Every year, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire hosts several competitions providing winners with scholarships. Here, current student Kevin Agra competes in the Best Teen Chef 2008 competition. For winning this competition he received a $3,000 scholarship. This was just one of many scholarships, totaling $159,000, the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire awarded in 2008. Robert Swapp Photo
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Fifteen Inland Empire residents are taking the first steps toward their dreams of careers in the arts, with the help of $159,000 in scholarships awarded by The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, located in San Bernardino, is a private university, which offers degrees in creative careers such as graphic design, interior design, culinary arts, culinary management, web design & interactive media, media arts & animation, game art & design.
“The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire feels that if people have the talent and drive, then paying for education should not be an obstacle,” said President Emam El-Hout. “The scholarships will help many Inland Empire residents receive an education that can help them pursue careers that they love.”
The scholarships include awards of $1,000 to $15,000. Four of the awards were for placing in the preliminary rounds of national competitions.
Alurra Hughes of Redlands won $3,000 in The Art Institutes Poster Competition for designing what was judged the best poster of all entries from The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. Kevin Agra of Rancho Cucamonga and Scott Nerim of Riverside won awards of $3,000 and $1,000 by placing first and third in The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef competition, in which students cooked items on a set menu in a timed competition.
The remaining awards, for $5,000 to $15,000, went to first- and second-place winners in local scholarship competitions. There were two categories of award winners in most of these competitions, members of the Class of 2008, and adults who graduated from high school before 2008 and now wished to attend The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.
These scholarship winners demonstrated excellence in a particular program of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
• Culinary – Students planned a menu, submitted the menu, its recipes and photos, and wrote an essay about why they wanted to be culinarians. • Game Art & Design – Students sent their ideas for new games, along with drawings of a character and a set. • Graphic Design – Students submitted a poster, two illustrations and either pencil or pen and ink drawings. • Media Arts & Animation – Students submitted four drawings, a computer generated 3-D model and their own 15-second animated Quick Time movie. • Interior Design – Students submitted a portfolio showing creative design ability, which included sketches, perspective drawings with hand-lettering and in some cases, floor plans and room elevations • Web Design & Interactive Media – Students submitted a portfolio including a five-page interactive Website and a site map flowchart for the Website.
A $15,000 scholarship for Web Design & Interactive Media makes the college experience easier for Hector Franco, whose hometown is the desert city of Littlerock, near Palmdale. Unlike many students, who live close enough to The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire to commute from home, Franco and a classmate from Littlerock High School moved after their 2008 graduation to the Art Institute’s student housing and must pay room and board as well as tuition.
“We don’t have much money, and we didn’t get any grants,” he said about himself and his friend. “So I was really happy to get this scholarship.”
Franco believes the skills he’s learning in the Web Design & Interactive Media program could benefit him in a variety of careers.
“Besides, Web design is something I have always liked,” he said.
Ceara Alejo of Mira Loma is also studying Web Design & Interactive Media, qualified for a $5,000 scholarship to the program. Like Franco, she believes this course of study will give her valuable skills in any career she may later pursue.
“I didn’t have money, so getting a scholarship really helped,” said the 2008 graduate of Jurupa Valley High School. “I have always enjoyed drawing, and I really wanted to go to The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire.”
Aldo Lopez of Upland, who received a $15,000 scholarship in Graphic Design, doubts he would have been able to attend college without this help.
“Money is a big problem, because of the economy,” he said. “And college is not cheap.”
The 2008 Upland High School graduate is now pursuing an associate degree in Graphic Design, which he could obtain in less than two years through The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire’s year-round schedule. The associate degree alone would provide opportunities he does not have with just a high school education, he said.
“I think it would give me an edge,” he said.
But Lopez’ future may also include pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire before he starts his career. Both Graphic Design and the newly established Fashion Design programs are possibilities, he said.
“I have always wanted to design my own clothing line,” he said. “I most like the graphic element of that, such as designing logos for T-shits.”
Scholarship recipients are:
Winners name City Scholarship Amount Program Catherine Anderson Fontana $15,000 1st Culinary Erik Goebel Hesperia $5,000 2nd Culinary Alurra Hughes Redlands $15,000 1st $3,000 1st Game Art & Design Poster Contest Aldo Lopez Upland $15,000 1st Graphic Design Josiah Serrano Rancho Cucamonga $5,000 2nd Graphic Design
Ziad Jabeguero Fontana $15,000 1st Media Arts & Animation Hector Franco Littlerock $15,000 1st Web Design & Interactive Media Ceara Alejo Mira Loma $5,000 2nd Web Design & Interactive Media Kimbra Brown Riverside $10,000 1st Culinary Jessica Hurst Mira Loma $10,000 1st Game Art & Design Carissa Williams Victorville $5,000 2nd Game Art & Design Amanda Birosak Corona $10,000 1st Interior Design Shalonda Jackson Moreno Valley $10,000 1st Graphic Design Kevin Agra Alta Loma $3,000 1st Best Teen Chef Scott Nerim Riverside $1,000 3rd Best Teen Chef
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Marketing & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start classes at The Art Institute of California–Inland Empire. Courses begin Jan. 12 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new an
d reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California–Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or (800) 353-0182 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Some of Jana Rawling’s Graphic Design students make a statement in the Inland Empire: From left to right, top row: Collin Hjulberg, Amber Aguirre, Jesus Flores-Rodriguez, Armando Lopez, Nicole Lee, Adrian Aguirre, Stephen Figueroa, Tracy Anderson; middle row: Andrew Hernandez, Darius Giurar, Andrea Perales, Mariana Munoz Gomez, Dhani Olive; front row: Jeannette Castrejon, Jana Rawling, Megan Lane.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – “I have a passion for teaching and a dedication to student success,” explains Jana Rawling, the new Academic Director of Graphic Design at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “I believe I do not have all the answers, but that I can find them and teach students how to find them, too.”
This is at the heart of this Upland’s resident’s educational philosophy. It’s hands-on guidance: “I earned the titles I’ve acquired, and worked hard to do it. I expect the same dedication and focus from this next generation.”
Rawling’s commercial art background spans nearly 20 years, first at 19 as the Art Director & Production Manager for Synaptix Advertising in Garden Grove, then as Creative Director at Internet Exchange International in Corona Del Mar. This was followed by an Art Director role for Ontario’s Sasso & Burgoon Advertising and then as Senior Art Director for Stewart Holt & Partners ad agency, when the two companies merged.
Then it was on to Irvine’s Freedom Communications as manager of Corporate Communication & Marketing, followed by Director of Marketing and Creative Services with Crown Printers in San Bernardino.
During this time, Rawling managed a multi-million dollar project for the Fleetwood RV account, responsible for all the art direction, print product, photos and more. Her design work for corporate annual reports didn’t go unnoticed, garnering her honors from as far away as Europe and as powerful as America’s ADDY Awards, the world’s largest advertising competition.
But, academia called, which led Rawling to The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire as a graphic design instructor. She was at The Art Institute, teaching just two classes on Saturdays when she got the call to join full time, and shortly after to head the 280-student Graphic Design department this past September.
Her move into that role will be a gradual one. “I don’t like change for the sake of change,” Rawling says. “There will remain a great deal of emphasis on becoming hirable. That is, it’s fine to have a beautiful or powerful portfolio as a designer, but the commercial artwork must have a strong concept, must have effective reasons for what’s on the paper or screen. It can’t simply be pretty, it’s got to sell.”
Rawling’s students, therefore, won’t only learn composition, typography and design. “We’ll also be exploring animated corporate and client multimedia presentations, Web design and development, account management, budget adherence and the importance of meeting deadlines. Students today have to be as technical as they are artistic. Still, even under the highest pressure of deadlines, budget requirements and resource management, one must have fun.”
Her education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in Ontario and an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design & Multimedia from Denver’s Westwood College Online.
“The Art Institute’s creative learners,” Rawling concludes, “often require a flexible, non-traditional approach to learning. Many of these students have previously had negative experiences with education, and they come into the classroom carrying that baggage; this must be overcome.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Marketing & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is only one of more than 40 educational institutions within The Art Institutes system, located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Art Institute of California – Inland Empire Interior Design students working on a remodel of the Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary in Phelan. The students volunteered with the Extreme Makeover television reality series to remodel this sanctuary and build its owners a new home in early February. Photo by Sara Sandoval
(PHELAN, Calif.) Life has become a whole lot better for Joel and Chemaine Almquist and all their animals.
Students and faculty from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire played a part in this, as they joined with ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the Building Industry Association of Southern California and many other volunteers to build the Almquists a new home in one week. The makeover took place at the Almquists’ Buttermere Road home in Phelan, a High Desert community southwest of Victorville and Extreme Makeover presented the new home and shelter to them on Saturday, Feb. 7.
“It was an incredible atmosphere, a collaborative building experience,” said Sara Sandoval, academic director of the Interior Design program at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, and one of the project volunteers. “Our students were professional and helpful with any assigned task, no matter how difficult or labor-intensive the work. And because of our team spirit, a lot of people in Phelan were asking about our campus, many of whom now plan to come down to San Bernardino for their own personal tours.”
The Almquists operate Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary, where they care for nine tigers, three tortoises, three parrots, 10 alligators, four servals, four bearded lizards, two lynx and a Cobra. This shelter, which is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Fish & Game, accepts these animals when a previous owner is no longer able to care for them.
Although Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and Chemaine Almquist devotes her days to raising funds for it, the care and feeding of these animals had taken its toll on the Almquists’ personal lives. They lived in a double-wide mobile home with no heating or air-conditioning, leaking pipes and holes patched together by duct tape.
A team from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition knocked on the Almquists’ door Friday, Jan. 31 to announce their plans to build a new home and animal shelter for them. While the Almquists were away on vacation, the Extreme Makeover team is working with more than 100 volunteers, including The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire students, to build the new home and shelter in a week.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Sharon Kauffman, owner of another gallery in Riverside, examines pieces in The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s EVOLVE student show taking place through Feb. 27 at Division 9 Gallery in Riverside.
A poster promoting the EVOLVE student art show is part of the display at Division 9 Gallery in Riverside. The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire also placed this image on on t-shirts and other promotional materials to make art enthusiasts aware of the show taking place through Feb. 27.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “EVOLVE,” an art show with a different focus than most, is taking place through Feb. 27 at Division 9 Gallery, 3850 Lemon St. in downtown Riverside.
EVOLVE’s sponsor, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, specializes in providing artists with a college education in a field will that allow them to turn their passion into a career. Thus, these student artists focus in school on graphic design and other commercial applications, such as Web design, animation and interior design. Much of the artwork in EVOLVE reflects this focus.
Yet, great designs begin with art. While Art Institute of California – Inland Empire students often rely on computer technology to produce their work, much of this technology is merely advanced forms of drawing, painting, photography and sculpture. Before they learn how to draw, paint and sculpt on a computer, students do so with the tools of a traditional artist – pencils and pens, ink, paint, photographs, chisels and clay.
EVOLVE is a balance of emerging artists’ creativity, and what happens when that creativity combines with the discipline and skill they’ve acquired in learning to be commercial artists. Students created all of the work displayed in EVOLVE as a project in one of their classes at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
Some of this work may have been created for a fictional client. Other work is simply expressing an artist’s opinion through imagery. Sometimes it captures the amusing aspects of life, sometimes those that are more serious.
“There is a lot of thinking and a lot of humor in this art,” said Sharon Kauffman, who owns another gallery in Riverside and visited EVOLVE during its grand opening Feb. 5 at Riverside Artwalk.
“It shows that these artists are aware and involved in what is going on in the world.”
Jake Castorena, a Media Arts & Animation major at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, has exhibited in both EVOLVE, and its 2008 predecessor, PROCESS. He sees the art shows as a way to showcase the multiple talents of The Art Institute’s students.
“It puts our finest works of art before the community, and it may inspire young people in the community to pursue art as a career, as we have,” Castorena said. “It also allows the Art Institute to show how well we are instructed in art. And it shows our family what we do. We are so busy with school, working in our rooms or in a lab, they don’t see much of us. This allows us to show them what we have been working on for six or seven months.”
Jennifer Rodrigues isn’t exhibiting in EVOLVE, but after viewing the show, this Art Institute of California – Inland Empire student agrees it represents her campus well.
“There are many talented people who attend my school,” she said. “This is but a sample of what there is at The Art Institute.”
The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design. The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) A few reservations are still available for a great Valentines’ Day deal – dinner for two at Seasons’ Restaurant at The International Culinary School of The Art Institute of California, for only $75 a couple.
Seasons Restaurant, located at 630 E. Brier Drive, provides real-world training for students of The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California. Thus, the $75 Valentines’ Day special features a menu that would be on par with the area’s finest dining establishments, yet at a fraction of the price.
Seasons is usually closed on Saturdays but will open on Feb. 14 from 6-8 p.m. with reservations only. For more information or to make reservations, call (909) 915-2170.
“Seasons is offering a Valentine’s Day special which is a four-course meal for $75 per couple,” said Eyad Joseph, Academic Director of The International Culinary School. “Most restaurants usually charge between $100-$250 per couple and are usually booked months in advance for Valentine’s Day.” The menu will be a four-course meal with selections from poultry, beef and seafood and a vegetarian dish.
Joseph said the idea for the Valentine’s Day special came from one of his students who suggested that Seasons stay open on Feb. 14, since most of the other restaurants are already booked up. “Valentine’s Day is a very busy day for couples and families taking their moms and dads out,” Joseph said. “Most restaurants are usually filled up months in advance, so I expect many people who left it to the last minute will welcome the fact we are open.”
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino Executive Officer A. Majadi examines a 3-D scale rendering of a proposed kitchen remodel for the organization, as proposed by members of a design team from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Photo by Carl Dameron
Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino Operations Director Constance Henderson and Executive Officer A. Majadi smile with their kitchen design team from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire (Tamara Stevenson, Sonja Fallahian, Nancy Marquez and Patrice Bodell) after seeing that the team had put together a beautiful report and 3-D rendering that encompassed everything they had wanted in a new kitchen. Photo by Carl Dameron
Materials the Interior Design students from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire used to present their concept of a kitchen redesign to The Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino. Using the computer skills they have perfected during their education, the Interior Design majors put together a full-color report and a 3-D scale rendition of the kitchen they have proposed for the Boys & Girls Club, which will transform it from its original 1960s design into a colorful place where boys and girls will want to learn about cooking and nutrition. Photo by Carl Dameron
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Four Interior Design students from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, dressed to impress in coordinating black suits, took a deep breath and presented the project they had been working on all quarter.
Before they were done, their “client,” nationally-renown general contractor and non-profit organization leader A. Majadi, smiled broadly and offered them jobs as assistant project superintendents.
“This is absolutely fantastic,” Majadi said. “It has everything we wanted, all the elements necessary for a viable kitchen. Our boys and girls deserve the absolute best in our programs and materials. That’s what the Art Institute students have delivered, the absolute best.”
The Interior Design majors, who were enrolled in the Human Factors course at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire were commissioned by The Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino to redesign the club’s kitchen. Their project will transform the 40-year-old kitchen out of use for at least two years into a brightly-colored place for the children in the Boys & Girls Club to cook and learn.
“Our class is over, but we now plan to continue to work with the Boys & Girls Club until our kitchen design becomes a functional, working kitchen,” said Tamara Stephenson, lead designer for the project.
For 11 weeks, Stephenson, Patrice Bodell, Sonja Fallahian and Nancy Marquez met regularly with Majadi and others at the Boys & Girls Club to find out more about the project. They also researched the national Boys & Girls Club, to learn more about programs offered to children in San Bernardino.
From these meetings and research, they put together a new kitchen concept, which they rendered in a blueprint, sketches, elevation drawings and more in a 26-page full-color report and also in a three-dimensional model of the kitchen. They also presented a budget of just under $35,000, which was another aspect of the presentation that impressed Majadi.
One of the programs offered through the Boys & Girls Club is Triple Play, which teaches children how to be healthy. Since good nutrition is an important part of Triple Play, the Art Institute’s kitchen designers made it a focal point of the remodel.
“The design may provide the inspiration the Boys & Girls Club needs to grow a healthier lifestyle in all of San Bernardino,” said Rikke Van Johnson, president of the Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino Board of Directors and a member of the San Bernardino City Council. “On behalf of the Boys & Girls Club, I thank them. I am excited about this.”
The new kitchen, as envisioned by the students, features lime green walls, with blue and white tile on the floor and halfway up some walls. A few purple accents embellish this color scheme, which the designers took from the logo the Boys & Girls Club uses to promote Triple Play.
A border of hand-painted tiles, either children’s handprints or children’s artwork, divides the tile portion of the walls from the lime green portion. On one of the walls, a mural will depict Triple Play’s logo.
“I am really digging these colors,” said Majadi. “I love their creativity.”
Before taking the position as chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino, Majadi served as a consultant for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also serves as treasurer of the national Black Contractors’ Association and as vice president of the Black Contractors’ Association of California.
Majadi has asked the four students to give their presentation to the entire Board of Directors, and that presentation will likely take place in January. The board will then decide whether to proceed with this remodel, and also if the below-expected budget leaves enough money to hire the students to assist Majadi in supervising construction.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design. The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Ins
titute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) High school seniors have a chance to win a scholarship by participating in a Presidents’ Day essay contest sponsored by The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
“This is an exciting way to win money for college,” said Monica Jeffs, senior director of admissions for The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “The scholarships are $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place.”
The contest is part of Open House activities at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire planned for Monday, Feb. 16. To learn the theme and other rules for participating in the essay contest, call (909) 915-2100 or go to www.aiopen.com/inlandempire.
Jeffs said the deadline for essays to be submitted is Wednesday, Feb. 11. Winning students must be present at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 16, to accept their scholarship.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start the new year at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a free tour of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Knowing how to draw from a live human model is an important skill that artists 15 and older can hone by participating in a drawing workshop 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 at The Art Institute of California Inland Empire. Photos by Robert Swapp.
(SAN BERNADINO, Calif.) Being able to draw a live human model is an important skill for any artist, however, not all artists have the chance to practice this type of drawing.
In the spirit of leading by example, the Art Institute of California –Inland Empire is hosting an artists’ workshop on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1-5 p.m.
This workshop gives local artists a chance to try their hand at life drawing and will be held at the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire free charge to the public.
“Many artists are greatly creative but lack focus,” Santosh Oommen, Academic Director of Media Arts & Animation. “Our goal is to help make better artists. Offering workshops give these artists a chance to focus their raw creative talent.”
Life Drawing workshops are usually offered on the third Saturday of every month. There are 21 seats available for each class. The workshop is open to the public; the only requirement is that you are 15 years old or above and that you bring your own pencils and drawing paper.
“Our commitment is to helping artist in the Inland Empire improve their talents. This workshop, for artists as young as 15 years old, will help them to further their development of with the skills they need.” Said Oommen, academic director of media artist animation of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
The workshop involves drawing from a live figure and covers topics such as anatomy and gestures. To sign up for the Life Drawing workshop, or for more information, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
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The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – “It is my goal to produce the most talented designers and fashion professionals the industry has seen in a very long time by inspiring our students to greatness.” That’s the credo of the new Academic Department Director of the Fashion Design Program of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, Sherry West.
With 20 years of apparel experience in women’s, men’s, children’s and accessory design, West knows what the industry expects of young designers, and equally knows what students need to make it in the real world. “In addition to developing the talent, it is critical that we prepare our fashion students to succeed in this fast-paced and very competitive, albeit very alluring, industry,” she explains. And that’s the way The Art Institute likes it.
Working under the Dean of Academic Affairs, Jerry Foust, Sherry West understands clearly “the Art Institute’s aim of developing students who leave the school fully prepared for entry level positions in their chosen field. In fashion, graduates have to be at their best and ready to earn their salary from day one,” Foust has said.
The Philadelphia native, now living in Redlands, has been on the job since December 1, bringing to the classroom a background as broad as it is extensive. West’s fashion experience includes spending extensive periods of time in Hong Kong and traveling to other countries such as the Philippines, Japan, India and Turkey, as well as Paris, London, Milan and Florence, all of which will come in handy as she prepares her fashion students for their careers in this very global industry.
West’s first-hand experience of designing collections, visiting apparel factories, recruiting local artists, evaluating production facilities and capabilities, shopping European markets and trade shows and developing fresh manufacturing techniques in foreign countries will be an added plus to her role as the Academic Department Director of the Fashion Design Program.
West graduated in 1988 from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. She was honored three years consecutively as the Outstanding Student in Fashion Design, earning her a place on the Dean’s List.
From there she joined Eagle’s Eye apparel company, a leader in sportswear and sweater design, in nearby Conshohocken as a Design Assistant. It wasn’t long before West’s designs were breaking company records garnering her an unprecedented promotion to Head Designer for the firm’s core brand after her first year with the business.
Soon West was invited by the owners and executives to explore new ventures to grow the business. West’s ideas and visions for the company were instrumental in growing the brand from $50 million in sales to more than $120 million.
After six years with Eagle’s Eye, she established Sherry West Inc. in Dresher, and over just four years she designed sportswear and sweater collections for more than 20 national labels along with founding a children’s design house, Rhyme & Reason.
It was there she oversaw the design, production and delivery of collections to more than 350 accounts across the country including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks and Fred Segal’s of Hollywood, with international accounts in Japan, Australia and the Cayman Islands.
Since 2003 West has worked for and with numerous apparel retailers and design studios, and has been a Senior Fashion Designer for Lilly Pulitzer, an on-site consultant and a Retail Director.
Her vast fashion-related background has provided West with what she says is “the ability to teach the entire design process from concept to consumer through all cross-functional perspectives from design, merchandising, technical design, product development, sourcing, marketing, to sales and distribution.”
As a teacher, Sherry West has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Philadelphia’s Drexel University where her courses have included Fashion Entrepreneurship and Drawing for Fashion Design.
For 15-plus years she has appeared as a guest lecturer and professor to four prominent design colleges: Moore College of Art & Design, Drexel’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts, the Savannah College of Art & Design and Philadelphia University.
At The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire West plans to continue that academic tradition by “honing in on, and enhancing, students’ innate talents and desires by providing them with the necessary tools and skills to make a positive impact on an industry that craves innovation,” she says.
“At the institute,” she adds after just one month, “the students are hungry and eager to learn about the fashion industry.” It’s not just about creating attractive designs, she feels, but learning about the “business of fashion” and how to work within it at all levels.
Reflecting on adding West to the institute’s faculty, Dean Foust says, “When you announce an opening for a position such as Academic Director for Fashion Design and Fashion & Retail Merchandising you usually get quite a few resumes and referrals. Most of them are qualified, and that is good. But sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you get one that makes you read it twice and say ‘Wow!’ That is Sherry West’s. Her background, her education, the things she has done in the fashion industry, her teaching and management experience all bring that word to mind. She was on the east coast and we are on the west coast – but we made it happen and our students love her and what she is doing for those programs.”
West notes, “We have some exciting times ahead of us here at the Art Institute as we grow our new department. I am looking forward to developing the talent in the students here and preparing them for their first big fashion show scheduled on June 6th at Victoria Gardens.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
For more information or a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. -end-
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is honored in many ways in San Bernardino. Recently, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire honored him by giving three high school students scholarships and other awards as prizes for essays about their own creative dreams.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has awarded $5,000 in scholarships and an art supply kit worth $1,250 to three high school seniors.
The seniors, Alex Shaffer of Yucaipa and Megan Flanagan and Sylvia Rodriguez, both of Riverside, are winners in The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s “I Have A Creative Dream” essay contest, which it held in conjunction with a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day open house on Monday, Jan. 18.
“They wrote great essays,” said Monica Jeffs, senior admissions director for the Art Institute of California – Inland Empire and contest coordinator. “Some of them were very heartwarming. It means a lot to these students to be awarded these scholarships.”
Shaffer, 17, attends Yucaipa High School. He received a $3,000 scholarship for his first-place essay.
“My family and I are definitely planning on using that scholarship,” Alex said. It will be a great help to me in fulfilling my creative dream.”
Flanagan, 18, attends Riverside Polytechnic High School. She received a $2,000 scholarship for second place.
Rodriguez, 17, attends Summit Valley High School. She received an Art Institute art supply kit valued at $1,250 for third place.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin Feb. 19 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire. The Art Institute California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. -end-
Every year, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire hosts several competitions providing winners with scholarships. Here, current student Kevin Agra competes in the Best Teen Chef 2008 competition. For winning this competition he received a $3,000 scholarship. This was just one of many scholarships, totaling $159,000, the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire awarded in 2008. Robert Swapp Photo
