Heather Tompkins

Tompkins is one of 12 students from top design schools across the nation to be selected for KPCB’s Design Fellows Program, established to connect promising design students with some of the most design-influenced companies in KPCB’s portfolio. The program provides Fellows with mentorship, leadership and community experiences, all in the interest of nurturing the interconnection of design and technology in innovative products and services. The Fellows will attend exclusive events hosted by KPCB-funded companies, where they can meet other talented students, network with technology luminaries, and explore the Bay Area.

As part of the application process, Tompkins submitted her Academy thesis project, an interactive children’s book for the iPad called “The Bear and the Picture Camera.” She designed the book in a way that allows the reader and the main character to explore and draw together — a type of combination she felt was missing in the iPad children’s book market. “As a child who always preferred drawing to reading, I saw this project as a challenge to combine the two in an engaging new way, a way that I might have enjoyed as a kid,” she says.

“Not only did this project allow me to develop new skills in user experience and user interface design, it allowed me to further develop my skills as an illustrator, visual designer and storyteller. In the end, ‘The Bear and The Picture Camera’ enabled me to explore and grow in all aspects of the design process.

“I’m honored and excited to be a 2013 KPCB Design Fellow. I look forward to my summer with Klout and this invaluable opportunity to grow as a designer.”

Academy President Elisa Stephens explains how the university’s teaching strategy helps make accomplishments like Tompkins’ possible: “One thing every Academy student must do in order to graduate is complete a portfolio of work that shows potential employers that the student has not only studied design, but has hands-on experience and can contribute to a company. Heather clearly knocked the ball out of the park with her thesis project, and we are excited that she will be able to further develop her skills this summer at Klout.”

The Design Fellows Program is part of KPCB’s strategy for supporting innovative companies. In establishing it, says Juliet de Baubigny, a partner at KPCB who helped build the program, “What we wanted to do was to really support the field; we wanted to make sure that we helped our companies gain access to the best designers, and we wanted to continue, ourselves, to learn as the field of design innovation unfolds. I feel that design is going to be the key differentiator with many entrepreneurial ventures going forward.”

Since its founding in 1972, KPCB has backed entrepreneurs in more than 500 ventures including AOL, Amazon, Citrix, Compaq, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Google, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Netscape, Sun, Symantec, Verisign and Zynga. The program aims to help bright students gain the experience and relationships they need to create meaningful careers at technology companies after graduation, and KPCB’s portfolio companies benefit by tapping into the next generation of design thinking and talent.

Learn more about Tompkins project, “The Bear and the Picture Camera” here.

All images © Heather Tompkins

Academy of Art University Graphic Design student Alyssa Walker will be spending the summer as an intern at Mattel.

BFA candidate Alyssa Walker describes interviewing with Mattel for the internship as “a roller-coaster” experience. “I was initially nervous and felt I was completely out of my element, as if I were interviewing with Barbie herself. After the first interview, though, I was pleasantly surprised that not only did it seem like a great fit, but that I had developed the knowledge and perspective to take this on. As the months went on and the phone interviews accumulated, my excitement was through the roof. Now it is amazing to think that I will be working with Mattel and experiencing the inner workings of such an iconic company!”

Mark Garcia, who studies toy design in the Academy of Art University's School of Industrial Design, was also selected for the Mattel summer internship.

Mark Garcia says he feels especially honored to represent the university’s Toy Program (one of several tracks within Industrial Design). “I am excited to see how a major toy company operates, especially in regard to ideation. I am appreciative of those who’ve had a part in my journey. Perhaps most importantly, I am happy that my passion and joy for toy design has resulted in this wonderful opportunity to continue to learn the profession by working in it.”

Access to internships is another way the Academy of Art University’s approach to teaching students real-world skills prepares them for employment opportunities. This augments other aspects of the school’s approach; for example, Academy instructors are working professionals in their fields—which also helps them identify jobs and internships in the “real” working world for their students.

Learn more about the work of the two students at their websites:
• Alyssa Walker
• Mark Garcia

It’s been more than 11 years since Nicolás Villarreal graduated with honors from the Academy of Art University and launched his career in animation, but the wait was worth it to experience one of the most prestigious honors a filmmaker can hope for: a trip to the Cannes Film Festival for his animated short Pasteurized.

Villarreal, who in addition to running Red Clover Studios is director of the Academy of Art University’s School of Visual Development, is heading to France, where his film will become available to Cannes Film Festival attendees from around the world.

View the trailer for Pasteurized:

Pasteurized is a 7-minute, 33-second animated film about an alien cow that manufactures milk in space. Ironically, it was the filmmaker’s 1999 trip to Paris, where he visited Museum of Sciences in Le Parc de la Villete, that sparked the idea for his film about a scientist who receives an unexpected visitor while conducting experiments in the middle of the night.

Sketches by Villarreal for the film

Villarreal spent over 27 months working on the piece with a small team of sound, animation and editing experts, including editor, producer and Academy of Art University faculty member Alessandro Squitti, and another Academy of Art University Animation graduate and faculty member, Sherrie H. Sinclair, who came to the university after a nine-year career at Disney.

Prior to joining the Academy, Villarreal, who was born and raised in La Plata, Argentina, worked as a traditional animator, character designer, sculptor and visual development artist for films and video games for Walt Disney Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment, Jim Henson Studios, Sega, DigitalDomain and Amazon Studios, among others.

"Drawing Late," from Villarreal's blog

“This is an absolutely incredible honor,” says Villarreal, who is also a full-time faculty member in the university’s School of Animation & Visual Effects. “And I am particularly excited about sharing it with my students and the Academy of Art University community. Animation is the ultimate platform to display one’s creativity, and I get a lot of joy out of helping students achieve that. It is very special for me to share this honor with them, so that they can see firsthand that their dreams will come true if they work hard.”

“We are extremely proud of Nicolás and wish him the very best at Cannes,” says Academy President Dr. Elisa Stephens. “Our mission at the Academy of Art University is to prepare students for the art and design jobs of today’s global economy, and we are able to do that because of our talented instructors like Nicolás, who are professionals in their fields and passionate about sharing their creative talents and experiences with the next generation.”

Nicolás P. Villarreal

Adds Villarreal, “When I was in school at the Academy, I had an animation teacher who would fly up from Disney to teach us, and he used to share his personal work with our class, which was incredibly inspiring. Today I am trying to do the same thing for my students. The industry is extremely competitive, but now they have real-life proof that they can make it with hard work, persistence and patience.”

Pasteurized will be included in a digital library at the Short Film Corner with other leading films. Organized by Festival de Cannes, the Short Film Corner presents selected short films on site at Cannes and after the Festival on shortfilmcorner.com, where private access is reserved to short film buyers and film festival programmers.

Learn more about Villarreal, Pasteurized and the School of Visual Development here. Visit Villarreal’s blog here.

All artwork © Nicolás P. Villarreal

Explore a showcase of fresh art and design from students of the Academy of Art University at the school’s annual Spring Show, to be held for the first time at San Francisco’s historic Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Opening night is May 22, and the event is open to the public from 7–9 p.m.

The student work will also be available for viewing from May 23 through the month of June from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sundays and holidays.

The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre is located at 3601 Lyon St. in San Francisco (map)

Guests will sample wines from 12 wineries and a buffet of appetizers provided by Nourish Grill, with entertainment by the MSA jazz combo, dance demonstrations by MSA students and a performance by jazz/rock legend Narada Michael Walden with special guests. An on-site raffle and online auction, and displays of art, photography and ceramics will also be featured.

“Thanks to a joint collaboration between the Harbor Point Foundation, the MSA Foundation and the Narada Michael Walden Foundation, this event is going to be a wonderful day of incredible live music, outstanding art and extraordinary performance,” says Kirsten Neff, member of the MSA Foundation Board.

Purchase tickets here or call 415.383.6114.

Sponsors include The Club at Harbor Point, Nourish Grill, California Wine Merchants, Fernando and Gonzalo Landscape, Keller Estate Winery, Darioush, Far Niente, Nickle & Nickle, T-Vine Cellars, Matanzas Creek Winery, Pezzi King Vineyards and Ahnfeldt Wines.

Max and Lubov Azria of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP will receive honorary degrees May 9 from the School of Fashion at the Academy of Art University.

The School of Fashion at the Academy of Art University will award Max Azria and Lubov Azria Honorary Doctorate degrees at this year’s Graduation Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony in San Francisco on Thursday, May 9, 2013. For the first time, the event will take place in the historic Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.

Dr. Elisa Stephens, president of the Academy of Art University, will present honorary degrees to the guests at the invitation-only portion of the event. Select MFA and BFA graduating students will present their work to industry professionals at the Portfolio Review and Reception before the show. The fashion show will feature collections from students majoring in Fashion Design, Knitwear Design, Technical Design, Textile Design and Jewelry & Metal Arts.

The fashion show is open to the public free of charge, and begins at 7 p.m. Reserve tickets here.

Originally constructed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre is located in the Marina District of San Francisco at 3301 Lyon St.

Max Azria is the founder, designer, chairman and chief executive officer of the BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP. One of the most diversified fashion houses in the world, BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP offers some of the most sought-after collections on the market including BCBGMAXAZRIA and Hérve Léger by Max Azria, and has more than 570 retail boutiques worldwide. Azria was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in 1998, and his collections have garnered significant celebrity following such as the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Alicia Keys.

Lubov Azria is the Chief Creative Officer of BCBGMAXAZRIA and Max’s wife. Lubov joined the company as a designer in 1991. Under her influence, the brand has become one of America’s leading design houses for women’s ready-to-wear and accessory collections. In 2004 Lubov and her husband began designing one-of-a-kind gowns for celebrity clients under the name Max Azria Atelier. The following year, Lubov and her design team debuted Hérve Léger by Max Azria, having acquired the couturier in 1998. Lubov was inducted into the CFDA in 2010.

Visit Fashion School Daily for updates on all activities.

At Standing Ovations VI, a celebration of San Francisco style. From left: Rebecca Delgado Rottman, vice president, Community Relations & Governmental Affairs, Academy of Art University; James Lazarus, president, San Francisco Museum and Historical Society; Elisa Stephens, president, Academy of Art University. Photo © Aldo Carrera.

Academy of Art University President Elisa Stephens was among those honored Thursday, April 18, at Standing Ovations VI, “a celebration of San Francisco style” sponsored by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society. The evening gala, held at Mint Plaza, also featured a show of fashion designs by Academy School of Fashion students and alumni.

Each year Standing Ovations celebrates the historic achievements of those who have contributed to San Francisco’s cultural heritage. Historic Contributions Awards are made for, in the Museum and Historical Society’s words, “the people that bring fashion to the people of San Francisco.” A Rising Star Award is also granted to an emerging talent from the world of fashion design or retail. This year’s event was conducted at the city’s Old Mint, the future site of the San Francisco Museum at the Mint.

The evening gala featured a show of design by Academy School of Fashion students and alumni. Above and below: photos © Aldo Carrerra.

In addition to the Stephens family, others honored April 18 were Wilkes Bashford, Levi Strauss & Co., Macy’s, the Sockolov Family and Sara Shepherd, a 2005 BFA graduate of the Academy School of Fashion, who received the Rising Star Award in recognition of her successful fashion career.

Fashion designer Sara Shepherd, a 2005 graduate of the Academy of Art University's School of Fashion, received the Rising Star Award. Photo © Aldo Carrera.

An exhibition in the Old Mint titled San Francisco Style, showcasing fashion in San Francisco throughout history, debuted on the evening of the event and opened to the public April 20.

An accompany exhibition at the Old Mint is titled "San Francisco Style." Photo © Aldo Carrera.

The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society is the focal point for discovering the history of the Bay Area, including the creation and ongoing operation of a world class museum in San Francisco’s Old Mint. This National Historic Landmark at Fifth and Mission Streets will be transformed into the San Francisco Museum at the Mint where visitors can experience the stories that shaped San Francisco through state-of-the-art interactive exhibits. The museum will also contain exhibits on American money and the Gold Rush and provide a rich educational experience. The project has entered its second phase, a $60 million campaign to complete design and construction.

Learn more about the event at Fashion School Daily.

Orly Ruaimi; photo © Isabella Bejarano

When last spotted in the national media, Orly Ruaimi, MFA student in the Academy’s School of Jewelry & Metal Arts, was being honored in a contest to design a dress for Lady Gaga. Now Ruaimi’s work is back in the spotlight, with her designs recently appearing on the MTV show The Week in Jams.

Interviewer Nessa is wearing jewelry designs by Academy of Art University student Orly Ruaimi in the Feb. 24, 2013, show of MTV's "The Week in Jams."

In the February 24, 2013, show, Week in Jams interviewer/host Nessa is wearing a cuff and earrings from Ruaimi’s latest laser-cut acrylic collection. It’s another public moment for a young artist who’s still “a year or so” from graduating from the new School of Jewelry & Metal Arts, the university’s newest addition.

Above: Cuff design by Orly Ruaimi from her latest laser-cut acrylic collection. Below: Earrings from the collection.

Learn more about Orly Ruaimi and her work at her website.

Gayle Kabaker's artwork, titled Two Brides, became the cover of the June 25, 2012, issue of The New Yorker. The illustration continues to gain national recognition.

It was a case of being in the wrong place at exactly the right moment — with the right art. Academy Illustration grad Gayle Kabaker didn’t see it coming. But New Yorker Art Editor Francoise Mouly noticed Kabaker’s image, Two Brides, on BlownCovers.com, a blog about “New Yorker covers you were never meant to see.”

And the result is seen on the cover of the June 25, 2012, Brides issue of The New Yorker, an experience Kabaker describes as “a lifelong goal accomplished.” But it didn’t happen the way the Massachusetts illustrator envisioned it. You might say her cover art came through the “back door” — via Blown Covers. The blog was originally created by Mouly to promote her book, also titled Blown Covers. Every week Mouly hosts an open contest for cover art on the blog, with a theme that resembles those assigned to regular contributors to the magazine. Kabaker, a 1981 BFA graduate of the Academy of Art University’s School of Illustration and currently an online instructor for the Academy in Fashion Drawing, had entered art in the contest before.

“The first time I entered, the theme was Reading,” she recalls. She placed eighth in the top ten entries chosen that week, which left her “surprised and thrilled.”

This cover art by Kabaker was submitted to BlownCovers.com for the Reading theme. The artist says reading The New Yorker is a ritual in her home. "We've been getting the magazine forever. It comes in and goes straight on the kitchen table. We talk about the cover with my son, who's 17, and my daughter, who's 23: 'What do you think it means?' It's a conversation." Kabaker says this cover study illustrates such a moment.

“I had a strong image for it, in flat, graphic style that I’m happy to do … but not as excited about as my painterly style. A few weeks later I entered four images for the Gays theme.”

Next, she says, “Françoise [Mouly] e-mailed, asking me to hold out the image of the two brides to consider it for the real thing. Just seeing her name in my inbox had me freaking out with excitement. Plus, they picked my ‘almost kissing’ image for second runner-up. A few weeks went by, and I got the call that [Two Brides] was seriously being considered for the Brides issue. Françoise asked me not to tell anyone, as covers can change at the last minute.

This illustration, titled Two Brides Almost Kissing, was selected as the second runner up by the Blown Covers blog.

“When I finally got the word that it was happening, it was the realization of a lifelong dream,” she says. “I have three of them — do a cover for The New Yorker, illustrate an editorial spread in Vogue, and do an campaign for a company like Nordstrom. One down, two to go!”

The versatile Kabaker does indeed spread her net widely, with her work showing up in marketing collateral, editorial content, animation, web design, and logo and brand development. She says Illustration instructor Bill Sanchez was her favorite teacher when she studied at the Academy. “I remember asking him how long it takes to make it. He tried to explain that there are many levels of ‘making it.’”

Gayle Kabaker

She admits that making a living as an illustrator can be a struggle. “This has forced me to constantly think outside the box, to try never to get stuck, and to freshen up my work constantly.” This is not easy, she says, especially in terms of remaining inspired and continuing to grow as an artist.

“I had a show last October and decided to paint what I love most — fashion, women and patterns. This painting [the winning cover] came out of that series of paintings, proving to me that doing what you really love is the best way to go.”

Since its appearance on the cover of The New Yorker, Kabaker’s Two Brides illustration has appeared in a number of exhibitions, annuals and other media:
• The Society of Illustrators Los Angeles, 51st Annual Illustration Exhibition
• Communication Arts magazine, May/June 2013 issue
• Print magazine Regional Design Annual, December 2012 issue

Learn more about Kabaker’s cover art and see a slide show and commentary from New Yorker Art Editor Françoise Mouly on other wedding images submitted to the Blown Covers blog here. Below: More Brides illustrations submitted by Kabaker:

Gayle Kabaker lives with her husband Peter Kitchell, a photographer and artist, and their two children in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Artistic accomplishment runs in the family: Daughter Sonya is a singer/songwriter, and son Max is “on his way to becoming a fabulous photographer.” Kabaker also directed, wrote and produced two award-winning short films: The Great Ashfield Pancaper and Pancaper 2: Mr. Jones Strikes Back. Of her illustration technique, she says, “I paint ‘old school,’ then scan into Photoshop and collage and design my images.” Her floral images and giclée prints are handled by Editions Limited.

Contact Gayle Kabaker:
• Website
• Facebook
• Linked In
• Etsy Shop

All images © Gayle Kabaker

Academy students (left to right) Kyoungche Kim, Daehi Kim and Wanmin Gee were winners in Blizzard Entertainment's 2013 Student Art Contest. Photo by Haley Tucker.

Academy students in Game Design and Animation & Visual Effects captured top honors in Blizzard Entertainment’s 2013 Student Art Contest. Game Design MFA grad Daehi Kim won in the Environment category; also winning in Environment was BFA Game Design candidate Kyoungche Kim. Wanmin Gee, MFA candidate in Animation, was runner up in the Character category.

Grand Prize-winning artwork by Daehi Kim

Daehi Kim has found post-graduate success working at online gaming company Kixeye. Both Kyoungche Kim and Gee aspire to intern at Blizzard Entertainment this summer and are hoping their contest wins give them a competitive edge. “It was like a dream,” says K. Kim of the experience. “Blizzard is a dream company.”

Art by Kyoungche Kim also was awarded a Grand Prize.

This art by Wanmin Gee was awarded Honorable Mention.

Peter Kyuyoung Lee, also from the Academy, was a winner in Blizzard’s 2012 Student Art Contest. The Academy’s Arthur Ramazanov was honorable mention.