Curriculum Vitae

Education

Master of Fine Arts in Digital+Media, Rhode Island School of Design 2008
Thesis – Games: The Art of Making, Bending and Breaking Rules
Recipient of the D+M Fellowship.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Media Art & Design, University of Denver's School of Art and Art History 2004
Deans's List, recipient of the Harrison Merit Scholarship, DU Educational Grant, Transfer Scholar and Colorado Scholar Awards.

Associate of General Studies (Specialist) in Multimedia Technology Design & Animation, Red Rocks Community College 2001
Dean's List, President's List, Phi Theta Kappa.

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor of Media Arts. Robert Morris University. 2010-present

I teach undergraduate courses in web design and interactive animation. I also serve as the Gallery Coordinator, Gallery Committee Chair, and I advise the student Gallery Club. I have helped develop and co-direct the Media Arts Community Design Workshop; this is an extra-curricular studio in which students have the opportunity to work on client projects. With each project, I have guided groups of five students through the process of redesigning the Media Arts Department web site, creating an 18-page “Look Book” and developing an interactive map for our International Studies Program.

In my time, at RMU I have developed a University-wide Web Design Minor and the Designing for New Media course, and redesigned the Coding and Scripting course by shifting its focus to Interaction Design. Most recently I was invited to participate on the University’s Strategic Planning Committee.

  • ARTM 2210 Intro to Web Design
  • ARTM 2220 Designing for New Media
  • ARTM 3210 HTML Tool Box
  • ARTM 3220 Coding and Scripting
  • ARTM 4210 Interactive Web Animation

Guest Lecturer. Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 2010
I spent 8 weeks working with two students on game design, helping them learn multimedia fusion, as well as how to create rule sets for paper games.

Adjunct Faculty
As an adjunct at Chester College, I taught the senior studio course Advanced Interactive Design, and at the Institute of Art I taught Web Design for Graphic Designers as well as continuing education courses in Photoshop.

  • Chester College of New England. 2010
    • DES 405 Advanced Interactive Design.
  • New England Institute of Art. 2009-2010
    • GD120 Digital Imaging,
    • GD230 Web Development for Graphic Designers
    • DGD 101 Designing with Adobe Photoshop
    • WSD 201 Photoshop for Web Developers

Instructor.
As an instructor for these two nonprofits, I designed, developed and taught college-level art courses for public high-school students. Each course was designed to introduce teenagers to the world of interactive art and the theories and skills to produce their own works.

  • The Urbano Project. 2009-2010
    • Making it Happen: Experience as Art.
    • Hacked: re-purposed and recycled, electronic sculptures.
    • Game Making: an intro to paper prototypes and 2D video game making.
  • The Cloud Foundation. 2009
    • Game Design: Making, Bending and Breaking Rules

Lead Instructor. Digital Media Academy. 2009
As lead instructor, I taught Adventures in 2D & 3D Game Design, a week-long boot camp for 8 to 12 year olds in which they learned how to design and create their own video games using Multimedia Fusion.

Teachers Assistant. Rhode Island School of Design. 2006-2008
Graduate level courses for the Digital+Media and Graduate Studies Departments

  • Edifice: Methods & Methodology
  • Experimental Games
  • On Form and Form Giving
  • Sensing Materials and Embodied Interaction
  • Intro to Creative Programming

Instructor. Red Rocks Community College. 2001-2002
I taught, designed and developed course materials for the new Intro to Mac OSX course. As a guest Lecturer I provided Tips and Tricks for Intro to PhotoShop and Advanced Photoshop classes; Vector Animation for the Intro to Illustrator class; Creating Custom Brushes and Animating in Corel Painter.

Invited Lectures

  • “Web Design Basics: A brief into to the anatomy of the web” At the invitation of Jeeyon Oh, Robert Morris University. COMM3030 Professional Writing. Nov. 2013
  • “An Intro to Rapid Prototyping: Or Makerbot-ing stuff” at the invitation of Michael Smithhammer, Oct. 2011 and Tim Hadfield Mar. 2012. 3D printing demo for Robert Morris University, ARTM1021 3D Design Principles
  • “onClick='an interactive look at Net.Art'” At the invitation of Monica VanDieren, Robert Morris University. RMU Honors Roundtable series. Nov. 2010
  • “Dreamweaver for Graphic Designers.” At the invitation of Michael Goldberg, New England Institute of Art, Web Development for Graphic Designers. July 2009
  • “Not just another Thermion, Getting Arduino and MAX/MSP Talking” At the Invitation of Tad Hirch, Rhode Island School of Design, Technology Workshop. April 2008
  • “Book Design in InDesign: An Artist’s Introduction to Page Layout” At the invitation of Jennifer Liese, Rhode Island School of Design, Permission to Write. March 2008
  • “Using Maya and Hexagon for Rapid Prototype Printing: A Series of Three Workshops” At the Invitation of Enrique Martínez, Rhode Island School of Design, On Form and Form Giving. Oct.-Dec.2007
  • “Getting Started and Breaking Out on Your Own in the World of Design.” At the invitation of Rafael Fajardo, University of Denver, eMAD Senior Project. Mar.2006
  • “The Collaborative Studio's Design Process” At the invitation of Miguel Angel Tarango, University of Denver, Spring and Winter Sessions of Visual Meaning. Feb. & Mar. 2005

Conference Presentations

  • “Argument: play demo and discussion” CUNY Graduate Center. At the CUNY Games Festival: a one day conference (plus informal game day) to promote and discuss game-based pedagogies in higher education, Jan. 17-18, 2014
  • “Playing in Place Nowhere: Creating an Open Source Country” Paper Session Open Source and Intellectual Property Rights chaired by Mika Satomi; and the Mind the Gap Panel chaired by Alexia Mellor. At the International Symposium on Electronic Arts, ISEA Istanbul 2011. 9/17-18/11
  • “Game {Play}: Thought & Form” Session 2.5.2 New Technology and Innovative Strategies in Classrooms and Beyond. Sponsored by the Media & Technology Interest Council, Chaired by Ferris Crane, Robert Morris University. At the Pennsylvania Communication Association 71st Annual Convention. 10/23/10

Selected Exhibitions 2003-present

2014

  • Computer Art and Design for All, School of Fine Arts, Federal University of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
  • Selections 2014: a Juried Faculty Exhibition, Media Arts Gallery, Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, PA
  • CUNY Games Festival, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY

2013

  • IDEAS_13: Celebrate what we build and how it will impact the future, Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA
  • 2013 Juried Alumni Exhibition, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery, Denver, CO

2012

  • Just Play, Solo Exhibit at the Beard Arts Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN
  • Reframing Research: a Faculty Exhibition, Media Arts Gallery, Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Terminal, Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

2011

  • Imprint of War: Responses in Print, University Gallery, Frick Fine Arts, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA
  • Andrew Y. Ames: Bending the Rules, Solo Exhibit, curated by the Sewickley Arts Initiative, Sewickley, PA
  • Mash-Ups, Sonnenschein Gallery, Forest Lake College, Forest Lake, IL
  • Bending Media: An Exhibit about Gender Constructs, Rhizome Artbase Exhibit, Online
  • Learn to Play, Too, Euphrat Museum of Art, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

2010

  • Land Arts of the American West 2010, SCA Gallery, ABQ, NM
  • Professors Exposed, Media Arts Gallery. Pittsburgh, PA
  • PIXILERATIONS [v.7], Sol Koffler Gallery. RI
  • 2010 Juried Alumni Exhibition, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery. Denver, CO
  • Learn to Play, Euphrat Museum of Art, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
  • SoyaHaus, the HousEART Project, 41 Kossuth Street, Olneyville RI
  • The Biennial of the Americas: Digital Isolation, Museo Del Las Americas, Denver CO
  • Virion, The Block, Kelvin Grove Queensland, Australia
  • Mac Happiness! Digital Works, The Mac Spa. Denver, CO
  • 55 Soya, The Store Show at MEME Gallery. Cambridge, MA
  • Lokönenie, ArtRages Surrealestate Art Party, Performance at Mobious. East Boston, MA
  • Apocalypse Food, Sluggos. Pensacola, FL
    {2030 Time capsule buried at University of West Florida Art Department}
  • 8 Bits Per Pixel, MEME Gallery. Cambridge, MA

2009

  • JP Open Studios', The Urbano Project Gallery. Jamaica Plain, MA
  • PIXILERATIONS [v.6] The Great Disruption, 5 Traverse Gallery. Providence, RI

2008

  • PIXILERATIONS [v.5]: Fragments & (W)holes, Sol Koffler Gallery. RI
  • Art of the Game, NYC Resistor. NY
  • Selected Graduate Student Works, Sol Koffler Gallery. Providence, RI
  • Graduate Thesis Exhibition 2008, Rhode Island Convention Center. Providence, RI
  • Micromediations: Digital+Media Biannual Exhibition, Sol Kofler Gallery. Providence, RI

2007

  • PIXILERATIONS [v.4]: STORIES +/- ORNAMENT, The Space at Alice. Providence, RI
  • MFA Review Exhibition, The Space at Alice. Providence, RI
  • Istanbul Contemporary Art Museum, iS.CaM, proudly presents: Web Biennial 2007. International Contemporary Art Exhibition on the World Wide Web. http://www.webbiennial.org/galleries/g1.htm

2006

  • The Cheat, A Neo Studio's & Potential Cloud Formations Collaborative Event. Neo Studio's. Denver, CO
  • Soft Core @ Core: Contemporary Erotic Art by Denver's Best Established and Emerging Artists, Core New Art Space. Denver, CO
  • Winter Festival 2006, 5th Floor Studio's. Denver CO

2005

  • Denver's Digital Artists. Potential Cloud Formations @ Denver West. Lakewood, CO
  • Untitled Exhibit, 5th Floor Studio's. Denver, CO
  • Winter Festival 2005, 5th Floor Studio's. Denver, CO

2004

  • “ ” (The Mark), Annual Senior BFA Show, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery. Denver, CO
  • University of Denver Media Arts Festival, Student and Faculty works, The Rock Island. Denver, CO

2003

  • Technical Difficulties. Solo Exhibit, Colorado's Cable Center. Denver, CO
  • The Artists Formerly Known as Students, Juried Student Show, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery. Denver, CO
  • Phase I, Solo Exhibit, Treehouse café. Denver, CO

Collaborations with other Artists

  • Digital Isolation. Potential Cloud Formations with Miguel Angel Tarango. 2010
  • ProjectSoya. WRMC Collaborative with Alexia Mellor. 2010-2012
  • The Transit Game. Urbano Project Teens. A board game based on Boston's subway system. 2009
  • The Cheat.Potential Cloud Formations with Miguel Angel Tarango. A Reactive Video Collaboration using Apple Developer Tools. 2006
  • Social Breakout*06. Potential Cloud Formations with Miguel Angel Tarango. Concept and design collaboration. 2006-Present
  • Deconstructing Gender. Collaboration with Dr. Frank Ritchel Ames. Interactive web-based game. 2006
  • Corporate Calavera Project 2004. With Matt Jenkins, performance photographer. 2004
  • “” (The Mark). Collaboration with David Hilgier. Mark design, and three separate installations. 2004

Artist Presentations

  • Just Play: bending the rules to make interactive works of art, Beard Arts Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN Nov. 3rd, 2012
  • Design and Interactivity, a discussion of my work and making interactive art, Carnegie Mellon, Pre-College Design Fundamentals Aug. 2011
  • Games: the Art of Making, Bending and Breaking Rules, a discussion of my work and designing ludic objects, Department of Visual & Performing Arts, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Critical Game Studies 3/30/09
  • Games: the Art of Making, Bending and Breaking Rules, a discussion of my work and making games, Rhode Island School of Design, Pre-College Design Fundamentals 8/4/08
  • warDecks & Kick the Can a short talk on making unplayable games, University of Denver, School of Art and Art History, ARTD 4375 Graduate eMAD Critique 3/27/07

Published Papers

Curatorial & Visual Works Cited or Published In

Auctions & Benefits

  • Bid to Rebuild, benefit at Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI 2007

Archives

Collections

The Cable Center, Denver, Colorado

Awards & Honors

  • RMU Summer Fellowship, Robert Morris University 2011
  • Terminal Award, Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at Austin Peay State University 2011-2012
  • Digital+Media Fellowship. Rhode Island School of Design 2006-07, 2007-08
  • Nominee, Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. University of Denver 2006
  • Harrison Merit Scholarship. School of Art and Art History, University of Denver 2002-03, 2003-04
  • Colorado Scholar. University of Denver 2002-03, 2003-04
  • DU Educational Grant. University of Denver 2002-03, 2003-04
  • Transfer Scholar. University of Denver 2002-03, 2003-04
  • National Dean’s List. University of Denver 2002-03
  • National Dean’s List. Red Rocks Community College 1999-00, 2000-01
  • Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society. Red Rocks Community College 2000
  • Vice President’s List. Red Rocks Community College 1999-01, 2000-01
  • Earned GED graduating a year early from High School 1999

Memberships

  • New Media Caucus, 2010-present
  • AIGA. Pittsburgh Chapter 2010-present
  • WRMC Collaborative 2010-2012
  • Pennsylvania Communication Association 2010
  • AIGA. Boston Chapter 2008-2010
  • Culturehall. Charter member at the invitation of David Andrew Frey 2008-present
  • College Art Association 2007-present
  • International Game Developers Association 2007-present
  • Rhizome. Contributing member to the ArtBase and RAW 2006-present
  • Potential Cloud Formations 2005-present

Committees and Boards

  • University Strategic Planning Committee, Robert Morris University. 2013
  • Media Arts Gallery Committee (chair), Robert Morris University. 2012-present
  • Sewickley Arts Initiative Advisory Board. 2011
  • SCIS Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, Robert Morris University. 2011
  • Media Arts Enrollment Task Force, Robert Morris University. 2010-present
  • Media Arts Graphic Design Curriculum Committee, Robert Morris University. 2010-present
  • Media Arts Web Curriculum Committee, Robert Morris University. 2010
  • Steering Committee Member, Gallery 023. 2003-2004
  • Multimedia Advisory Committee, Warren Technological School, Graphic Communications Department. 2001

Professional Experience

Gallery Director/ Gallery Committee Chair. Robert Morris University. Pittsburgh, PA 2012-Present
Currently I direct the Media Arts Gallery and chair the Gallery Committee. Our upcoming season includes Ireland: Three years of photography abroad; Gallery Club Presents: “U;” Winter Senior Showcase; Spinning Yarns; Faculty Highlights: Bodies of Work; Media Arts Annual Gold Show & Screening; Spring Senior Showcase.

Co-Director, Curator. Sewickley Arts Initiative. 2011-Present
I work with artists and volunteers to organize exhibits in Pop-up gallery spaces. Most notably, I helped to bring Quick Response: Digitally from Denver to Sewickley, a traveling QR code exhibit, to PA, and most recently curated Input/Output an exhibition of serious games.

Co-Curator. The Travellers Box Project. Boston, MA 2010-2012
The Travellers Box was an international project created in Denmark by Lars Vilhelmsen. I was an invited to participate and help the box travel through Boston to various other artists.

New Media & Technology Coordinator. The Urbano Project. 2009
While teaching at Urbano, I also served to maintain their online presence as well as coordinate their various technology needs for classes, exhibits and performances.

Curator. Boston Cyberarts Festival. 2009
Working with George Fifield and Nick Monfort, I curated and installed a four day Vintage Gaming Exhibition to highlight and educate visitors about the history of video games. In addition I curated the Cloud Foundation's Teen Game Design Focus Group, and helped to set-up Cyberarts Central.

Freelance. 2006-present
I began freelancing again while attending RISD, taking on smaller web and logo projects. In my free time I designed and developed a branding and identity strategy for Those Guys, LLC and their partner company LocoSavingsTravel, I developed a logo for Intelishirts, an electronic signature for Aquidneck Fine Properties as well as a revamp of Maynard Tischler's online artist portfolio.

Partner, Creative Director. Tackhammer Concepts. 2004-2006
Tackhammer Concepts was the evolution of 360 Degrees of Design, a design company I started in 2000. As owner and then partner, I negotiated all contracts, presented proposals to clients and was the lead designer for projects. I initiated our intern program mentoring art students from the University of Denver and Metropolitan State College of Denver, all of which went on to start their own art and design businesses.

Principle, Designer. Three Hundred Sixty Degrees of Design, LLC. 2000-2004
I negotiated contracts and presented proposals to clients and designed information architecture, signage, websites and branding strategies for clients who ranged from orthodontists, restaurants, artists and designers, including Downtown Denver’s Green Fine Salad Company. Before starting 360 Degrees, I worked as a freelance web designer from 1997–2000.

Volunteer Work

Site design and branding. Computer Village, helped to provide the non-profit with a graphic identity and web presence. 2004

Designer, Consultant. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Digital Collections, served as graphic designer/consultant for the Liberty Bell 7 Project. 2002-2003

IT Consultant. Kunsberg Elementary School at National Jewish Hospital. Custom-designed system specifications and utility disks for their Mac lab; configured file server; wrote maintenance procedures for faculty and staff. 2002

International Travels

  • Istanbul, Turkey 2011
  • Juarez, Mexico 2006
  • Peru; Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu 2005

Relevant Knowledge

Multimedia & Design

[certified] DVDStudio Pro

[expert] Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, HTML, iWork, iLife, Apple Aperture, LiveType

[advanced] Acrobat, Dreamweaver, CSS, Multimedia Fusion 2

[intermediate] Flash, Open Office, WordPress, MAMP, ZiggVersion, Quartz Composer

[knowledgeable] FinalCut, Motion, Media Cleaner Pro, BBEdit, JAVAscript, Processing, PHP, MySQL, Aurdino, Maya, Hexagon, Max MSP, After Effects

Artistic

Drawing, woodblock printing (oil and waterbased using western and eastern techniques), carpentry (furniture making and refinishing), frame making, sculpture, sewing, installation, digital photography, rapid prototyping, physical computing, basic electronics, 3D printing, laser cutting, user testing