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ACAD Alumni
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Stay in touch with your ACAD Alumni community! Visit us online to update your contact information, to read new alumni profiles, and to get more details about events and news every month. ACAD alumni advance the knowledge and understanding of the importance of visual culture and design to the economic, cultural and social life of our communities and society. They apply impactful creative thinking and ability in the fields of culture, research, commerce, manufacturing, education and countless others! ACAD is committed to encouraging lifelong relationships with our graduates and encouraging their ongoing connectivity. Around the world ACAD alumni play a vital role as the college's most ardent supporters, ambassadors and student mentors.
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ACAD ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER
Winter 2012 |
Dear ACAD Alumni:
Once of the best parts of my role as President of the Alberta College of Art + Design is meeting you, our alumni! The stories you have of our institution are simply wonderful (and sometime quite colorful...); they speak volumes about our rich history.
I recently met alumna Marie Eldridge who graduated some time ago. It happened really by chance that as I was reading the Calgary Herald a month or so ago I saw an article about this Architectural Illustrator from Calgary who had won a prestigious 2010 Award of Excellence from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators. The article identified the illustrator as part of our ACAD family. The next day I sent Marie a note of congratulations as well as invited her to drop by whenever she might have a chance, which she eventually did. We had a wonderful conversation about ACAD's past and future and reviewed her portfolio, which is exquisite.
Marie is just one example of how we want to reaffirm a definite strength of ACAD: our alumni's ability to go on quite successfully to a broad variety of paths and careers. In this case, ACAD does not have a specific Architectural Illustration program (although it is not a bad idea, says the architect in me...), but what our faculty do so well, and what the institution does so well, is to prepare and equip students to be problem solvers, to use their skills, and to apply what they discovered here in a multitude of situations. The stories of our alumni being active contributors to our communities are regular reminders of what truly makes ACAD an amazing place.
I am often asked by Alumni about how they can help the College and so I suggest the following four distinct but related categories:
- Contribute to helping us tell the story of ACAD and its successes, surprises, and dreams...
- Act as ambassadors and "preach the good word"
- Act as introducers and help us connect with the larger community and potential donors
- Support our students and the institution by being mentors, sharing your experiences and advice, and helping fund scholarships or other initiatives
Whenever you have a chance, please do not hesitate to drop by. In the meantime, I wish all of you and your families a wonderful holiday season and a superb new year to come.
Sincerely,
Dr. Daniel Doz, President + CEO
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ACAD Alumni Events Winter 2012
Watch for alumni receptions in these areas over the next few months: Lethbridge, AB Medicine Hat, AB Saskatoon, SK New York, NY Find out more at acad.ab.ca/alumni_events.html Make sure we have your current address so we can invite you!
We had great trips to Toronto, Red Deer, and Vancouver this fall. We would really like to thank our alumni who took some time to meet with us to share ACAD stories, tell us what you are doing, and offer your support for the future!
 
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Featured Alumni
Kim Neudorf, 2005
Article by Jane McQuitty
We noted in the previous edition of the alumni e-newsletter that Kim was a semi-finalist in the 2011 RBC Canadian Painting Competition. Kim is currently an MFA candidate at the University of Western Ontario.
The following is a link to an article written by Jane McQuitty for the online editor-published Canadian arts journal Hamilton Arts and Letters.
The article is titled: Critically framing Kim Neudorf: A Start by Jane McQuitty
Please visit:
http://samizdatpress.typepad.com/fall_2011_hamilton_arts_l/cover-hamilton-arts-letters-fall-2011.html
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Alumni News
Nadia Secreto is currently pursuing Urban Studies at Simon Fraser University.
Jillian Tamaki did three covers for the Threads series for Penguin books (released October 25 and available through Amazon) http://jilliantamaki.com/embroidery/penguin-threads/. Her work has also been acquired by the Library of Congress.
Sam Weber did one of only a handful of illustrated covers for National Geographic (July 2011): http://sampaints.com/2011/06/national-geographic-2/
Kerry Gibson, Aaron Rinas, & Tali Schtelzer won a Bronze Student One Show Pencil Award before graduatin in 2011.
Ian Lui was a Future Lions MMXI Finalist, Cannes Lions 2011 and chosen as one of 20 finalists out of 800 entires worldwide.
Raymond Ferraro is Interactive Art Director for Coach and responsible for overseeing, developing concept/content and designing all Reed Krakoff Interactive endeavors including reedkrakoff.com, all social media outlets and e-commerce.
Matt Luckhurst is a Senior Design at Collins and has won awards such as Art Directors Club Silver Cube. Motion Design. 2011. Type Directors Club. Excellence in Typography. Web Design. Illuminated Atheist; 2011. Type Directors Club. Excellence in Typography. Motion Graphics. Boom Ha.
Clement Yeh completed a MFA in Sculpture at Concordia in 2009. While working on his own studio practice, he also produced a series of props for several commercial stop-motion videos that can be seen at: http://www.gregbarth.tv/(the videos are 7tv and Edition Speciale). In October 2011, Clement became the new Visual Arts Studio Technician at Thompson Rivers University, supporting facilities in wood, metal, printmaking, darkroom photography, and digital media. It's an extremely fulfilling position and it is allowing him to contribute back to the cycle of arts education he was introduced to at ACAD, which has changed his life irrevocably!
After graduation, Lindsay Fenton spent 5 years honing her expertise as Production Manager at a garment silkscreen manufacture. In the last year, she started her own printing house called Fentsi Imprint Inc. She distributes printed advertising specialty items from vehicle decals to t-shirts. As an artist, she is designing various things to suit clients needs and loves it! Fentsi Imprint is a huge supporter of the arts in Alberta and the most recent sponsorship includes various printed marketing items for OYR's High Performance Rodeo 2012. www.fentsi.com
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts recently purchased Douglas Driediger's set of 52 year-long series of self portraits. Completing one per week, each was executed on an 8.5 x 11" panel, photographed, and distributed via email to a growing list of interested friends through the year with accompanying text offering context and background.
Barry Marks graduated from what was then called The Alberta College of Art, located on the SAIT campus in the East Block. He graduated with a diploma in Commercial Art in 1962 after having started at the ACA in 1958. After graduation, Barry worked in industry as a commercial artist for six years, then taught for the Calgary Board of Education since they were looking for teachers who could teach in high school Vocational departments. Barry recieved a Bachelor of Vocational Education from the University of Alberta and taught Commercial Art, later called Art Design, for 41 years. He retired in June of 2009 and is doing artwork on a much more consistent basis than when he was teaching full time.
Jeff Chan is studying at the University of Lethbridge in Education. http://jeff-chan.daportfolio.com
Neil Martin Horvath has been learning how to tattoo and currently works at Sacred Balance body enhancement in Calgary. www.neilmartinhorvath.com
 
Maria Smythe is the 2011 recipient of the Brenda Strathern "Late Bloomers" Writing Prize and is working on the publication of her first book of fiction.
For the past 6 years, Larissa McLean has been teaching High School Art and Horticulture through the Calgary Board of Education. She has built a studio from the ground up and is currently working out of her studio 2-4 hours an evening, balancing her teaching career and her professional art. Recently accepted to the Alberta Society of Artists and represented by Arts Astray in Calgary, Art and Soul Studio Gallery in High River is 'home', where she shares space with artist and gallery owner Annie Froese. Larissa hopes to continue to make a positive impact on future generations of artists and enjoys her time teaching. www.passionstems.com
  
Robert Stoklossa attended the college between 1988 and 1997, taking Printmaking and Visual Communications. Since then he has lived and worked in Germany as an Interactive.
The Alberta Craft Council held the 7th Annual Alberta Crafts Awards on Saturday the 15th October and recognized Simon Wroot with The Award of Honour; Jennea Frischke with The Award of Achievement and Jackie Anderson with The Award of Excellence!
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Alumni Relations Updates
We Need Your Memories!
ACAD's craft and art historian, Jennifer Salahub, has begun a research project that will lead to the written history of Craft at ACAD. Although only in its initial stage (The Early Years) she is already looking to you for help, for it is your stories that will animate this tale. Salahub has discovered that while craft was in evidence from the earliest years, there are few references to the teachers or makers in the existing histories. Even compiling a list of those who taught fiber, ceramics, jewellery, and glass is proving difficult as the catalogue descriptions (pre-1970) are vague. So, this is where we ask for your help. Do you remember Marion Nicoll? Did you take a course that included craft? Do you remember who taught it? Who was in the class? Do you have any "stories" or related materials such as exhibition catalogues, photographs or objects? As well as a publication, she hopes that your memories and archives (shoeboxes of paper) will be the beginnings of a database holding a virtual archive of ACAD craft images and craft related materials. These would be scanned and, with your permission, eventually made accessible to students, alumni, and researchers through the ACAD library web site.
If you have any questions or suggestions please contact Melissa in Alumni Relations (alumni@acad.ca) or Jennifer (jennifer.salahub@acad.ca).
Bow Valley College Artstream Alumni Emerging Artist Project
Bow Valley College invites Artstream Alumni who have graduated from the Alberta College of Art+Design to submit art works to become part of the permanent collection at Bow Valley College. This call for submissions and subsequent purchase of one or more works of art is intended to recognize the accomplishment of moving from being an art and design student to being a professional artist. Bow Valley College acknowledges the Alberta Foundation for the Arts for their generous support of this initiative.
For application information contact: achugh@bowvalleycollege.ca
Deadline for submissions is Friday, January 13, 2012. Late submissions will not be considered. Winning candidates will be notified in February, 2012.
Thank you to all alumni who participated in the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) - a one-of-a-kind survey that explores the lives of arts alumni nationwide. Survey information is being collated and we expect the report on ACAD by Spring 2012. Stay tuned!
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Professional Development Grant for ACAD Alumni: Meagan Boisvert, 2011 DRWG; Louise P. Chong, 2007 JWLM; Terrance Houle, 2003 FBRE; Jacqueline Huskisson, 2011 PRME; Randy Niessen, 2010 PNTG; Victoria Sanchez, 2011 JWLM; Sandra Sawatzky-Cariou, 1980 VSC; Stefanie Wong, 2008 FBRE. These alumni are working on residencies and workshops, studio development, travelling to exhibit, research in their fields, and other projects advancing the creative industries sector! Watch for information on their projects on the alumni pages of the ACAD website in the future.
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Special Alumni Offers
 It's good to be an ACAD Alum!
ACAD Alumni receive benefits from retailers and service providers in Calgary - and we are working to extend those benefits in other cities as well. Check out our alumni website for the list of discounts. If you know of deals and perks that can be shared with fellow alums travelling in your area, let us know and we'll help spread the word! Take advantage of a 10% discount for ACAD Alumni on all ACAD Extended Studies Credit-Free Courses! Did you know that ACAD Extended Studies offers a 10% discount on Extended Studies adult credit-free courses at ACAD to all ACAD alumni? Don't miss this chance to continue your education, and to develop new aspects of your practice! Visit us online for more information.
TD Insurance Meloche Monnex
As the leading provider of group home and car insurance, we know how important it is to save wherever you can. As an ACAD alumn, you can benefit from special privileges, such as preferred group rates, enhanced coverage and flexible limits. We believe in making insurance easy to understand so you can choose your coverage with confidence. Request a free, no-obligation online quote today and you could win 1 of 2 MINI Cooper cars or $30,000 in cash! For more details, visit www.melochemonnex.com/acad or call (toll-free) 1-866-258-3036.
RBC Services for Alumni
Personal banking is about managing your finances to meet your current and future goals. We tailor your needs by completing a Financial Review. Whether it is for complex financial management or if you have specific needs, it all starts with this Review. Our "Finance Tracker" is unique to RBC and helps you budget, along with numerous tools and calculators at rbcroyalbank.com to help you better understand what you may need. Personal seminars include personal budgeting, retirement planning and other seminars geared to those large purchases like a new home. When you are ready, we can help, in person at our branches, over the phone at 1-800- Royal 11, or online.
ACAD Career Resources Blog
Check out this online source for job postings, calls for submissions, online resources, workshops, industry standards and useful links. careers.acadnet.ca
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Stay in touch: we want to keep you in the loop about the exciting events and news coming from our ACAD alumni community. Be sure to visit +acad.ca/alumni to find out how you can find out more, or email the ACAD Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@acad.ca 
Sincerely,
Melissa Trono
Director, Advancement + Alumni Relations |
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