Chopping Clouds by Brandon WerthDigital Photography.

I have always been consumed with what is real and what is not. These thoughts are haunting in the sense that it is like a melody, memorable and metaphoric, always repeating. In other ways this thought is heartening because of the journey it provides you in the quest to find answers. The two photos are from a very large series tentatively called Dreamers, where I use influence from dreams I’ve had and dreams others have had about me. I believe heavily in the thought that what we see in dreams is a reflection of what is to come or what has already come and now since passed. This thinking has given my photos a very odd and somewhat lyrical feel. The photos are intended to be viewed large and wide so they

seem almost life-like. Photography for me has always been meta-phoric. A release. An expression. A poem. A prayer. All our lives we sit teetering on the fence of reality and at any given breath all that we know can fall, and in turn we would be reduced to death. It is these thoughts that drive me to question the validity of what my brain is seeing and whether or not this life is infallible. If after death all we have to look forward to is birth then dying will be an awfully big adventure…

Back cover art:Swan Lake by Brandon Werth

Digital Photography.

The student organization known as create • connect is an all inclusive magazine with the sole purpose of showcasing the diversity and talents of the students, instructors, and staff of The Art Institutes International Minnesota. Our goal is to represent every resource the school has to offer through a creative and collaborative environment to produce a quarterly magazine that is both elegant and relevant.

missionstatement

When creatives collaborate, good things happen. Creative collaboration is a core component of this new magazine. This inaugural issue is physical proof of that concept, and a testament to the power of the creative process. We hope you enjoy this issue. We also hope you notice that it’s not about the magazine, but rather the content—the art itself. The art is what matters. It is our hope that the clean, minimalist design conveys that message. Please make a connection with our magazine, and cut a square out (die cuts are very expensive) of the front and back cover. In the spirit of recycling, we have made the cutouts valuable coupons. Better yet, take it one step further. Grab your exacto blade and slice your own design into our cover to let the artwork inside shine through, because it’s not about the cover—in fact, the real cover is what’s underneath. The art that is unencumbered by mastheads and logos!

Lastly, I would like to take time and recognize some people who have helped me bring this magazine to life: Doug Brull, for providing endless inspiration; Steve Liska, for being an attentive sounding board; Chris Title and Anj Kozel, for their complete support and for helping me navigate the labyrinth. And last but most certainly not least, the creative staff of create • connect.

Frank Masicreative directoreditor • treasurer

Ben SiegelWeb Design & InteractiveMedia representativeassistant editor

Laleh Azarshinart director • layout

Kathy LittfinGraphic Design representative

Robb MainMedia Arts & Animationrepresentative

Mike RoederCulinary representative

Ashley MillerPhotography representative

Ron FarberVFX representative

Brett Weik-UlrichDesign Managementrepresentative

Katie LeierFashion Retail Managementrepresentative

David HinsonWeb Design & InteractiveMedia coordinator

Chip JanigoGraphic Design coordinator

Chris Titlemagazine advisor

Jelena Tosovicmagazine advisor

Deb Weissmagazine advisor

Original compositions of front and back cover artwork.Yellow by David Hinson

Digital Photography

Frank Masi

letter from the editor

Gourmet Gallery

words by Mike Roeder photos by Ashley Miller

photos by Brandon Werth

Have you heard of the Gourmet Gallery? Do you know what it is? Do you know where it’s located? For some students attend-ing The Art Institutes International Minnesota, these questions are ponderous.

The student-staffed restaurant located on the first floor of the LaSalle Building at 15 South 9th Street offers a great hands-on learning experience for students in the Culinary Arts program and a unique and affordable dining experience for all who walk through the door: students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The ambience in the Gourmet Gallery is upscale, not unlike a fine dining restaurant. White pressed linens, folded napkins, and high-end tableware grace each table. The walls features distinc-tive student artwork showcasing the talent of students here at Ai

Minnesota. The kitchen is managed by two fantastically talented women who have many years of experience in the industry.

Chef Tatum Barile is the instructor responsible for leading stu-dents in the kitchen and for designing a delightful menu that changes regularly. Rarely seen outside of the kitchen, Chef Barile teaches students not only how to operate a kitchen, but also how to explore their creative side Chef Desiree Dorwart is the instructor in charge of the ‘front of the house,’ as it is referred to in the industry. Also known as the dining room, it is where students learn the other half of the busi-ness. Each quarter, half of the class is placed in the kitchen and the other in the dining room, and they take turns being respon-sible for each.

Thao MooreCulinary Certificate in Culinary Arts

After completing The Art of Cooking Certificate Program at The International Culinary School at The Art Institutes International Minnesota, Thao embarked on her dream of owning her own catering business.

With her husband, Thao took her passion for cooking and turned it into an upscale catering company called Green Mangos Catering, which features contemporary New American cuisine with Asian influences.

Thao works with each client to create a unique menu designed specifically for their event. She completes the propos-als, preps and cooks the food, and at times works with her kitchen team in order to successfully execute each event.

Thao enjoys using her creativity to transform the menu to reflect what’s in season, what’s trendy or what inspires her. She finds it extremely rewarding when clients contact her again for future events.

Don’t put limitations on yourself...The only thing standing between you and your dream is you.

S’more Browniesrecipe and photo by Kristen Schafbuch

Crust:6 TBL melted unsalted butter

1 1/2 c graham cracker2 TBL sugar

pinch of fine salt

Brownie:4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 oz chocolate, unsweetened1 c packed brown sugar

3/4 c granulated sugar1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp fine salt4 large eggs1 c AP flour

Topping:4 c marshmallows

Lightly butter pan (8x8). Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Put the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Melt until smooth (about one minute), stir. May need to be heated again for 45 seconds or this can be done on the stove with a double boiler. Put ingredients in bowl and set above a sauce-pan with water in it. Heat until completely melted. Add the chocolate and butter mixture to the sugar, which is in a separate bowl. Mix. Add eggs. Once eggs have been incorporated, add the flour. Stir until combined. Pour onto crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350. Check with toothpick brownie should look set and pick should come out a bit wet.

Remove brownie from oven place marshmallows on to in lines, covering the top. Put in broiler, watch it, it take about 2 minutes to get nice color on the marshmal-lows without burning them. Cool before cutting.

Students learn communication, cooperation, and professional skills while they prepare and serve a varied clientele ranging from local business people to fellow students in other programs.

Anyone can dine in the Gourmet Gallery. Yes, that means you. Open Monday through Wednesday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, students serve a diverse selection of sumptuous meals at prices anyone can afford, even strapped college students. The menu offers a rotating selection of fresh appetizers, entrees, and desserts. A typical entrée only costs about six bucks!

Another great feature of the Gourmet Gallery is their punch-card system. If you dine fre-quently downstairs on the first floor and fill up your card, you get a free appetizer, entrée, and dessert. You can’t beat free!

So, what’s stopping you from eating at the Gourmet Gallery? It’s fast, friendly, affordable, and delicious. Give it a shot. The student workers invite you to check out just how much they’ve learned.

Tech Marketby Brett Weik-Ulrich

Send your questions to baw362@stu.aii.edu

With the great new look to our student maga-zine, my occasional articles of the past have now transformed into a regular column. I am taking your questions under the genre of technology and business. Each release of the magazine will be an attempt to shed light on the subject of your choice. Send me lots of questions about anything you would like regarding the market of your industry. This quarter the question is from a Interactive Media Design student. Hopefully, students of all programs will ask me something so we can have a diverse conversation about the world we look to enter after graduation.

From Wendy Comier (WIDM): WaSP (Web Standards Project) was launched in 1998. Can you explain what its role is, and is it important for the web?

This is really the crux between amateur web de-signers and the pros. WaSP is an organization tied to the W3C community looking to stream-line browser creators so we designers in turn can streamline our code and designs. Being guilty myself of web designs that are the equiv-alent of “firing a shotgun at the waste,” these web standards refine crudity.

Untitled by Stephan JendeDigital Photography

No statement provided.

Neon Diptich from Stories Series by Laleh AzarshinDigital Photography

As a creative writer only recently diving deeply and passionately into Graphic Design, Typography is immensely fascinating to me. Through design, through form and feel and function, the art of communication has become infinitely broader for me.

My goal with this series was to study the story that Typographic signage tells about its home and its history without any words at all. Throughout this series of diptichs, I’ve attempt to let bits and pieces of words, bones of letterforms, and a heavy sense of decay tell these stories.

to finish this article, turn to ‘continuum’

Untitled by Ryan DyerHDR Photography

Growing up on the shores of Lake Huron, I have always been fascinated by the Great Lakes, but it wasn’t until I first saw the rocky shore of Lake Superior that I began photographing along the Minnesota shoreline. I found a simple beauty up there that was unlike my home town. Its something that I hope to show in every photograph I make along Lake Superior.

altogether. Energy can be transformed into matter and vice versa. We thought they were the singular substance in the universe until we realized that dark matter may be exotically different from either form of that substance. One day, fusion reactors may power our cities with nothing more than hy-drogen atoms stripped from molecules of water. Even now invisibility cloaks are possible.

This column will be your outlet to some of these fascinating developments in science, and will also serve as a mecha-nism for debunking popular pseudo-scientific claims. If you have questions of a scientific nature or specific topics that you would like to see me address, feel free to contact me at jdburkett@aii.edu

Albert Einstein once said all religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree. When I was first approached to write a science column for the new student magazine, I wondered if it was something that applied arts students would be interested in reading. Then I recalled this famous quote and its implication that all human knowledge and endeavor are fundamentally interrelated. Science is some-thing that applies to every single person living in the mod-ern world, every single day of their lives. Every time you turn on a light or run an appliance you are benefiting from the science of electromagnetism. If you wear corrective lenses or like going to movies you are enjoying advances in optics, the science of manipulating light waves. If you have heating or air conditioning in your home, you are benefiting from thermodynamics. Advances in quantum mechanics and solid state physics have led to cellular phones, i Pods, and flash drives which now have more capacity than state-of-the-art hard drives of the 90’s.

We live in an age of incredible scientific achievement and the more we learn, the more we begin to realize that the truth is far stranger than anything science fiction has ever envisioned. Subatomic particles can occupy two places in space simultaneously. They can teleport to another location

It’s All Relative by Jeff Burkett

hand-drawn by Aimee Bey

If you can identify this equation, come talk to Jeff Burkett for a chance at a prize!

Full-OnLibrarian

words by Steve Liska photos by Ashley Miller

Within these hallowed halls lurks an aberration. A pariah, hid-ing in the darkest recesses of our campus, eking out its mea-ger existence on a steady diet of non-proprietary third party software and open source research materials. Arrogantly be-lieving themselves to be “mavericks” or “outsiders”, they jeer at conventional online resources and research methodology. Voraciously clawing at the sinew and marrow of their most sacred cows—the Google and Yahoo search engines—genu-flecting at the altar of their most revered god-head, the omni potent Wikipedia.

What drives one to such lowly depths of depravity? How can they possibly sustain themselves? Is it just Animation or are other programs also afflicted by this cancer? Did I have the in-testinal fortitude to see this through, to battle this Leviathan? And furthermore, once having engaged the infidel, would I emerge stronger or descend into the same madness which they have succumbed? These were the questions which haunted me, in anticipation of my personal journey into the heart of darkness, into that blackest of souls; that of the unre-pentant, the unapologetic, the non- library-using Ai student.

I am a Librarian. And this is my story.

[The following is edited copy. Certain information has been expunged to protect the anonymity of informants and key players.]

Librarian: So, did you have any trouble finding this place?Student X: No, no trouble at all. I walk by here all the time.L: Funny. That’s a pretty funny comeback. X: . . .What?L: What are you, a comedian or something?X: No, I’m a expunged student.L: I’m sorry to hear that. So, did expunged explain what this interview was all about?X: Kind of. . . expunged said you wanted to interview stu-dents who have never used the Library, and that—L: That’s pretty much it. I figured on doing a 20 questions thing to find out the “who, why, where, when and how” of the non-library-using Ai student. Thanks for volunteering for this project. Are you ready to begin?X: Sure. Was that the first question?L: No, it was not. Why so hostile all the sudden?

X: Is that the first question?L: No. How about this—how about I preface each question with something like “Question One?” X: Okay.L: Okay, question One. Why do you hate libraries so much?X: Look who’s hostile now.L: Okay. Just answer the question. Take your time and com-pose yourself if you need to.X: I don’t hate libraries. I use the big library down Hennepin. That’s the library I usually go to. It not very crowded and it’s open and pretty bright. I just like it.L: Wow, now I’m really glad you said that. I already have a higher opinion of you after just that one question. The MPL is great. I’m down there at least once a week. And I agree that it is a pretty terrific place to work. And their staff is awe-some as well. But, if I understand you correctly, you’d rather walk six blocks to the public library than use the resources we have right here in this building?X: I thought you were gonna say “question” before the ques-tion.L: What’s with you and the worrying so much about what question we’re on?X: I’m just saying…L: Well that was just kind of a “follow up” to the initial ques-tion. I’m just trying to clarify for anyone reading this.X: Okay. The MPL is bigger and they have more stuff. That’s mostly why I go there. And it’s never very crowded. L: Okay, I see what you’re saying here. It is bigger, and for a couple of pretty good reasons. The public library is serving the entire city of Minneapolis as well as the county and the state at large. Their active and potential patronage is huge. They need that kind of space to accommodate the number of in-house users they draw as well as the shelf space to house all the volumes. The scope of their collection is pretty wide. You’ll probably find something on almost any topic you can think of, from raising unruly children to attaching a severed limb. Ai Minnesota, on the other hand, is completely different. This library only invests in materials that support the curriculums we teach here. The range of subjects we cover is pretty focused, while the depth is of the collection is where we have it all over MPL.X: I guess I didn’t think of that, but that does make sense. I think most people’s first impression is that the library is small so there probably isn’t that much in here to use.

L: Right. That’s the battle I end up fighting all the time. That perception. First impressions are hard to overcome and when a student comes in here doing a research paper for an English class, looking for books on “euthanasia” or “teen alcoholism,” and we don’t carry that type of thing, they get turned off and try either the internet or a branch of the public library. Not that I’m complaining about students using those resources. I think that’s great. But, if that student has a less-than-absolutely-successful first experience here, it’s that much more difficult to get them back in this library. It’s also communicating the idea that this collection is focused on what is taught here: graphic design, cu-linary, animation, advertising, et cetera. It’s getting that message to new students, and reinforcing it throughout the time they are here that is critical. X: I can see that as being important. When I started here I knew we had a library but I didn’t have any teachers who pushed me to use it. I think I had one teacher my first year who gave us as-signment and suggested going to the library to do research but just left it at that.L: Lousy teachers. Bunch of good-for-nothing, lazy…X: No, I’m not saying that. The teachers here are great. Maybe some of the teachers are unaware as to what is in the library too. Do you do like those orientation things with faculty too?L: Hey, who’s asking the questions here?X: …or if you worked with the instructors to come up with as-signments that got students using the library…L: For a person who knows nothing about this library or how I do my job, you seem to have a lot of big ideas as to how I could be doing things better around here.X: I know, I know. Sorry. Next question. L: Okay, question…what question are we on here?X: Twenty!L: Stop it. More like two or three I think. Okay here, if you’re not using the Library, where are you getting your information?X: I think I already answered that. L: Yeah I guess you did sort of, but let’s address the internet thing. I know that’s the first stop for many Ai students when they‘re doing research. X: That’s usually where I go first.L: I’m curious as to why. Tell me a little about your research “methodology”.X: Methodology?L: Yeah, you said the first place you go is the internet. Where?X: Usually to Google or Yahoo and type in what I’m looking for.

Gin & Tonic by Evan PapeDigital Photography

This image is a culmination of an in-class Film Noir shoot at Solera in downtown Minneapolis.

L: Ahhh, Google. The glorious gateway to Wikipedia.X: I don’t use Wikipedia that much. Just sometimes—if I’m in a hurry.L: And the hits you get through Google or Yahoo are pretty much what you’re looking for?X: Not really. Sometimes.L: The information you get is just rock solid though, right? Ac-curate, relevant, factual, high quality info from reliable sources?X: No… I don’t know. I guess there’s no way to really know that, is there? I usually end up wasting a lot of time searching the internet, anyways. I get distracted easily.L: See, this is where a library or a librarian is totally gonna help you out. You should be searching the online databases that are available to you.X: That’s kinda the same thing as the internet though…

A cold chill ran through my entire being as expunged’s voice trailed off and a metaphorical black cloud descended over us. It was at this moment I came to the harsh realization that the situa-tion was far more dire than I had initially surmised. Primal instincts of fight or flight took over as we sized one another up across the Formica battleground—beneath the “buzzy”, din of high energy-efficient fluorescents.

Old weathered sailors drunkenly whisper near- incoherent tales of a mythical/mystical “point of no return”. There was a time I would have dismissed such superstitious blather with a derisive sneer. That time was gone. I had now lost sight of shore and would have only my iron-like Librarian resolve to see me through to safe har-bor. That safe harbor navigable only through the blackest and most menacing of tempests. That of the uninitiated Library-user…

To be continued

Ahhh, Google. The glorious gateway to Wikipedia.

Cat HoaInterior Design Bachelor of Science

As a Design Consultant at Gabberts, Cat applies architectural principles in the design of structural interiors for living purposes. She focuses on clients’ needs and requirements by developing a func-tional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing space for the homeowner. Cat’s respon-sibilities include space planning, building material selection, furniture design, color consultations, and home visits.

Gabberts is known for its world-class team of accomplished designers, discerning design consultants, and the finest high-quality accessories, art, furniture, lighting, and rugs.

Cat was hired as a Design Consultant at Gabberts because of her education, experience with the latest technological tools in interior design, and her portfolio.

Cat enjoys being able to utilize her educational disciplines including psychology, architecture, and furniture history when she is working with clients. She also enjoys learning and recognizing the elements of fine furnishings, through the sagacious account reps and buyers at Gabberts.

Design is the application of intent, the opposite of happenstance, and the antidote to accident.

—Robert L Peters

Art Mattersby Erin Hennessy

Clever title, eh? Let’s look at the Merriam-Webster definition of the term matters:

· MAT·ter \ma-tər\ n. · Etymology: Middle English matere, from Anglo-French, from Latin materia matter, physical substance, from mater · Date of origin: 13th century · a: a subject under consideration b: a subject of disagreement or litigation c (plural): the events or circumstances of a particular situation d: the subject or substance of a discourse or writing e: something of an indicated kind or having to do with an indicated field or situation “this is a serious matter,” “as a matter of policy,” “matters of faith”

So in this column, I will be able to rabbit on, outside the classroom, about why art matters. Or, rather, I will be discussing matters relating to art and how they might relate to you. I am a firm believer that art should be at the center of every person’s life, and none more so than at the center of your lives, dear readers. Why? Because for you, art is the key to professional success. Truly.

You need to understand art, draw inspiration from it, reference it, recognize it, explain it, deconstruct it, and, then, re-assemble it. These are things creative professionals do every day. These are things you should be doing every day, and the Twin Cities is one of the best places in the country to do it. The metro area has a number of galleries and museums. Immerse yourself! Go to exhibits, take along a notebook, make sketches, record observations, research, study details! Go forth, young men and women of Ai Minnesota and make art work for you!

All sanctimonious proselytizing aside, I would like this to be an open forum to discuss any and all matters relating to art, but specifically relating to the art scene in the Twin Cities. I welcome your questions and suggestions as to the subjects I might cover in this column as well as recommendations on the local art scene. Any relevant art matters should be emailed to ejhennessy@aii.edu and I will attempt to address them in this column.

Ryan Kaplan

Graduated Summer 2008

Bachelor of Science in Visual Effects & Motion Graphics

Motion Graphics Designer/Animator

The Famous Group, Los Angeles, California

Shortly after graduation, Ryan received a call from Buster De-sign in Los Angeles, California asking if he could start work-ing immediately! After confirming important details about freelance work, compensation, and relocating, he packed his bags and flew to Los Angeles, California and began work-ing for Buster Design as a Motion Graphics Designer. A few months later, Ryan learned about and applied for the Motion Graphics Designer/Animator position at The Famous Group. What made Ryan stand out in the hiring process at The Fa-mous Group was his presentation of himself and his portfolio.

The Famous Group, founded in 2007, focuses on high end commercial animation and live action with a wide range of clients including Gatorade, Cisco, Toyota and Target. In the last few years, The Famous Group has also started to do the

alumni spotlight

graphics and animation for over 20 professional sports teams including football, baseball, hockey, basketball teams. His position involves multiple tasks throughout the day from keying to tracking to AE animation/composit-ing to 3D modeling/animation. Ryan believes his success derives from working hard and efficiently on projects as well as networking and communicating with co-workers, producers and creative directors. Ryan honestly enjoys ev-erything about his job- he likes working in motion graphics because it involves using multiple programs and software.

Ryan offers the advice; “The best way to ensure a job dur-ing or after school is to stand out. Put as much time, effort, and money into whatever you need in order to come out of school with a professional portfolio.”

We live busy lives. Our world is complex and fast-paced. Taking care of school, jobs and other obligations means we rarely slow down to appreciate what’s right in front of us. This includes all the interesting people we share space with. Do we really get to know each other? Here’s an opportunity for you to get to know an interesting person in our midst: Jelena Tosovic, Academic Direc-tor of Graphic Design. Read. Learn. Grow.

Where are you from?I always like to say I am a foreigner, as if it explains everything. And sometimes it does (I don’t get any reference to 1990’s sit-coms, nor I know any other baseball player besides Yogi Berra. But yes, I do know how many voting members there are in the House of Representatives, and the name and the tile of a person who becomes the President of the United States if both the Presi-dent and the Vice President can no longer serve.) And sometimes it is also just fun to play off of any misconception about the for-eigners. In a more serious world I am from Sarajevo in Bosnia and consider myself Western Asian (Bosnia is not in Eastern Europe. It lays across from Italy, if one looks over the Adriatic. Yes, every-body knows where Italy is.),

What got you interested in graphic arts? Actually, there is quite a long answer to that question. My first love was architecture, which in itself is a form of art but with very practical and functional context. Just as graphic design is a form of art, that of communication, which has very functional aspects to it as well, to reach to the audience and send a message. So, I fell in love with architecture and design process. As a teen I used to watch my mom, the architect herself, spend sleepless nights leaning over drawings and talking about projects in her sleep, and I thought I wanted to be her. And I got my Masters in Architecture. Graphic Design, and more specifically Typography, became love of my more mature self. I was offered to teach Design Founda-tion classes here at The Art Institutes International Minnesota and spent past 6 years focusing on design process and graphic de-sign, transitioning from built architecture to architecture of letters.

Did you always know you wanted to be in the design field? Not from very early on, but as much as it sounds like a cliché, I was a child with a great sense for pencil (which is still my favor-

ite tool). Some might call it a talent, but I try to stay away from a term that implies one either has it or not. Drawing is a learned skill better yet it’s a visual language that can be learned. Back to your question, it did not take me too long to figure out I wanted to be an architect.

The school system in my home country is different from the one existing here. After 8 years of elementary education one attends high school for 4 years. Each high school has a different profes-sional focus so one needs to declare a professional interest prior to applying to it, meaning at the age of 14. For most high schools there is an exam one needs to pass in order to enroll. High school program itself is very rigorous and focused. My focus was Math and Physics. Yes, very nerdy… I thought I would become a Math-ematician, and discover and prove new rules and theorems. And perhaps become a professor at the college for super smart peo-ple. But then, my mom kept talking in her sleep or would stay up all night, and I became an architect.

Where did you go to school?I went to school in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Vienna, Austria and Min-neapolis, Minnesota. All 3 are so different systems, very unique challenges and wonderful experiences. Being exposed to such diversity helps me better understand the culture and assimilate to the society I live in. And it absolutely teaches me tolerance. Congratulations on your recent citizenship. What were the biggest challenges surrounding this accomplishment? Thank you. Being a foreigner is not an easy thing, as much as it can be fun (mostly for others). There is an endless list of cul-tural references I will never understand. Most of the values are quite similar across cultures, but so many traditions and customs are so different. My personal space is very small and I hug dear people, among many other things. I keep learning and that’s a fun art of it. Sometimes it’s quite frustrating not to get it from the first and having to ask what ‘it’ actually is or means. However, here in the U.S. more than anywhere else people are accepting of the foreigners. (On the day I became a Citizen, 700 people were naturalized here in Minneapolis only, and that is quite amazing). This is the country of opportunities regardless of who you are. (Based on my experience. Perhaps other minorities with more

to finish this article, turn to ‘continuum’

The mad Russian, the myth, the legend, the wild-eyed genius of the WDIM department, for those in the know, there is no doubt that when it comes to Flash, Yuriy Sherayzen is the man. Sher-ayzen performs miracles daily via the secret language of codes seen by many yet understood and replicated by few. His ability to make magic on the computer screen sets students’ frontal lobes ablaze and ignites the learning process as their creative ambi-tions are set in motion and guided by Sherayzen’s steady hand.

The journey that brought Yuriy Sherayzen to The Art Institutes International Minnesota is a long one that started a world away working and studying in a field that had very little to do with what he would call a career here in the United States.

Born in Minsk, Belarus, Sherayzen grew up during the height of the cold war and the subsequent fall of the Soviet Union where valuable life lessons were learned, as he says, “During that pe-riod, I spent most of my time studying and bettering myself.”In his teens and early adult years, Sherayzen was educated in the classical arts studying musical composition and theory. He eventually became a talented pianist able to play Rachmaninoff, no small feat in the piano world.

When asked what the Soviet reaction to Rocky IV was when it came out, Sherayzen laughed out loud and joked, “If I remember, they banned the movie!”

Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, Sherayzen packed his bags and headed westward to Minneapolis by way of Chicago to be closer to his grandmother and to seek opportunity in the United States.

Arriving in the U.S. was a bit of a culture shock for Sherayzen because his experience of socialism was very different from the controlled chaos that is capitalism. Sherayzen wasted no time mastering the English language and immersing himself in the American way of life.

“The biggest barrier was not so much knowing the words but not being able to understand them,” Yuriy said, “I can remember the day when I went from not understanding to understanding.”

It was in the U.S. that Sherayzen witnessed the role a computer could play in the creative process. His experience with comput-ers had been limited to a single class dealing with more traditional computer roles as they pertained to business and administration. “The internet and computers, all that stuff [in the Soviet Union] was behind what was in the United States,” Sherayzen explained. Arriving in this country set the stage for what would become rewarding career. He had always been a creative soul spend-ing countless hours drawing and painting everything from landscapes and portraits to caricatures and cel animation, and sculpting with plastiline clay.”

The transition to working in computers was a gradual one for Sherayzen, starting with animation and then migrating toward in-teractive design.

“I liked the fact that you could do so much more with Interac-tive Design,” stated Sherayzen, suggesting also that working with code is much like music composition in that there are rules and constants that must be acknowledged.

by Chip Janigo by David Hinson

to finish this article, turn to ‘continuum’

Yuriy SherayzenJelena Tosovic

Roses are Free by Kathy LittfinChalk Pastel on Paper

This piece is not just scribbles—it’s actually an impression of Phish’s ver-sion of “Roses are Free.” I listened to

the song several times, focusing on the different elements of the music.

I’m greatly inspired by the Blue Rider

Group and Wassily Kandinsky.

Pink Guitar by Lisa HylleDigital Photography

I created this photo for an assignment in my Location class. The concept was to produce an image that could appear on a CD cover for a musician. My work tends to rely heavily on as-pects of design. In this piece, I was interested in the shape that the two forms created when put together.

Blue Space by Ronald FarberAcrylic on Canvas Paper

This type of artwork, coming from me, is an anomaly. I’ve always admired art, but tended to sway towards digital mediums. So when I had an acrylic asignment in Color & Design, I struggled for inspiration at first, but finally decided to apply my love of space and astronomy to create this piece.

A New Chapter for DEX: A Letter From the Presidentsby Natalia Bungert and Phalen Elonich If you have not already heard, DEX is a student organization here at The Art Insti-tutes International Minnesota, that expands and builds on student’s career skills and opportunities. We encompass multiple majors and also interact as a whole. DEX offers opportunities for those students in Advertising, Culinary, Graphic De-sign, Fashion Design, Interior Design, and Web Design. It also pertains to students who have an interest in Business Ethics and Marketing.

To kick off another year at DEX, we are looking for new and talented members. DEX is centered around two main competitions a year; Regionals and Internationals. At Regionals, students may choose to compete in several categories applying to their majors. Participants prepare presentations for a few months and then present their work to a panel of judges and professionals. Students are judged on the creativity and knowledge of their design and also on presentation skills.

Last year, the Regional’s competition was held in Mankato for three days. Even though our chapter is small, we always perform well. We would love to expand out chapter and share more of our talent this year. This year we were fortunate enough to have 4 out of 8 students place and go to Internationals! Internationals is a huge conference that brings together schools nationwide to compete. This conference was held in California this year and we were given the chance to visit Universal Stu-dios! Going to Internationals is a great opportunity to network and gain knowledge firsthand from professionals in your field. DEX prepares you with the skills neces-sary to put you ahead of others in your field.

This year’s Regional’s competition is February 23 - 25 at the Alltel Center in Manka-to. Also, Internationals are going to take place April 17 - 20 in Louisville, Kentucky.

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

Elizabeth OttePhotographyBachelor of Fine Arts

Elizabeth believes her determination and willingness accomplish any task helped her stand out in the hiring process for the Producer/Studio Manager position for Sheehan Photography, a photography studio in Minneapolis.

Sheehan Photography shoots commer-cial photography for ad agencies in the metro area and also operates a rental studio for photographers that are in need of space or equipment.

As Producer, Elizabeth handles allthe behind-the-scenes duties for each photo shoot, and as the Studio Manager, she is accountable or the organizationof the rental studio.

Elizabeth enjoys dealing with the con-stant challenges that arise from day to day.

Never give up.

Garter Belt by Morgan LustDigital Photography

This photo was taken at Solera as an in-class assignment for my Location Photography class.

During this photo shoot, we were going for the Film Noir style. Anna Eveslage poses here.

I’m greatly inspired by vintage fashion and photography.

Woman by Frank MasiAirbrush on Matte Board

The goal of this assignment was to capture the human form.

I drew my inspiration from an advertisement for liposuction.

by Matthew Luken August 17, 2009 (Minneapolis, MN) – The Art Institutes International Minnesota and Grandpa-George hosted Kristina Halvorson, President and Founder of Brain Traffic, for a discussion about Content Strategy with the Web Design & Interactive Media program on August 12, 2009. Brain Traffic is a nationally renowned agency specializing in content strategy and writing for websites. In her presentation, Kristina discussed how to deliver useful, usable content online, where and when your customers need it most, in addition to the importance of this emerging discipline, why content matters, what is content strategy, how it works and she offered a plan of how we can get where we want to be as an industry. Kristina is the author of Content Strategy for the Web (New Riders, August 2009). The book helps to define the discipline and business value of content strategy, offering simple steps for introducing the discipline into the web project process. It also gives practical advice on staffing and resource allocation for web editorial roles and responsibilities. Web Design & Interactive Media students were offered the chance to see why ev-eryone in the industry needs to be aware of content strategy. They also learned how to plan for it and to encourage all to build for it. With over 100 students and faculty in attendance, the follow-up question and answer session was very informative. When asked how the presentation was received, Matthew Luken of Grandpa-George and Web Design & Interactive Media Instructor at The Art Institutes In-ternational Minnesota stated, “There has been tons of energy generated from the presentation. Students have been overheard discussing it in the halls, twitter has been active and even the instructors have been discussing it in their workroom. It’s all very exciting.” Grandpa-George is currently working on hosting more guest lectures with The Art Institutes International Minnesota in the coming months, so stay tuned for more coverage right here in this column.

Kristina Halvorson of Brain Traffic Talks Web Content Strategy

Simple Machines Advertisement by Chuck HonerDigital Illustration

No statement provided.

Jana BocklundGraphic Design Associate of Applied Science

Jana’s personality, the variety of work in her portfolio, and her website were all critical factors that helped her to stand out throughout the hiring process at Nor-wood Promotional Products, where she now works as a Graphic Designer.

Norwood Promotional Products is an industry-leading supplier of imprinted promotional products. Jana designs cus-tom calendar mock-ups for a wide range of clients, from big national companies to small independent companies.

She also creates calendars for the stock-line promotional products catalogs as well as the marketing brochures and printed materials that are used to sell the promotional calendars.

Jana enjoys being able to create a prod-uct that can be found in the real market-place and she is proud that her design abilities and sensibilities are trustedand respected.

Grab all the energy, enthusiasmand passion you have for design right this moment, and carry them with you into your real life and work.

A Look Back by Chip JanigoVector Artwork

Until recently, I hadn’t had much exposure to the overall history of design and how it has impacted the evolution of graphic design as a continu-

ously changing entity. This is my homage to Erhard Ratdolt’s 1476 illustration for a 15th-century book called Calendarium. Having drawn it electronically with the pen tool in Illustrator, however, makes me feel as

though I have cheated, and I try to remain humble in our nearly all-digital age. As children, we are taught to look both ways before crossing the

street. As designers, we must look both to antiquity, and to the future of what’s possible, to create and design in new and innovative ways.

Jason NessaWeb Design & Interactive Media Bachelor of Science

Jason works as the Online Content Coordinator for Clear Channel, a media conglomerate in the entertainmentand advertising industry.

He manages the KDWB 101.3 website where he adds, removes, and updates the content on the site. Jason is also responsible forsending out mass email newsletters to subscribers and creating KDWB ads for magazines and fliers.

Jason stood out in the hiring process due to his familiarity with the entertainment industry that he gained as an intern with the Minnesota Lynx.

Jason enjoys all aspects of his job at Clear Channel, and doesn’t mind being able to see bands perform or meeting celebrities.

Always do what you do best,and you’ll get even better at what you do best.

Caught in the Act!by Jennifer McDowell

As part of the Enhancing Quality Initiative, the Passion & Quality Party (PQP) was formed in July to engage students, faculty and staff in expressions of our campus culture.

The first PQP-sponsored activity was the Passion & Quality Contest. This contest was open to everyone on campus and solicited design, culinary and management work that demonstrated quality and passion with a travel theme.

Now PQP is introducing another way to show off your talent and to tell your story! “Caught In The Act!” is a new feature at the Passion & Quality Party blog. It’s a place to showcase the quality all around you! It’s simple.

Step 1: Take a picture that shows the unique character of colleagues or friends. Catch them in the act of being, doing, and aspiring to achieve their goals! Take a photo of their famous bacon-chocolate chip cookies or their pastel watercolor collection. Show how they keep their cool when emotions heat up during finals week.

Step 2: Find a quote that expresses the idea shown in the photo. Use your favorite song or movie for inspiration, or look up one of the thousands of ‘inspirational quotes’ web sites.

Step 3: Put them together and upload the re-sulting digital file!

Just go to http://aim.aiiresources.com and click on the Passion & Quality link. Then fol-low the directions to upload your file.

Untitled by Kevin FitzkeAcrylic & Latex on Vinyl Paper

In my paintings, I enjoy using non-traditional techniques and mediums.My goal is to create artwork that not only fills an area on a wall, but allows for a different interpretation every time a person views it.

Continued from “Yuriy”

visible differences would tell a different story.) You can try what ever you want, the limitation being the one you set for yourself. And have been trying very successfully.

What classes have you taught throughout your career?I have been at the Art Institutes International for 7 years (wow…) and have been teaching for the Graphic Design program all de-sign foundation classes, Typography and Advanced Typography, Portfolio and Prep. I was also the Advisor for Graphic Design stu-dents for 2 years. For past 2 years I have been the Academic Director for Graphic Design and loving it. Being director and in charge of GD curriculum, budget, schedules, student success and faculty satisfaction is quite stressful and very challenging. But that’s beauty of it. I am very proud of our program. My pre-decessor Erika Dodge made it strong and taught me quite a few things.

We have 12 full-time and around 5 part-time faculty. Without them our program would not be what it is. They are dedicated and focused on quality education and have great professional experience. They are all also very supportive of our students, and I hope that you guys can sense it regardless of their different teaching styles. Being an instructor is also very challenging. Stu-dents in class have different backgrounds and experience and for us as instructors all equally important. Remembering my own teaching experience, which helps understand both students’ and instructors’ needs and run our program more successfully in that sense, instructors want the best student to be challenged and the one that struggles the most to still have a chance to succeed. It is not easy to accommodate all those different needs. But that’s what makes us feel accomplished. As well as the very moment you see the student get excited about the exploration and trust you to take them outside of the comfort zone, to try something new without the fear of failure.

Give us some highlights and memorable momentssurrounding your career?I love my job even when it’s the most stressful and am proud of my experience, with all is unexpected turns, highlights and low-lights. I loved teaching and working with students directly. I also love managing our program, which on more conceptual level is similar to a classroom experience, but perhaps lacks instant grat-

ification of a student’s smile. For me the most exciting moment is in progress, with us trying to revitalize our program, build stronger relationship with [the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)], integrate more Web Design based classes, and make that a joint effort between faculty and students.

In your opinion, what are the most important things graphic design students need to consider and focus on right now?I would like our students to be excited and passionate about what they do and learn.And also to realize, with our help, they have to participate very actively in our community by exploring, observing, absorbing, communicating and networking. Our environment is very inter-active and overwhelmed with information in a positive sense. De-signing for such an environment is different from any precedent. The language of design is still the same but the structure keeps changing. We need to be able to recognize it and embrace it. It’s exciting.

Web is quickly becoming imperative to design fields. What would you advise for GD students to help them prepare for this?Web is imperative, but as I said in my message to Graphic Design students, that does not mean you will be expected to become Web developers and to know how to write the code. Quoting a part of my message: “ we will help you become graphic design-ers with a great sense and skill for web design layouts, which are user friendly and beautiful, and not ridiculously complex for web developers who need to write the code behind them (behind your designs).” Our students should be attentive to what they learn in Web- Design-based classes. But also should keep exploring it on their own. After all, web is integral to our daily life.

A word of caution when you actually visit the site at webstan-dards.org. The presentation students and advertisers were ex-posed to this quarter by Kristina Halvorson described a web more habitable than this one corner of the web. The WaSP home page puts forth a language complicated and technical. The line length of body text stretches 800 pixels across the screen. This is supposed to be the catch all for web standards, and it is hardly engaging. The material presented on the site is really the surface of a much larger argument for web standards by the W3C com-munity and educators. It is worth mentioning the w3c.org site is not the most user friendly site either. Any time I experience a question about the web world, it must be very specific in order to gain answers.

Continued from “Jelena”

Continued from “Tech Market”

Dustin RientsMedia Arts & AnimationBachelor of Science

As an Animator and Game Designer for King Show Games, Dustin works in a small group and creates concepts for new games. He constructs the new game mechanics and the content for the game including animation, rendering, story-boarding, and 2D art.

Dustin works through the development of the games, from pre-production to postproduction. King Show Games is a local company that brings new and innovative ideas to the advanced video platforms systems industry.

Dustin believes his persistence, his willingness to learn new skills, and his effort to keep in touch with the company helped him to stand out as a candidate for the Animator and Game Designer position. He enjoys seeing his progres-sion in the industry and the improvement of his creative skills.

Do your research on a company before the interview. Show the employer you have put thought into their company.

Many advanced web designers are feeding this leviathan. This is good thing for students and faculty to know about the WaSP. Andy Clark, a UK web pioneer, has been with WaSP since 2006. He was responsible for the re-design of the WaSP site at that time. If he were to be in the room, maybe he would have a great argument for why it is so hard for me to read it. I truly think this man has got a great design sense and his work on the web can be found in many places (the Disney Store UK, British Heart Foundation, and Save The Children). I first found out about Mr. Clark from a chapter he wrote in Web Standards Creativity Innova-tions in Web Design with XHTML, CSS, and DOM. If you are serious about web standards he should be followed.

This whole topic is about creating a web that everyone can enjoy from anywhere in the world. Whether an IE browser in Bangalore or a Firefox portal in LA, the web has become the place for cultures of the world to collide. Without a manner of connecting, this whole thing simply wouldn’t work. Semantic web pages (pages which follow a hierarchy) and accessible content are not easy to create at first, but we must, as creative people, always fit our talent into a mold. Web standards are one of those molds.

The suggestion is this, if I was an instructor, the WaSP would be a resource of how instructors across the globe are spreading the values of teaching web stan-dards. Since, I am a student and probably most of you are, do what @elbryano indicated I should do. Download the web developers tool bar from Firefox, un-derstand that web standards exist, and become more aware of them. This field is more routed than some of the other technologies on the web, so once you know how to evaluate your web sites, the upgrade from year-to-year shouldn’t be much of a challenge.

As an instructor at Ai Minnesota, Sherayzen has some advice for all students, “Be an active learner, not just a passive one. Don’t wait for the instructor to make the information available, seek it out and experiment.”

I asked if having to slow down to match the pace of his students was ever frus-trating, “Not at all because it only came easily to me after many trials and errors, so I understand the process. I love working with people one on one as well, al-most like a tutor.” It’s easy to see that Sherayzen takes great pride in his work. He gleams with satisfaction when he is able to help students.

“Working here is an amazing experience,” says a Sherayzen proudly, “I would like to thank everyone who makes every day here a great one, and whose brilliance speaks for itself. [Everyone here is] a constant source of inspiration, but I owe special thanks to Dana Nybo, my fellow colleagues, and my students.”

offer expires 10/16/09

visit http://aim.aiiresources.com/libraryand click on the renew button at the top of the page

enter the barcode from the back of your student id card and your last name in the fields provided.

renew materials if necessary, then right click and select the print option to print a copy of your circulation record.

present the copy of your patron record and the coupon above to the circulation desk in the LRC and recieve $5 off any existing library fine.

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