectAos 50 Bills 50 States initiative. Winston is a dedicated advocate of LGBTQ+ rights, history, and inclusivity. Professionally and personally he strives to support inclusion, representation and understanding. Winston received his BFA from LCAD and teaches Brand Strategy courses.
Nousha Emami is an artist, designer, architect and educator. She is the founder of 6a_ Design | Build Studio, an experimental design and research practice based in Southern California. She received her Bachelor of Science from State University of New York at Buffalo, Masters of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Masters of Architecture from University of California Los Angeles. She has worked at a number of film production studios such as Pixar Animation Studios, Sony Image Works, Blue Sky | VIFX, Tippet Studios, Jim Henson's Creature Shop, etc; as a Technical Director, Visual Effects Artist and Animator.Nousha Emami was recently nominated as one of the top three finalists in an intentional urban art competition, Freedom: A Shared Dream, along with Cecil Balmond and Owen Morrel.Her design research is one that explores the integration between architecture, animation and cinematography, with an extensive consideration for form and space, using digital design technology.
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 College of Creative Studies in Detroit, MI, specializing in Transportation Design. After CCS, he went on to earn a Master of Science degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA - also specializing in Transportation Design. While he is relatively new to teaching, it is an area that he has been looking to explore for quite some time now, and he is very excited about the opportunity to be an adjunct professor at LCAD. He comes from a family of life-long educators (and designers), and he is sure he will be successful in helping LCAD students improve their overall design skills.
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 mass production. She has worked as a Designer and Design Manager for Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Hyundai Motor Company, and KIA Motors. Her expertise is in Sustainable Materials, and Color, Materials, and Finishes/CMF, Color Marketing, Product Design, Automotive Design, Concept Generation, and Design Management. Mollie graduated from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, and holds a BFA in Industrial Design. When not teaching, Mollie travels the world to Automotive Design studios, helping Design teams find sustainable solutions on a mass production level. Mollie teaches courses in CMF and is an active contributor to the LCAD materials library.
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 Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Time Magazine, AARP, BBDO(LA)-[Blue Cross], Ogilvy & Mather-[AmEx], Wells Rich & Greene-[Ford Motor Co], Merkley, Newman, Harty-[National Thoroughbred Racing Association], The Orange County Register, and LosAngeles Lawyer magazine among others.
Richard's original artwork is kept in private collections of notables such as Kurt Vonnegut and Englebert Humperdink. Richard Ewing is a native of Southern California receiving his BFA and MFA in Illustration from C.S.U. Long Beach in 1987 and 1998 respectively, studying under Richard Oden. Richard is currently living with his family in Long Beach.
At LCAD, Richard teaches figure drawing and anatomy in both the animation and drawing & painting department.
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 cross-disciplinary team-oriented environment in a variety of leadership roles. She's been employing her skills in both 2D and 3D disciplines to create whimsical and captivating characters that enrich gameplay experiences. Within her time working for Blizzard she has on boarded employees as well as mentoring interns and college seniors. She loves sharing her knowledge learned over her career and thrives watching her peers and students grow as anartist.
Rick Farmiloe has been animating childhoods for over 30 years, and is best known for breathing hilarity into iconic Disney sidekicks Scuttle, Lefou, and Abu in the beloved Academy Award winning films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
During his 11 years at Disney, he animated on seven features and one short, which included The Black Cauldron, Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol, The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver and Company, and The Rescuers Down Under.
Beyond his work for Disney, Ricks feature film credits include The Swan Princess, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Shrek, Rugrats Go Wild, Curious George, The Simpsons Movie, Boxtrolls, The Iron Giant: Signature Edition, and four Tom and Jerry DVD features. He also animated on numerous Snoopy commercials for Bill Melendez.
In 2011, Rick was an animator on two Annie Award productions: Adam and Dog, and Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five. He animated on yet another Annie Award winning commercial, Coca Colas Man and Dog in 2015. Recently Rick has been working with director, Henry Selick, on his new project, Wendell and Wild.
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 "Meerkats" led to advanced responsibilities with My Pet Monster and "Care Bears" and setting the show style for "Babar". He also served as overseas supervisor for "Chipmunks Goes to the Movies", "Beetlejuice", "Batman The Animated Series", "Wheres Waldo" and "Hero 108". During his time overseas, he taught drawing and layout classes. Back in the U.S. Peter assumed directing responsibilities on "101 Dalmatians the TV Series", "Sabrina The Teenage Witch the Animated TV Series", and "Pigs Next Door" as well as "Camp WWE" for the WWE. Thus far he has worked on many animated series and direct to video projects including: "Superman", "Freakazoid", "Tutenstein", "Pinky and the Brain", "Animaniacs", "Dorothy of OZ", "Disenchanment", "Scooby-Doo","The Jetsons" and "Tom and Jerry", and most recently background design work for Minnie Bow Toons. Peter also produced the animated title sequence for the Christmas hit, Elf. Since 2019, he has been an adjunct professor for LCAD Animation sharing his knowledge and work experiences in Layout and Storyboarding. Peter has received three Emmy Nominations for his work on "Pinky and the Brain" and won his first Emmy for Discovery Networks "Growing Up Creepy".
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.
Maria has also worked as character designer for indie games as well as illustrator for live-action films and brings specialized experience helping connect foreign cultures with an American audience through well researched costume design.
Born and raised in Brazil, she fell in love with the idea of breathing life into a fictional world and came to the U.S. to study animation. Now based in Seattle, Maria is focused on expanding her knowledge of materials and world cultures to better connect audiences to each other.
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 of Director of Public Programs for the school. She is also currently an instructor there with an emphasis on figure drawing, color theory and materials. Ananda's work is heavily, albeit indirectly, influenced by the quatroccento and the Italian Mannerists. She is the author of "The Whimsy Manifesto", an essay outlining an artistic ethos she calls whimsy. Her work can be found in private collections around the world and she is the recipient of the 2021 Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities grant by the Society for Classical Studies.
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, Marvels Spider-man PS4, Bright, Falling Skies, The New Mutants, League of Legends, The Wolverine, Star Citizen, Goosebumps, Max Steel, Prey, and Black Adam.
Ashley Finley (Munson) is a freelance designer, published illustrator, and multi faceted creative. She has a BFA in Graphic Design with an Emphasis in Illustration from Laguna College of Art and Design. Her professional work consists of Visual Identity, Illustration, and Package Design for various clients around the world. Her work has been published in SD Voyager, Svn Space Print Issues, Wellbeing Wild Magazine, Shoutout Socal, and Canvas Rebel. She aims to share her experience of running a business to creatives wanting to explore a freelance career.
James comes from an unlikely background; born unto a family of medical professionals deep in the heart of the Inland Empire of California, he doesn't strike a picture that the industry is too familiar with. Developing an early passion for video games and their immersive capacity for story-telling, his every move has been towards becoming a games development professional. Today, James is a senior software engineer and CEO for Broken Circle Studios, a third party development that specializes in entertainment and mobile technologies. With his Master's Degree in Software Engineering from Cal State Fullerton, as well as over a decade of experience teaching at a variety of art and technology schools throughout Southern California, James takes pride in combining the structure and rigors of computer science and the creative spontaneity of the video game industry. From small start-ups to massive enterprises, from serious to silly, and from public to secretive, James finds that with every client comes a new opportunity to learn and express his talents.
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 has also worked at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California, where she worked in the Digital Media Conservatory as the Game Design instructor. Other than her Game Art courses, Amanda has experience teaching other various game design classes involving character design, 3D modeling, rigging and animation, and more.
"I'm an artist and a game developer.
Art and games have both been important parts of my life since I can remember, and have brought me great joy and satisfaction. I've been fortunate in my career to be able to contribute to these two disciplines through my work in visual development, character design, and creature design.
I'm passionate about storytelling, art, reading, comics, games, ancient history, paleontology, wildlife, nature, collaborating with good friends, spending quality time with family, and maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Most of all, I'm incredibly passionate about teaching and mentoring young people, as they identify their respective paths within the entertainment industry. I'd like to help them grow by identifying and nurturing their creative artistic visions. My responsibility as a mentor is to help students develop as artists and as people, into the creatively powerful individuals they are all capable of becoming.
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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 at Filmation and have been working in Animation ever since. James worked as an inbetweener at Filmation working on She-Ra and He-Man, and finishing his time there as an animator on Brave Star.
Fujiis resume includes working on prop and character models for Muppet Babies at Marvel before going to Disney Feature Animation, where he started again as an inbetweener on Oliver and Company, The Little Mermaid, as well as Beauty and the Beast. He finished his story training working on Aladdin, Mickeys Runaway Brain, Fantasia 2000, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.
In 1995, James moved to Dreamworks to work on Prince of Egypt, Antz, and Shrek. Since 2000, Fujii has worked at studios like Warner Bros TV Animation, Universal, Stars, Imagi, Paramount, and Netflix Animation Studios. As a result, James Fujii has contributed to over 40 theatrical features and over a dozen shots, direct-to-video animated features, and numerous TV series. James is currently working for Netflix Animation Studios on one of their feature productions.
James Galindo (b. 1983) is a Southern California oil painter and a graduate of Laguna College of Art & Designs bachelors and masters 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 in Schiedam, Netherlands, Green Valley Hospital in Tucson, AZ, and artwork featured in various shows and advertisements in the Los Angeles TV industry. James has taught at a number of art studios and colleges in Southern California, including Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, Brentwood Art Center, Kazone Art Academy, FT Art Academy, Rio Hondo College, Saddleback College, Orange Coast College and Laguna College of Art and Design. James has more than 15 years of teaching experience and specializes in foundation level drawing and painting.
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 antique and early medieval translators, from Britain to Bactria and beyond. For the last decade he has played a small role with other scholars in the field to decolonize medieval studies, and to disrupt the myths about race and gender in the European middle ages that white supremacists and other reactionary forces have weaponized. In his free time, he applies this same skill set and political interest to creative writing and worldbuilding, collaborating with friends and fellow travelers on vibrant new imaginaries that are capable of reflecting the whole human family and its struggles. He loves tabletop role-playing games, record collecting, hiking, and eating delicious food, which is why he has chosen to call Southern California home.
Prof. Garcia began her academic career at San Diego Mesa College for two years before transferring into the Anthropology Program at UC Berkeley. While there she volunteered and was eventually hired for fossil prep in the Museum of Paleontology and the Institute for Human Origins with Donald Johansson. Both provided excellent learning opportunities and experience that useful in a range of her classes from introduction to biological anthropology, forensic anthropology and human evolution.
After completing the Anthropology program, she attended the Universit de Sorbonne and the Universit de Bordeaux I in France where Prof. Garcia received a MasterAos degree in Biological Anthropology, with an emphasis on paleoanthropology. Her research focused on Neandertal and modern human cranial bone variation. Using CT technology along with a good deal of archaeological excavation that included Paleolithic Neandertal cave sites in the South of Spain and excavation in France. She also spent much of this time giving lectures and doing research in Indonesia, various countries in Europe, North Africa and Japan.
In 2005, she was hired for the full-time anthropology professor position at Saddleback College. Since that time Prof. Garcia has received certificates from the Body Farm, the Institute of Forensic Research at University of Tennessee, Knoxville and other recent conferences like NCORE (National Conference on Race and Equity).
Prof. Garcia looks forward to teaching human evolution and discussing one of the most interesting aspects of paleoanthropology, the study of Upper Paleolithic Art. Who painted it? When? And with what tools? This will be one of the topics covered in the course for spring
Ever since I was little, I have loved to draw and I knew from an early age that I wanted to work in animation. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I moved to Southern California in 2007 to pursue my dream and ended up in beautiful Laguna Beach. While in school, I learned so much from teachers and students alike and had classes covering all areas of the industry; from animation to story boarding to design and figure drawing.
In 2011 I graduated from the Laguna College of Art and Design with a BFA in Animation. While at school, I received a well-rounded art education and had the opportunity to intern at Cartoon Network. My experience was invaluable and helped prepare me for the professional world. Immediately out of school, I began working at a small studio were all of my skills were put to use. I did everything from character and effects animation, character design, environment design, UI and concept. Quickly, I began finding myself in leadership roles. Since then, I have worked as an art lead in Prague, a character designer at FOX Animation, a senior 2D artist at Bad Juju, and I am currently a 2D artist at Magic Pixel Games in Los Angeles, California. Besides working in studios, I also have a healthy contract business where I freelance as a character designer and concept artist to studios and clients in need.
teatigercafe.tumblr.com
www.mogiarts.com
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 own passions. She holds a deep appreciation for the road less traveled - understanding everyone's path is unique - and teaches through compassion and encouragement.
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 as Jennifer Latham of Tartine, Glen Weldon of NPR, Hawa Hassan, Miyoko Schinner of
Miyoko's Creamery, and Lauren Toyota.
In 2013, Isabelle graduated from LCAD with a B.F.A. in Illustration with an Emphasis in Graphic Design.
She is a proud member and supporter of AIGA and continues to be a volunteer for the non-profit.
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 upcoming card set releases. He has previously worked as a Graphic Designer at CallisonRTKL and Seattle Opera and has freelanced for multiple local brands and studios. Trevor is also an active member of AIGA, Queer Design Club and Climate Designers. Trevor received his BFA in Graphic Design + Digital Media from Laguna College of Art + Design in Fall of 2017
Taylor Glenn is an interdisciplinary artist, illustrator, designer, and writer working in California and Maine. As an alumna of the Graphic Design and Digital Media with Illustration Emphasis program at LCAD, she specialized in creating accessible branding identities for people with physical and cognitive uniquenesses and creating systems focused on sustainability and ecological preservation. Taylor's work always has a strong foundation of research and conceptual depth. She has worked with companies like RipCurl, Element Skateboards, and Quokka Brew. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States. Also, her poetry was published in the Chiron Review. Taylor is earning her MFA in Studio Art from Maine College of Art & Design, mainly focusing on themes of abandonment and relationships through textiles, found objects, installation, and sculpture.
Renso Gomez is an Illustrator, Traditional Oil Painter and Sketch Artist located in Sunny Southern California. His professional artwork focuses on Concept Art and Narrative Illustration but during his free time he enjoys painting landscapes in oil and creating hand drawn portraits.
Renso Graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2020 with his Master of Fine Arts in Illustration. He also attended California State University, San Bernardino (Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art) and Riverside City College (Associate of Arts in Fine and Applied Arts).
Renso has taught courses such as Digital Narrative Illustration, Perspective Drawing and Digital Illustration at California State University, Fullerton as a Teaching Associate. Renso also teaches beginning and advanced digital painting at Orange County School of the Arts.
If you would like to contact Renso about his work or availability he can be reached at rgjconcepts@gmail.com and feel free to follow on Instagram @rgjconcepts.
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 Duty, Alexander has created props for the Destiny franchise and vehicles for Armored Warfare at Obsidian. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art from LCAD. Alexander teaches Modeling For Game 1 to help students learn current industry asset creation for the video game industry. Alexander loves exploring architecture, cities, and nature on his travels that he can introduce into the work he creates.
Kline Academy | Art Renewal Center
As a contemporary realist painter, I continue my journey of self exploration and understanding of the human subject. My desire to become one with everything living, fulfills who I am and in return I hope evokes an experience for the viewer. I paint in attempt to capture a fleeting moment and feeling of desire to experience it once more. In my current body of work, I explore how to create naturalistic images with highly rendered and abstract paint marks, these layered marks of finished and unfinished represent my personal state of mind as an artist.
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 Laguna College of Art + Design and was invited to be a live demonstrator at the Huntington Librarys Brushstrokes: Beyond the Gallery event. Emily currently teaches art at the university level and exhibits her work in galleries in Utah and California.
Graduate Alumni: Painting
Darryl Grant is Senior UI/UX Designer at Weedmaps. He is a multifaceted creative who is driven by a passion for visual communication and product design. He specializes in creative product solutions within UI and UX for mobile, webm and next generation platforms.
Darryl has worked with some of the worldei_i_s largest multinationals all the way down to independent start-ups. His manifesto is to create celebrated work through original concepts and intelligent solutions.
Sophia was born and raised in Southern California. SheAos always had a love for art drawing inspiration anywhere from comics to books to magazines to movies. Moved by early Disney films, Sophia decided to take the path to become a traditional 2d animator at the Laguna College of Art and Design. Partly through her studies, she found that she also had a passion for visual development and illustration. Since graduating in 2019, she has had the pleasure of working in both illustration and animation, with companies such as Black Women Animate, HULU, 9story Media, and Scholastics UK.
Kevin Harger is a visual development artist for film and animation, as well as an avid landscape painter. Hailing from Texas, the dusty winds and his passion for art swept him up and dropped him in sunny Los Angeles. From digital matte painting roles on live-action films and series, to storyboarding for animation, and now into environment design and background painting, he has run the gamut of illustration roles in the industry. The studios hes had the pleasure to work with include Rooster Teeth Animation, Netflix Animation, Warner Bros. Animation and others. Kevin is thrilled to be teaching Digital Landscape Painting with LCAD and looking forward to the unpredictable and challenging nature of painting outdoors.
Born and raised in southern California, David HarringtonAos love of art began at an early age when he drew on everything, which eventually led to a career in illustration. He graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where he earned a bachelorAos degree in fine arts with honors. As a freelance illustrator for the last 27 years David has created art for a wide variety of entertainment, advertising, packaging and publishing companies including numerous childrenAos books. His client list includes: Disney, Mattel, Warner Bros., MGM, Pepsi, Burger King, Random House and Penguin Books. His illustration portfolio can be viewed here: www.davidharrington.com
Kenny has been a fixture in the Los Angeles art scene since arriving in Venice Beach in 2001. He paints atmospheric interiors, cityscapes, and figure in his work, and has exhibited around the world. Drawn to quiet subjects, his muted palette and spare spaces evoke a calming energy. He has had over 20 solo exhibitions.
Kenny teaches figure painting and drawing at LCAD, as well as guiding students through their Senior Portfolio as they find their artistic individuality and voice. He has been an instructor with the school since 2006, full time since 2018.
He as studied at the atelier of Charles Cecil in Florence, with Frank Mason at The Art Students League of New York, and more recently he earned his MFA at Laguna College of Art + Design focusing on portraiture.
Kenny is an Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at Laguna College of Art + Design and was awarded the prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Grant in 2016.
He currently shows at Koplin Del Rio Gallery in Seattle, George Billis Gallery in New York, and Galerie Mokum in Amsterdam.
Rustam Hasanov is an interdisciplinary artist based in Atlanta Georgia. He studied in California at the Art Center College of Design. After graduating he worked on film, TV, and animation, including clients like Laika, DreamWorks Animation, Sony, Nickelodeon and Paramount.
Jay Hathaway began his career as one of PixarAos first interns during their initial feature film, Toy Story. After getting an MA in computer animation and education technologies at San Francisco State University, he worked for Film Roman and helped create a pilots for various internal projects . JayAos cinematic and in-game credits include: Diablo II, WarCraft III, World of WarCraft, StarCraft II, and Blizzard HOTS. Recently working in Germany doing Mobil development for GoodGame Studios and Seattle creating VR projects. Other published works are AuWhere Cards FallAu by The Game Band, an Apple Arcade exclusive. When not working or spending time with his family, Jay enjoys teaching courses in Character Animation, Rigging and VFX.
Link for Jay Hathaway:
AMoby Games for full listing of game development titles
Ahttp://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,20676/
Web site: https://www.jhathawayanimation.com
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 class from many working voice actors and casting agents as well as obtaining private coaching and building her skills and resume. She has diverse experience in voicing projects for many different areas of the voiceover industry including commercials, animation, video games, trailers, podcasts, and over 200 audiobooks. Ashton has also been fortunate enough to act on stage as well including roles as "Sandy" in Grease (2007), "Mary Warren" in The Crucible (2005), and "Philia" in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (2006). She has loved working both on stage and in the booth. Both have taught her so much about the craft of acting as well as herself.
In addition, Ashton has teaching experience at all levels (pre-k, elementary, high school and adults) and education dating back to 2008. Ashton also currently teaches her own online course (Voiceover for Beginners) in cooperation with Tessa Livingston SLP and offers private acting and voiceover instruction.
Ashton also is a Podcast host and content creator for the upcoming "Good Talkers Podcast" with two other voice actors where they discuss the voiceover and acting industry, including personal experiences as working actors in the post pandemic world. She is so looking forward to working with the students of LCAD this year!
Chris Hayes was an animation student at Brigham Young University. He was a concept art intern for Disney Interactive where he helped ship Disney Infinity. Chris then joined Blizzard Entertainment as a character artist for World of Warcraft where he spent over 5 years and shipped Warlords of Draenor, Legion, and Battle for Azeroth. Chris is now a concept artist on Hearthstone at Blizzard Entertainment where he helped ship Rastakhan's Rumble and Rise of Shadows. Chris has been a freelance illustrator and animator for over 10 years and has done work on several shorte ofilms and commercial projects. He is passionate about making great art and telling compelling stories.e o
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 Liberal Arts programs. At Dyno Creative, Austin focuses on pushing the visual identities of its partners brand voices to be heard loud and clear, through digital and print branding and design. Throughout Austins professional career, he has worked on a variety of Illustration projects which include Key Art creation, Toy and Packaging design, and Commercial storyboards. Austin has crafted illustrations for clients including Netflix, Discovery +, Super 7, and Cryptozoic Entertainment. Austin holds a bachelors degree in Illustration from California State University, Fullerton. He is passionate about fostering a welcoming and supportive creative community both inside and outside the classroom.
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 development, education, publishing, hospitality and international aid organizations.
Dana holds a BFA with honors in Graphic Design and Packaging from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and an MFA in Graphic Design from California State University Long Beach. She has been teaching graphic design courses for 20 plus years and has been faculty at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and Art Center Europe in Switzerland. Dana currently teaches the Senior Portfolio and Graphic Design History courses.
World-renowned sports artist, Dave Hobrecht is collected by art patrons across the globe. He is known for his classic, yet innovative black and white sports paintings, dramatic sports subjects, and masterful technique.
California artist Susan Hoehn is best known for her vibrant hues reflecting the beauty of the landscapes she paints. From vineyards to seaside vistas Ms. Hoehn captures the essence of the contemporary landscape.
Susan received a B.A. in Art from the University of California at Berkeley where she was schooled in a variety of mediums. As a student in the late 70's she studied painting under Joan Brown. During that period she worked part time for the University Bear Backers designing brochure covers for athletic events. She also designed the poster for the U.S.A. vs U.S.S.R. International Track Event.
Susan has built a successful art career painting the vineyards of Northern California. Her paintings and limited edition giclees can be found in numerous galleries through out California and especially in the Napa and Sonoma region. She visits the wine country several times a year exploring new locations to photograph and paint. She is most inspired by summer and fall as the color, light and shadows unite to form that perfect composition.
After the passing of her husband of 35 years in 2014, Susan decided to explore other subject matters as well as her landscape paintings. " I enjoy painting things that I love, and going to museums is one of my favorite things to do. It was a great comfort during a difficult time". Her depiction of museum goers is a juxtaposition between our current culture and the historical masterpieces on view.
No matter what the subject, Susan knows she is ultimately successful when someone viewing her painting experiences the same delight from the scene as she did.
Susan Hoehn's art is exhibited in many galleries in the western United States and is collected across the U.S., Canada and abroad. She was accepted into the 2015 Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach.
She is a member of : Laguna Beach Plein Air Painters Assoc., Oil Painters of America and the California Art Club.
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J. Mauricio Hoffman was born and raised in Mexico City. Since a very young age he showed aptitude for the arts and a love for drawing characters. An avid lover of all things Disney, Mauricio knew since he was a kid that he wanted to be an animator.
After getting degrees in Graphic Design, Animation and VFX, Mauricio moved to California where he has been working as an animator, creative and art director for a number of different video game studios like Blizzard, Oddworld Inhabitants and Monkey Brain Studios. In addition, Mauricio has been teaching the introduction to CG animation and advanced CG animation classes at LCAD since 2010.
Ishmael Hoover has worked in the game industry for half a decade where hes done concept art, illustration, and a little bit of everything else. He loves all things to do with history, anthropology, archaeology and mythology which results in his specialization in useless factoids. When he gets a chance to do art for himself, those are pools of knowledge he enjoys to draw from. He is an avid reader, with his favorite genre being science fiction. Usually stuck between pondering the extremes of our past or the great possibilities of our future, a dose of the present is always welcome.
Rick Hoppe is a 40 year professional artist and Disney character animator. Since starting in 1980 on the film "The Fox and the Hound", he has contributed his talents to most of the traditional Disney features up through "The Princess and the Frog" in 2009.
He majored in illustration at Art Center College of Design and later studied drawing and painting privately with Glen Vilppu. In his early years at Disney he trained with Disney veterans Eric Larson and Glen Keane. He has been known for his superb draftsmanship and acting ability, and has been much in demand by Directors.
During Rick's tenure at Disney, he had the opportunity to develop a training curriculum and lecture and mentor new artists. Much to my delight, I discovered that I am a natural teacher. Some of my fondest memories at Disney are mentoring assistants, fueling their enthusiasm and watching their talent flower. Many artists who Rick trained are now leaders in the industry.
Rick Hoppe is an excellent communicator. He is fully present to the needs of the student and is able to impart a clear understanding of the key skills of expressive drawing, fluid animation and eloquent acting. He inspires and empowers his students, "I'm committed to my students becoming top notch animators and leaving LCAD prepared to excel in the animation industry."
Caroline Hu has been in the animation and consumer products industry for over 20 years and is happy to be working at LCAD. She has worked at WB studios, Disney, and is a freelance animator and designer.
Hello, My name is Piper Hubbell.
I am a newly graduated Graphic Designer and 3D Artist who specializes in creating digital solutions in a unique and experiential form.
Pixote Hunt is a director, art director, animator and designer in the film industry with more than 40 yearss of experience in animation. A BFA graduate of the School of Visual Arts in media communications. His experience in combining 2D and 3D animation with live action began in 1977. In 1979 he started his career at the Walt Disney studio in Burbank CA. In 1994 he directed, and art directed THE PAGEMASTER and designed the 3D opening and interstitials for FANTASIA 2000.
Eyvind Earle, Walt Peregoy, and Eric Larson were a few of the mentors in his animation Career.
Pixote is now working as an instructor, visual development artist and background painter. His unique achievements in film and music have garnered him the honor of being a voting member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Grammys/Recording Academy.
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, and The UCLA Art|Sci Center.
Production design credits include the Weinstein Co. feature film "Escape from Planet Earth," and the Warner Bros. feature film, "The Ant Bully." Production design awards include the 2011 Telly Award, as well as a Annie Award nomination for his production design on the Cartoon Network CG feature film, "Firebreather. Other screen credits include concept art for the all-digital feature, "Horton Hears a Who," from 20th Century Fox. , "The Nightmare before Christmas," from Disney, "Shrek" and "The Prince of Egypt" from DreamWorks, Ron Howard's "The Grinch" from Universal.
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Writing credits include his first children's book "Danny Diamondback" from Harper Collins, as well serving as writer/director of storyboards and animatics for two and a half years at Electronic Arts. His book and screenplay, "Danny Diamondback" has been optioned and funded as a CG feature. While working as a concept artist, matte painter, and After Effects compositor at Yu and Co, his art can be seen in the opening title sequence to "The Great and Powerful Oz" starring James Franco, and the opening credit sequence to the television series "Leftovers." Prior to his film career Barry worked in the record business with such names as Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and ZZ Top.
Todd Jacobsen is a thirty-year veteran of the Hollywood 2D animation industry with extensive experience in features, TV, commercials and theme park installations. He has worked at Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Netflix, Universal, Nickelodeon and Fox, and has freelanced on a number of projects for smaller studios across North America. Some of Jacobsen's major credits include The Simpsons, FernGully: The Last Rainforest, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Cats Don't Dance, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, The Princess and the Frog, and numerous
properties featuring the classic Looney Tunes characters.
Mark James is an instructor in Graphic Design and Digital Media at the Laguna College of Art & Design. His courses focus on graphic design, ideation and drawing, brand strategy, typography, and motion graphics. His teaching emphasizes design intentionality and creating visual engagement in one's approach to solving communication problems.
Prior to LCAD, he was a professor at Lesley University College of Art & Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts, The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, and has lectured and held workshops at the Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine. He has also served as consulting Creative Director to the Santa Fe Workshops in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Professionally, his work focuses on branding and digital communications for large companies and organizations in education and technology, as well as work for small start-ups and non-profits. Marks client engagements have included work for The Harvard Innovation Labs, Harvard Business School, CVS Health, MIT, Major League Baseball, The National Hockey League, Physicians for Human Rights, and numerous start-ups in the technology space.
In addition to design, he is an accomplished editorial and portrait photographer and video editor. Mark holds a BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Awards:
Graphis Interactive
AIGA Design Annual
Publish Magazine
USA Graphic Design2
Type Director's Club
AR100
M-Real Awards
Exhibitions:
Type Directors Club
2012 New England Museum Association Exhibition on publication design
2014 57th New England Book Show
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 paintings. She aims to capture sentimental moments in time through evocative pencil or brush marks.
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. Dans 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 director at Paul Frank Industries, Stirstick Interactive, Groove Productions, and Daily Bread Magazine. He enjoys challenging students to engage in new and immersive technologies while maximizing their creative potential. Dan holds a BFA in Graphic Design from LCAD. He grew up snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, rollerblading and now enjoys bouldering with his children.
A lifelong artist from a family of artists, Tucker Johnson was recruited out of the Cleveland Institute of Art by General Motors for their Advanced Portfolio Exploration Group. Three years later, TuckerAos AuAutonomyAu concept graced Popular ScienceAos AuInvention of the YearAu cover. Deciding to move from big kid toys to little kid toys when he started his own family, Tucker was invited to HasbroAos Xevoz team (a line that won Toyfare MagazineAos AuMost Playable Toy EverAu the following year) where he led the modernization of Design practices, including developing process, implementing technology and training staff to streamline production and communication. Freelancing in the IP, entertainment and toy space since 2004, TuckerAos clients include Hasbro, Mattel, Fisher-Price, Spin Master, Warner Bros., Dreamworks, Disney and others. He is well versed in all phases of story and product development, property lifecycle planning, and materials and processes to turn great ideas into great experiences.
Monique came from the San Bernardino Mountains and graduated from LCAD in 2012. She finished her MFA last year and has been teaching for almost four years. She is passionate about drawing, painting, popular culture, posters, and art history. She is a poster maker, portrait painter, and illustrator.
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 as: Toyota, Ubisoft, Radio.com, Honda, Lexus, and LEGO. Justin previously worked for SaaS companies Sketch & InVisionApp Inc. where he created educational content for the greater design community.
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. Jungs 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 videos, and stylized beauty photography. He has worked with industry-leading brands such as Rip Curl, Sony, and USA Surfing. Justin conceived and directed his first Documentary following the USA Surf Team to capture the first debut of Surfing in the 2020 Olympics. His passion in combination with his extensive professional experience brings technical and practical knowledge to his courses.
Aleah Chapin (b. 1986 Whidbey Island, WA) is a painter whose direct portrayals of the human form have expanded the conversation around western cultures 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 Museum (Seattle), and the National Portrait Gallery (London). Chapin has attended residencies at the Leipzig International Art Program (Germany) and MacDowell (United States). She is a recipient of the Willard L. Metcalf Promising Young Painters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (New York), the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant (Canada), a Postgraduate Fellowship from the New York Academy of Art, and won the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery (London) in 2012. She holds an MFA from the New York Academy of Art and a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts. Chapins work has been published extensively in print and online, including New American Paintings, Juxtapoz, Art Maze Magazine, London Sunday Times, the Seattle Times, as well as being a subject in the BBC documentary titled Portrait of an Artist.
Rupy Kaloti is a multimedia artist and instructor born in San Jose, California. She is currently based in Los Angeles, California. She primarily works with oil paint to create traditional & 3D works fusing elements from her Indian heritage and American upbringing.
Karen Keller has a BA in Graphic Design from UCLA. She has over twenty-five years of experience creating key Layout and Visual Development art at Disney Feature Animation. For seven years she served as Co-Owner and Creative Director of a small animation production and services company that specialized in Production Design. She has been to Cannes and AFM as a participant in the film market, bringing original content packages to distribution agents. For the past ten years, her professional life has included teaching traditional Disney Layout at LCAD. Her specialty is cinematic style and design with an emphasis on professional development.
Mark has been part of the game industry for the last 15 years. Mark's journey began at Carbine Studios, where he contributed as an environment artist for the WildStar MMO. He later moved on to Riot Games, shifting into a VFX role while working on League of Legends. During his time there, he worked on a variety of skins like Star Guardian and Project skins. Following that, he joined Blizzard, on the Hearthstone team. While he was there, he focused on concepting and creating summons for legendary cards. Currently, he is at Player First Games, working on an exciting multiverses fighting game. His responsibilities cover character VFX and environmental effects, all to enhance the game's visual experience. Apart from the game world, he has a strong passion for painting and enjoys sharing his techniques as a part-time teacher.
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 California, UC Riverside, and UCLA. She published journal articles on various topics including cave sanctuaries, steles, and sacred mountains, as well as their modern historiography. Her works have appeared in Asia Major, The Journal of Korean Studies, Acta Koreana, Journal of Basic Design and Art, Archives of Asian Art, Ars Orientalis, and A Companion to Korean Art (Wiley Blackwell Companion to Art History, 2020).
She was selected as a recipient of the Field Research Fellowship from the Korea Foundation in 2023, and will be working on her book, Stone, Mountain, and Light: The Art of Sculpting in Medieval Korea.
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 a 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 modernism in England, and her dissertation centered on surrealism in the late 1930s. In addition to presenting papers at College Art Association (CAA) annual conferences, she contributed a review to CAA Reviews on the Gettys J.M.W. Turner exhibition and catalogue.
Her other publications include a book review on European interwar avant-gardes and two book chaptersone on the painter Max Liebermann and another on the Womens Caucus for Arts legacy of honoring women in the visual arts. Susan leads the thesis writing seminars and is the thesis advisor in LCADs Drawing/Painting MFA program. Shes equally at home in artist studios, galleries, museums, libraries, and archives and is thrilled to share in the rich dialogue among LCADs MFA and liberal arts faculty and students.
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 not only appealing
and engaging, but functional within their world, with strong visual storytelling values
he also emphasizes to his students. Sebastian has done prop and concept work for
both games and animation, with past projects including Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital),
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Titmouse), and Fast & Furious Spy Racers (DreamWorks
Television Animation).
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 40 years. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon and a recipient of an MS in Materials Science, he is also a graduate of Otis College of Art and Design. He is a founding member of the Visual Effects Society as well as recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship for the study of Fine Art Lithography.
As Senior Visual Effects Art Director for Sony Pictures Imageworks, he supervised the art of effects on Contact, Stuart Little, Spider-Man, and Beowulf. Other credits include concept illustration for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Dune, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, Parts II and III, The Flintstones, Batman Returns, Jurassic Park and Forrest Gump. He has done video game Art Direction for THQ Games and created user interface designs for Microsoft.
He was born in Brooklyn, NY. Thats significant.
He participated in EPCOT design and Fantasyland redevelopment at Walt Disney's design group, WED Enterprises.
Published in Perspective Magazine, The Journal of the Art Directors Guild, March April 2018; Stuart Little, The Art, The Artists, and the Story Behind the Amazing Movie, 2000, Edited by Linda Sunshine, Marty Kline on Matte Painting, pp. 84-85; and https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/concept-art-and-vfx-managed-collaboration.
My name is Bryant Koshu. I am a concept artist in the entertainment world. Im a 2011 graduate
from LCAD and have been working in the Industry ever since. I started off as a concept artist at
a startup studio called Yellow Tracksuit Entertainment, then moved on to Konami, and am
currently working at Skydance Interactive. Here at Skydance, I was fortunate to work on a few of
the VR titles such as Archangel, Archangel Hellfire, and currently The Walking Dead: Saints &
Sinners. I am mainly a photoshop user however, I utilize many 3D softwares to help establish
my concepts in an efficient way. I am excited to be part of the LCAD family as an instructor for
Robots, Vehicles, and Spaceship course, and am looking forward to sharing my knowledge of
2D/3D hybrid concept art.
Brad Kuha has worked professionally as a Character Animator for the past thirty years. Originally trained in the classical Disney Character Animation technique, Brad began his career with Disney, animating on such films as Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, Pocahontas, and Hunchback of Notre Dame, as well as the Dreamworks features Prince of Egypt, and Road to El Dorado. Brad has also worked as Supervising Animator for over a decade at Wiki Wiki Cartoons, animating in various techniques, including full animation and digital puppetry. Brad has also animated in CG, working on the original Scooby Doo live-action/ animation feature as well as five years at Electronic Arts, creating animation assets for video games.
John Lam is an alumni 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 an internship with Blizzard Entertainment, John has gone off to do work for Toyota, Dreamworks, Funko and more.
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 publishing, editorial and entertainment industries, and teaching as an instructor in California. His work has been seen in annuals and shows around the world.
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 children's picture books and personal essays, and having scripted feature documentaries narrated by Meryl Streep and JK Simmons. Additionally, he has written myriad short films showcased at festivals worldwide. Norman's teaching philosophy emphasizes storytelling's power as a communication tool, fostering creativity and critical thinking among his students.
Angela Cruzan Lessing is an enthusiastic and driven art historian. Angela is an Adjunct Faculty for LCADs Liberal Arts program, also teaching a wide range of courses at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cerritos College, and Cypress College. Within her courses, she focuses on representing diverse cultural expressions across history; and how these histories influence our visual culture today. Angela holds a bachelors degree in Art History from California State University, Fullerton, and a masters degree in Modern/Contemporary Art from University of California, Riverside. Her masters thesis centered on photographys possible anachronistic nature, examining contemporary portraits of the muxe in Southern Mexico. Her research interests include cross cultural presentations of gender identity and normativity within photography. She has a multidimensional background in educational partnerships, museum education, and as a community arts volunteer. Angela is also the Board Secretary for Universal Voice, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing exhibition, publication, and professional development opportunities for women artists.
Fang Li worked as a 3D generalist and installation artist since 2001. Fang received her BA in media art and MFA in Claremont Graduate University. She has been involved with projects in film, games, and television. Fang experienced in a wide variety of programs. She specializes in digital sculpting, level art design, model and texture for character, environment, and prop. More recently, she expanded her background to include augmented and virtual reality. Fang has over 9 years experience as an educator, and mentor students for preparing careers in film and game-related industries. Fang is excited to teach in LCAD and willing to sharing her knowledge and experiences from industries and teaching with students.
Lisa Liang received a BFA with honors in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. Upon graduation, she worked at ILM, creating matte paintings for films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Evan Almighty. From there, she designed concept environments for games such as, Call of Duty, Star Trek Online, Neverwinter Online, among others.
She began her teaching in 2015 when she developed an advanced digital painting tutorial on Pluralsight, and her passion for environments led her to create fine art works for exhibitions in galleries, museums and national parks. Currently, in addition to working on commercial and independent projects, she teaches at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Hong is Senior Character Artist at Blizzard Entertainment working on Overwatch.
Hong Earned BFA in 3D Graphics and Technology at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Hong started his career making Superman Returns for Electronic arts back in 2005. After Shipping three console games, he moved his career to NCsoft Corp. (Carbine Studios) to help build the MMO project Wildstar as Senior Cinematic/Marketing Artist. After shipping Wildstar, Before moving to Blizzard Entertainment, Hong was Lead Character Artist at Amazon.com inc. working on amazon's unannounced next-gen Game. Hongs main objective is to assist a core group of developers in the creation of quality 3D Design with a distinctive and impressive artistic style. Hong specializes in 3D modeling and texture painting, posing, lighting, Rendering and Post Effects for Games, Cinematic, and Marketing.
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 experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A nominee for Fullerton Colleges prestigious Teacher of the Year award, Nicole is heralded as one of Southern Californias leaders in education. She holds numerous certificates in the field of higher education, and lectures both locally and internationally. In 2016, Nicole was the closing speaker in Saddleback Colleges competitive Distinguished Guest Lecturer Series.
In addition to teaching, Nicole has worked as an educational consultant locally and abroad, and is published in the field of Roman Art, and its intrinsic narrative, commemorative and propagandistic qualities. Nicole has extensive gallery curating experience, consulting and writing for galleries since 1999, in both the private and collegiate sectors. She has exhibited emerging and established artists including world-renowned fine and contemporary artists, and graffiti artists of the infamous CBS crew. Nicole is an active member of the College Art Association, The Western Museum Association, and the American Alliance of Museums. She has taught art history and liberal arts courses at LCAD since 2008, and loves being in the classroom sharing her passion for art history and the worlds cultures. When Nicole is not attending seminars, teaching, or researching she spends time with her family and travels internationally.
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 Sony, Verizon, Asics, Kenmore, Generac, Elizabeth Arden, Yokohama, Prestone, Nugenix and action-sports brands including Kawasaki, Oakley, IKON Pass, FOX Shocks, TaylorMade/Adams Golf. Erics post-production and technical direction has been viewed by many from television to Times Square. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design from LCAD and brings his extensive experience to the 3D and Motion courses he teaches.
Julian Lozano is a Senior Visual Designer located in Los Angeles. Presently, he ais 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 immersed himself in the industry for over 5 years now, he hs gained valuable experience and insights. In 2016, he graduated from LCAD with a focus on graphic design, particularly in action sports. Now, his aspiration is to pass on some of this knowledge to the next generation of students, helping them carve their paths and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of design. Exciting times lie ahead, and he is eager to be part of the journey towards a more innovative and immersive future!
Dustin Mackay studied illustration at Brigham Young University, earning a BA degree in 2006. After a year of designing scrapbook materials, he made the switch to full-time freelance as an illustrator and designer. He went on to study at Gnomon School of Visual Effects and in 2011 launched his career in the entertainment industry with the Hollywood-based studio Persistence of Vision, where he contributed previz animation for such blockbuster films as ei_e__owboys and Aliens,ei_ ei_.I. Joe 2,ei_ and ei_i_ercy Jackson 2.ei_ He went on to work at Benthos Studios in Hollywood, where he was involved in all stages of production for an animated TV series. For next 6 years Dustin worked as an animator, previz and story artist at DisneyToon Studios, developing animation for the films "Planes, Planes: Fire and Rescueei_ and "Tinkerbell: Legend of the Neverbeast.ei_
After leaving Disney in 2018, Dustin opened his own studio and has since worked for clients like True Car, Disney, and others. In addition to teaching at LCAD and Art Center, Dustin maintains an illustration career and recently illustrated Superfail, a graphic novel published by running press.
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John F. Malta is the Chair of the undergraduate Illustration Department where he teaches courses at all levels. Johns 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 Gathering: Secret Lair, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Honda, Beyond the Streets, Adult Swim, Netflix, Dr. Martens, The Museum of Arts & Design, Blink-182, Premier Guitar, Garbage Pail Kids, Complex, and Sports Illustrated for Kids.
Johns studio practice employs a multitude of art-making techniques to execute, editorial campaigns, motion-based advertising work, comic books, picture books, zines, gallery exhibitions, and large-scale installations.
John holds an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts and a BFA in Illustration from the Columbus College of Art & Design. His work has been awarded, featured, and recognized by The Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Juxtapoz Magazine, Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Xeric Foundation, and AIGA Eye on Design. He is perpetually drawing and developing narrative projects that seek to blur the barriers between our reality and the digital space.
After graduating from Sheridan College, Duncan worked for Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears before animating on the Brad Bird-directed "Family Dog" episode of "Amazing Stories."
He is perhaps best known for the characters he brought to life as a supervising animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation: Sebastian the Crab in "The Little Mermaid", the villain McLeach in "The Rescuers Down Under", Abu in "Aladdin", Governor Ratcliffe in "Pocahontas", Mrs. Calloway in "Home on the Range" and Big Daddy La Bouff in "The Princess and the Frog."
In addition to his work as an animator, Duncan has also been character designer and visual development artist.
Like many, Gil Marquez found his love for art at an early age and progressed throughout high school to push his creativity. Life would happen and steer him away from his creative passions. After 11 years out of academia Gil could no longer stay his hunger for creating and found himself back in school ready to find his passion not only for learning but for teaching others as wellAo
Gil Marquez has been helping students fulfil their Digital Art aspirations since 2006. Working at every level of scholastic achievement, from community college to the university level. While working with Ryan Kingslien Gil has also been able to help professionals polish their craft to further their careers.
While sharing his knowledge in the realm of academia, Gil has also been able to work on some noteworthy projects for numerous companies. While at Entertainment Design Company Gil was able to work as 3D sculptor and create art for the How to Train Your Dragon Ride as well the Sherk ride that are featured in DubaiAos Motion Gate theme park. As a 3D sculptor at EDC Gil was also able to create work for Great Wolf Lodge and numerous other attractions.
In 2008 Gil worked on a couple of Education Series for Coastline Community as a Title Sequence Artist and Animator, AuAnatomy & Physiology Au, and AuUnderstanding Chemistry in Our WorldAo. Both were nominated at various times for Best Education Series and in 2009 his team was garnered an Emmy award.
Gil continues to further his own skills so he can continue to give excellent service whether it is to students hoping to fulfil their own goals or to clients that expect the best.
Dan is the Lead Mens 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 riding bikes gave him the freedom to experience the environment in a creative way. Building and fixing the toys of the trade offered a technical glimpse into the importance of design and function. Dans career began as a Sample Coordinator helping to build garments for Rusty Surfboards in 1996. He went on to design apparel for many Action Sports brands including Billabong, Quiksilver, C1RCA, Element and Captain Fin. His career includes being part of innovative projects in local manufacturing with both startup brands and established workwear makers. Dan shares his passion, experience, process and community with students in his Action Sports courses and honor labs.
Rob Martin has worked in the game industry for over 10 years. He is currently a Lead User Interface Designer working on an unannounced project at Amazon Game Studios. Previously he worked at Carbine as a Lead UI Designer on Wildstar (PC) and before that was a UI Designer at Blizzard Entertainment where he worked on Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (PC, Console), Diablo III (PC, Console) and StarCraft 2 (PC).
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.
Adams interest and involvement with nature and the arts began at a young age. Early in his career, he nurtured his musical interests, which now play an integral part in his overall aesthetic, its principles echoing in his sculptures. Most of Adam's subjects are real life models that he has spent time with, through observation or interaction.
Adam attained his BFA in Sculpture at the Lyme Academy College Of Fine Arts in Connecticut, in 2010. Currently, Adam sculpts and lives in Los Angeles, exhibiting his sculptures and teaching classes/ private, in person or online via Zoom.
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 Faculty 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 real-time rendering animation. Previously, Dean has worked as a Senior Environment Artist at Pocket Gems, and as 3D Art Lead at Broken Circle Studios. He has also worked in the board games industry, producing sculpts for 3D printing professionally and at a hobby level. Dean holds a bachelors degree in Game Art from LCAD. He is passionate about 3D design, and is excited to help students find their own path through the industry.
My name is Alyx McClatchey.
I have over a decade of experience as a full time graphic designer. IAove worked in the Action Sports and Fashion industries in a variety of fields within each. Most notably social & marketing, technical design, textile design, graphic design and branding. I also have experience in production and understand what it takes to get a product to market.
In addition to the skills and tools IAove acquired from working in these different areas, my most valuable asset is knowing how it all comes together. I have a passion for being on a team whose main goal is making the best possible product with sustainable materials and practices.
I graduated from LCAD in 2016 and am so grateful for not only the skills I learned while I was there, but for the community I'm honored to continue to be a part of. My professors at LCAD have had lasting positive effects on my career and who I am as a person. I'm especially grateful for the action sports program where I launched my first product to market. Without this forward thinking program I wouldn't be where I am today.
Brynn was raised in the High Desert of California and moved to the Bay Area in 2006. She attended California College of the Arts and Crafts and received her BFA in Illustration with High Distinction. Brynn specializes in creature design, fantasy illustration and visual development for publishing, film and games. She's worked with a variety of clients including, Wizards of the Coast, EuropaCorp, Dark Horse Comics, Disney Publishing, Bethesda Softworks, WIRED Magazine and more. Brynn's work has been featured in Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art as well as Imagine FX Magazine. She lives and works in Oakland, California. Currently; her favorite animal is the warthog.
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, Amber has worked at Nike for almost 10 years working across the NBA, WNBA, NFL and NCAA for uniforms and apparel. She teaches Team Identity Apparel as a Special Topics Design course. Amber also has a passion for helping students to grow in their careers by helping them outside of the classroom prepping portfolios and resumes.
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), and continues to create for the industry as a director, cinematographer, and visual effects supervisor.
Ashanti Miller is a twenty-five year animation veteran of film and games. She has worked for such studios as Warner Bros., Walt Disney Televsion and Spumco. Ashanti earned a name for herself in the animation industry as a major contributor to the development of Lola Bunni of Space Jam. Her favorite studio experience, however, was with the Sesame Workshop where she made two shorts for the New Electric Company. This creative and professional peak established Ashanti as a sought after designer and independent filmmaker; a skill set that currently carries her through the game industry. AshantiAos forte is short subject and music videos. Through shorts, she explores different styles and themes which she applies to a variety of industries. Ashanti hopes to produce her next project: Algebra Rock with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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 online courses to improve her technical skill, she built up her portfolio to attend Laguna College of Art and Design for her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting. Since then, she has lived, worked, and studied out of Laguna Beach, winning several awards for her paintings at the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association and being featured in Southwest Art Magazines 21 Under 31, Young Artists to Collect Now. Mogilka is represented by Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach and Pence Gallery in Davis where she was the recipient of their annual Emerging Artist Award.
Molly Enholm Velazco is a contemporary artist, curator and art historian. Molly is passionate about modern and contemporary art, with a focus on California Art History. In addition to teaching, she has contributed to several publications as a freelance editor and contributor, including Art + Cake, Fabrik, ArtScene, Hi-Fructose, TheArtStory.org, Visual Art Source and served for nearly a decade as managing editor of the contemporary art publication, art ltd. magazine (2008 2017). Her most recent curatorial project, Solace/Sublime featuring the work of contemporary Southern California artists, was recently on view at Angels Gate Cultural Center during the Summer of 2023
Rodolfo Montalvo has been working as a childrens book illustrator and writer for nearly a decade and has multiple published books and several more on the way. His published works have been produced in collaboration with imprints that include Atheneum of Simon & Schuster, Viking of Penguin Random House, and Roaring Brook Press of Macmillan.
Rodolfo is currently an adjunct faculty at Laguna College of Art and Design in the Entertainment Arts and Illustration departments, and an affiliate faculty at Antioch University, Los Angeles in the Creative Writing MFA Program.
To learn more about Rodolfo and to view his illustration works go to www.rodolfomontalvo.com.
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 of Winchester (UK), Luis undertook a research program which mostly explored the nature of evolving gendered behaviors among ethnically diverse young male athletes in liberalizing US and UK contexts. More than a dozen of his projects have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and books, including the Journal of Gender Studies, the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, and Debates in Mathematics Education, among others. As a fellow with the Sport Collision Injury Collective, he is committed to activism and pedagogy that promotes human health and well-being.
Professionally, Luis been invited to present at more than ten forums and international conferencesincluding the British and American Sociological Associationson topics as diverse as gender, sexualities, and education. A fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he is dedicated to helping students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to live free and positively affect change through critical thinking in tandem with the use of their natural ingenuity and creativity.
Richard Morris is a representational figure/portrait painter. He has been teaching in the L.A. area for the last six years at such schools as the California Art Institute, LAAFA, and Laguna College of Art. He has studied with many prominent L.A. artists such as Sergio Sanchez, Adrian Gottlieb, Marshall Vandruff, and Glen Orbik. Richard is a graduate of the New York Academy of Art's Master's program.
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Max Murphey is a teacher and researcher working in philosophy, mathematics, logic, and other related areas. He holds a bachelors degree in philosophy and mathematics from Columbia University and a doctorates degree 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 Heights. Since 2017, he has been working as an adjunct philosophy instructor at Pomona College, UCR, and Norco College. In 2018, Max began teaching mathematics at LCAD. Outside of work, he enjoys reading philosophy, watching videos of physics lectures, biking, hiking, spending time with his fiancee, two young sons, and two dogs, and thinking about how to make the world a better place.
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Christopher Murphy, was born in 1977 and grew up in Irvine, earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from Art Center College of Design in 2002. His work consists of photos from his own travels in addition to found ones (from family albums and antique stores) as the basis for his work, Murphy aimed to create new realities by dramatically re-staging the action, recontextualizing figures, or inventing scenarios.
Through his drawings, Murphy searches for the aesthetic beauty in the power of a violent conflagration, or depicting the placidity in the aftermath of a flood, or using composition to portray an explosive moment as both furious and tranquil. The satiny grays of the graphite nod to the often black and white photographic origins of the pieces.
By rendering figures as diminutive in an expansive landscape, from behind, or completely absent, Murphy aims to either invite the viewer into the environment directly or provide a mediating perspective through which to experience these places or events. Christopher Murphy has had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including at the Lora Schlesinger Gallery. Several works by the artist have been sold at auction, including 'The marshes at milsby lane house, Savannah, GA' sold at Ivey-Selkirk 'Spring Gallery & Fine Jewelry' in 2012. There have been Several articles about Christopher Murphy, including 'Paintings By Christopher Murphy' written for JUXTAPOZ in 2014.
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Jon is a member of the Art Directors Guild local 800 as Senior Illustrator. He specializes in conceptual design, illustration, specialty prop, creature and costume creation for television and feature films, as well as sculpting for the toy industry, museum exhibits, television and feature films. Jon has been freelancing for more than 25 years.
Jon has sculpted hundreds of head likenesses for museums exhibits, feature films and action figures, as well as animals for museum exhibits, including the traveling exhibits Tiniest Giants and Dogs: Wolf, Myth, Hero & Friend.
Jon's work can be seen in more than 50 movies and television shows, his most recent work includes The Hunger Games, Looper, Anchorman 2, Paranoia, Spiderman, Green Hornet, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Priest and A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010). His career in movies began with Michael Jackson's Ghosts, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and T2-3D the ride for Universal Studios.
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Koplin Del Rio
Judy Nimtz was born in Taiwan and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. After completion of her MFA in 2008 from the Laguna College of Art & Design, Judy decided to make Southern California her home. She promptly moved to Venice Beach, where she is near the ocean and the city of Los Angeles. When working on studio paintings, the conception is entirely Judy's own. This is different from painting en plain air, where her surroundings have a say in the imagery, narrative, and composition. In both she attempts to capture the likeness of a location or subject, but also something intangible. The way light falls and creates shadows, or air particles accumulate over a distance and shimmer, or an unanticipated pose is struck by the model, all effect her experiences as she works and the outcome of each painting.
www.judynimtz.com
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 and the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, and the Gold Medal at the Carmel Art Festival. Collectors include the Marriott Hotels and Resorts, The Irvine Company, Hoag Hospital, California State Parks and many corporate as well as private commissions.
Michael is the President of the prestigious California Art Club, and a Signature Member of both the California Art Club and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Michael is an adjunct faculty member at Laguna College of Art & Design (LCAD) where he teaches Landscape Painting. Currently, his paintings are showing at galleries in Pasadena, Carmel, Balboa Island and Laguna Beach, where he is a regular exhibitor at the Festival of Arts.
He maintains his studio in Laguna Beach, California.
MICHAEL OBERMEYER STUDIO
3251 Laguna Canyon Road #D-1
Laguna Beach, California 92651 949-433-6149
obermeyerstudio@cox.net
michaelobermeyer.com
Thomas Olson grew up in the mountains of Southern California, spending many summer days in Newport Beach whenever possible. Lagunas Sawdust Festival and Festival of the Arts were an inspiration, and he is thrilled to now be part of the art tradition of Orange County as full time faculty at LCAD. As the Production Manager at Morpheus International, he was able to meet some of his artistic heroes while producing art books, prints, and gallery events. Inspired by their work and encouragement, he went back to school to study illustration, building a firm foundation that has allowed a robust and flexible career in freelance illustration, full time game development, and instruction.
He has worked in the game industry since 2002. He has been a concept artist, environment artist, VFX artist, character artist, team lead, game designer, writer, producer, product director and business development director. He has worked on titles ranging from PS2 licensed platformers with Nickelodeon and Pixar; original PS3 titles at Insomniac Games; and helping launch the Backflip Studios startup by designing the look and feel of DragonVale on iOS, and leading that team for years. Thomas continues to work on personal projects and consult on commercial projects.
Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Game Art, serving as part of the permanent faculty. He teaches classes in sculpting and creature and character design, as well as classes aimed at helping students develop portfolios and the skills to transform their art education into careers. When he is not teaching, or attending one of his daughters performances, he likes to be sailing, hiking, or playing games.
A life long learner, Thomas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UCLA , a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Art Center College of Design, and a Master of Fine Arts in Game Design from the Laguna College of Art + Design.
Don Ott is a seasoned industry veteran, currently working as the Modeling Art Lead on the hit MMO New World, published by Amazon Game Studios. He has at least a dozen shipped AAA games under his belt ranging from the Transformers series, Deadpool, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Destiny 2, and more. Don is the founding owner of the game art tutorial website 3dmotive.com, and has been an Adjunct Faculty member here at LCAD for nearly 14 years. Dons classes are historically a rigorous introduction to creating game-ready props, assets, and scenes and work to transform students from humble beginners into confident 3d artists.
More of Dons work can be seen at https://www.artstation.com/donott
Jason is a designer and educator with a background in architecture and mechanization. He began his journey with LCAD in 2016 when he enrolled in the MFA in Game Design program. Since graduation, he has taught in both the graduate and undergraduate game programs and ultimately took on the role of Chair for the BFA Game Art program in the summer of 2020. He has rendered services in a number of different realms ranging from architecture, brand development, animation, games, and of course, academia. With two decades of teaching experience, Jason has influenced and aided thousands of students towards their goals and aspirations and into their careers.
Michael Overman is an accomplished Creative Director, Art Director and Show Designer with 17 years 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. Michael demonstrates a passion to create astounding attractions, places and experiences. He strives to lead design and champion creative, all while providing quality art direction from concept through production to installation. He has collaborated, designed, worked and installed many multi-million dollar experiences, attractions, lands and parks both domestically and internationally. He currently works for Hasbro as a Creative Manager in Location Based Entertainment. And has also worked for other Fortune 500 companies such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative and 20th Century Fox.
Michael worked on notable projects and held roles as Art Director on ""Test Track presented by Chevrolet"" Epcot, Walt Disney World Florida. Field Art Director on ""Roaring Rapids and Challenge Trail"" Adventure Isle, Shanghai Disney Resort China. Lead Creative Designer on ""Iron Man Experience"" Tomorrowland, Hong Kong Disneyland China. Creative Director on ""Blue Sky Zone"" Genting Skyworlds, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Creative Director on ""Avatar: The Experience a traveling exhibit. Show Designer on ""Epic Universe"" Universal Orlando Resort, Florida scheduled to open in 2025. Michael received two Thea Awards in 2017, both for Outstanding Achievement, Theme Park: Shanghai Disneyland and Attraction: Camp Discovery, Shanghai Disneyland.
Ira Owens has 12 years under his belt in Previs, Cinematics and 3D Layout in the Animation and Gaming Industry working on feature film, television series, and gaming. He received his BFA in Animation and helped found the Animation Club at the Laguna College of Art & Design. He was among the second graduating class in his major. Ira currently works as a Senior Cinematics Artist at Monolith Productions in Kirkland, Washington, and has worked on such projects as The Boxtrolls for LAIKA, Halo 4 for Microsoft's 343 Industries, The Clone Wars for Lucasfilm Animation. Most recently he headed up the Previs department on Kubo and the Two Strings for LAIKA (to be released Fall 2016). Ira is most passionate about his family, storytelling, camerawork, and equipping people with the right tools and training to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. He looks forward to training up the next class of students for excellence in film and story.
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 Pickup Soccer and contributes to Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and The New York Times. She directed Pelada, an award-winning documentary about pickup games across the world. A former Duke soccer player, she played for Brazils Santos FC. She has taught writing courses at LCAD for nearly a decade.
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 snow, he eventually relocated to sunny California where he worked in animation for a short time for Hanna Barberra etc. before embarking on his storyboard career for commercials and film, where he currently enjoys a rich diversity of material to apply himself in the service of helping to tell cool stories.
An avid video game developer and a gamer, Shreedev has been playing games since their childhood and their passion for it and programming turned them towards a game development career. Shreedev has a solid 6+ years of experience working in indie and AAA quality mobile games as a programmer and as well as a designer. Shreedev has worked on single-player and multiplayer games with a strong mind for monetization and gameplay design, with a good understanding of the field in both technical and design aspects. Shreedev has strong design creativity backed up by experience in coding it. Shreedev spends a lot of my time playing games apart from making them. Shreedevs favorite games are Dota2, Valorant, Overwatch, Xcom, Zelda Breath of the Wild, World of Warcraft, and Elden Ring. Competitive games are Shreedevs hobby. Shreedev has played in various professional Esports organizations as a lead player for DotA, Counterstrike, Valorant, and Overwatch. Shreedev loves being a part of a gaming community and played a major role in building one from the base for games like Overwatch, CS, and dotA in their region. Shreedev has been coaching people, hosting local tournaments, and scrims to encourage more people to start playing.
Jasmin, who often goes by Jas, is a writer and an art historian. Working across a range of media, her research examines visual culture in South Asia in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary way. As both an undergraduate and later graduate at the University of California Irvine, Jasmin double majored in Art History and Anthropology. Today, she is both an independent scholar and working as a Gallery Director in Irvine, CA.
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 in guiding patients and friends to restore function and decrease their limitations while increasing their body awareness and overall health. She has worked in the outpatient orthopedic setting since her graduation, and throughout these 17 years, she has continued to deepen her knowledge base through continuing education. She is a Fellow of Applied Functional Science through the Gray Institute, where she completed a 40-week fellowship in 2015 which deepened her knowledge in the principles, strategies, and techniques that improve human movement, limit pain, and improve daily function. She has also completed a series of Functional Soft Tissue Transformation courses to strengthen her manual therapy skills and knowledge of the human body. With this background, she has found highly effective tools to decrease soft tissue dysfunctions and provide faster, longer-lasting results for patients. Kim holds a Masters and Doctorate in physical therapy from the University of the Pacific. She loves swimming, paddle boarding, all things water, and her kids and family.
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 location its feeling.
Ashlyn Pentoney has over 25 years of graphic design experience in print design. Her expertise includes bringing projects to fruition from concept through production of final art for print collateral and packaging. Ashlyn holds a BFA and an MFA in Graphic Design from Cal State Fullerton. She brings her passion for print and design education to her foundation courses in graphic design and typography.
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.
During the last 30 years has worked in the animation and film industry on over 33 films, TV shows, DVDs, short films, and video games. His involvement has ranged from art director, production designer, visual development, layout artist, to storyboard artist. He began his film career as a layout artist at Walt Disney Feature Animation on Oliver and Co. and continued on a string of hits Including Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, and lead layout on the critically acclaimed Rescuers Down Under. As art director on Aladdin, Bill developed the first comprehensive style guide to unify the drawing style of the environments and characters, and solidify the overall continuity of the film. He left Disney during Fantasia 2000 after the Pines of Rome sequence. In 1994, Bill moved on to Warner bros. to do visual development and art direct Jam. Shortly after it's completion he began doing visual development for DreamWorks on Shrek, and then moved to San Francisco to be the production designer on Frankenstein for ILM. When the project cancelled Bill returned to Moorpark California and opened High Street Studio as an independent preproduction and design studio with clients including Walt Disney Feature Animation, DNA Productions, Character Builders, and Disneytoon studios. In 2005 he worked jointly with the 9th Ray Studios on live action projects such as Outlander (Ascendant Films), The Spiderwick Chronicles and Charlotte's Web (Paramount). In 2007 Bill rejoined Walt Disney Animation Studio and worked on Bolt, Prep and Landing I and II, Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia and art directed A Tick Tock Tale. He currently works as art director at Disneytoons Studio on an upcoming project.
Born in 1981, Carolin Judith Peters, grew up in a small, little known town in Bavaria called Vilsbiburg. To this day she is heavily influenced by the impressions made on her by the idyllic beauty of southern Germany. Fascinated by nature?s overwhelming beauty and power Carolin started processing these impressions at a very young age through pencil drawings of animals and people. In 2002, the intrigue of learning representational art making techniques and an unceasing urge to get away from her native surrounding's small-town mentality, triggered her move to southern California. There she completed six rigorous years of study in Fine Arts and graduated from Laguna College of Art and Design in 2008 with her BFA and MFA degree.
Her most influential mentors during her studies were renowned figurative painters F.Scott Hess and Stephen Douglas. Although she is fresh out of school her exhibition record is already notable and includes group and juried shows all over California. Galleries and other venues she has exhibited at include Koplin del Rio (Culver City), Arena 1 (Santa Monica), I-5 Gallery (Los Angeles) and the The Look Gallery (Los Angeles). Currently she is represented by Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago. Awards she has won include The Art Renewal Center Merit and Purchase Awards, Best of Show Award from the Pacific Art Foundation, Excellence in Arts from the Peter and Masha Plotkin Foundation, the Passport to China Scholarship from the Contemporary Chinese Fine Art Gallery and a 2nd Best in Show at the Fairhaven Mausoluem Exhibit "Sotto Voce". Art, for Carolin, holds the unique opportunity to engage with life's experiences on a primarily sensual level. She focuses her often large-scale, figurative paintings and drawings on psychologically and emotionally saturated moments, staged in nature?s beauty. By creating art that needs to be felt rather than understood she focuses on the sensual aspects to life. With these works she hopes to offer a quiet room for the viewer's spirit to discern itself with the presented image.
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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 art. Clients include: Tony Seiniger, TV Guide, The LA Times, ILM, and Introvision Systems.
Animation companies worked for: Ralph Bakshi Animation, Richard Williams Animation in Los Angeles, DIC, Warner Bros.Television, Warner Bros. Feature, Walt Disney Television, Disney Toon Studios, Walt Disney Feature and Fox. Responsibilities at these companies include: character design, background design, background painting, storyboarding, visual development and art direction.
Teaching experience: Art Center College of Design, Cal Arts, Laguna College of Art & Design, Woodbury University and The Fashion Institute of Los Angeles.
Western themed fine art gallery work represented by Trailside Galleries in Scottsdale AZ and Jackson Hole Wyoming.
Currently teaching at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach.
Tim Pryor is a production specialist in the game industry that consults with other studios to organize and manage development from mobile development to commercial location-based entertainment. Tim is also an entrepreneur with interests inside the game industry and out. His most notable work has been with companies such as: Warner Bros Interactive, Universal, Universal Theme Parks, Tencent, Google, Scopely, Sega, and Nintendo. Tim is passionate about building experiences rather than products.
Hope Railey is a passionate and driven fine artist and teacher who has dedicate the last 20 years to painting in the studio and teaching future generations of artists. Hope has exhibited throughout the country and was most recently featured in December 2021 issue of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, is an Associate Professor, and currently serves as chair of the Fine Arts department since 2011. She is a regional juror for the AXA Art Prize and has served on artist panels at the 2021 LPAPA Invitational.
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.
Anthony Ramirez is an experienced designer, proficient in both game design and programming. He is a Senior Game Designer at WhiteMoon Dreams, Creative Director at ArcanForge, and an adjunct professor for the LCAD MFA Game Design program. Over the years, Anthony has worked as a designer and programmer on many projects with companies such as SEGA, Adult Swim, Sony, Scopely, and NBC Universal. He has a passion for tutorials, systems design, and level design and is constantly learning,about modern game design practices with every new game released. Anthony holds a masters degree in Game Design from LCAD. While teaching, his goal is to engage students with deep conversations about game design while relating to both the past, present, and future of games by using the most up-to-date information and providing insight on the modern games industry. Anthonys passion and enthusiasm for game design shines both in and out of his classes, and he is always willing to chat with anyone about games in any capacity.
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 identity, sensory observations, modernist abstraction, Mexican folk art, and Mesoamerican architecture, Ramirezs research-driven and intuitive process is analogous to destabilized socio-political structures, wherein measured decisions collide with chance, sabotage, corruption, and error. In addition to exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions throughout California and nationally, Ramirez is the founder and co-director of Basement Projects, a non-profit arts project space dedicated to diversity and inclusion in Downtown Santa Ana, CA. christianramirezstudio.com
John Ramirez is a professional animator, storyboard and visual development artist, designer, illustrator and art director. His work can be seen in many feature films, including DisneyAos Beauty and the Beast,Aladdin, The Lion King, Hercules, Toy Story IIand Tom and Jerry, The Fast and the Furriest, Elena of Avalor and Duck Tales. A versatile artist, he has applied his creative skills in many fields, including being on the design team of theme parks around the world including numerous museum exhibits, parades, mascots and award-winning floats all over Asia and for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. Highlights include design work for Lotte World, Everland Theme park, and The Taejon Expo. Also The Yokohama Expo, Kurashiki Tivoli Park, Park Espana in Ise-shima Japan, Dubai World and Singapore Universal Studios. His latest project was designing the Magical Memories Art Gallery Featuring Disney Fine Art at the Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas where his art also hangs.
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.
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 alumni of LCAD and majored in Game Art.
Josh Reed graduated from Laguna College of Art and Design with an Animation degree and began working in the video game industry as a concept artist. Eventually, Josh went back to school to get a Masters Degree in Fine Arts and began teaching drawing and design courses throughout Southern California. Now he works as a freelance concept artist while continuing to spread his knowledge to the next generation of artists.
Industry Veteran 3D Animator - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719799
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. Michaels main areas of research are Roman urban infrastructure and his particular area of expertise is in the perception of Pompeian intersections and how they served as navigational tools in the ancient world.
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 School of Drama. Since that time, Doug has worked extensively in theatrical design, animation, television, film and location-based entertainment and on Broadway and at regional theaters.
Most recently, he has been working as a Concept Design Principal for Walt Disney Imagineering, reconceptualizing and expanding The Castle of Magical Dreams for the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Prior to that, he completed several Imagineering projects and attractions for the Thea Award winning Shanghai Disneyland Resort, most notably concept designing the center showpiece of the park, The Enchanted Storybook Castle, the largest Disney castle in the world.
Doug was the Production Designer for Disney Animations 50th feature film the beloved classic Tangled, and Visual Development Set Designer for, The Princess and the Frog. Prior to Disney he worked on six films at DreamWorks Animation and was nominated for an Annie Award in Production Design for his work as Art Director for the Academy Award winning film Shrek. His work has been exhibited at leading museums shows and publications around the world including : The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Library of Congress, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, The Grammy Foundation, Hard Rock Resort and Casino Las Vegas, The Wallace Collection-London New Orleans Museum of Art, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Beijing National Art Museum, Singapore Museum of Art and Technology, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, AIGA, DSVC, ITA.
Currently he is working on a live action period film for the History Channel and consulting on a project for Netflix. Doug is a proud native of Paris, Tennessee (home of the Worlds Biggest Fish Fry!)
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 Intrepid Studios. His personal work focuses on landscapes that he paints from life, aka plein air, preferably captured in traditional media, usually oil or gouache.
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. Hegraduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2016 with a BA in Creative Media, and was awarded theUniversitys inaugural Future Animator Award for his work in short fi lms. Currently he works as a freelance artist in thecomic industry while furthering his artistic studies with the 212 Creative Network, a mentorship program based out ofFort Wayne, Indiana.
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 BFA from Hartford Art School and her MFA from New York Academy of Art. She also attended The Art Students League and Columbia University. She has attended art residencies in Puglia, Italy; Victoria, Australia; Leipzig, Germany, and Johnston, Vermont. She received the Fostering Creativity in a Time of Crisis Grant in 2020 from the Laguna Beach Community Foundation.
My paintings aim to be visual poetry based on dreams and the subconscious. As a subject in my recent work, the ocean is healing both physically and emotionally to me. It existed before we did. It is wiser than we are. We need it more than it needs us. I am constantly inspired by its majestic beauty. The women I paint in the foreground deal with the messy complexities of the human condition. In the background, the ocean forms a vast rhythmic backdrop. The narrative of the painting tests these two interfaces.
I grew up on the East Coast, the daughter of a teacher and an oceanographer. I learned to love learning and the natural world at an early age. As an undergraduate at Oberlin College I spent a couple summers doing research in Western Australia with my adviser. From there I went on to receive my MA at Binghamton University where I studied salt deposits in Western China. I received my PhD from Johns Hopkins University where I studied marine sedimentary rocks in northern Italy. I have been teaching courses in Environmental, Earth, Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences since the midei_?990s. I have also translated science for public audiences-creating exhibits for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. I am inspired to share my love, understanding and appreciation of the natural world, both marine and terrestrial, with people of all ages and from all walks of life. I engage people through a variety of different modalities, including online learning, inquiryei_eased learning and creative exploration. I moved to California in 2008 and have never looked back. I enjoy being on the ocean on my stand up paddle board and enjoying a close encounter with marine organisms-sea lions, dolphins and gray whales to name a few of my favorites.
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 Social and Public Communication from the London School of Economics, where I learned about rhetoric and got excited about words (and school!) again. After a decade-long career in communications, I returned to school for an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. I moved to SoCal in 2013, and although I do miss Canada, this has been the perfect place to reunite with all my childhood loves: writing, tennis (year-round!), and, of course, being a teacher. My first novel, Catch My Drift, will be published by Goose Lane Editions in Spring 2018. I have published short stories in North America and the UK, and my short films have screened at festivals worldwide. In my free time, I volunteer with WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring organization for underserved teen girls in LA.
Elizabeth (Liz) Seminario is a seasoned game developer, with over 12 years of experience and multiple game titles under her belt. Shes been privileged to work on some of the industries most notable titles and franchises - Disney Epic Mickey, Disney Infinity, Batman: Arkham, LEGO games, World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Diablo just to name a few.
But gaming wasnt her initial path. Liz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and spent several years as an in-house designer for local advertising and marketing firms back in Austin, Texas. It was through a series of chance meetings, solid networking and a dash of luck that Liz landed her first gig in the industry working for gaming legend Warren Spector. The rest - as they say - is history!
Away from the office, Liz loves to read, is a huge Harry Potter nerd (Gryffindor FOR LIFE), is super crafty and is also constantly traveling. She is a native (and extremely proud) Texan, but has been in California for almost 8 years and shares her home with her husband (and fellow game developer) Pedro, and their fur family - Chloe (dog), Coco (dog) and Abbey (cat).
Liz is really excited and humbled to returning to LCAD this semester as an Adjunct Faculty and cant wait to meet all her new students.
Looking back on my life, the path to where I am now seems straight and easily mapped, though at any time during my journey, if asked, I would have said that the winding roads on my life path were hard to see and harder to follow. Growing up in Los Angeles, with a child actor brother, an artist-mother and a father in the music industry, I was constantly surrounded by creativity and a unique view of the world. With my graduate education in Orange County, my unique perspective on the world around me and my voice led me to the obsession of storytelling and my abilities to help facilitate passion in others. I have been published in over a dozen different publications, I have contributed to three books on contemporary street art, I have lectured at a number of prestigious universities in Southern California, and I am an active curator, art critic and contributing artist to the local Southern California art scenes. I now am the Editor-In-Chief of Inland Empire Weekly, Culture Magazine, Assistant Editor for YAY! LA Mag, and contribute to a variety of gallery and museum catalogs, and underground zines. I have an M.A. in Art History and have contributed as an arts writer for KCET Artbound, OC Art Blog, OC Register, OCR Magazine, Artillery Magazine, Art and Cake, Artvoices Magazine, Local Arts, Beauty & Wellness Magazine, Laika, Wild Magazine, Unite4:Good, and E-VOLVED Magazine. Past publications also include ArtScene, Juxtapoz, and Art Ltd. When I am not staring at art, mesmerized, telling torrid stories of art history or editing and writing masterpieces, I cook vegan and gluten-free feasts for friends and family, sketch the stars or pose for artists, hoping to inspire their genius to come out and play.eevansenn.com, instagram.com/senntastic, twitter.com/EvanASenn
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 recently at the Watercolor West International Exhibition, Women by Women - Depictions
and Interpretations by Greater Los Angeles Women, and Poets and Artists, at the Arcadia Gallery.
Betty has BA, MA and MFA degrees in Drawing and Painting. She has been teaching 40 years, and has been privileged to spend the last 28 years teaching painting, drawing, and watercolor at the Laguna College of Art + Design.
Her metaphorical realistic figurative paintings are inspired by contemporary culture and yearly pilgrimages to the great museums of the world. Currently she is working on paintings, commissioned portraits, and maintaining a studio in Laguna Canyon.
A native of Minnesota, Michael Show is a former Walt Disney Feature Animation Supervising Animator. As a student at California Institute of the Arts, he created the award-winning Chickin's Fer Rent. In his 20+ years career at Disney, he worked on such classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Show was also the supervising animator of the Muses in Hercules and Morph for Treasure Planet. With the end of 2D at Disney, he retrained as a CG animator and his credits include, Chicken Little, Meet The Robinson's, and Bolt. He has been teaching animation at ArtCenter College of Design since 2016, and at Laguna College of Art + Design since 2011.
Sara came to the role of teacher after practicing as a psychotherapist for 20 years. As adjunct faculty in the Liberal Arts department, she has been teaching Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, and First Year Seminar over the past five years. Sara obtained her BA in Psychology from UC Irvine, and then went on to graduate school at CSULB where she received a Master in Social Work degree. These days she happily splits her time between teaching at LCAD and her psychotherapy practice. When shes not working you can usually find her somewhere outside - walking or biking along the beach, paddle-boarding, camping in the desert, or working in the garden, along with her husband of 29 years and 2 almost-grown daughters.
I was born and raised in Southern California, and have been drawing ever since I was a kid. As soon as I learned that art was something people do as a job, I knew that was what I wanted to do forever. At first, I wanted to be a traditional animator, but quickly realized just how hard that job was when you canei_i_t sit still for long periods of time, and shelved that idea. Luckily, I found out that video games not only were an area to put the skills I already learned to good use, it was a quickly growing industry. I found LCAD, got in, survived the grueling classes, and graduated!
Since leaving, various circumstances made finding a permanent job difficult, but LCAD was there again to help me out. I was offered a job as a co-teacher, and still hold that position. Iei_i_m glad to be working at the school I loved going to so much!
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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.
Timothy Robert Smith is a Los Angeles oil painter, muralist and multi-media artist, using realistic techniques to investigate the nature of perception. His work fuses together multiple perspectives into a kaleidoscopic vision, playing with our understanding of time and space. His art has shown in solo exhibitions at museums, TEDx conferences and several galleries; being featured in media outlets that include Juxtapoz, Artillery, NBC and KCRW. He has created a plethora of public work around the country, including an interactive installation at the Museum of Art and History, Lancaster (May 2018). He is known for his murals that combine realism with shifting perspective techniques.
In Smiths work, objects can be seen from multiple vantage points at the same time; like in cubism, but through a realist's lens. As the viewer's focus shifts throughout the piece, the edges of objects shift with them. Dramatic viewing angles and kaleidoscopic landscapes capture the viewers attention, while enigmatic storyline inspire further investigation. The theme behind all of Smiths work is the diversity of human perception. This is a study of how the world is interpreted differently from different vantage points, and how these individual views work together to form an agreed-upon picture of the universe.
Smith teaches fine art and illustration classes at LCAD, including Mural Painting, a class that allows students to paint a group mural in the local community.
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 with several employees that provided design and branding to a number of Fortune 500 clients. In 2013, in search of a better lifestyle, he came to California and set up as an individual practitioner. Along with teaching at LCAD, Jamie maintains a design practice creating packaging, branding, and design for a variety of clients in different industries. He also currently consults with several LA-based advertising agencies designing key art and title treatments for the entertainment industry. He has worked on projects for Warner Bros, Disney, HBO, Lionsgate, Netflix, Amazon, and AMC. He has won design awards for his work from Graphis, Graphic Design USA, Adobe, AIGA, Logo Lounge, and others. Jamie has a deep and abiding love of typography that he brings to every project and most particularly to the classes he teaches at LCAD.
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 clients and on fun projects including Shanghai Disneyland, MARVEL Avengers; S.T.A.T.I.O.N. in Las Vegas and Singapore, Cartoon Networks The Wave Cruise Ship, Evermore Park as Director of Show Design and Production, Genting Skyworlds as Art Director and Creative Director, and recently as a Show Designer/Experience Designer for Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
While working at Walt Disney Imagineering he conceptualized The Enchanted Storybook Castle Walkthrough for the Enchanted Storybook Castle, as well as designed, storyboarded and oversaw implementation of several items in three lands of this future park.
He holds a MFA in Set Design for Theatre from the University of California - Davis (2010).
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 15 th to 17 th centuries. After completing her undergraduate studies at UC Irvine, Marcella earned her MA in Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a thesis tracing 15 th -century exchanges in optics, color production, and alchemy between Netherlandish and Italian artists.
A fulltime lectureship in Art History at Chapman University inspired Marcella to pursue her doctorate at Claremont Graduate University, where she earned her PhD in History and Early Modern Studies. Her work restores a new class of natural philosophers to the historical recordfiremasters who practiced alchemy and handbook illustrationreestablishing their place at the intersections of art and science.
Marcellas research is supported by The Newberry Library in Chicago, The California Rare Book School at UCLA, and the Center for European Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. A $10,000 Transdisciplinary Dissertation Award in 2017, in addition to the Friedman Award, and the Ida Lloyd Crotty Endowed Scholarship at CGU proved essential to her research. Her publications include the Bodman Collection of Italian Renaissance Manuscripts (Libraries, Claremont Colleges), and book reviews for Routledge and Laurence King Publishers in the UK.
Currently, Marcella is engaged in reverse-engineering a 17<sup>th</sup> -century pyrotechnic dragon from the illustrated handbook central to her dissertation. Most important, she is honored to teach at LCAD, whose students serve as a constant source of pride with their uncommon talent, insight, energy, humor, and inspiring turn-of-mind for processes of the natural world.
Olivia Stude is a contemporary oil painter who creates allegorical narrative scenes that address themes of identity and religion in outdoor settings. Olivia exhibits her paintings in galleries in California and Louisiana. She received her BFA and MFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. Olivia has taught kids and teens at multiple art studios around Orange County since 2017 and is currently teaching at the university level. She enjoys teaching the fundamentals of drawing and painting and plein air painting.
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 2000. In 2010 he transitioned from animation to design and visual development. Notable projects include Cosmos, Mortal Kombat, Injustice, Bojack Horseman, Elena of Avalor and Teen Titans Go to the Movies. In 2015 he was hired to art direct Bunnicula and two Lego DC Superhero Girls films at Warner Brothers. Freelance clients list includes Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, Cartoon Network, Bento Box, Renegade, Oddbot, Six Point Harness, Titmouse, Nickelodeon and The Mayo Clinic. Currently he is doing visual development and design on a new series for Disney Junior and teaching background painting at LCAD.
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 of Southern California's most accomplished art schools including: Art Center College of Design, Otis College of Art, Pasadena City College, EIDO (An industry conduit between individuals and the local entertainment unions), Computer Graphics Masters Academy (CGMA) and Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (LAAFA). Also, working on several book projects and developing a new intellectual property for independent publishing
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 a MA in animation from the Royal College of Art and a BA from USC. This is the second year Matt is teaching an expansive Houdini course at LCAD.
Joseph Todaro is the Head of Video at Sketch, producing design education content for over a million creatives, from freelancers to the worlds most successful product teams. As a Product Designer Joseph uses multiple aspects of design from print, web, UI/UX, and motion design to support designers in practice and on platforms for designing digital products. Joseph taught Sketch online as a passion project prior to joining the company and has engaged over 37,000 students in 163 countries around the globe. He has been a featured speaker at Adobe MAX alongside notable industry professionals. Joseph has created educational content for Apple, Sketch, InVision, and Adobe and continues to bring tools and best practices for ideation, design, prototyping, and design system management to the design community both professionally and in his courses.
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 naturalists lens, employing rich technical details and implied psychological narratives in his paintings. Awarded the Draper Grand Prize by the Portrait Society of America, his work has been included in
exhibitions at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., the Butler Institute of American Art, and the Beijing World Art Museum in China. An Assistant Professor at Laguna College of Art and Design in Southern California, Joseph has taught at various institutions nationally and abroad. Currently enrolled in the MFA program at LCAD devoted to the pursuit of mastery, he enjoys numerous gallery partnerships and is proudly represented by Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles CA.
Yuki Toy (Yuki Toyooka Smith) is an artist and author in Los Angeles. She grew up in Hokkaido, Japan and teaches Anatomy Illustration and Figure Drawing at several colleges in Los Angeles. She has been published in multiple medical illustration books and her artwork has been part of the curriculum at USC and Cal Tech. Yuki received an MFA from CSU, Los Angeles, and a BFA from SUNY New Paltz, and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. Known for anatomical illustration in muted, pastel tones, her colored pencils create a subdued and nostalgic feelAievoking a tradition that spans from Leonardo da Vinci to Frank Henry Netter.
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 at LCAD, and as a Freelance Concept Artist and Illustrator. He loves working in Blender and Virtual Reality and is always on the lookout for new fun tools to create and play with. Andrew is passionate about technology, education, and storytelling, and is a perpetual student whos always learning.
Stuart Trautenberg quarterbacked building startup teams and cultures that have been acquired (ranging from $380 million to $6.1 billion) by such behemoths as Sony, Facebook, Salesforce and Cisco. Stu specializes in building tech and design teams and cultures from scratch with Founders and Venture Capital. His discovered talent was part of Oculus' core team and Sony's VR and cloud content teams. For the past few years, he has been COO of a start-up introducing custom VR training to the materials handling industry. He started his own firm at 23 years old in Boston and 32 years later...the business is still going strong.
Louie Tucci is a Canadian-born artist and teacher working in Los Angeles. His teaching engagements include positions at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art and workshops with the Art Directors Guild of America.
He has worked professionally as an E-commerce manager with 3D Systems and spent years as the face of ZBrush in his role as Brand Manager for Pixologic Inc.
Louie is credited as the Technical Editor for the Wiley Publications title, AuIntroducing ZBrush, 3rd EditionAu by author Eric Keller. He also continues to deliver keynote presentations and digital sculpting workshops at industry leading events like the ZBrush Summit, Trojan Horse Was A Unicorn and Creative Talent Network Animation Expo.
Louie holds a MasterAos Degree in Teaching from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education where he was recognized as a DeanAos Scholar.
Allan Veletanlic is a Product Designer specializing in UI/UX and Motion Graphics Design. With over a decade of experience in developing games, web and mobile products, Allan is most passionate in creating optimal user experiences while solving technical and business problems for various productions. A
Allan currently lives in southern California and spends his free time exploring design, puzzles, architecture and various subject matter.
Noelle Volkmann graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2016 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Animation and Entertainment Art. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Art 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 to her classes to help students retain content and expand creative processes.
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 medium. His teaching focuses on clear, strong, fundamentals to give students the ability to achieve any style, understand different types of expression, and ultimately discover their own. Everyone has a story and its worthwhile to develop the best, clearest way to tell it. Following his first illustrated novel, Daniel is currently completing his second novel in addition to working on his first hybrid graphic novel. Meanwhile, he keeps up with painting commissions and changing diapers.
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 Egypt, Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, The Princess and the Frog, and the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi theme park. His scope of work includes character animation, effects, illustration, digital cut-out animation, and a considerable list of previsualization projects.
Through his career, Eric has had the opportunity to teach and mentor new artists, including serving in Disney Animations prestigious Apprenticeship Program, training several artists now in prominent roles in the field.
Erics goal is to help students become clear communicators with their art, while building on their skills to reach their career goals.
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 its relationship with public spaces of transience. The viewer either becomes the one observing a solitary figure or the one being isolated.
Renae started receiving professional art training at an early age. She recently received her masters degree in Painting from Laguna College of Art and Design. Prior to that, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and had built her traditional art skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the oldest art institution in the United States. During her graduate and undergraduate studies, Renae was granted multiple awards for her figure painting skills, which includes the Earl T. Donelson Figure Painting Award, the Susan MacDowell Eakins Figure Painting Award, the Taft Award, and the Campbell Scholarship. Her work in the Annual Student Exhibition at the Academy is collected by art connoisseurs in the Greater Philadelphia region.
An alumni 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. Hes worked at Xbox Game Studios, The Initiative and most recently apart of Santa Monica Studios team on the upcoming God of War Ragnarok. Hes excited about joining the faculty teaching GA304. He has a love for sculpting in zbrush, storytelling in the 3d medium, and looks forward to helping students craft their own projects this upcoming semester.
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 bachelors degree in Creative Writing and Magazine Journalism from Long Beach State and a Masters degree in American Literature from Chapman. Lisbeth has worked as a high school Creative Writing and English teacher for 33 years; she has been the Saddleback Valley Unified District teacher of the year twice and an Orange County nominee for Teacher of the Year in both 2001 and 2011. From 2016 through 2020, Lisbeth stepped out of the high school classroom to serve her district as an instructional coach and mentor and to work as a curriculum specialist, but in Fall of 2020 she returned to the classroom full time to open the new SVUSD Virtual High School. She has published a childrens novel, and many education related articles and is also a regular presenter at educational conferences, speaking abou collaboration, curriculum design, and using technology to shift teaching and learning towards 21st century practices. She enjoys traveling, and she lives in Trabuco Canyon with her dogs, Zeke and Honey.
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 Bachelors Degree in Art at CSULB, later attending Otis College of Art and Design this time earning her BFA in Fashion Design. With many years of design experience working for lifestyle brands across various categories, mens, womens & childrens apparel, footwear & accessories. Brands including: Quiksilver, Roxy, 26 Red/Sugar, & Billabong. Additionally working as a fashion consultant with expertise in Print & Pattern, Logo & branding infringement, & comparative analysis of historical surface design. Lori combines her love of art, color, and composition helping students transform their creative passion into practical application, developing surface designs across many mediums.
Grady Williams graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 1999 with a BFA in illustration he is also a graduate of Academy of Art University in 2014 with an MFA in Animation. Grady spent 8 years working in video games doing concept art and 3d modeling with Midway Home Entertainment, Redzone interactive and Sony Computer Entertainment America. He completed a short film and animated for a brief stint on a web series. He taught for 15 years at the Art Institute of California San Diego. In addition, he has been illustrating childrenAos books and creating webcomics. He is currently working on some projects that he cannot discuss.
Nick Williams is an LCAD Alumni(2016) and currently works as a 3D artist in the video game industry. Nick specializes in prop/environment modeling and texturing. Nick has experience working in both AAA and indie studios for projects shipping on all platforms. Nick keeps up to date with the latest industry asset creation techniques both within and outside that field of expertise.
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 wasnt until after he attended a summer artist residency at Otis College of Art and Design in 2018 that his artistic path came full circle. Inspired and motivated to grow his technical skill, Williams took a job back home as studio manager at Carmel Visual Arts. During this time, he began apprenticeships with renowned Carmel artists Jesse Powell and John Burton. It was under their tutelage that Williams discovered his love for the landscape and plein air painting. In 2022, Williams graduated from the Laguna College of Art and Design with his Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting. He was also featured in the Southwest Art Magazine's article 21 Under 31, Young Artists to Collect Now, and he has exhibited work at the Laguna Art Museum, the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, the California Art Club, and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Williams paintings are represented by two galleries in California, Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, and Skidmore Contemporary in Santa Monica.
Recently, Williams won the Landscape Award of Excellence for his painting in the Oil Painters of America Western Regional exhibition in Texas. Williams is also an adjunct professor for the Laguna College of Art and Design.
Neal Wojahn works as a full time game developer, while serving as part time faculty. He has had over a decade's experience as an artist in the games industry. Most of his time has been spent with AAA studios like Blizzard Entertainment, Riot Games or Santa Monica Studios on such titles as League of Legends, God of War, Overwatch, Diablo, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm. Currently Neal is serving as the VFX Art Director at Supergenius Studios. As an LCAD alumni, he is dedicated to the school's mission, and works tirelessly to help students enjoy the same success he has had the privilege of experiencing.
More about him and his work can be found at:
www.NealWojahn.com & www.SuperGeniusStudio.com
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 like Rockstar San Diego, Sony Online Entertainment, Majesco Studios, and Zya. Currently he is knee deep in VR development, rigging and animating at Dreamscape Immersive. Along with his daily development role, he teaches here at the Laguna College of Art + Design. As a teacher Eric loves being a part of building the students' foundations, helping to provide them with the tools to seize their futures.
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 adaptability. Jeramy aims to streamline the development process and empower teams to work more collaboratively towards complete experiences starting and finishing from a player's perspective.
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. Hes 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 taught a spectrum of classes including storyboarding, visual storytelling, background layout design, character design, Photoshop and advanced Photoshop and figure drawing. Other classes he has taught at other universities include animation pre-production, storyboarding, illustration, and drawing. When not teaching, Mark lives and works in the heart of Hollywood.
Peter Zokosky was born into an artistic family where creativity and independent thinking was 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.
An art educator for over 30 years, he taught at the following Museums: The Getty Center and the Getty Villa, the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Norton Simon Museum, the Laguna Art Museum, and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. He has taught courses at ArtCenter, Otis Art Institute, California State University at Long Beach, The Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh and Laguna College of Art+Design, where he has been the chair of the Master of Fine Arts program in Painting and Drawing since 2016.
Zokosky finds few things as gratifying as teaching and helping emerging artists to find their own creative voice.
Jini Zopf is an accomplished designer with a career path that includes packaging design at Mattel for Marvel, Star Wars, Hot Wheels products and at the Walt Disney company for their retail stores. As a 4th generation designer, her earliest memories involve drawing & discussing design themes with family. Jini has over 20 years in branding, packaging, product design, style guide creation and design leadership. She graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design in Illustration and teaches Packaging Design to emerging product and graphic designers. Jinis design leadership inspires and strategically guides teams to success.