FIDM

One of the best parts about FIDM is the fact that our instructors are still part of the industry and are then able to teach us about the immediate going-ons of life after college.

Doug Meyer, instructor of classes such as Major Art Movements, Color and Design Theory, and Survey of Western Art, is one such example of this. Meyer, who earned his Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting and has built a solid experience in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the past 30 years, has been active in the Los Angeles art scene in addition to his teaching post at FIDM. This Spring 2013 quarter, Meyer will be showing his Post-Minimal pieces in a group exhibition of paintings and sculpture called “De Stil” at the AndrewShire Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. 

De Stil, which means “The Quiet” in Dutch, is a showing of abstract pieces that celebrates and embraces the concepts of quietness and stillness. “Quiet, but revealing, the work presents a visual and conceptual layering that requires the viewer to investigate, ponder, and contemplate the works.”  Curated by Carl Berg, who is a veteran in his field, the exhibition features other Los Angeles-based artists such as Steve DeGroodt, Mara De Luca, Andy Kolar, Carolee Toon, and Doug Meyer. Meyer, who has been working on his compositions for the show during the past year, describes his work as “repetitions of simple forms that are channeled into intuitive and complex color relationships.” Against the bustling and fast-paced city environment, this show is certain to encourage visitors to re-examine their own perceptions of tranquility and placidity through the poignant pieces of each artist.

So what advice does Meyer have for current and prospective FIDM students who are pursuing careers in creative fields? “Create an audience and give them something no one else can. Be yourself, but be objective and be willing to change, because the world keeps changing around us. My advice for a prospective FIDM student is to keep your eyes open and try hard to learn all you can about the industries and careers that await you. Make everything in your academic career part of a personal formula for success!”

De Stil will hold its opening reception this Saturday, April 13, from 6-8pm; the exhibition will run from April 13, 2013 until May 10, 2013.

AndrewShire Gallery is located at 3850 Wilshire Blvd #107, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

Students and art enthusiasts alike — don’t miss out on the chance to experience this exhibition!

It’s that time of year again; FIDM DEBUT, which is one of FIDM’s largest student work showcase, will start tonight and run until Saturday! 

This year, FIDM Graphic Design students from all four campuses were invited to participate in a snowboard design competition in which the winning designs were to be produced by Signal Snowboards and featured alongside Advanced Fashion Design student Kelly Knagg’s winter activewear line in DEBUT 2013. Out of the many who applied, only 11 students’ designs were chosen by Signal Snowboards. I was fortunate enough to take part in this competition and, alongside with 5 others from the Los Angeles and Orange County campuses and 6 others from the San Francisco campus, represent the Graphic Design department in DEBUT 2013 with our designs. 

After learning that our designs were chosen to be produced, Signal Snowboards graciously invited the FIDM designers who participated to their factory located in Huntington Beach, CA. Here, we were able to learn about all the steps involved from turning the digital design into the actual product — a snowboard. With Signal Snowboard’s Team Manager, Joey Yorba, acting as our tour guide, we walked through the facility and learned much about their industrial equipment (such as their custom paint drip machine, heating press, and die-cutters), processes (such as cutting the wood into the base and lacquering the board before heating it up), and their overall standard of excellence. 

For more information about the tour and the FIDM x Signal Snowboards’ collaboration, check out the FIDMDigitalArts Blog!

Congratulations to Anthony Rodriguez, Henson Garcia, Jade Mclain, Joe Macri, Jon Ezell, Kelsi Calhoun, Krislyn Perez, Patrick Lee, Quinn Palmer, Regina Gomez, and Angelica Villegas, the Graphic Design students whose snowboard designs will appear in DEBUT 2013 alongside Kelly Knagg’s winter activewear line on the runway!