feature / alumni / students / college-news / illustration
June 10, 2024
By Solvej Schou
Alumni and students sell their art and design at Art Market at ‘Beyond Supersonic’ celebration
As part of ArtCenter’s tremendous “Beyond Supersonic” celebration of the 20th anniversary of the College’s South Campus, and the unveiling of several new learning spaces—including the brand-new Mullin Transportation Design Center (MTDC)—alumni and students sold their vibrant art and design at a second annual Art Market on campus.
A short distance from the MTDC, the Art Market operated out of the adjacent 870 Building. At the convention-like gathering, packed with people, more than 60 alumni and student artists and designers sold T-shirts, stickers, prints, tote bags, zines, calendars, ceramics, plush toys, greeting cards and more to visitors on the first and second floors of the building, and outside.
“It’s wonderful to share this experience with the whole ArtCenter community, and it’s important for students to come and have a first-hand experience seeing how much variety of work there is, and there’s also a lot of students here selling their art and design, which is great,” said alum and Graphic Design Assistant Professor Seth Drenner (BFA 04 Illustration), standing next to his outdoor booth of colorful ceramics, tiles, fabrics and tote bags.
As Drenner talked, visionary director and alum Zack Snyder (BFA 89 Film) stopped by to check out Drenner’s table of yellow, blue, orange and pink cups and other ceramics. He bought a wide ceramic bowl.
Drenner, who teaches printmaking at ArtCenter’s Archetype Press—managed by the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography—sells his creations at stores including Folk in Ventura and HeyThere Projects in Joshua Tree. “I try to teach students to have that entrepreneurial spirit, not be shy, and to put themselves out there,” he said.
Upstairs, in the 870 building, Illustration student Alexandria Mayo did just that, sitting at her table of small and large prints, stickers and tote bags with a friend sitting on either side of her, for support.
This was Mayo’s first time setting up a table and selling, in person, her bright and colorful 1960s-inspired art, which included saturated pink orchids, an interpretation of Adam and Eve, and an illustration of a psychedelic yellow, pink and purple flower smiling and watering itself with a watering can. It was a self-portrait, said Mayo, who grew up in Palmdale, about 45 miles north of ArtCenter.
“It’s so cool and such a privilege and amazing to see everyone else’s work, and I take so much inspiration from that—the colors, how they use patterns,” said Mayo. “Just different styles in general are so interesting to me. It’s lovely to be here, with my work, and for people to see it, see me, and hopefully feel a connection. It’s also great seeing my friends’ work, because with some of them, I’ve never seen their art before!”
It's so inspiring, being here. The level of artistic ability has risen so much. It makes me want to keep creating.
Julie Nguyen (BFA 18 Illustration)Bandage Brigade
Nearby, alumni Julie Nguyen (BFA 18 Illustration) and Richard Chang (BFA 18 Illustration), representing their apparel brand Bandage Brigade—with a table and netted backdrop layered with black cat-adorned sweaters, shirts, tote bags, hats, socks, stickers, pins and more—started their business the year they graduated.
Talking excitedly, they praised being a part of the community-building event with other alumni, and current students, selling their work. “We get to see where a lot of old classmates have gone in their lives,” said Chang. “It’s so inspiring, being here,” added Nguyen. “The level of artistic ability has risen so much. It makes me want to keep creating.”
At a table covered by a bright green tablecloth near the entrance of the 870 building, award-winning alum Loris Lora (BFA 14 Illustration) represented Clover Scout, the Los Angeles based collaborative group between her and alumni Patrick Hruby (BFA 10 Illustration) and Ellen Surrey (BFA 14 Illustration).
Children’s books illustrated by Lora and Surrey were lined up next to prints, which included a Mexican folklore series by Lora—inspired by her own background, growing up—depicting images such as guitar-playing pink mermaid, an armadillo and a cactus. Other products by the trio included stickers and Los Angeles-themed greeting cards.
“All of our work is colorful, bright and cheerful, and we inspire each other,” she said. “It feels like a family, being here, and I’ve already seen some of my old instructors. It’s so nice seeing them and seeing students and showing them work that they can hopefully be inspired by.”
