Academy at a Glance

Academy of Art University Expresses Gratitude Toward San Francisco’s Police and Fire Departments

2007 SFPD and SFFD Scholarship Recipients

Commander Sylvia Harper, President Elisa Stephens and Chief Heather Fong

Academy of Art University’s Open House and Fashion Show

Dazzling Career For Academy of Art Alumnus Rasmussen

What year did you graduate?

I left the Academy in 2006.

What inspired you to pursue a degree in this field?

The freedom and flexibility that it offers.

What was your experience like at AAU?

Challenging.

Can you describe specifically what type of work you are involved in?

For Simayof and Sarit Simayof I specialize in tabletop photography; working primarily with high-end jewelry and diamonds. As a freelancer the majority of my work is photographing people, and my clients are largely based on the East coast.

Is there anything in particular that you enjoy photographing the most?

Shooting kids to lighting flowers on fire… personal projects is really where I start to enjoy photography. After the hype and glitter of being published on a regular basis for commercial and advertisement work wore off, my enjoyment has returned to simple and personal imagery that may or may not be viewed by others. Some ongoing projects of mine are a series of portraits of the homeless youth who live on Haight Street and in Golden Gate Park. I enjoy getting to sleep out in the parks and in the streets of the Tenderloin district with them from time to time.

Who was your most influential teacher at AAU?

Michael Hurst is hands down the best photography instructor I’ve ever sat under. If you get an opportunity to take a class with him, take it. And if you don’t have the opportunity, then create the opportunity…he’s a good enough reason to attend the AAU in my opinion, and it would be a loss if you missed any classes that he’s offering.

What do you hope to convey through your work?

Knowing that I have yet to reach what I hope for, I press on, and desire to one day convey Truth… whether or not that is to be exclusively expressed through the art of photography

San Francisco Chronicle Handpicks Academy of Art University Alum As Their “Flickr Pickr”

Were you nervous about leaving behind the security of your corporate job to pursue a degree in the arts?

Well, I think most people in their lives go through a “quarter-life crisis” and at this point I had already experienced about three. Some people’s crises revolve around relationships, or geographic location – mine was in terms of career. I was working for a marketing firm out of Dallas, but I was longing for something more creative. With the help of my husband, who was already working in Santa Clara, I decided to relocate to San Francisco and pursue my undergraduate degree in Photography. This was my second undergraduate degree – my first one was a BS in Marketing from Auburn University.

There are several art schools in the area, so how did you end up choosing Academy of Art University?

Although it’s an art degree, there is an element of business influence that runs through the curriculum. It gave me the opportunity to focus on art, but I still had to make money – so it also gave me the connections and the capability to use photography in a way that would allow me to pay the bills afterwards and that was important to me.

What was the greatest advice you received while you were here and from who?

The greatest piece of advice that I received was from William Mosgrove, the Graduate Director of Photography. He told me about the three P’s – portfolio, profit and promotion. If I am offered or looking for work, it should fall under at least one of these categories. It should contribute to my portfolio somehow, make me some money or help connect me to other people and get me more work. Best case scenario is if it satisfies all three. I still take this advice into consideration when selecting jobs that will help enhance my career as a professional photographer.

What are you currently working on?

I work as a freelancer for SF District Attorney Kamala Harris for her re-election campaign, for San Francisco Magazine, In-Room Cityguide, and lead photographer for Yearly Kos Convention in Chicago this August. I am doing what I set out to do, which is documenting Women & Politics. I have this long-term goal in becoming and official White House Photographer for the first woman president. You can see my work at www.monabrooks.com.

Do you have any words of wisdom of your own that would like to share with current students?

Show your work now. Have a business card made. Start a website ASAP. Take all the small jobs or non-paying jobs just for the experience. Networking is key. Show your work to get feedback and get better and better. As I mentioned before, the more work you do the more comfortable you will be working for someone. It takes at least a year or two to have people start calling you. It’s nice when the work comes to you. So get started and give out your business cards.

Graduate Computer Arts New Media Students Showcased in Typographic Design

Typographic Design: Form and Communication, 4th Edition, by authors Rob Carter, Ben Day and Philip Meggs.

The featured type in motion works by new media graduate students Hung Che Lin and Chih Fan Ting are featured in the latest publication of Typographic Design: Form and Communication, 4th Edition, by authors Rob Carter, Ben Day and Philip Meggs.

In CANM 699 Special Topics: Interactive InfoGraphics, the award winning designer/ new media instructor duo, Jean Benoit Levy of Switzerland and Claudia Dallendorfer of Germany focused on the "development and production of two-dimensional black and white animations. Students first select a small toy that is accompanied by non-verbal instructions revealing how the toy is assembled... A primary objective of the project is to explore the communicative potential of moving typography and sound."

The student work is featured in a chapter that involves the design process, the leading edge practices in traditional and non-traditional executions for state of the art typographic design.

AAU Expands Library Resources

The Academy of Art University is committed to providing library resources that are fully focused on the needs of art and design students—the library at AAU functions as an extended studio for all of the artists working at the University. Recently the Academy has greatly expanded upon its already impressive collections. Students may now take advantage of the library's 25 new iMac computers, 8 new scanning stations with Adobe Photoshop, 13 electronic research databases, 4 online image collections, a state-of-the-art DVD theater, a collection of over 3,500 DVD's and videos with personal viewing stations, 36,000 art and design books, current subscriptions to design annuals and over 400 magazines, and an online database of over 100,000 slides at all students' disposal.

• 31 Internet and word processing computers including 25 new iMacs
• 8 Scanning computers with Adobe Photoshop
• Flash drives available for checkout
• Reduced price on color copies
• Extended hours
• Brand new high-volume printer
• Email and IM reference services
• 13 electronic research databases with access to nearly 5,000 publications
• Required texts for all classes on Course Reserve
• Online subject guides by department to help you find materials in your field
• 4 online image collections plus electronic links to several museum and image libraries
• State-of-the-art DVD theater
• 3,500 DVDs and videos and personal viewing stations
• Low-vision magnifying viewer for books and images
• 36,000 art and design books
• Current subscriptions to design annuals such as: Graphis, One Show, Art Director’s Annual, American Illustration, and American Art Directory
• Over 100,000 slides
• Over 400 current magazine subscriptions
• Hundreds of exhibition catalogs from Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses

Electronic Arts Partners with the Academy on The Sims 2

The video game industry is buzzing about the EA's unique plan to put The Sims "back into the hands of artists." EA chose only three of the nation's top art schools to partner with on this exciting project for The Sims 2 — and the Academy of Art University is one of those three honored schools. As part of this partnership, the Academy will be running a contest for its students to submit Sims-related artwork for a special exhibition. Top executives at EA will personally judge the student artwork, and $12,000 in prizes will be awarded. Academy students may click here to read more about the contest and get information on how to enter.

Bora Han's Award-Winning Work

Online Student Wins Award At Korean Fashion Show

Bora Han, an Academy fashion student getting her degree online, recently won the silver medal at the Han Style Fashion Award Show in Seoul, Korea. The fashion show, which featured a "Han Style Premiere," was part of a promotional event for Korean culture, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Korea. The Han Style Fashion Show featured designs meant to combine the realistic modern world with traditional Korean culture. This prestigious event was attended by a large number of foreign diplomats, international journalists, businessmen and people related to cultural sector.

In her winning designs, Bora created modern twists to the Han Style — a style that refers to traditional and/or cultural items that reflect Korean lifestyle and are charged with Korean-specific sentiments. Bora Han is a shining example of what the Academy strives to accomplish through its online curriculum. By developing online programs and encouraging students to obtain their degree from any location in the world, the Academy is fusing international influences with elite art and design training in ways that no school has ever done before.

2007 ANDY Awards Recognize Academy Student Work

In the world of advertising, ANDY Award nominations are the mark of a great career. The ANDY Awards honor the very best work being done in the advertising industry; every year, entries from around the world are evaluated by an elite panel of the top professionals in the field. At the Academy of Art University, many students have begun their careers with one or more ANDY distinctions under their belt, even before graduation. The Academy is proud to announce its nominees for the 2007 ANDY student competition, which will announce its winners later in the year: Santiago Fernandez Portugal & Ebony Jacobs with instructors Chris Ball & Mike Lee, for work done for Recaro Child Car Seats; Christina Yunkes & Adolfo Alcala with instructors Chris Ball & Mike Lee, for work done for 7-11 Stores; Adolfo Alcala & Ozan Aslan with instructors Chris Ball & Mike Lee, for work done for TiVo; Ming Yu & Masaya Asai with instructor Marguerite Lutton for work done for Neosporin. Congratulations to all the talented nominees!

Fashion Industry Buzz at the Academy of Art University

Top fashion publications have been making special mention of the Academy of Art University as of late. The fashion industry has been covering the buzz-worthy events taking place at the Academy, most notably the recent Honorary Doctorate ceremony for Dame Vivienne Westwood. Women's Wear Daily noted that Vivienne Westwood "capped off her tour of [San Francisco] at the Academy of Art University, with an honorary doctorate, [and] a proclamation from the mayor declaring the date "Dame Vivienne Westwood Day."

At MacWorld Expo: (from left to right) Diane Choplin (Full Time Photo Instructor/faculty), Audrey Daniel (Assistant. Director of Photography Department), student Ryen Motzek, Caren Alpert (Part-time faculty, Academy of Art), Chuck Joiner of MacVoices, student Alexcia deVasquez, student David Bornfriend, student Jessica Reynolds, student Braden Summers

Academy Students and Faculty Speak at MacWorld

A group of students and faculty from the Academy traveled to New York City to attend MacWorld Expo to learn more about the latest industry trends in digital photography. The Academy group ended up major a significant contribution to the event, gaining special attention by MacVoices' Chuck Joiner. While in New York, the group spoke with Mr. Joiner to share the Academy's insight on how to keep curriculum current in such a rapidly changing industry. Audrey Daniel, staff and faculty member of the Academy's Photography Department, explained how the Directors go into the classes every semester to devise special topic course content in topics such as advanced digital retouching (a new curriculum offering devised for the Spring 2007 semester). Joiner was so impressed with the group that he requested it to be a two-part segment, and arranged to continue the discussion in San Francisco.

Academy Student Has a Shot at $1M Studio Contract

Dillon Petrillo, a student in the Academy's School of Motion Pictures & Television, may be getting his big break very soon. Petrillo, along with a long-time childhood friend, has become a preliminary competitor for the reality television show "On The Lot," which will be produced by Mark Burnett, Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Television and FOX. After a nationwide search for films and filmmakers 16 finalists will vie for a $1 million development deal with Dreamworks, according to the Dowd Agency. The know-how Petrillo gained from the Academy came in handy; after hearing about the competition, he pulled his entry together in only one week. Petrillo will find out very soon if his five-minute film, "The Limbic System," will be among the finalists.

Faculty Member Combines Fashion with Graphic Design

Three years ago, Jill Giordano, Academy alum and current faculty member, created her own design company with a truly unique approach: the merger of graphic design and fashion. Ever since its launch, GR.dano has become known for its unique style, clean lines and expert tailoring — and this season's collection is being called its best. Gr.dano has recently been featured in many publications, including Women's Wear Daily, named "the Very Best in SF" in 7x7 Magazine, and received the "Masterminds" award in the SF Weekly "Best of SF" edition.