ol.2 2006 V 25 Years Design of Fashion 25 Years Otis College of Art and Design Magazine

Otis College of Art and Design

Otis College of Art and Design 9045 Lincoln Blvd. Non-Profit Org Los Angeles, CA 90045 U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 427 Los Angeles, CA

IN THIS ISSUE: A Green Room Grows in South Central • 200 Happy Meals Make a Misfit Diet What is iTunes U? • Life Beyond the Fifth Ring • “Living Design” in Dar es Salaam www.otis.edu 02 20 24 28

Excellence and Diversity At recent alumni gatherings in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, I spoke Otis prepares diverse students of art and design to enrich with Otis graduates from no fewer than seven decades. It was gratifying to hear our world through their creativity, their skill, and their vision. their consensus that the rigorous studies at Otis prepared them well for life after college. The vastly different journeys they have taken since Otis were also impres- Founded in 1918, Otis is L.A.’s first independent professional school of art. Otis' 1100 sive. Indeed, excellence and diversity, two defining values of Otis College of Art and students pursue degrees in architecture/landscape/ interiors, communication arts, digi- Design, are reflected throughout this issue of OMAG. tal media, fashion design, fine arts, interactive product design, public practice, toy Educational excellence at Otis is amply demonstrated by our renowned Fashion design, and writing. Alumni shape contemporary visual culture—from fine arts to the Design Program, which has just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since the inception Hollywood screen, from the clothes we wear to the toys that engage our children. of the program, a stunning array of top professionals has come to the Otis studios to mentor our talented and hard-working students (see pgs. 4-5). Having learned to balance real world industry concerns with blue-sky creativity, our alumni become creative leaders who enjoy career success (see pgs. 8-9) and shape the fashion 2006 Vol.2 In This Issue: design landscape with their own paths and visions (see pgs. 10-13). Congratulations and kudos to Rosemary Brantley, Founding Chair of Fashion Design, and her dedi- cated faculty. Other departments throughout the College share this commitment to 02 Fashion Design @ 25 excellence (see College News beginning on pg. 24). Diversity at Otis goes beyond the standard racial/ethnic framework. Our goal is to foster a diverse educational environment where each student’s individual voice President Hoi with Betye Saar, former Otis faculty member. 14 Otis Monitor 20 Alumni Around the World can come into its own; in which creative individuals learn from each other, collabo- Otis honored the Saar family at a closing reception for rate, and contribute to a future of openness and possibility. Learning across discipli- Family Legacies: The Art of Betye, Lezley and Alison Saar A Green Room Grows in South Central Life Beyond the Fifth Ring nary boundaries and across the traditional divide between academic and real life (’81, MFA Fine Arts) at the Pasadena Museum of The Allure of Otis College of Art and Design Nordic Amnesia: An Introduction to contexts is increasingly important in preparing our students for a constantly chang- Contemporary Art in August. The exhibition traveled Watching the Great White Heron Rethinking Nordic Colonialism ing and more global future. Since the next generations of thinkers and makers carry to the San Jose Museum of Art. Living Design in Dar es Salaam Marking a Solemn Anniversary our hope for a better world, Otis has also become more mindful of teaching the Masami Teraoka: Passion is his Guide Sounds for the Grand Promenade, Athens impact of responsible art and design. Otis alumna and mentor Wanda Weller guides her students to consider the impact their action will have seven generations from now (see pg. 12). The world-bridging Tanzania project (see pg. 16) and the local 24 College News 28 Class Notes community-based Integrated Learning project at Ballona Wetlands (see pg. 19) are two other examples of Otis’ forward-looking curriculum. The diverse practices and 200 Happy Meals Make a Misfit Diet Award-Winners, Cool Designers, Soloists, achievements of our alumni around the world (see pgs. 20-23 as well as Class Notes Three Legged Legs and Exopolis win Entertainers, Alumni In Print, In Memorium Editor: Margi Reeve, Digital Awards Otis Connects, Designing Otis, Otis Gear on pgs. 28-30) are directly enabled by this unique education. Communications Director Co-editor: Sarah Russin, New Leaders in Design Alumni Director What is iTunes U? Photography: Marcie Begleiter, Commencement ’06 —Samuel Hoi, President Lee Salem, Ian Brooks, Krista Kahl (’07) What Did a Frenchman Tell us Skye Moorhead (’94) About America? Cover Image: Cirque de Soleil finale at Contributing Writer: George Wolfe, 2006 Scholarship Benefit Fashion Show Freelance writer, Founder/Editor Back cover (detail) and opposite: of The LaLa Times [lalatimes.com] Sandow Birk (’88, Fine Arts), Poster for (Fashion Profiles, pgs. 10-13, and pgs. 14-15) © Otis College of Art and Design Dante’s Inferno, a puppet-animated film Creative: Intersection Studio Publication of material does not necessarily with voices by Dermot Mulroney and Design Direction: Greg Lindy indicate endorsement of the author’s viewpoint James Cromwell. www.dantefilm.com Design: Mark Caneso (’04) by Otis College of Art and Design Otis College of Art and Design Perfect Fit “Perfect Fit,” the June 5, 2006, Los Angeles Business Journal’s profile of Fashion Design Chair Rosemary Brantley, tells the story of this Texas native who brought her keen understanding of fashion design to L.A. In her first 25 years as founder and chair of the department, Brantley has “molded the department into one of the @25 most influential in the country, churning out design talent for some of the country’s largest apparel companies.” After spending time in New York and London as a designer, Brantley accepted the challenge of starting a program on the West Coast. Dominque Lemieux of Cirque du Soleil acted as She sees L.A. now as “the home, the heart, the core of the contemporary market.” a design mentor in 2006, working with students to Brantley considers L.A.’s lack of rules one of the main factors in its fashion promi- create costumes based on Salvador Dali’s famous tarot card designs. nence—this freedom sparks originality and fresh approaches. OMAG 02 03 OMAG FEATURE

The 2006-07 roster of mentors includes: Design Mentors Luba Azria for BCBG; Rod Beattie (’86) for La Blanca; Red Carter (’92), Natalie Chanin As juniors and seniors, students work with outstanding for Project Alabama; Francisco Costa for visiting designers each year. These designers, many of Calvin Klein Collection; Kristopher Enuke whom are alumni, donate their time to present a design (’84); Bob Mackie; Mandy Robinson direction, and work closely with students throughout for Billabong; Behnaz Sarafpour; Pamela the year. Among mentors since 1982 are: Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor for Juicy Abercrombie & Fitch Couture; Alan Shu and Susan Lee for Adidas Armani Exchange; Julie Ann Silverman Anne Klein Banana Republic (‘95) for Betsey Johnson Swimwear; and Barbie/Mattel Wanda Weller (’88) for Patagonia. Billabong Bob Mackie Cosabella Cynthia Rowley Diane Von Furstenberg DKNY GAP GUESS? Halston Hurley International John Varvatos Leon Max, Inc. Levi Strauss Yeohlee Michelle Mason Mossimo NIKE Ocean Pacific Oscar de la Renta 2006 Design Mentor Yeohlee Teng challenged her students to Pac Sun create garments with respect for limited global resources, without Perry Ellis the use of power machines or textiles by the yard. These garments Quiksilver were presented on the runway at the annual Scholarship Benefit Richard Tyler Roxy and Fashion Show. The kick-off party for the event, held at mentor Rozae Nichols Trina Turk’s mid-century modern home, was co-sponsored by Sean John ELLE magazine. Among the guests were “Project Runway” contest- Speedo ants Andrae Gonzalo (’99) and Daniel Franco (’95). St. John Target At the May Scholarship Benefit, Otis honored Joseph The North Face Abboud, Cirque du Soleil, and Roxy with creative vision awards. Todd Oldham Approximately 1,000 guests at the Beverly Hilton Hotel enjoyed Trina Turk the runway show featuring student designs produced with Vera Wang mentors Morgane Le Fay, Nicole Miller, John Varvatos, Isabel Volcom and Ruben Toledo, Dominque Lemieux for Cirque du Soleil, Lloyd Klein, Yeohlee Teng, La Blanca, Abercrombie & Fitch, Trina Turk, Volcom, James Perse, Pac Sun, Nike-Dance, and Speedo. The finale included acrobats, jugglers, and other members of

the Cirque du Soleil troupe. $1.1 million was raised for student BURLAP EVENING GOWN LACE GOWN MADE FROM COCOON KNIT CAPE MADE BROWN OMBRÉ HALTER DRESS BLEACHED, RECYCLED BLACK scholarships. Special thanks go to Benefit Committee co-chairs WITH MOPHEAD CAPE AND FROM RECYCLED SWEATER, MADE FROM CURTAINS, AND BURLAP GLOVES MADE FROM VINTAGE BOAS LACE; AND FEATHER WRAP JACKETS AND SUEDE PANT CREATED CURTAINS SHRUG MADE FROM RECYCLED Joyce Arad and Lisa Janian, and all of the members of this group. CASHMERE SOCKS MADE FROM RECYCLED BOAS FROM RECYCLED JACKETS SUEDE JACKET

2006 Scholarship Benefit Runway Show

OMAG 04 05 OMAG Rosemary Brantley, Alexis Montgomery Founding Chair Sarah Nichols Susan Baker Justine Parish Maribeth Baloga Deborah Patterson Pamela Banks Aaron Paule Aiko Beall Evelyn Poghosyan Eddie Bledsoe Sandy Potter Fashion Q&A Anne M. Bray Mitra Rajabi Leigh Cairo Karen Regoli-Arthur Doug Coulter Diane Sisko What advice do you give young designers who want to Gus DeGuzman Terri Slater What do you think of the statement: develop careers in fashion design? Jackie Doyle Francis Spitta “If it can’t get into a taxi, it’s not valid”? Pat Stiles Chair Rosemary Brantley credits her faculty • Be aware of cultural trends and other ways of thinking about Jane Engelman • Agree! Rosi Gabi Elizabeth Strozewski clothes. Look at everything! • Art to wear is different from fashion, which must be mingled Dat Tran with the program’s success. Many of them • It’s a competitive jungle out there. Go to a respected school, get a Kathryn Hagen with human life. Farnaz Harouni Jennifer Uner BFA degree. Learn to draw, because no one can see good design • I have always savoured eccentricity, and the creative approach Jill Higashi-Zeleznik Robert Valerio have taught for more than 20 years in the through a bad drawing. to individuality. Linda Holler Jacqueline Wickser • Explore the fashion industry through summer internships; seek Julie Hollinger Tony Young department, and several are alumni. What • Cirque du Soleil costumes don’t need to get to the theater in the top designers for employment. Susan Zarate the back of a taxi. Morrison Jackson • Develop a creative work process—generate ideas through Tadd Zarubika follows are their responses to questions Jane Mountney research, study construction. Jones Tuula Zivin What would you characterize as the biggest change in • Learn to be organized and multitask. Pay attention to what’s Karolyn Kiisel about teaching, designing, and shopping. fashion design education in the last ten years? happening and what’s new—runway shows, designers, labels, etc. Lada Kirich Staff • More concentration in fabric/graphic treatments. Gail Knierim Bea Calderon • New ideas are the most important things to develop. • Dominant influence of street fashion. Innovation is what counts. Sumi Lee Jane Engelman Amanda B. Linder Byron LiCausi • Importance of teamwork. • Develop the skills to be strong and patient. Michelle Lucas Marytza Rubio • Emphasis on creativity and good ideas. Evelyn McInerney Shelly Sachs • Increased attention to merchandising. What fashion designer do you most admire and why? • Layering, complexity, diversity of approaches. • Rei Kawakubo, Donna Karan, Ann Demeulemeister, Junya • Influence of computer graphics. Photoshop and Illustrator Watanabe, Marni, and Anna Sui have distinctive styles that skills are entry-level requirements. demonstrate strong points of view, year after year. • Isabel Toledo has a unique sense of style and an architectural approach to developing her patterns. How do you get students to think independently, to develop a unique point of view or style? • Giorgio Armani, for his elegant and sophisticated classic style. • Research! Research! Research! Encourage them to explore • Marc Jacobs’ clothing and Martin Margiela’s ideas. lots of ideas. • Vivienne Westwood, because she uses fashion as a subversive • Teach them to arrive at a fresh solution through researching, influence, bases her designs on historical precedents, and takes distilling, and developing two or three ideas in a new way. time to educate young designers. She wants to make people think about what they wear and why. • Encourage thinking about the unexplored areas of fashion. • Help them solve their technical problems to achieve their design goals. What is your biggest satisfaction from being a fashion • Stimulate innovation by emphasizing that there is rarely a design faculty member? wrong way to do something, and many right ways. • Combining the Western way of thinking with the formal • Direct them to look at influence and ideas outside of the Japanese aesthetic, from my formal education in flower fashion magazines and trade reports. arrangement, calligraphy and fashion design. • Teach them to develop the good idea until it becomes great. • I greatly admire the fashion designers who make time to mentor and teach. They are the special ones. The list of great clothing designers worldwide is a mile long. What is unique about the L.A. fashion industry? • Like a magnet, it attracts hoards of young talent. As a young frontier, with few rules, it is a developing force. Where do you like to shop? • Doesn’t take itself too seriously. • Rose Bowl, Pasadena City College swap meet, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Fred Segal, odd little boutiques, • Allows freedom to be young, hip, and seasonless. sample sales. • Values innovation in fabric treatments, denim, casual sportswear. • Swimwear, and the influence of Hollywood, new music and clubs. • Pervasive influence of O.C. board/surf wear.

OMAG 06 07 OMAG Otis Fashion Design Alumni

Otis graduates lead in all segments of the fashion industry: couture, costume design, textile design, fashion editorial and education. They are entrepreneurs, leaders of design teams, and contributors to the looks we wear and see in the media and in retail locations.

Sporting World Contemporary Film, Television Active and Glamour and Adidas Armani Exchange Performance Element Aeropostele Nashville Ballet Skateboard Banana Republic The Pointer Sisters Nautica Teens and Jeans BCBG Taledega Nights: Specialty Speedo Abercrombie Bebe (2006) Claire Pettibone NIKE & Fitch Blue Dot Clothing Blue Crush (2002) bridal couture North Face American Eagle Club Monaco Empire Falls (2005) Frederick’s of Patagonia Outfitters GAP (TV) Hollywood Puma Gap Ali (2001) Esprit Large Retail Jenny Lee Bridal Swiss Army Forever 21 J. Crew One True Thing Gymboree Surfwear (1998) Stores Juicy Couture James Perse GAP accessories Billabong The Station Agent Ann Taylor l.e.i Leon Max Isabel Fiore Jantzen (2003) Dillards Mossimo/Target Petrozilla Remy Leather Lunada Bay Minority Report Eddie Bauer Old Navy 12th Street by Designer Fashions Ocean Pacific (2002) Federated Stores Toy Paul Frank Cynthia Adrienne Vittadini Monkeybone (2002) Limited Mattel Inc Pac Sun Rampage Vincent Anne Klein Titanic (1997) Mervyns (Barbie) Quiksilver Skinny Minnie Barneys New York Disney Roxy Legends of the Fall Neiman Marcus Urban Outfitters Calvin Klein (1994) Consumer Rip Curl Nordstrom Vans Donna Karan The Indian in the Products Volcom Target Xoxo Eduardo Lucero Cupboard (1995) Anne Cole Jeanswear Hervé Léger Becca AG Adriano Isabel Toledo Betsey Johnson Goldschmeid John Varvatos La Blanca Earl Jeans Oligo Tissew Tommy Bahama GUESS? Inc Rozae Nichols Warnaco Joe’s Jeans Swimwear St. John Knits Jordache Robin Piccone Tommy Hilfiger Levi Strauss Lloyd Klein Lucky Brand Lee Jeans Roc and Republic True Religion

OMAG 08 0903 OMAG PROFILES

Every Shirt Tells a Story by George Wolfe

If looks could kill, why can’t clothes have stories? This gave Choi the financial security to branch out. With the After getting a business degree, would-be Skinny Minnie founder technique developed for Moulin Rouge, Choi set the identity for Skinny Evelyn Choi (’95), worked as a plant manager for a computer manufacturer. Minnie. Choi and Riddle continued to experiment with breaking the She wore a suit, and did a lot of walking through yawning industrial boundaries between image and seam, making designs that tied the spaces. Over the course of her five years there, her mind occasionally garment together as a whole. They spent the next six months developing wandered to the suits she wore, and the suits began to obsess her. In a the printing process for the contemporary t-shirt market. As with her sense, they spoke to her: “From one suit to another, there was a big previous fascination with suits, she became completely immersed in and difference in the way they looked and felt on the body. At the time, I had obsessed with shirts. no idea what made them so different. Granted, suits all appear similar: By the time they had their first show—with 10 different shirts—they lapels, sleeves, pockets, etc., but sometimes one fit far better than another.” were anxious about how they’d be received. The show turned out to be After burning out on that job, she took a year off to soul-search about a huge success—“it was so crazy, we couldn’t write all the orders.” This what she would do next. Thinking back to her interest in the construction proved that the market didn’t need more plain t-shirts, but something and fit of the suits, she realized that she’d always been fascinated by fresh. “I always try to find something that’s missing in the market, and fashion. She decided to go back to school and study fashion design. Otis trust that the financial part will follow.” From then on, the (business) has was perfect for her in terms of location and reputation. been very successful. “Having been in the working world, I knew this was a rare opportunity: After a new idea has been introduced, the competitors jump in. working with the instructors—and, of course, Rosemary (Brantley) and Choi estimates that it took about a year and a half for others to duplicate her expertise and experience—and all the critics who came in. I grabbed that unique vintage look; in that time, she basically had a monopoly. everything. You’ve got to value that time.” “Everybody’s always hungry for the next new thing, and our Choi got her questions about the ins and outs of suits—and much novelty/niche shirts have gone a long way toward filling that hunger.” more—answered, and she moved on. She worked under a lead designer But what happens when that craze is so ‘in’ that it goes ‘out’? “There for years, eventually getting promoted to sweater designer, and later being will always be knock-off companies. But there’s always the ‘intellectual in charge of a social dress division. By the time Choi decided to venture property of the design,’ which is not always obvious to imitators. They out on her own, she had married classmate and fine artist Jon Riddle overlook the intellectual side of garments, and can’t fully replicate it. (’95), and had her first child. As often happens with family, priorities tend We’re validated by that. We’re still around, doing a lot more (business) to change. than when we started, and still growing.” “I didn’t want to travel as much. I couldn’t really work late or do Later that year, Vanilla Sugar, a “missy” line, took off. Then came the weekends. I wanted to be on my own, so that I could spend more time idea for a men’s line, which Choi delivered a year after that: Salvage. “We with my baby,” says Choi, chuckling. “Of course, that was very naïve.” didn’t want the men’s line to be too decorative; But a little naiveté never stopped Evelyn. we wanted it more masculine.” Again, with her “If I wanted my own business, I needed to find a unique concept that husband’s help they borrowed the basic Skinny would set it apart from the rest of the industry.” Minnie technique and created a line “based on Several serendipitous events would lead to the creation of her novelty rock, punk rock and post-punk.” It took on a look t-shirt company, Skinny Minnie. In 2000, one of those “seize it or lost and a voice of its own, more higher-end than the it” career moments arose. 20th Century Fox wanted to do a promotional other lines, and has been getting a lot of attention. shirt for the movie Moulin Rouge, but didn’t want it to be a simple give- It’s worn by the likes of Mötley Crüe, Slash from away. They wanted something consumers would actually buy and value, Guns ‘n’ Roses, and Bono. and planned to sell it through Bloomingdale’s. Choi was contacted by A dozen or so years after she quit her job at Kal Ruttenstein, the Vice President for Fashion Direction at Bloomingdale’s the computer manufacturer, Choi finds herself to create the Moulin Rouge t-shirt for his famous shop concepts. She and strolling along seemingly endless aisles of clothing, her husband then started working with costume designer Catherine hanger after hanger—all inside a giant hangar, southeast of downtown Martin. Choi’s challenge was now: How to make garments look vintage, Los Angeles. Like the computer manufacturing facilities she managed, echoing the movie’s aesthetic of Paris in a bygone era? this is a yawning space of industry: the size of a football field, and tall Choi and her husband had the opportunity to experiment with a enough to house jumbo jets. But it’s not yawning in a dull sense. With machine that had been virtually abandoned since the ‘60s. It functioned the help of 170 employees (including many Otis alumni), she’ll do about in a way that was different from the regular screen-print process. The $38 million in sales this year. This is her space, her design, her company. normal silkscreen process is oil-based, and the ink sits on top of fabric. By listening to that little voice inside—call it the subtle voice of the But Choi and Riddle devised a wet-printing process in which shirts soak clothing itself—she has arrived. in water and the ink gets embedded in the fabric, giving it that aging This suits her just fine. look. They created a unique look by placing graphics in a non-conven- tional way on the vintage-style fabric. 20th Century Fox and Bloomingdale’s were pleased with the results— Vince Neil and Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe in Salvage Supply even more so when the shirts broke Bloomingdale’s records by selling Nicole Kidman and Baz Luhrmann promote Skinny Minnie’s 5,000 within the first month. This led to more collaborations between Choi Moulin Rouge t-shirt at Bloomingdale’s, April 2000 (inset) and Ruttenstein, with Hair Spray, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, and Rent.

OMAG 10 11 OMAG PROFILES PROFILES Renew/Recycle: Patagonia’s Global Mission Oligo Tissew = Refined Cloth by George Wolfe by George Wolfe If there’s a sliver of optimism to be found in a time of war and a world For someone in Weller’s position, she certainly must’ve been a staunch, To get to Otis, and to follow his path toward becoming a world-renowned challenged by incessant forces of destruction, it’s embodied in companies environmentally conscious kid. “Actually, no. I grew up in Topanga [Canyon] independent fashion designer, Nigerian-born, England-educated Kristopher like Patagonia and people like Wanda Weller (’88), design director of in Los Angeles. In hindsight I know there were things I was taught by my Enuke (’84) had more than just a portfolio under his arm—he had an ace up the company’s outdoor clothing. parents about the environment. But at the time, I wasn’t conscious of what his sleeve. “My father saw me as an architect or an engineer,” says Enuke, “Yes, I’m hopeful—absolutely hopeful. In fact, you have to be hopeful . . . those were.” Weller followed her sister (who was studying graphic design) creator of the knitwear collection Oliver Twist, and the Oligo Tissew line of or you’ll slit your wrists.” to Otis, and found herself at home. “I felt like I made the right choice. I was denim. “He definitely did not see me as a fashion designer. Plus, he insisted Enveloped in a benevolent corporate shroud that’s committed to one of those people who always made their own clothes. People said, ‘You on an accredited program, but the school I had my eye on in England, changing the world by action and example, Weller’s viewpoint is buoyed should be in fashion.’ So that’s what I did. Still, the environmental angle though excellent, didn’t offer that. Frustrated, I moved out of the house.” by the numerous speakers who make their way through Patagonia for would happen later. Otis was stimulating and exciting, all in one building Eventually, Enuke’s father agreed that textile design or graphic arts one event or another. at the time. Going to school with people of all ages and backgrounds “could be OK” as long as it offered a bachelor of arts degree. His father “There’s an exhibition going around now: ‘Massive Change’ by Bruce was fantastic—people with more worldly experience influenced people like agreed that studying in America was an option. Wanting some distance Mau,” says Weller, “with the tagline: ‘It’s not about the world of design, me who were just a year or so out of high school. That dynamic was from family at that point, Enuke applied as far west as he could go— it’s about the design of the world.’ These speakers are doing amazingly invaluable for me.” to Otis—and got accepted in fashion design. Pleased, but not out of the proactive things in the world. They’re so uplifting and powerful. It After graduation, Weller found a job in Oregon. She remained in the woods yet, he still needed a way to get around his father’s stipulation. becomes infectious.” Northwest for ten years, working in athletic and outdoor clothing design Enuke went to a former dance instructor with whom he’d studied in Weller’s comments are far from empty hyperbole. Patagonia’s commit- at such companies as Adidas America and ZIBA Design. She garnered a London. “I asked him to make me an offer to be a dancer in his traveling ment is multi-faceted and backed by financial muscle. Their Environmental reputation “as someone who could communicate with creative types.” dance troupe, which he did.” With the dance contract in one hand, and zone, otherwise, you’re pretty much regurgitating what’s Grants program has donated more than $20 million to more than 1,000 Since joining Patagonia in 2001, the concept of “sustainable design” has the Otis acceptance in the other, he approached his father. “To my father, out there.” grassroots organizations (often ones overlooked by or too radical for more remained paramount. Does Weller feel at odds with the world of high fashion fashion designing compared to dance was—relatively speaking—fantastic. Enuke decided to stay in America after he finished traditional funders). Their 70-member Conservation Alliance works with or other segments of the fashion world? For instance, what about the What could he really say? My father conceded: ‘OK, fine,’ he said. ‘If you Otis. But the workaday world soon proved to have its companies in the outdoor industry to build a central fund that has saved whole timely notion of “distressed clothing?” “Because one of Patagonia’s fought for this, then you believe in this, then you’ll succeed in it, and own obstacles and frustrations. Although he was earning more than 34 million acres of wilderness and dozens of waterways. iron-clad ethics is that every part of the garment should last equally, yes, I’ll support you.’” From that point on, both his father and mother firmly a decent salary, he was haunted by the feeling that some- Their 1% For The Planet program encourages businesses to that sets us apart. In today’s society, we don’t have time to wear things in advocated their son’s career decision. thing was wrong. Over time he would come to articulate donate at least 1% of their annual net revenues to environ- anymore, so the trend of distressing garments fulfills society’s immediate But no sooner had he arrived at Otis than he suffered cultural shock. what bothered him. mental organizations worldwide. Their Common Threads need. And of course with practices like distressing, there is the environmental Enuke felt a clash of different value systems. “Here I was coming from “It just felt . . . corrupt. It was like my hands were tied: ‘Just sit here, Garment Recycling program provides the incentive for impact of the chemicals used. In addition, distressing something may well London, where we lived fashion, it was all about individual expression, and be a good boy, collect your pay.’ For other people, that was fantastic, ‘Wow, customers to send back worn-out base layers of Capilene, make it last half as long, which then requires new resources to replace it. suddenly I saw kids coming to school in jeans, cut-off shorts and t-shirts. It I get to take all this money home?!’ But I began to understand that your which are then recycled into new polyester garments. Patagonia is committed to working so that garments will have a renewed didn’t feel right. I just didn’t get how these people—art and fashion students boss either recognizes your ability (and can use it in a mutually construc- “At work, we’re constantly faced with reminders of the life. We’re really doing a lot of work in that area. We feel that that’s definitely —were not living their passion with their whole being. So I stuck out like a tive way) or wants to keep you confined (in which case you stagnate). underlying company values. We empty our own garbage the next phase. The tricky thing, however, is communicating the need to sore thumb. Still, I came to Otis knowing what I wanted, so it didn’t matter.” Sometimes there’s just not enough time to indulge your individuality.” and recycling, bring our own coffee mugs, etc. That affects your home life, change ways. There’s often a huge learning curve.” “School was immersive, intense and involved in terms of giving you the While continuing to move his way up the designer route, he essentially too. Today, I traded in my car for a hybrid Prius—not that But there are certain aspects of designing for the outdoors—including work. But I didn’t have the American habit of ‘protocol,’ where things like learned the routine of knocking off other people’s things (because that’s I was driving a gas guzzler, but I felt that I needed to do better. And maybe the consideration of technical and safety issues—that bear some similarities order and punctuality—non-emotional elements—rated high.” Rosemary what his employers wanted). “At that rate, I could see that I’d pretty much it won’t save the world, but who knows?—one little action can affect your to the world of high fashion. “For example, take something like couture. It’s (Brantley) was like The Mom. I swear, she was born for the job. She had the die being that kind of designer.” How to break out of the system? By free- whole circle of friends . . . and grassroots movements have been known to similarly meticulous, specific and endlessly detail-oriented. The obsessive patience. She knew our strengths, weaknesses, how to pump us up, how to lancing, Enuke got his portfolio exposed. He also learned new skills, like change the world.” process, the way it’s built, is actually very technical. In both cases, you’re still beat us up.” how to hand-knit sweaters. He sold his first collection to high-end retailers very much listening and responding to what people want. And, as with more At times, Enuke felt that if he didn’t stick out enough, then it was a sign such as Maxfield and Bergdorf. commercial fashion markets, we found that climbing apparel is moving in that something must be wrong. “My whole approach was: If my classmates He explains that his growth as a designer derived from his belief in the direction of streetwear, because that’s what people are comfortable in.” liked my croquis (small drawings presented to the class), then I hadn’t individuality. “If star pockets on jeans are ‘in,’ everyone chases that money. Student designs in Weller’s most recent Otis mentorship ended up being thought enough. Most students assumed that when they finished school, But as a student, you shouldn’t chase money; you should chase your ability closer to high fashion than outdoor fashion. “It wasn’t so similar to what they’d work for somebody; but I knew I always wanted to work for myself. to evolve a product so it’s always fresh in the eye of the market—because you’d see at Patagonia—rather, it focused on the materials (using only plant- The main thing is to know who you are, your style . . . and work toward it.” that’s your strength. Always. Let them copy you instead of you chasing based dyes), and the thought process. What the students came up with was “But all together,” says Enuke, “it was an exciting time, and good to go them. And you have to build the ability to do that while in school.” so beautiful and amazing, so deep and rich, like tribal wear—only using to Otis. My favorite instructor and biggest influence had to be Aiko Beall. His jeans brand, Oligo Tissew, is characterized by a three-dimensional what’s available. It’s sort of like ‘Build locally, think globally.’ You derive your She would say, “ Anything you can draw, you can make.” She understood star on one back pocket and a red remembrance bow on the opposite back inspiration and beauty from the community at hand.” This notion rings true intricacies, she appreciated “dare” . . . you have to dare to create, to be in the pocket. The remembrance bow is a reminder of all children born into for Weller, and is in sync with Patagonia’s global mission. underprivileged circumstances, while the star signifies the possibilities “If I can communicate one thing to the students, it’s that we all need available for all children who are given an opportunity. A percentage of to think of this concept of ‘total beauty,’ and the impact we’re having. The sales of Oligo Tissew garments is donated to Nigerian school children. Total Beauty of Sustainable Products, by Edwin Datschefski, encourages us Enuke imagines that if he came back to Otis 40 years from now, he’d all to look at the gestalt of a design (instead of just the final result), and not want to see Otis as the campus where “the world comes for innovation. It to separate how it was made from how we evaluate its beauty. We need should be a combination of innovation and balance. Rosemary taught us to move away from the disposable and think about the impact our actions how to emphasize both, and I can’t tell you how important that was; in the will have seven generations from now. It may sound trite, but what could big picture, it’s balance that brings back the ability to relate to the cus- be more important?” tomer. Ideally, I’d like to see Rosemary’s legacy as balance combined with Men’s “Quilt Again” Jacket exterior of chlorine-free extreme innovation.” wool and recycled polyester; interior lining of plush fleece scraps from the cutting-room floor

OMAG 12 13 OMAG OTIS MONITOR OTIS MONITOR A Green Room Grows in South Central by George Wolfe When Katie Phillips, Chair of Otis’ first-year Foundation Program, was contacted by Global Proposed site plan with hardscape and plantings Green, she jumped at the opportunity for students to work with a progressive, green-friendly non-profit organization. “We had the idea to partner with Otis,” says Global Green’s Walker Wells, “to develop a sustainable landscape proposal for the entry to Woodcrest Elementary, a school in South Central Los Angeles.”

Global Green, the U.S. affiliate of former Russian President Senior Architecture/Landscape/Interiors Lecturer Anthony The students then used community feedback to hone their down to the idea: Can design advance positive ideas in the Gorbachev’s organization Green Cross International, focuses on Guida led the Woodcrest project in spring 2006. “I viewed the individual proposals and develop a team proposal that incorpo- world, in order to lead to a greater social community?” promoting renewable energy and green building. The Woodcrest project as an opportunity to develop design skills with a ‘green’ rated the most successful design elements. Their project, titled Daniel agrees, echoing the group’s lofty aspirations: project (which would come to be known as the “Greenscape emphasis,” says Otis student Gary Garcia. “This project was real “Green Room,” uses the notion of the room to organize the “Although the proposed design addressed the specifics of the Challenge”) was funded by the Annenberg Foundation, which and it deserved a real look into the green philosophy. I felt this main components. “The notion of the room,” explains Guida, site, the hope was that the overarching concept of the Green traditionally funded education programs, but has branched out would be the perfect opportunity to inform myself, and that the “organizes the design’s main components.” Room would be ‘projective’ — potentially serving as an early to include environmental initiatives. project would present me with a larger world, not only of design Doors: An unsightly chain-link security gate is replaced with a model for the sustainable adaptation of aging inner-city schools “Personally,” Katie Phillips says, “my interest in the environ- but also of social views.” pivoting, transparent learning wall outfitted with chalkboards, nationwide.” ment is informed by living in [semi-rural] Topanga where I am Other students involved were Jesus Aguilar, Gary Garcia, environmental graphics, and display panels for student work. Currently, the design aspect of the project is finished. surrounded by warning signals. We no longer get deer, bobcats Cindy Kogure, Kevin Lee, Myung Lee, Danny Phillips, Katrina Windows: New openings in the administration building are Implementation will begin after the school district's approval. and fox regularly on our property. The mountain lion who used Silva and Deborah Taieb. These designers were presented with a proposed as a way of increasing security through visibility. Regardless of how the lives of those at Woodcrest are changed to sun himself on the rocks above our house is gone. The frogs space that is currently little more than a paved and fortified out- Walls: In order to address limited opportunities for new by their altered environment in years to come, some successes no longer inhabit the creeks, and many of the creeks which used door corridor where students assemble and wait for school to plantings, the designers devised a “sustainable mural” strategy can already be felt within the boundaries of Otis’s campus. to run are dry. begin or buses to depart. The challenge was to “greenify” it. inspired by California landscape paintings. Composed of eight- “In thinking back,” says Gary, “I truly believe that we finished “And because Otis is an art and design college, many faculty Daniel Phillips recalls that “We assessed the existing situation foot squares and limited to eight paint colors, it resists graffiti as much different people than when we began.” and staff members are by nature acute observers, and are noting and took stock of the pressing concerns of the teachers and and is easily repaired or expanded. the same sorts of things as I am. They bring these issues into the administrators. We noted a number of specific issues we wanted Floors: Pervious materials route storm water to the soil and classroom whenever appropriate. And although everyone who is to address with the proposed design—a need for seating, improved plantings; surface patterning directs circulation through the space. interested in issues of global climate change, diminishing traffic flow at the gated entry, and a need for green space.” Furnishings: New benches facilitate impromptu use as an NOTE: species, or world population has not gathered and decided to After the assessment period, the students came up with outdoor classroom. More and more Otis students are being exposed to environmentally- plan an Otis “response,” the subject often pops up during dis- many different ideas to tackle the various challenges. Gary Ceiling: New sycamores and deciduous trees provide shade, oriented partners outside the school though Integrated Learning cussions. It has been more intuitive and individual. Our first Garcia notes that “when the first design presentations took shelter drought-tolerant ground plantings, and teach students projects (see pg. 19 for a description of the Ballona Wetlands design project). Foundation Chair Phillips estimates that 200 freshmen responsibility is to develop and graduate artists and designers, place, everyone presented an idea. My idea ignored the social about the change of seasons. were exposed to such partnerships last year. but we also have a responsibility to educate students as to the conditions of the school. As a result, my idea was ignored, and How did the students feel about what they created? challenges they will face as professionals. Concerns about sus- I’m glad it was. I had forgotten that site research is key to the “I feel that the final design re-emphasizes the school’s atti- tainability on the planet will certainly be one of them.” success of a project. tude and vision,” says Gary, “and in the end the design came

OMAG 14 15 OMAG OTIS MONITOR OTIS MONITOR Masami Teraoka: Passion is his Guide The seniors were articulate about their work. Some have unique voices; others have strong concepts, but it seems they still have a long way to go before they materialize their vocabularies. I wished to see the students investigate aesthetic aspects as well as conceptual aspects in art so that their expression would benefit and their conceptual work would be brought to full scale. If either one lacks, work suffers. Livıng Design I feel that Otis should educate the students to estab- lish their voices at the beginning of their curriculum. The sooner you find your own being, the sooner you in Dar es Salaam have a chance to survive as an artist. Passion should be your guide, not class assignments. This takes The following email exchanges involve Dan Frydman (DF), Patty Kovic (PK) and Communication Arts senior Traci Larson (TL). intense focus that demands philosophical, aesthetic, and conceptual creative processes. (PK) Dan, what was your main focus during your year in Dar es narrative in a participatory concept that maps multiple perspec- This creates whole new challenges for the designer. Living design Otis needs to offer inspiring educators who can Salaam as a Fulbright scholar? tives. These processes are not part of the critical communications asks: How can you, the designer, make your mark by making encourage the students to explore and evolve their own voice at (DF) My focus overseas was twofold. First, I was teaching at the dialogue in Tanzania, or for that matter, large swaths of the world. meaning? How can you add to the world? How can you improve an early stage. Otis needs to help students express themselves University of Dar es Salaam, so I had a distinct professorial focus Experiencing these processes directly, for the first time, and it? I see this as a whole new frontier for design. The next-est, best- creatively. For this creative mission you need to focus on what you throughout the year. Teaching there is not like teaching at Otis, on through the authors themselves (your students), was an exciting est designers, the ones capable of working in a global context, will want and where your passion leads you. any level. My second focus was a research project: “Aesthetics and and challenging experience for the UDSM crowd. It inspired a come from an expanded set of horizons, a deeper experiential I was inspired by Shane Blackbourne’s wave sculpture (below). Interface design for Tanzanian Youth and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic.” I whole new way of thinking about what the students were doing field. As educators, we need to accommodate a broader, global- Conceptually and aesthetically, his work writhes. I wish I could see sought out youth-focused community-based organizations, and and some new ideas of approaching the world around them. ized context in students’ thinking, training, and doings. the finished piece in driftwood. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and partnered with them (DF) What was it like for the students at Otis? Was there a shared (PK) Otis and other schools are addressing this relevance with Marjan Vayghan’s unique installation pieces also inspired me to provide self-service, touch-screen, video-enabled interfaces for sense of discovery that the whole class was experiencing, or were programs like Integrated Learning. These projects explore a more tremendously. Her tiles and fish installation was a special treat. health and social welfare education, training, and outreach. I stud- the interactions more individualistic and unique to the student? interdisciplinary, experiential approach to learning in a broader She integrated her cultural background as an Iranian (with fish that ied how the interfaces were adopted and used by an audience with Traci, can you comment on this? community context. They are platforms that support the develop- meant so much to her) in her work. She also mentioned that she little history of, or experience with, participatory communication. (TL) The video conferencing/live chats we held over iChat during ment of the next generation of makers — those who need to go herself was moved to organize a peaceful exhibition called “The These interfaces recorded video directly to the computer, and pre- our class sessions offered that sense of collective experience you beyond posing questions like “How can I make a good design?” Bridge Exhibition,” between the United States and Iran. This show sented the audience with a direct feed, so that all those who mentioned. But the fact that we then chose individual areas of to arrive at “How can I change the world through design?” Marjan is organizing could be a very timely exhibition in terms of approached the display would instantly see themselves in a live- focus for our projects allowed us to have a personal connection. I the current nuclear war threats. Marjan’s work and activity seem to capture environment. greatly appreciate you putting me in contact with the dance troupe have edges where she speaks to people and shares her view of a (PK) It sounds like you stayed very close to the vision you shared Msewe Cultural Group. By chatting with them outside of class global humanitarian relationship. NOTE: with me about a year and a half ago, when we met in Venice and (and receiving a package of video tapes in the mail!) I was able to Eric Medine’s wall installation derived from the current During the spring 2006 semester, students from the University of Dar digital world, and high-tech culture seems to reveal what we you agreed to partner with my Interactive Typography class at Otis. learn more about music and dance in Tanzania, and then feed that es Salaam (UDSM) and Otis College of Art and Design interacted via Both your research project and your teaching last year catapulted information back to the community through my final project. Dan e-mail, iChats, message boards and video conferencing. This collaboration may come to see in the near future. Its unknown visual language you into a much larger global context. It seems that both groups of and Patty, what do you feel is the relevance of global learning in a was facilitated by Dan Frydman (a former Otis Communication Arts contains a great deal about where our culture may evolve. It's a our students enjoyed this new immersion, too. How did your stu- living design environment? professor and Fulbright scholar), and Patricia Kovic (Otis Communication visionary work. dents respond to this project? (DF) We live in a Big Damn World (name for a project I am work- Arts Associate Professor). Frydman’s Fulbright proposal involved an investigation of interface design and the AIDS epidemic in Tanzania, in (DF) The UDSM students greatly enjoyed the meetings. They were ing on). There is really no way to appreciate the scale of our world order to provide a human face to the faceless statistical tragedy of this super-excited that an art school on the other side of the world until you experience it firsthand. It is precisely this experience — epidemic. UDSM students were asked to participate in this interactive was interested in them, in their works, in their lives. Many of the working in it, living in it and using design to try to improve what media project. students had never even seen anything like what your class was we can — that is perhaps the best learning of all. It’s “living learn- working on before: interactive media, typographic exploration, and ing,” living design.

NOTE: Masami Teraoka (’64, ’68 MFA) was invited to be the spring 2006 Jennifer Howard Coleman Artist in Residence, a program supported by the Samuel Goldwyn Foundation. Returning to Otis almost four decades after gradua- tion, Teraoka presented his work to the public, explaining his passion for the social and political issues in which he is engaged. He also displayed his inquisitive and gentle manner, visiting fine arts students in their studios and encouraging them to grow and challenge themselves. The comments above are excerpted from his email summary of the residency. OMAG 16 17 OMAG OTIS MONITOR OTIS MONITOR

Watching the Great White Heron

by Marcie Begleiter, Director of Integrated Learning It is low tide when we arrive at the overlook. Although the Ballona Wetlands are circled by residential and commercial tracts, these coastal lands continue to react to the daily pull of the moon. Watching as a Great White Heron took flight, the 18 students (participants in the first phase of Otis’ new Integrated Learning curriculum) set to work, cameras and sketch books in hand, to observe and record this dynamic natural habitat just a two-mile drive north of the Goldsmith Campus.

These wetlands are being restored, in part, by the Friends of Huber and Hutchings observed in their essay “Integrated Ballona, who acted as our hosts for the site visit. The students’ Learning: Mapping the Terrain” that “One of the great challenges visits to the site during the semester included a memorable in higher education is to foster students’ abilities to integrate trek onto government land with Brad Henderson. As a California their learning across contexts and over time.” This thought The Allure Department of Fish and Game biologist, Henderson was reflects current educational pedagogy, and Otis addresses this conversant with the extraordinary biological diversity of challenge and responds to current educational pedagogy by of Otis College of Art and Design this area, which is ordinarily not accessible to the public. On taking students out of the classroom and into fresh environments these field trips, the students mapped the terrain and gathered that offer new context to their endeavors. Through the three-year by Christopher Miles, Assistant Professor of Art Theory and Criticism additional materials for a variety of art and design projects sequence, young artist/designers participate in a series of unique California State University, Long Beach that expanded their understanding of how their art and design experiences. Through repetition and comparison, the insights they education fits in with the world around them. gain become embedded in their developing practices. Though I never studied at Otis, the school has been a key part in my fascination with Los One of next year’s projects will expand Otis’ engagement Otis’ Integrated Learning program develops partnerships Angeles art since I was young. As a teenager falling in love with art, mainly as a result of with environmental sustainability by committing to re-design with environmental, educational, arts-related and even commer- exposure to Los Angeles art of the 50s, 60s and 70s, I found that among those artists who the Friends of Ballona Restoration Center. A team of interdiscipli- cial partners. Within the next few years, the program will have nary juniors will study the site and propose ways to support a discernable impact on the method and implementation of arts most inspired me were individuals who had studied or taught at Otis during its long history. the partner organization’s mission: to educate the public and education locally and beyond. preserve the wetlands. Proposals might include designs for As a graduate student at USC, I routinely found myself stop- sense of curiosity, and an interest in presenting a sampling a new structure to house equipment, new plant I.D. tags, and ping off at the old Otis campus at MacArthur Park to visit with of the vast body of work presented to me by Otis faculty. My stylish docent uniforms. students I knew there, to check out shows in the gallery, or only regret is that the number of participants prevented me The Friends are but one of the numerous community organi- just to hang out and get caught up in the vibe that people who from showing more work by each. I don’t know what exactly zations that are partnering with Otis in this new and transforming know Otis know it to have. The school’s Westchester campus this show might say about this school, and frankly I am wary curricular initiative. Collaboratorations include the Hyperion still has that feeling about it; you go there to see a show, and of the idea of a show that could sum up a school. If there is a Water Treatment Plant, the largest plant of its kind west of the you find yourself wanting to linger. And as I have both developed conclusion I can draw from this exhibition, it is that the show’s Mississippi, and the L.A. River Project’s ambitious restoration a broad familiarity with the Los Angeles art of my generation, eclecticism, combined with the vitality and quality of the program. In addition, students study the history of our local and continued to observe the emergence of new artists, I individual works within the show, is yet another expression of watershed with a project that investigates Centinela Springs, always am reminded, though I’m never really surprised, of the allure Otis has had for me almost as long as art has. the first fresh water source for the Native American how many of the artists who interest me have come through Tongva/Gabrielinos, who once thrived in the Centinela Valley. this school. The “Otis: Nine Decades of L.A. Art” exhibition Archeologists, biologists, eco-historians and tribal elders earlier this year at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery NOTE: have spoken on campus as well as accompanied the students reminded me yet again how important Otis has been to Los to partner sites, helping to reveal layers of meaning that are “Omage,” an exhibition curated by Cristopher Miles, was presented Angeles, and to me. With that exhibition’s view of past Otis at Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, from July 15 – August 31. The 74 not available to the casual observer. The Foundation (first-year) students still in mind, I jumped at the chance to organize a faculty members who showed their work included painters, web class of 2005-06 was the first to participate in this new curriculum. show of work by current Otis faculty. The promise of curating designers, sculptors, performance artists, illustrators, graphic designers, From now on, every undergraduate will participate in three for me is the chance to get to know something better. Because photographers, installation artists, fashion designers, architects, video Integrated Learning projects, developing skills in research, artists, lighting designers, ceramic artists, and writers. The show of what I knew of people who currently teach at Otis, and project planning, teamwork, and the execution of professional- clearly demonstrated the creative skills of a community of teachers. because of how much I knew I didn’t know, this was an oppor- quality proposals. tunity I wasn’t going to pass up, and it’s been an opportunity I’m glad I took. I came to this project with no agenda in mind and no assumptions about what I would see—just a sparked

OMAG 18 19 OMAG ALUMNI AROUND THE WORLD

Nordic Amnesia An Introduction to Rethinking Nordic Colonialism “Rethinking Nordic Colonialism: A Postcolonial Exhibition Project in Five Acts” set out to shed light on a largely forgotten, repressed, or romanticized history of colonial- ism in the Nordic region. We hoped not only to explain why this past has been forgotten in some parts of the region, but also to show how this history continues to structure Nordic societies today, and how our contemporary problems of intolerance, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, and nationalism have their roots Life Beyond in this history. Furthermore, we wanted to engage the alternative modernities that have emerged as more subversive legacies of colo- nialism and postcolonial healing in the region the Fifth Ring and beyond. We are now more than halfway through, and the project has been a great success so Brian Wallace of Red Gate Gallery met me ways; loads of cars often sit, clogged in traffic. You know you far. There is of course no singular “diagnosis” at the Beijing airport. “What a great day to are in China when a Ming Dynasty fortress suddenly looms of the region and its postcolonial state. arrive!” he exclaimed. The sun had warmed a from a cavalcade of office buildings. I usually traveled by taxi However, there does seem to be an immense cold December day. As our taxi sped down the into the city or rode my $24 bicycle alongside a mélange of need for rethinking in the entire region in highway, my first impression was of rows and buses, taxis, cars, bikes, and horses (with carts). order to deal with a series of unfinished busi- rows of bare trees painted white at the bottom Before departing, it became essential to experience the nesses and particular problems. We need new that sunk to the brown of the barren ground Great Wall. With a driver in a decrepit Volkswagen, nested with fora and alternative ways of speaking about beneath them. friends beneath a workman’s coat (drab green, gold buttons, the issues that hurt. We need reconciliation, Beijing is cold. The double red doors of faux fur lining), I breakfasted on dried grapefruit during the and we need to keep complicating the post- my studio entrance had no clasps or locks, so I used an exacto two-and-a-half hour drive north. Our van ascended a mountain, colonial, as it harbors many phobic inequali- blade container to close them. The wind blew through the and we eventually disembarked, crossed a moat, and paid a ties yet to be addressed. opening. My studio boasted the ubiquitous cinder block walls small fee for admittance to the wall. The temperature plummet- With its global participation, the project found everywhere in China, a stove, phone, and washing ed below zero; we were alone. The wall rose 12 feet from the has been able to untie psycho-social “knots” machine. I hung my rice paper drawings from the upstairs ground, accommodating two visitors across at most. Its grade by showing that Nordic colonialism is part balcony to dry, showered early (before the hot water cut out,) was so steep in spots that climbing with both hands and feet of a larger fabric, and that there are legions and wore multiple layers until a weak, yellow sun heated my was necessary. We climbed for several hours. The mountains of people who are going through the same bedroom to 40 degrees. rose around us while the sun moved over Beijing far below. In processes of self-determination, healing, The Red Gate studios in Fejia Cun are in a gated enclosure the silence, rocks slipped beneath my feet and the shadows and reconciliation. Furthermore, staging the off a long, narrow street that leads to Tong Da’s, a restaurant lengthened. I suddenly realized that Chinese painting traditions rethinking of the intersection between art built around ancient trees. Its massive interior resembles a were based on this experience. On the descent, I saw how spa- and discourse, and art and politics has proven jungle with large, round tables under hanging lamps on which tial intervals and compositional devices in scrolls echo a day in fruitful, as people have been fed up with up bean, eggplant, tofu dishes, and pots of tea are served on lazy the mountains. Returning to the cold of my studio, I began with prevailing ways of talking about the past. Susans. On the other side, the street becomes a dirt path that composing “Life Beyond the Fifth Ring” from ink paintings, The field has been dominated by local passes oil rigs and rice fields en route to vendors selling words, and postcard images cut out and presented on a wall to Realpolitik, which has seemed circular inas- persimmons, baby carriages, anything in their open air stalls. tell the story of my passage through Beijing. much as it has served to reproduce privilege “Tai guei la!” (too expensive!) opens all negotiations, which for some, but not all people locally and are conducted with mandatory impassiveness. I found this chal- NOTE: regionally. In this respect, “Rethinking Nordic lenging after meeting Yan, the calligrapher and framer, who Elizabeth Condon (Fine Arts, ’86) spent December, 2005, in Beijing at the Colonialism” has resonated especially well works, eats, and sleeps in a single room without heat. Red Gate International Artist Residency Program. Life Beyond the Fifth Ring with younger generations. (continued) 3 Beijing as a city is broad and expansive, like L.A. It takes (11 x 21 in), composed of postcards and painting on rice paper, represents a contemporary version of fresco painting. time to get anywhere. The city has five ring roads and high-

OMAG 20 21 OMAG ALUMNI AROUND THE WORLD

(continued from pg 21) The once-colonizing countries can be said to be compensating for the loss of empire and the melancholia resulting from this largely unconscious loss with the self-projection of progressive social democracy. This image, however, does not sit well with the hard facts of our colonial past. On the other hand, the once-colonized countries can be said to respond to feelings of shame, guilt, inferiority and Marking a paralysis with nationalistic sentiments and the desire to live up to the success of dominant Solemn Anniversary Western values. In this manner, they reproduce structures of inequality by uncritically adopting a Scandinavian modus operandi when substi- When I graduated Otis in 1993, these are just talented art directors are able to design the tuting the colonizers for local administrators a few of the things that I simply couldn’t have same content—which is to say, the range of and policy makers without critically question- imagined: a devastating attack on our shores expression on the site is somewhat modest ing the system as such. that would level the World Trade Center, the in contrast to what’s possible in print—this The project’s many postcolonial voices will Internet as a pervasive delivery vehicle for work still represents, for me, a nontrivial reach the past colonizers of the Nordic region information of all kinds, and my name on the advancement in the kind of design we practice and become audible to their present popula- door, above the title ‘Design Director,’ at The at NYTimes.com. tions—and to the world at large through the New York Times. When I try to explain what it is exactly that DVD release. These particular circumstances all came we do in our design group, the point I really to a head on the recent fifth anniversary of the try to bring home is that we focus on design- “Rethinking Nordic Colonialism: A Postcolonial Exhibition Project in Five Acts” was curated by Frederikke Hansen attacks of September 11th, 2001. Five years ing the NYTimes.com platform, rather than on & Tone Olaf Nielsen. After opening at the Living Art had snuck up on all of us quite suddenly, and art directing the NYTimes.com content. There Museum, Reykjavik, Iceland, it was shown at the as the creative authority at NYTimes.com, I is so much demand for designers’ skills and Greenland National Museum; Faroe Islands Art Museum; personally wanted to make sure that our team smarts to be applied to complex new features and VRn Veturitalli, Rovaniemi, Finland. At the end of made its own humble contribution to mark and functionality throughout the site that November, the DVD boxed set documenting the exhibi- tions, discussions, and activities generated during the the day. we’re consistently preoccupied with develop- project was launched in Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, and When one of the designers in my group ing new sections. Stockholm. Nielsen and Hansen founded their curatorial suggested that he invest extra hours over the This work largely consists of developing practice Kuratorisk Aktion in spring 2005. They see curat- weekend preceding the anniversary to prepare design templates into which our editors and ing as a political-critical act, and devise exhibitions that special presentations on the NYTimes.com producers pour new content; rarely do we get criticize the present order and propose alternatives. Their mission is rooted in social change, public service, and home page, I wholeheartedly agreed. to design in a way that responds directly to community mobilization. Times reporters and editors had prepared a specific piece of content. This is a function, a slate of truly superb journalistic pieces to as I said, of the design needs for our ever- pay tribute to the occasion, and we felt it expanding platform; but it’s also a function of would be a disservice to publish them using the state of Web design today. We simply just the Web site’s standard toolbox of layouts. don’t yet have the tools or the business model Like many online publications, NYTimes.com to support art direction. Sound for the Grand is published using a series of highly articulated That’s why it’s so satisfying to see work but nevertheless regimented templates. Each like this done, to see the Web site—if only just template provides a different set of display for twenty-four hours—start to reflect the options for news; they’re all capable of a nature of the content it’s presenting in a very Promenade, Athens certain amount of latitude, but none of them specific manner. It took a bit of extra effort seemed to be appropriate for the articles and it’s not without its own difficulties, but for being prepared. an event like this fifth anniversary, it seemed Alumnus Steve Roden (Fine Arts, ’86) I was invited earlier in the year to visit the area and select possible So, working together, our designer and worth it. was invited to create a site-specific sites, and ended up working with an indoor space—(the original the home page editor crafted a series of from Khoi Vinh's blog at www.subtraction.com sound installation at the Turkish Baths in Turkish baths)—and an outdoor space (a large tree in front of one customizations—new CSS rules and XHTML Athens for “The Grand Promenade,” an Kuratorisk Aktion (Frederikke Hansen & Tone Olaf Nielsen (Fine Khoi Vinh (Communication Arts, ’93) is the art director exhibition from July 17-September 29, of my favorite buildings in the world: The Byzantine Church of Arts, ’98)) during the opening of Rethinking Nordic Colonialism’s markup—to the top portion of the home for NYTimes.com, the industry-leading news site. He 2006. Curated by Anna Kafetsi, the exhi- St. Dimitris Loumbardiardis, which was transformed by architect Act 3 in The Faroe Islands Art Museum, Tórshavn, May 12, 2006. page; these were unique designs that we was born in Saigon, Viet Nam, and immigrated to the Photo: ©Allan Broekie. Dimitris Pikionis in the mid-1950s). Both works were inspired by hadn’t used before. They started appearing United States with his family in 1975. He grew up in bition is the first of two large-scale inter- my initial contact with these spaces, and both were modular; sound at NYTimes.com on Sunday evening, rolling Gaithersburg, Maryland, and headed west to attend Otis. national exhibitions organized by the National Museum of Focusing initially on illustration, he decided to pursue composition and sculptural units were prepared off-site, and overall out the pre-planned September 11th articles Contemporary Art. Amish Kapoor, Jannis Kounellis, graphic design by his senior year. He worked as a print Wolfgang Laib, Julie Mehretu, Rachel Whiteread, and form was determined and built on-site. In both works, the sound alongside breaking news coverage. designer before moving to New York City in 1998, and Thomas Hirschhorn are among the 44 artists from around the was composed using elements related to the sites and their histories, I didn’t have a direct hand in designing dedicated himself to interactive media design. Khoi was and was quietly added to the existing audio landscapes. My wife, these, but they still make me feel very proud a founding partner at the groundbreaking design studio world who displayed recent works or in situ commissions. Sari, also an Otis alum, participated in all the wiring and constructing. of the work we’ve done at the Web site since Behavior LLC, where he worked with such clients as The Grand Promenade of the Unification of Archaeological The Onion, ResortQuest, Smithsonian, and HBO. After I arrived at the beginning of this year. Though Sites refers to a large urban intervention around the four successful years, he became the Design Director of Acropolis, completed for the 2004 Olympics, that creates an these custom designs look modest by NYTimes.com. He serves on the board of directors for “open” museum. comparison to the way the newspaper’s own the New York chapter of AIGA.

OMAG 22 23 OMAG COLLEGE NEWS Three Legged Legs and Exopolis Win Digital Awards Otis graduates and students once again dominated the annual Broadcast Designers of America/Promax awards ceremony in New York. Brien Holman (’03) won the Rocket Award for the best new talent (for five or less years in the business). His company, Exopolis (www.exopolis.com), won a Gold award for a Nickelodeon campaign. This fall, he created the animation and effects for the iPod TV spot, co-directed with Mark Romanek, and produced in collaboration with TBWA/Chiat/Day (at right). Other winners were the team of Three Legged Legs (Reza Rasoli, Greg Gunn, and Diffan Norman, all ’06), who won Best Student Work for their animation “Let’s Be Friends.” In the World category, the Gold award went to Three Legged Legs, the Silver went to students Casey Hunt, Brandon Martynowicz and Chin Ko for “Ricochet,” and the Bronze to Diffan Norman for his senior reel. In addition, Three Legged Legs (now comprised of Greg Gunn, Casey Hunt, and Reza Rasoli) won First Prize in animation and Best of 2006 at the Global Student Animation Awards, hosted by Stash magazine. Their 60-second animation, “Humans,” (below) is a public 200 Happy Meals service announcement on global awareness. In the VFZ (visual special effects) category, two of the four runners-up were Otis students: Chin Ko and Garrett Norlin. These winners were selected from Mr Toast, created by Dan Goodsell Make a Misfit Diet among hundreds of entries by an international panel of 16 judges from all parts of the animation, VFX, and motion design industry. by Meg Linton, Director of the Ben Maltz Gallery and Curator of the Exhibition

Excerpted from the essay for the exhibition “From the Otis, and to all artists who have felt like misfits, as well as Island of Misfit Toys,” Ben Maltz Gallery, February 10 – a chance to show humorous, imaginative and provocative April 15, 2006. Participating artists included Elizabeth artwork that inspires a sense of wonder and perplexity. Berdann (blu), Deborah Brown, Nathan Cabrera, Jonathan Callan, Jeroen deVries, Dan Goodsell, Kelly Heaton, Walter Martin & Paloma Munoz, Anne Walsh, and 8 Bit Weapon. The title “From the Island of Misfit Toys” is taken from the 1964 stop-action classic Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer. The exhibition featured the work of eleven artists who manipulate toys to create sculpture, video, performance, and music that push the conceptual boundaries of these seemingly benign “toys” in every direction. It was a show about exaggeration, customization, and consumption; about inserting the “hand” back into the manufactured. It reinvests the mass-produced cliché with individual potential and imagination. New Leaders in Design The seeds for this exhibition were planted when I first President Hoi announced the appointments of three new leaders in Deborah Ryan, new Chair of Otis’ nationally recognized saw Jonathan Callan’s sculptures in the wall-work Empires design departments. “These new leaders bring to Otis a profound Toy Design Department, has served as a faculty member (at right). Taking 200 McDonalds “premiums” (usually understanding of design education and administrative expertise,” says since 2001. Ms. Ryan holds a BS in Design from the licensed by Disney), Callan ripped out their stuffing and Hoi, “as well as uncommonly rich perspectives as designers in the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at injected them with white or black silicon caulking. The worlds of academia and professional practice.” the University of Cincinnati. A 20-year veteran of the original objects, designed to entice children to plead with Kali Nikitas, new Chair of the Communication Arts toy industry, Ms. Ryan was Senior Project Designer for their parents for a Happy Meal, have been turned inside POSTSCRIPT: Department, brings dynamic energy and vision to the Mattel Toys for more than a decade, and held key creative positions out, filled beyond their capacity into repellant, gluttonous After an exhibition like “From the Island of Misfit Toys,” I always program. Previously Chair of the Department of Visual at Applause, Inc.; The Walt Disney Company; and Aurora World, Inc. symbols of corporate manipulation of our youth’s con- ask what I learned from this project. My lingering realization Arts at Northeastern University in Boston, Ms. Nikitas Ryan’s experience encompasses design and development, licensed sumer appetites. is how dependent the toy industry is on plastics. I knew this, but was also Chair of the Design Department at products, apparel, collector and fashion dolls, feature plush, novelties, **** it was brought to conscious articulation when Nathan Cabrera Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) for six and gifts. Her educational objectives include enhancing the role of tech- Many other projects began percolating in my head, arrived with his life-sized sculpture The Cost of Fun is Going Up. years, and professor of visual communications at the School of the Art nology and electronics, and expanding community outreach. combined with the knowledge that only three toy design With gas prices fluctuating so drastically, sustainability is the key Institute of Chicago from 1991-1997. Nikitas holds an MFA in Graphic programs exist in this country; Otis being the acknowledged issue these days, and Cabrera’s work has raised many questions Design from the California Institute of the Arts, and a BA in Graphic David Fletcher has been appointed to the newly estab- for me: What will take the place of plastics in all industries? leader in the field. Dozens of shows have been done in Design with a minor in English Literature from the University of lished position of Assistant Chair in the Department of How are our lifestyles going to change and when? How should Los Angeles over the years with artists who work with Illinois at Chicago. In addition to her academic roles, she founded her Architecture/Landscape/Interiors (A/L/I). Mr. Fletcher or are inspired by toys, like Mike Kelley, Kim Dingle, Paul we change our lifestyles now? Which Sci-Fi movie is our fate: Mad Max, Star Wars or Tank Girl? own design firm, is a fellow of the Design Institute in Minneapolis, and will assist current Chair Linda Pollari in the manage- McCarthy, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, David Otis, as an institution, has been asking lots of questions about Chief Editor of LOOP: AIGA’s Experiment in Design Education Web ment of this expanding program. An urban and Levinthal, the Yes Men, and Rubén Ortiz Torres. My intent sustainability and responsibility. Our faculty has been urging our site. She frequently curates exhibitions and writes about design. landscape designer, he holds a Master of Landscape with this “toy” exhibition was to bring together a relatively young designers and artists to use their creativity, skill, and vision Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and small group of artists who are crisscrossing the boundaries to rethink the world they are inheriting. As much as it is a time a BA in Sculpture and Public Art and BS in Landscape Architecture of their disciplines, media, and markets. “From the Island of worry about our global predicament, it is also an opportunity to from the University of California at Davis. Fletcher is project manager of Misfit Toys” is a nod to the interdisciplinary nature of go beyond our wildest imaginations to find achievable solutions. with Mia Lehrer + Associates for the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan, and principal of his own firm, Blue Room Collaborative.

OMAG 24 25 OMAG COLLEGE NEWS

What is iTunes U? The world is changing. Over 10 million people currently spend more than 25 hours per week in synthetic worlds, at inhabitable online spaces like MMORPGs (Massively Multi-player Online Role-Playing Games). The number of synthetic worlds is doubling every two years, ’ 06 and by 2030 the population of synthetic worlds is expected to reach 100 million people. Honorary Degree Recipient Bill Viola Class of 2006 members

Education is changing to adapt to this by inventing new ways class of learning and communicating. College students, at home in the lecture digital world, are comfortable both finding information for themselves notes and creating individualized text, images, audio, and video. One of Otis’ technology initiatives, developed by the new Technology Learning Center funded by a grant from the Fletcher Jones Moving Between Foundation, is iTunes U. Apple selected Otis to be among the first experimenters with this feature, which allows professors to create audio and video podcasts. Over the summer, several members of The Lines the Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty created more than 50 podcasts Wanda Weller (’88), mentor for Patagonia, with 2005 with subjects that range from basic concepts of visual culture to Honorary degree recipient Bill Viola addressed 242 graduates at the 2006 award-winner Kirk Heifner the depiction of the Virgin Mary in folk art. A recent addition is a Commencement. “Those who move between the lines control the board,” he time-lapse movie of the installation of Joan Tanner’s “On Tenderhooks” advised, exhorting the graduates to make their own places in the world. The College exhibition at the Ben Maltz Gallery. honored Viola, a visionary contemporary artist who works in video, sound, music, Students use the podcasts 24/7 via laptop, iPod, MP3 player, or and performance art, for work that “excites the eye, challenges the imagination, and What Did a stationary computer. They listen, review, replay and practice, carrying enriches the spirit.” Kira Perov, his wife and creative collaborator, was recognized for

their classroom experiences with them wherever they go. Commencement her accomplishments as curator and photographer. Two days earlier, over 400 recruiters from firms such as Electronic Arts, Hasbro, Frenchman Tell us Fox Sports, Imaginary Forces, Disney, MGA, Sony, Ogilvy & Mather, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon, Condé Nast, Liz Claiborne, Microsoft, About America? and Abercrombie & Fitch attended the year-end Career Night. More than 3,500 visi- tors viewed the Class of 2006 exhibitions. The Otis Speaks spring ’06 events included MENU The graduates embarked on a variety of career paths. Employers include Lucas writer/philosopher/polemicist Bernard-Henri Films; Apple iTunes; fashion designers Rozae Nichols, Isabel Toledo, and John Lévy (BHL) in conversation with impresario/ Varvatos; and companies such as Mattel, Target and Warnaco. Others are pursuing instigator/provocateur Paul Holdengräber. One of graduate degrees at UCLA in architecture and art. France’s leading philosophers, BHL retraced the footsteps of Alexis de Tocqueville in his controver- sial book American Vertigo. He and guest moderator Holdengräber discussed prisons and mega-churches, high rises and military facilities, brothels and malls, Hillary Clinton, George Soros, and Sharon Stone. Other events were lectures and demonstrations by several of the artists featured in the Ben Maltz Gallery exhibition “The Island of Misfit Toys (see pg. 24), and a lecture by Distinguished Guest Professor/Curator in Residence Dave Hickey on the exhibition “Step into Liquid,” which he curated at Otis’ Maltz Gallery. Other prominent speakers at the College during spring ’06 included artists Laura Owens, Francesca Gabbiani, Guerrilla Girls, Jennifer Bornstein, and Sandeep Mukherjee (’96) who spoke to graduate fine arts students; and film- maker Morgan Fisher, new Hammer Museum Curator Gary Garrels, Jewish lesbian folksinger/ performance artist phranc, and contemporary art writer Linda Weintraub, who spoke to under- graduate fine arts students. Graduate Writing presented readings by best-selling author Christopher Rice and poet Amy Gerstler, and hosted a publication party for Norman Klein's Otis Books/Seismicity Editions publication, Freud in Coney Island and Other Tales. Architecture/Landscape/Interiors hosted land- scape architect Mia Lehrer and architect Matthias Sauerbruch, who discussed their pioneering work with issues of environmental sustainability.

OMAG 26 27 OMAG CLASS NOTES

Richard Pettibone (’62, Fine Arts) This is a small sampling of recent alumni accomplishments. To keep up with Otis’ “Richard Pettibone: A Retrospective,” Institute ever-active alumni, and to see the fully illustrated monthly news archive, click on of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, and Laguna “Class Notes” at www.otis.edu/alumni. To submit news and images, contact Sarah Art Museum, CA. In her review of the exhibition Russin, Director of Alumni Relations at [email protected]. To receive a monthly of 215 works spanning more than four decades, message with a link to the most up-to-date news and Class Notes, click “Register”at New York Times art critic Roberta Smith stated www.otis.edu/alumni. It’s easy and we don’t spam you! Also, feel free to call Sarah in “It is unlikely that so much artistic ground has the Alumni Office at 310.665.6937. Regular readers of the online alumni news reconnect Richard Pettibone, Andy Warhol, ever been covered outside of an art history Campbell’s Soup Can (Pepper Pot), survey book or a museum postcard display and with old friends, and take advantage of opportunities for professional development. 1962, 2005, 7 1/2 x 5 7/8" If you haven’t already, we hope you will join the Otis alumni online community! probably never quite as pleasurably.”

Kathleen Ahmanson Hall has been updated with the new logo on banners, cube, and roof sign. The next time you are on the LAX runway, look towards Otis!

Coleen Sterritt (’79, MFA Fine Arts), Daddy-O, 2006, wood, glue, insulation foam, cork, paint, shellac, found furniture, 83 x 38 x 40"

Award-Winners, Cool Designers, Karla Klarin Kevin Appel Whitney Stolich Natasha Presler (’78, MFA Fine Arts) (’89, Fine Arts) (’04, MFA Fine Arts) (’02, Digital Media) Schomburg Gallery, Bergamot New Paintings, Angles Gallery, “Third Space,” Angel’s Gate Gallery, Character Layout Artist, “Simpsons” Soloists, Entertainers, Alumni in Station, Santa Monica. Santa Monica; Wilkinson Gallery, San Pedro. TV show (Film Roman/Starz), Disney London, UK. www.anglesgallery.com Television Animation. Bonita Helmer Entertainers www.wilkinsongallery.com (’79 Fine Arts) Gary Lloyd Hyun Sun Yun Print, In Memorium George Billis Gallery, Culver City. Daniel Atyim (’70, MFA Fine Arts) (’03, Digital Media) www.georgebillis.com (’91, Communication Arts) Owner, Sky Drops Inc., digital Production Animator, 1k Studios, Sharon Kagan “Livid: Proud Flesh,” Everson backdrops and on-site custom Burbank. Award-Winners Center, Cincinnati, OH, Regional Nike, AT&T, and Binney & Smith. Gerald Westgerdes Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY. (’79, MFA Fine Arts) scenic backdrops. www.skydrops.com Jinnie Choi Tyrus Wong Drawing Annual, exhibition in www.design-ranch.com (’73, MFA Fine Arts) www.everson.org/exhibits/past.php “Entwined,” Santa Monica College Jim Rygiel (’04, Architecture/Landscape/ (’32, Fine Arts) print, 2006. Naomi Sanders “Passages & Tributes: 3-D Narratives,” Gallery, Santa Monica. Carmine Iannaconne (’81, MFA Fine Arts) Interiors) Producer, “Extreme Annie Award, Winsor McCay Award Zoe Hong (’96, Fine Arts) Zanesville Art Center, Zanesville, OH. Sarah Perry (’93, Fine Arts) Visual Effects Supervisor, “Night at Makeover”: Home Edition, ABC for recognition of lifetime or career (’02, Fashion Design) Masters in Landscape Architecture, www.zanesvilleartcenter.org (’83, Fine Arts) “Re-Public Works,” the Museum,” (2006) with Ben Judy Kim contributions to the art of animation, Gen Art Perrier “Bubbling Under” USC. Landscape Architect, ah’bé Christine Taylor Patten “Caught from Below,” Solway Jones Gallery, L.A. Stiller, Robin Williams, Dick Van (’04, Digital Media) 2005. Scroll to bottom for juried Award, New York, N.Y., 2006. landscape architects, Culver City. (Christine Patten Powell) Hunsaker/Schlesinger Gallery, www.solwayjonesgallery.com. Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Owen Wilson Senior Computer Artist, awards at www.annieawards.com/ http://verbalcroquis.wordpress.com Founder, Plein Air landscape design. (’74, Fine Arts) Bergamot Station, Santa Monica. Colin Roberts and Ricky Gervais. TBWA\Chiat\Day, Venice. foryourconsideration.htm “Micro/Macro: 251 Drawings,” The Douglas Jones (’01, Fine Arts) Coleen Sterritt Cool Designers Drawing Gallery, London, UK; Maryrose Mendoza Karen Aviles Michael Zimmerman Mark Bryan (’99, Communication Arts) Patricia Faure Gallery, Bergamot (’79, MFA Fine Arts) “Drawing Time/Drawings from the (’85, Fine Arts) (’92, Fashion Design) (’04, Digital Media) (’74, MFA Fine Arts) Creative Director, Asylum Station, Santa Monica. City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Micro/Macro” series, Leeds “Yield,” Solway Jones Gallery, L.A. Assistant Costume Designer, Concept Designer, Electronic Arts, Illustrator and Fine Artist. Entertainment, Hollywood. Individual Artist Fellowship, University Gallery, Leeds, UK; 300 www.solwayjonesgallery.com Blaine Fontana (Hogg) “Thief,” FX television show, first L.A. www.premiumscribble.com www.artofmarkbryan.com Chris Chacon 2006/2007. Exhibitions: d.e.n. con- drawings from the “Micro/Macro” Keiko Fukazawa (’02, Communication Arts) two episodes. Assistant Wardrobe David Duong (’01, Communication Arts) temporary art, Culver City; “Recent Lisa Stein series, The Drawing Center, New (’86, Fine Arts) “The Animal Council,” paintings for “El Cantante” with Jennifer (’05, Digital Media) Senior Graphic Designer, M.Cre8ive. Sculpture and Drawings,” Riverside. (’87, Environmental Design) York, NY. www.thedrawinggallery.com “Dennis O. Callwood & Keiko and installations, Scribble Theory Lopez and Mark Anthony, August Concept Artist, Activision, Santa Major clients include Activision, Gallery, Santa Ana, CA; “The Manifest Rush with Robin Williams. www.dencontemporaryart.com Project Manager, The Westfield Rose Lynn Fisher Fukazawa,” L2 Contemporary, L.A. Monica. www.haidavid.com Group, for Valencia Town Center Jamdat and Encore. Soup Transcripts of Four Corners,” Mark Dean Veca (’78, Fine Arts) http://www.l2kontemporary.com Raymond Sanchez Gilbert Martinez Expansion. Company will develop Joyce Shin Lineage Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. (’85, Fine Arts) “Liminal Spaces: Photographs of Lawrence Gipe (’99, Communication Arts) (’05, Digital Media) retail and entertainment portion of (’04, Communication Arts) www.totembookmedia.com/ Pollack-Krasner Foundation Grant, Morocco,” UCLA Fowler Museum. (’86, MFA Fine Arts) Creative Director of Online 3D Environment Artist, Indiana development at Stratford-on-Avon, Graphics Coordinator, Gehry “Sedimental Promises,” FIFTY24 2006. Exhibition: Schmidt Center Goldenberg Galleria, UCLA, L.A. Mid-Career Retrospective: “3 Five- Marketing, Trailer Park (newly Jones game project, Lucas Arts, U.K. for 2012 Olympics. Partners, L.A. Gallery, San Francisco, December Gallery, Florida Atlantic University, Year Plans: 1990-2005,” Arizona State merged with Creative Domain). San Francisco. 2006; Cover feature Juxtapoz Boca Raton, FL. Feature: Juxtapoz Ed Engel Recent projects include “Pride and Soloists University Art Museum, Tempe, AZ. magazine, August 2006. Hunter Woo magazine (March 2006), and (’88, Communication Arts) Prejudice” and “Brokeback Ernest Lacy http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu/gipe/ (’05, MFA Fine Arts) illustrations, Paper magazine, Creative Proprietor: Engle Creative, Tami Demaree Mountain” (Focus Features). (’60, Fine Arts) Rebecca Morales Art Department Assistant and (’03, MFA Fine Arts) www.brokebackmountain.com/home.html (March 2006). St. Louis, MO. www.EngelCreative.net “Ernest Lacy: A Fifty-Year (’86, Fine Arts) “A Searing Lesson Every Girl Should Cameo Actor for “American Dreamz” Cynthia Harper and www.EdwardEngel.com Retrospective in Liberating Color” Liuba Belyansky BravinLee Programs, New York, NY. Know,” Steven Wolf Fine Arts, and “Art School Confidential.” (’87, Fine Arts) Ingred (Fink) Sidie Lev Moross Gallery, L.A. (’02, Fashion Design) http://bravinleee.com/past.html San Francisco. “I’ll Cross My Pollack-Krasner Foundation Grant, (’89, Communication Arts) www.levmorossgallery.com Assistant Costume Designer, http://upload.flipsidedesigns.com/RM_13D.jpg Fingers but I won’t Hold My 2006. Exhibition: “Drawing: Principal, Design Ranch, Kansas “Chasing 3000” with Ray Liotta, John White Elizabeth Grier Breath,” Angstrom Gallery, L.A. Tradition & Innovation,” Arlington City, MO. Creative focus on Lauren Holly and Rori Culkin. (’69, MFA Fine Arts) (’90, ’04 MFA Fine Arts) www.angstromgallery.com Arts Center, Arlington, VA. youth/teen fashion, entertainment Sylvia White Gallery, Santa Monica. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Publication: Manifest, Creative and lifestyle brands for Target, www.johnmwhite.com offices, L.A. Research Center and Drawing Hallmark, Lee Jeans, H&R Block,

Tami Demaree (’03, MFA Fine Arts) OMAG 28 Pining, mixed media on paper, 24 x 19," 2005 29 OMAG CLASS NOTES Otis Connects with Alumni Letter to the Editor I got a big kick out of seeing Andre’s [Andre Bombonatti de Castro (’85)] face in New York the latest magazine!!!! ...He had that very In October, Pablo Rodriguez y Pantoja (’87, Fashion Design) hosted a gathering of 50 alum- serious face on . . . that same serious face ni and friends at his “June” studio in New York’s fashionable meatpacking district. Recent that he “wore” when we all were chums in graduates working in New York enjoyed connecting with alumni from previous years, and art school ...! meeting President Hoi and the Career Services team, Laura Kiralla and Laura Daroca (’03, Most interesting to see such a wonderful MFA). Thanks to Pablo for hosting the third N.Y. reunion. array of talent . . . especially the fine arts group. My impression in the 1980s and 1990s was that the focus on the institutional “face” shifted from fine arts to communication design, with an understanding that by spon- soring a more perceived “safe” major, Otis would attract more students interested in applying to a four-year program. As head of the LACMA design dept., and a fellow Otis graduate, I felt strongly that Otis's true strength lies in its fine arts Elizabeth Grier (‘88, ’04 MFA Fine Arts), Mark Bryan (’74, MFA Fine Arts), Dick, oil on Gary Lloyd (‘70, MFA), Sky Drops Studio untitled oil on panel, 24 x 24," 2006 canvas, 30 x 24" 2006 program and that, historically, from Billy Al Bengston to the ceramists from the 1950s, Otis always has made its mark by demon- strating and attracting true renegades that Nizan Shaked OW Gray (’00, MFA Fine Arts) (’76, Fine Arts) want to make individual marks of expres- sion. We all feed off that energy that stems Curator and Writer. Review of artist Wailehua (also known as Orville and Santa Monica Izaak Julien, Xtra magazine. Bubba) passed away June 7, 2005. from the fine artist. Assistant Professor, Art History and At Otis he studied with Matsumi Otis celebrated the work of Sarah Perry (’83, Fine Arts) at a closing reception for I will never forget my first days at Otis in Museum Studies, California State Kanemitsu, Charles White, and her exhibition “Caught From Below” at Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Arts at Bergamot my Foundation Year. On the day of registration, University, Long Beach. Emerson Woelffer. He was a success- Station in Santa Monica. Sarah led a tour for guests (l to r), including mentor Betye the institution gave us all a 10-pound bag Robert Dobbie ful artist in L.A., and his work is Saar, classmates from ’83, and her students from the early ’90s. In addition, she signed of clay. I felt that symbolically this was an (’01, Communication Arts) represented in international collec- copies of her best-selling children’s book If, commissioned by the Getty Museum. amazing gesture, expecting that no matter tions. In 1987 he returned to his Communication Arts Annual 2006 who we were or what our declared major place of birth in Hawaii. His wife Consider This Sept/Oct feature. might be, we should all be ready to get Alumni Mario Ybarra (’99, Fine Arts) and Bruce Yonemoto (’79, MFA Fine wants everyone to know how very Kelly Culp our hands dirty, and create fearlessly, and Arts) were two of the six artists commissioned to create installations proud he was to have attended Otis. for “Consider This,” on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (’03, Fashion Design) most important of all, MAKE MISTAKES. Peter Zahorecz (LACMA), April 9, 2006 – January 14, 2007. Organized by LACMALab, Market/Fashion News Editor, I was very fortunate in being at Otis (’86, Fine Arts) and designed by artist Barbara Kruger. Jane magazine, N.Y. from 1981-85. I remember quite vividly Peter passed away June 4, 2006, Brian T. Jones standing in line at Murray’s to order a sand- from head-related trauma following (’04, Communication Arts) wich. At the time, we were all hungry, both In Print faculty members Carole Caroompas a skateboarding accident in England. Children’s Book Illustrator, metaphorically and literally. In front of George Maitland Stanley and Meg Cranston. He worked as a gallery preparator You Can’t Milk a Dancing Cow for Maryland Institute College of Art, me was Liz Young (‘84, Fine Arts), and (deceased) (’20s, Fine Arts) Roxana Villa by Emmy award-winner and was a well-known figure in the behind me was a (cute cute cute) fellow Featured in L.A. Times story by (’85, Communication Arts) Tom Dunsmuir art and music scene in Baltimore. named Tom Ford (an environmental designer Bob Pool, “Hollywood Bowl’s Illustrations featured in L.A. Times, Meghan Moran http://www.citypaper.com/arts/ fountain gets a splash from the “Women’s Health,” May 8, 2006. San Francisco who was a guest transfer from Parsons in past.” “Neglected for decades, (’04, Communication Arts) story.asp?id=11927 NYC who later, after his graduation, switched Rod Beattie In November, painter Darren Waterston (’88, Fine Arts) hosted alumni and friends refurbished Streamline Moderne- MOCA holiday card from Joan Hugo to become our most wonderful fashion (’86, Fashion Design) at his beautiful home and studio in the heart of San Francisco. Thanks to Darren for style fountain is greeting visitors 2005/06 featured in Print Joan Hugo passed away on February Swimwear Designer, LaBlanca, hosting the first-ever gathering in San Francisco! designer del mundo) . . . to the left of me was to the Hollywood Bowl.” Regional Design Annual. 7, 2006. She was the Otis librarian Apparel Ventures, L.A. residence Peter Shelton, one of my teachers . . . and for 25 years, and was known Masami Teraoka featured in Better Homes and Gardens, In Memoriam then there were Sheila de Bretteville and Ave for beginning and developing the (’69, MFA Fine Arts) August 2006. Harold Lehman Pildas talking out loud about typography . . . Ascending Chaos: The Art of (’32, Fine Arts) Library’s important collection of Val Loh and what did we all have in common? Masami Teraoka 1966-2006 Harold passed away on April 2, artists’ books and ephemera. She (’89, Fine Arts) We all desired the last of Murray's chicken (Chronicle Books), spring 2006. 2006 at the age of 92. One of was a critic for Artweek and other Photographer, “Kahea Maoli: publications and later worked as salad sandwiches! Bruce Kalberg his paintings was included in the Hawaiian Voices, Portraits and assistant to the Provost at Cal Arts (’78, Fine Arts) catalogue for Otis: Nine Decades of Words.” www.honolulumagazine.com/ for several years. A celebration of Cheers- Author of crime novel Sub-Hollywood Los Angeles Art. Harold’s daughter, archives/1105/currentissue.aspx Joan’s life, organized by her friends Amy McFarland (’85, Communication Arts) (under pseudonym Bruce Caen), Yes Lisa Lehman Trager, created a Web Camille Rose Garcia and family, was held at LA Artcore Press, with cover art by Gary Panter. site about her father several years (’92, Fine Arts) ago, and invites friends to visit. in the Brewery. Many Otis graduates Anthony Ausgang Cover Story: Juxtapoz Magazine, www.haroldlehman.com wrote to the College expressing (’83, Fine Arts) March 2006. Graphic Novel: their affection for Joan, and citing Included in L.A. Artland by Chris The Magic Bottle (Fantgraphics) the deep influence she had on them Kraus, Jane McFadden, Jan Tomlic. Exhibition: “Subterranean Death as a teacher and friend. Also included are Fine Arts alumni Clash,” Jonathan Levine Gallery, N.Y. Kim Fisher (’98), Liz Craft (’94), www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/ Sandeep Mukherjee (’97) and

OMAG 30 31 OMAG CLASS NOTES Otis Gear

Have you noticed Otis’ new logo? After seven different names and two campuses, Otis has a new four-letter word mark that clearly and directly communicates strength and Designing confidence. This new institutional identity serves as a serious backdrop for exuberant and diverse—but blunt and honest—expressions of the students, faculty, and alumni. Now Otis you can share your Otis connection on your chest, head, or car. Otis is developing a publication that will chronicle alumni contributions to the design world. Designing Otis (working title) will be a companion piece to the fine arts exhibition catalogue Otis: Nine Decades of Los Angeles Art. We are seeking work by designers to include in this important publication.

What to Submit Posters, theme park design, book illustration, animation, photography, production design, toys, fashion, exhibition design, and furniture can be submitted. (Sound and motion may be represented by a DVD insert.) All eras will be represented, including the years before Otis offered a formal design curriculum. Fine Art alumni who have produced design work are welcome to submit. Alumni do not need to be currently working in the design world.

How to Submit High-resolution digital images are needed (300 dpi, 4”x5” or larger). Send them to Sarah Russin at [email protected] through www.yousendit.com. Send motion work as DVDs. Supply as much information as possible about the images, including credit for any collaborating photog- raphers, designers, etc. Beefy T-Shirt Baseball Cap When to Submit Black with white logo, L, XL Black “flex fit” with white embroidered Deadline: April 30, 2007. $23.00* logo and url, One Size Feel free to send work earlier! Women’s Fitted T-Shirts $24.50* We are hoping to hear from alumni who have Black with white logo, S, M Otis Beanie been out of touch, so pass on this opportunity $21.50* Black with white embroidered “O” and url One Size to your Otis friends! Hooded Zippered Sweatshirts Heather gray with black appliqued logo $20.00* Contact M, L, XL License Plate Holders Sarah Russin, Director of Alumni Relations $62.50* Chrome with black logo 310.665.6937 or [email protected] Bumper Stickers (static, not glue) $12.50* $3.50*

Place your credit card order with the art supply store Graphaids (Westchester Location) by calling 310-216-6300. They ship around the country/world.

* plus tax and shipping

Opposite page: Blaine Fontana (‘02, Communication Arts) A Dojo on the Morning After, acrylic on board, 18 x 24" OMAG 32