More than 90 percent of our 2009 graduating class have gone on to work in their field or have been accepted to a graduate program in art or design. Take a look at what some of recent alumni are doing.
Valerie Mayen – Illustration
Alex Pakis – Jewelry + Metals
Dana Schutz – Painting
Brian Peterson – Industrial Design (automotive)
Scott Richardson – Interior Design
Thu Tran – Glass
Ben Grasso – Painting
Emily Bute – Enameling
Mark Reigelman – Sculpture
Valerie Mayen
Yellowcake (founder and designer)
Cleveland, Ohio
BFA in Illustration 2005
yellowcakeshop.com
As a 2010 contestant on Lifetime TV’s Project Runway, Valerie’s creative process and design skills are on display each week. When not on the show, Valerie is designing clothing and accessories for her company, Yellowcake. Valerie was awarded fellowships for emerging artists from the Cleveland Partnership for Arts and Culture and the COSE Business Awards.
Alex Pakis
Greenpoint Craftworks
Brooklyn, NY
BFA in Jewelry + Metals 2004
apakis.com
Alex is designer and owner of Greenpoint Craftworks, a custom jewelry and bike boutique in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to launching his company, Alex worked with an international fashion label. At Greenpoint Craftworks Alex has created a sought-after line of jewelry and is regularly commissioned to create one-of-a-kind pieces. In addition to developing wearable art, Alex is also well known for his bicycle restoration work In December 2009 he was featured in the Japanese magazine Pedal Speed.
Dana Schutz
Studio Artist
New York
BFA in Painting 2000
zachfeuer.com/danaschutz
Dana is internationally known as a rising star in the fine art world. Her work has been shown at the Venice Biennial, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She has earned extensive coverage in The New York Times and articles in Art Forum and Vogue. Sometimes humorous, sometimes disturbing, sometime bizarre, her paintings portray themes ranging from building, dismantling and rebuilding, to a series on “Frank,” the last man on earth.
Brian Peterson
Chrysler
Automotive Interior Designer
Detroit
BFA in Industrial Design 2009
Currently, Brian is an automotive interior designer with Chrysler – a position he has held since graduating from CIA’s renowned Industrial Design program. In September 2009 Brian was one of eight recipients of a prestigious Interior Motives Design award and the only winner from the U.S. Brian was recognized for his Mobile Maid car, a design he created as a student at CIA, which garnered him the award from Best Lifestyle Interior.
Scott Richardson
Richardson Design
BFA in Interior Design 1991
Cleveland
richardsondesign.com
For more than 15 years Richardson Design has developed a global reputation for their work with retailers, corporations, real estate developers, and design houses. Food Network Iron Chef Michael Symon reached out to Scott to design the interior of two of his Cleveland restaurants. Earlier in his career Scott was an interior designer for Fitch, Inc. where he worked with IBM, Reebok, Mazda Motors, 7-Eleven, Kraft Foods and Blockbuster Entertainment. Scott is also an adjunct faculty member at CIA.
Thu Tran
Independent Film Channel
Host + Creator of Food Party
Brooklyn, NY
BFA in Glass 2005
thutran.com
Thu describes her show, Food Party, as a mind-bending, non-reality cooking show with a cast of unruly puppets as culinary aides. Food Party was recently renewed for a second season. Prior to launching the show, Thu worked as a sculptor and illustrator, glassblowing assistant, and glassblowing instructor.
She’s been profiled by the New York Times, and was recently named to "New York's Most Beautiful People" list by Paper Magazine. At the 2008 New York Television Festival she was awarded the Out of the Box Award for her work on Food Party
Ben Grasso
Studio Artist
New York
BFA in Painting 2003
Bengrasso.com
Over the past seven years Ben has exhibited work in both solo and group shows in top galleries in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Italy. Recently his solo show “New Territory,” was presented in the Jerome Zodo Contemporary Gallery in Milan, Italy. Ben’s work has been featured in many publications, including Beautiful / Decay. Currently, Ben is represented by Thierry Goldberg Projects gallery in New York City.
Emily Bute
Assistant Designer, Alexis Bittar Inc.
New York
BFA in Enameling 2004
emilybute.com
Emily uses specialized software to design high-end jewelry at Alexis Bittar Inc., whose clients include the cast of the television show “Sex in the City.” Emily also maintains a studio where she creates wearable art and memorial platters through enameling and cloisonne. The Enamel Arts Foundation in Los Angeles, California recently acquired her Memorial Wreath Platter series.
Mark Reigelman
Studio Artist
BFA in Sculpture 2005
markreigelman.com
Mark’s professional projects range from public art and interior designer to ceramics, jewelry and product design. His public installations include works for the 2009 and 2010 Cleveland Museum of Art Summer Solstice, the City of Cleveland and Brooklyn Borough Hall. Mark also sells his signature pieces, such as sculptural silverware, NY snow globes, and task lights, in boutiques across the globe – from New York to Paris to Hong Kong.