Class Notes
B
And for the last 4 years, Scott Ault ’87 has been the CEO of Rethink Entertainment and Leisure, developing and directing projects around the world, including Dubai, China, Hong Kong, the UK, and here in the U.S. Before that, he was the COO of BRC Imagination Arts. He’s been involved with, and won THEA Awards for, projects as diverse as the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Illinois, and the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai World’s Fair, among many, many others. Scott recently left Rethink to form his own consulting company, Checkmate, so that he can be more intimately involved in the direct design and production process.”
and around the world including, most recently, to Macau for our first bilingual English/Cantonese performances. B Sindy Fredrick ’88 reports: “I graduated in 1988 as a Visual Communications student and went on to work in advertising agencies for 30+ years. I entered CalArts the same year in which Steven Lavine became president. Almost 30 years later, my son was accepted as a Music student—in the same year that Steven exited CalArts. Cole graduated Orange County School of the Arts and is in a band named Undecided Future, which has been together for the past six years. I have been managing the band for all six years and recently brought on Larry Fridie (James Brown, the Godfather of Soul’s manager). Undecided Future has made a video with mega pop star Jason Derulo, and has had more than seven million views on YouTube. The band signed a two-year contract with Disneyland to play at its properties in Anaheim. You can find us on YouTube as well as Spotify, iTunes, ReverbNation and all digital platforms. Watch Out! This Band Is Hot! It is fun to be a mom that went to CalArts and have a son that is attending CalArts as well.”
Blair Martin Cahill ’88 tells us that, “After a career as a production designer and art director for feature films and commercials, I decided to head back to school and received my MA from Chelsea School of Art in London. I now have a full-time fine art practice combining traditional methods of foundry casting and textile production with modern technology. Peter Duschenes ’88. “My company, Platypus Theatre, continues to tour to symphony orchestras across North America
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Cal Liedtke ’88 says that he is the owner of Grandpa Chuck’s Chocolate [in Santa Clarita]. Grandpa Chuck’s Chocolate makes dark chocolate hot fudge sauce in a variety of flavors including original dark chocolate, dark chocolate chili, mint, cherry, and raspberry. Cal continues to teach theater and communications courses, and “can’t wait to retire and get the hell out of California.” David Trasoff ’88 writes that he returned from a performance tour of India, which included concerts in Mumbai for Inner Courtyard, Pune for the Gandharav Mahavidyalaya, and Gangtok for the University of Sikkim. Nedra Wheeler ’89 writes, “I’m collaborating with Drew, Ruth, and Abby of CAP/JMP doing workshops to prepare beginning piano students to play the annual recital, April 8, at the Watts Towers Art Center Campus for the community and parents. I performed in Francesca Penzani’s Diamond Awardwinning film, Double Up, with dancer Kyreeana Breelin. Both are CalArts grads. I was also invited by violinist Lesa Terry (Clark Terry) to play in an all-women’s group at LACMA May 18, 2018 at 6 pm. Lastly, I been invited to tour Sweden with guitarist Tomas Janzon.”
Nineties
A
Sharon Bjorke (Cohen) ’88 tell us that she entertains in the San Francisco Bay Area with ‘Hot Kugel,” the Jewish music/klezmer group she founded in 1997, and in which she sings in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Ladino. Sharon leads the jazz blues ensemble ‘The Sugar Sweet Blues Band’ on vocals, guitar, and mandolin. She has recorded several CDs and is working on a collection of traditional folk duets. Sharon teaches visual art at The South Peninsula Hebrew Day School and also creates ceramic ware and other sculptural art.
along with my brother Steve Hanft, who has a master’s degree in film. Even though my gallery is going under right now, (all systems normal), all I can say is ‘thanks’ to CalArts for the amazing life that I wound up with!”
A
Scott Hanft ’88 shares: “I was taught and mentored by John Divola, Jo Ann Callis, Allan Sekula, and John Bach. I earned my bachelor of fine arts degree in fine art photography from CalArts back in 1988. It seems that photography is old-school now. Is there still a photo school at CalArts? I would not know because I have been living on Kauai for 27 years. I have a small gallery selling photos of Kauai and I have been doing that for 16 years. It is getting harder and harder to keep the gallery open. I am trying to reinvent myself, but I can’t seem to get away from my old-school ways. I also studied classical guitar at the school of music with Miroslav Tadic, so I guess you can call me interdisciplinary. I still use my music skills to help sell guitars and ukuleles! I am so glad that I studied music while I was in school. I also have to give credit to my mom, Margie Hanft, who was the reason I went to CalArts. She was the librarian at CalArts for 25 years. I grew up around the school, and then attended myself,
Jenifer Anisman ’90 reports that, “After creating my family, I set my creative sights on legal work, and yes, it is a very creative field! Thank you, CalArts.” C Caschia Jones ’90 says she’s, “Always dancing under the sun!” Andy Mennick ’90 checks in to tell us, “I am working as the high school counseling team leader at the International School of Beijing.” C