Thursday, August 7, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
back with a vengeance
So a lot has happened since my last post. I'll try to summarize it so your not falling asleep over there.
January 2013 = all time low. unemployed and animation mentor drop out. why you ask? well, I decided that maya animation while fascinating to try and master was not my true passion. Animation is yes, but I am 1000 x happier drawing than working in Maya...fact. So I was back to the drawing board and for a brief time had a job that equivocated to working at hooters...as I said. all time low.
March 2013 = landed a summer job working @ yale at a summer program for the arts and technology...but what to do in the meantime...well, through my good old craigslist searches I found and landed a job working at a publishing company in Princeton that specialized in year books. I learned a lot, got promoted within a month to a management position. I learned quickly and worked hard. Downsides were the hours, the commute, the pay, and the lack of creative work. Perks were pizza for overtime, paid overtime, a beer machine next to a coffee machine, the young atmosphere, and the experience of working in publishing. That and I played laser tag with everybody at our production season kick off event. While I was hoping they would offer me full time employment in the creative department after a while I realized I needed something else. More creative than yearbooks.
June 2013 = Sure enough, I got scouted by a creative recruiter from NYC (thanks onward search) and hooked up with a job in my area and in a pharma based marketing branch. Initially they interviewed me for a position that was 3-6 months in length as a studio artist building e-books and interactive media. They ended up not hiring me for that because my lack of experience in it...*though I bet if they knew then I'd be doing that now they would of kept me around longer* They wanted to to help them edit and revamp an updated campaign for a drug, so I did that instead. I had to milk it because the edits were so fast and I was almost two efficient. Had I not been given a temp position, I woulda gotten it done in two to three days. I made it drag on for two weeks so I at least got a decent pay check and got to learn some more. It was only a few weeks till my Yale job any who, so it was good to keep busy. The pay was AMAZING, the work was effortless, but still, I yearned for a challenge.
June 2013-August 2013 = ask me how I ended up an assistant director/ health and safety coordinator I have no idea...but more or less I was a nurse and another set of eyes. A den mother of sorts, making sure the kids were having fun and safe. I got to go on all the field trips to NYC and the Museum of the Moving image, and seeing kids half my age doing what I wanted to do for a living was enough motivation for me. The perks of this job was, it was 90% down time, I just had to be on call, so I had a lot of time to search for jobs, and do mock ups to get interviews. I also tried to pick up any fun tips from my co-workers who were all very versed in media and apps. The kids were for the most part very well behaved, some with some really serious medical issues, but I felt kinda cool that I was able to be maternal. wooh!
August 2013 = So while at Yale, I had four job interviews, three of which were in one week. One of them was for a fashion label as a junior designer, one was at a small publishing house for an internship, another was for an ad agency, or two, and the last was for a pharma based media company (which is where I am not happily). Out of all of those, I had two offers...they were legitimate and nice, but I went with scimed because of the company culture, the location, everything felt right to me. And it is right...I have been there since September and I love what I do. I get to story board, animate, and design games/ ebooks. Its my dream come true and I have never been happier
January 2013 = all time high, not only am I still loving my company, I have made some good impressions I believe. Our main client loved the design of my game, another prospective client we landed because of an interactive animated parable I created, and now I am working on some really exciting projects in addition I have been taking classes at the good old Society of Illustrators and continue to my develop my work. :) I now reside in manhattan and love everything about it (minus cost of living). But its worth it.
moral of the story: hi. my name is courtney. and I will continue to be an artist no matter what all time lows I hit, I will keep trying. And everybody else should too.
January 2013 = all time low. unemployed and animation mentor drop out. why you ask? well, I decided that maya animation while fascinating to try and master was not my true passion. Animation is yes, but I am 1000 x happier drawing than working in Maya...fact. So I was back to the drawing board and for a brief time had a job that equivocated to working at hooters...as I said. all time low.
March 2013 = landed a summer job working @ yale at a summer program for the arts and technology...but what to do in the meantime...well, through my good old craigslist searches I found and landed a job working at a publishing company in Princeton that specialized in year books. I learned a lot, got promoted within a month to a management position. I learned quickly and worked hard. Downsides were the hours, the commute, the pay, and the lack of creative work. Perks were pizza for overtime, paid overtime, a beer machine next to a coffee machine, the young atmosphere, and the experience of working in publishing. That and I played laser tag with everybody at our production season kick off event. While I was hoping they would offer me full time employment in the creative department after a while I realized I needed something else. More creative than yearbooks.
June 2013 = Sure enough, I got scouted by a creative recruiter from NYC (thanks onward search) and hooked up with a job in my area and in a pharma based marketing branch. Initially they interviewed me for a position that was 3-6 months in length as a studio artist building e-books and interactive media. They ended up not hiring me for that because my lack of experience in it...*though I bet if they knew then I'd be doing that now they would of kept me around longer* They wanted to to help them edit and revamp an updated campaign for a drug, so I did that instead. I had to milk it because the edits were so fast and I was almost two efficient. Had I not been given a temp position, I woulda gotten it done in two to three days. I made it drag on for two weeks so I at least got a decent pay check and got to learn some more. It was only a few weeks till my Yale job any who, so it was good to keep busy. The pay was AMAZING, the work was effortless, but still, I yearned for a challenge.
June 2013-August 2013 = ask me how I ended up an assistant director/ health and safety coordinator I have no idea...but more or less I was a nurse and another set of eyes. A den mother of sorts, making sure the kids were having fun and safe. I got to go on all the field trips to NYC and the Museum of the Moving image, and seeing kids half my age doing what I wanted to do for a living was enough motivation for me. The perks of this job was, it was 90% down time, I just had to be on call, so I had a lot of time to search for jobs, and do mock ups to get interviews. I also tried to pick up any fun tips from my co-workers who were all very versed in media and apps. The kids were for the most part very well behaved, some with some really serious medical issues, but I felt kinda cool that I was able to be maternal. wooh!
August 2013 = So while at Yale, I had four job interviews, three of which were in one week. One of them was for a fashion label as a junior designer, one was at a small publishing house for an internship, another was for an ad agency, or two, and the last was for a pharma based media company (which is where I am not happily). Out of all of those, I had two offers...they were legitimate and nice, but I went with scimed because of the company culture, the location, everything felt right to me. And it is right...I have been there since September and I love what I do. I get to story board, animate, and design games/ ebooks. Its my dream come true and I have never been happier
January 2013 = all time high, not only am I still loving my company, I have made some good impressions I believe. Our main client loved the design of my game, another prospective client we landed because of an interactive animated parable I created, and now I am working on some really exciting projects in addition I have been taking classes at the good old Society of Illustrators and continue to my develop my work. :) I now reside in manhattan and love everything about it (minus cost of living). But its worth it.
moral of the story: hi. my name is courtney. and I will continue to be an artist no matter what all time lows I hit, I will keep trying. And everybody else should too.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
the in-betweener
yes, not only is it the term for an animator, but it also serves a perfect double entendre. You see, I feel like I am an in-betweener in more ways than one.
Right now, I am in-between jobs, in-between passions, in between...a rock and a hard place.
The rock is, that I just started school for animation and I am just grazing the surface of what it means to animate and entering that world. Meanwhile, I'm getting plenty of offers to illustrate, but for unfair pay or royalties only, which is virtually nothing.
I wish I could teach or do a job that I can be creative in that doesn't distract from my current focus of animation/illustration. I'm working on finding a way there. So, in the meantime...I shall keep on pushing from the in-between, to the break down, and than finally my x-treme new life :) how's that for some creative metaphors!
also...HAPPY BIRTHDAY WALT DISNEY!
Right now, I am in-between jobs, in-between passions, in between...a rock and a hard place.
The rock is, that I just started school for animation and I am just grazing the surface of what it means to animate and entering that world. Meanwhile, I'm getting plenty of offers to illustrate, but for unfair pay or royalties only, which is virtually nothing.
I wish I could teach or do a job that I can be creative in that doesn't distract from my current focus of animation/illustration. I'm working on finding a way there. So, in the meantime...I shall keep on pushing from the in-between, to the break down, and than finally my x-treme new life :) how's that for some creative metaphors!
also...HAPPY BIRTHDAY WALT DISNEY!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
RAW semi finals
hey everybody :)
Here are some pictures from the big show! This was my first time where I actually had some fans that weren't just friends and family! A few people recognized me from the last show which was exciting! Even though I didn't get selected to move on to nationals, another HAS alumni did and I am happy for her!
I started to unwind by the end of the night and my caricature booth blew up...I had a line of over twenty people waiting for me to draw them. I timed myself and could start and finish a black and white drawing of more than one person under 10 minutes. I have never done this before so it really challenged my speed and skill.
Monday, October 29, 2012
NEWS!
Hi everybody! fun updates...
1.) I was nominated for the state semi-finals for RAW's Artist of the Year award, the biggest indie art competition in the world. Artists were narrowed down from 100 other eligible participants based upon an online voting and a panel of RAW judges. I also must congratulate my other Hartford Art School Alumni for also making it to the state semi-finals. I would be thrilled if any one of us are voted to continue on to nationals. I am permitted to hang only 5 pieces and I am going to make sure that a majority of the work is new and better than before. I really think I have a shot at this, so I am going to put all my energy into this.
When: November 15th 7-12pm
Where: The Russian Lady, Hartford, CT
Cover: $15 if you purchase in advance, $20 at the door
How it works:
Everybody that attends gets one sticker per category. You are permitted one vote for each category (performing arts, visual arts, photography...) 50% of public live vote and 50% judges discretion is what will determine who wins in each category.
If I go on to Nationals, the award ceremony is in L.A. and all 50 states will have artists as representatives. So please, come, support and vote for me :)
and may the odds ever be in your favor.
ALSO, I am half way through my animation course I. Trying to step up my a game for that. I have two children's book contracts I am drafting up as well. Cheers to feeling like myself again and making art everyday!
1.) I was nominated for the state semi-finals for RAW's Artist of the Year award, the biggest indie art competition in the world. Artists were narrowed down from 100 other eligible participants based upon an online voting and a panel of RAW judges. I also must congratulate my other Hartford Art School Alumni for also making it to the state semi-finals. I would be thrilled if any one of us are voted to continue on to nationals. I am permitted to hang only 5 pieces and I am going to make sure that a majority of the work is new and better than before. I really think I have a shot at this, so I am going to put all my energy into this.
When: November 15th 7-12pm
Where: The Russian Lady, Hartford, CT
Cover: $15 if you purchase in advance, $20 at the door
How it works:
Everybody that attends gets one sticker per category. You are permitted one vote for each category (performing arts, visual arts, photography...) 50% of public live vote and 50% judges discretion is what will determine who wins in each category.
If I go on to Nationals, the award ceremony is in L.A. and all 50 states will have artists as representatives. So please, come, support and vote for me :)
and may the odds ever be in your favor.
ALSO, I am half way through my animation course I. Trying to step up my a game for that. I have two children's book contracts I am drafting up as well. Cheers to feeling like myself again and making art everyday!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Oh, the places you'll go
Maybe I am being naive, but I do believe that at this tender age of 23 I should keep dream chasing. But the work I was doing combined with school, combined with trying to create new art, was slowing me up in all aspects of my life.
While I really enjoyed the opportunity to be the head of the art department and have truly grown from the experience, it was becoming too stressful and I was sacrificing my creativity far too much for my liking. My school work has been barely getting done, and I have not painted since last april...
So after much thought, I gave my two weeks notice and graciously resigned. I realize some might criticize me for this saying I should be grateful as an artist to have found any employment at all or that I at least should have found a better job first before leaving. However, I value my creativity a little more than some people do...and I am willing to put in the time and live a frugal lifestyle until someone truly recognizes it and appreciates it.
And that may happen sooner than I think. I am not sure. I had two interviews since I departed on Friday. While of course I hope they work out, I wouldn't mind doing freelance and really boosting my portfolio for specific markets. I feel like while my college education offered me versatility, but it didn't offer me much time to hone in on a specific market. So, I am going to have to do this myself.
I hate that society is quick to judge your career path, but we are all so different. Some live to work, others work to live. Some will stay at a company for 30 years, some will jump from place to place. I am learning there is no right or wrong answer. All and all, we have the rest of our lives to find the job we love and excel in. And maybe you won't. Maybe you'll find something that gets you from A to B. But either way, you can turn that crap job's money into something you really love to do after work...or whatever you want. At the end of the day, we all just strive to live well and prosper (yeaaaaaah star trek reference!)
And the best booster of confidence and evidence of this in the day to day, is the book from doctor seuss, "Oh, the places you go!" If you want to go read it right now, it will seriously improve your mood. I recommend reading it with a glass of wine. Just for fun. If you are of age of course :)
While I really enjoyed the opportunity to be the head of the art department and have truly grown from the experience, it was becoming too stressful and I was sacrificing my creativity far too much for my liking. My school work has been barely getting done, and I have not painted since last april...
So after much thought, I gave my two weeks notice and graciously resigned. I realize some might criticize me for this saying I should be grateful as an artist to have found any employment at all or that I at least should have found a better job first before leaving. However, I value my creativity a little more than some people do...and I am willing to put in the time and live a frugal lifestyle until someone truly recognizes it and appreciates it.
And that may happen sooner than I think. I am not sure. I had two interviews since I departed on Friday. While of course I hope they work out, I wouldn't mind doing freelance and really boosting my portfolio for specific markets. I feel like while my college education offered me versatility, but it didn't offer me much time to hone in on a specific market. So, I am going to have to do this myself.
I hate that society is quick to judge your career path, but we are all so different. Some live to work, others work to live. Some will stay at a company for 30 years, some will jump from place to place. I am learning there is no right or wrong answer. All and all, we have the rest of our lives to find the job we love and excel in. And maybe you won't. Maybe you'll find something that gets you from A to B. But either way, you can turn that crap job's money into something you really love to do after work...or whatever you want. At the end of the day, we all just strive to live well and prosper (yeaaaaaah star trek reference!)
And the best booster of confidence and evidence of this in the day to day, is the book from doctor seuss, "Oh, the places you go!" If you want to go read it right now, it will seriously improve your mood. I recommend reading it with a glass of wine. Just for fun. If you are of age of course :)
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
what I do at work
Here are some of my t-shirt designs that I created in corel and illustrator. When I'm not setting up and printing films, filing and documenting 13,000 films, or editing peoples work for screen printing, I am given artistic license to a certain extent to create my own artwork for clients. Stay tuned for updates :)
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