SPECIAL ISSUE
Study
Journalism,
Collegian Spring, 2018
Studio / Fine Art Photography, Art History, Visual Communications at the Visual & Media Arts Department at Los Angeles City College
A CREATIVE LIFE
A CAREER YOU LOVE
LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE’S VISUAL AND MEDIA ARTS DEPARTMENT OFFERS YOU THESE AREAS OF STUDY...
JOURNALISM
PHOTOGRAPHY Darkroom Techniques
News Writing
Digital Photography
Reporting Collegian Radio & TV
Commercial Techniques
Illustration / Editorial
Analog & Digital Equipment
Cartooning Recreational Drone Technology & Practice Copy Editing
STUDIO/FINE ARTS
ART HISTORY
Drawing & Illustration Painting Sculpture Ceramics
Contemporary & Traditional Global Perspectives Critical Thinking & Writing Skills
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS Graphic Design Animation 3D Modeling
3D Printing Branding Visual Communications Lab
VISUAL AND MEDIA ARTS CLASSES ART-JOURNALISM-PHOTOGRAPHY
‘VAMA’ Charts Course for Success American artist Kerry James Marshall, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Dick Turpin and CBS correspondent Murray Fromson got their start in classrooms at L.A. City College in East Hollywood. Now, VAMA is here and there is a new dynamic for the next generation of accomplished students.
I am constantly inspired by the level of excellence I witness in the work produced by our students. Our students move on to prestigious schools and tell us that LACC has prepared them perfectly. Alexandra Wiesenfeld Visual and Media Arts Chair L.A. City College BY RHONDA GUESS
rtists, writers, photographers and others with creative aspirations and talent have helped catapult L.A. City College to new heights in academic and vocational success. Students who enroll in Visual and Media Arts classes (VAMA), have garnered recognition in some of the premier circles of scholastic journalism, which includes recognition for art and editorial cartooning,
photography, writing, layout, design and reporting. From one semester to the next, students acquire hands-on, practical skills from extraordinary professors in courses such as Drawing, Sculpture, Painting, Ceramics, Photography, Illustration and Art History. Coursework and training informs the work of student artists who come to contribute as visual journalists, but it does not end there. Art courses focus on 3D animation and design, and photography students explore digital photography and imaging, and learn the fundamentals of portraiture. Examples of student work adorn the hallways and showcases of the Chemistry Building, the temporary VAMA hub at L.A. City College. “I believe VAMA is the perfect place for burgeoning artists and journalists to hone their creative, technical and critical thinking skills,” says Alexandra Wiesenfeld, the chair of VAMA at L.A. City College. “The combination of disciplines—journalism, art, design and art history—creates a fertile ground for collaboration and growth. Students receive a solid foundation of introductory courses on which to build their personal voice and esthetics in the upper division classes.” L.A. City College students enjoy a competitive edge in regional and national competition, thanks to the “triple-threat” partnering of art, journalism and photography. The advent of VAMA—Visual and Media Arts—provides a new model for success for students. They are winning awards and recognition, and making their resumes more attractive to employers. They have more pathways to success, more chances to stand out, and the tuition is within reach. L.A. City College was forward-thinking 25 or 30 years ago when journalism and photography combined to create the Media Arts Department. Decades later, the positioning of art, journalism and photography has once again created new opportunities for students to become multiskilled, transfer, or earn certificates that will allow them to grow in different directions.
LACC Wins ‘Apple Award’ for Best Two-Year College Newspaper 2016 and 2017 Judges at College Media Association in New York City recognized the collaborative efforts of staff members of the student voice of L.A. City College since 1929, the Collegian, with the coveted “Apple Award” for two years in a row. “I knew we had put in the work. We always strive for excellence and we leave it out there for everyone,” says Ande Richards, the editorin-chief of the Collegian who led her team to more than 40 awards over a two-year period. Richards also served as editor-in-chief of the Collegian Times magazine, which is the “jewel in the crown” of LACC journalism publications. The magazine is on a roll (Journalism 220), after being named an Associate Collegiate Press Pacemaker Finalist two years running in the company of colleges and universities like Syracuse University, Pepperdine, UCLA and Santa Ana College. “You get hands on experience, you get experience that you would get at a big publication or network. They provide opportunities that maybe bigger departments cannot,” Richards says. “You would not have that much access. We have access to drones, to darkrooms, to a broadcast studio and teleprompters. We are small, but we are mighty.” SEE PAGE 6
Natalia Zepeda’s training at L.A. City College paid off during her first semester working on the Collegian Times. She won a regional award (2nd Place), from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges for Magazine Illustration. “[I was] surprised in the sense that you know, I just could not believe it—that I have the ability to win something,” Zepeda says, adding that she has found an actual community of artists at L.A. City College. “Artists were not available in high school. I have found very supportive professors here who actually take time and give you advice.”
Collegian investigative reporter Sorina Szakacs gets pointers from famed Watergate reporter Bob Woodward of the Washington Post at an Associated Collegiate Press journalism conference in Washington D.C.
Anwar Torres VAMA Student, Photography and Journalism
In Focus: A Photographer’s Point of View “When I look through my viewfinder, I search for genuine expressions that are often followed by interaction between two people. I find fulfillment in capturing what moves people from within. It is what inspires me; reflecting on the human condition one frame at a time.”
I am very passionate about fashion, and being enrolled at LACC has opened the doors to experience the runways.
Beatrice Alcala Photographer VAMA Student One of the secrets to success inside VAMA could be the influence of CTE—Career Technical Education support. One of VAMA’s missions as a department is focused squarely on vocational skills, and that is where the nexus of art, journalism and photography takes place. Artist Natalia Zepeda’s training at L.A. City College paid off during her first semester when artwork she contributed to the Collegian Times won a high-ranking illustration award from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (2nd Place) for the Southern California region. Zepeda says she has had artistic leanings since she was a toddler. It was a natural inclination, but her reaction to being recognized by journalists was not so expected. “Surprised in the sense that you know, I just could not believe it—that I have the ability to win something,” Zepeda says, adding that she has found an actual community of artists at L.A. City College. “Artists were not available in high school. I have found very supportive professors here who actually take time and give you advice.” Opinions-Editorial section editor Tyler Lowell worked with Zepeda to bring the visual power of her editorial cartooning to the pages of the op-ed section during the second half of 2017. Lowell says subject matter ranged from local, studentcentered issues such as financial aid difficulties or dining options on campus, to how to best portray more controversial subjects such as the “#MeToo” movement and addressing letters from hate groups like the KKK. Zepeda’s skills are also credited with reviving the “Cubbington” comic strip, LACC’s resident “cub with an attitude.” “I am lucky to have worked with a student like Natalia this year. She has a knack for taking just a few words of inspiration and delivering exactly what you envision,” Lowell says. “The collaboration that takes place within VAMA is amazing. There are endless opportunities to apply your passions, and that resulting mélange of skills and interests can create breathtaking work.” Lowell is also new to the department. His skills paved the way to a paid reporter internship at the Los Feliz Ledger in Hollywood. His dream is to be admitted to the graduate school of journalism at Syracuse University. “Our student body consists of students wishing to transfer as professionals, broadening their skills,” Wiesenfeld says. “Our community is tightly knit and very supportive of one another while pushing students to the highest level of success.”
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Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, April 26, 2017
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Sun, Sleet, Snow: Collegian The Student Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929.
Join our dynamic team of award-winning journalists, editors, photographers and artists . Learn how to produce content for the Los Angeles Collegian Newspaper, the Collegian Times Magazine, Collegian Radio and Collegian Wired Broadcast and Multimedia outlets! • Journalism 101 - Collecting and Writing News • Journalism 105 - Mass Communications • Journalism 217 - Publication Laboratory
• Journalism 218 - Practical Editing • Journalism 219 - Techniques for Staff Editors • Journalism 220 - Magazine Editing
VAMA STUDENT STORIES
Claire Bush Class of “17
“I had taken a Photoshop
“I had no prior graphic
class in college and found
design knowledge prior to
that the basic skills in that
attending LACC, always had
area were useful to many
Joshua Manalag Class of “17
a vague curiosity for design,
aspects of my career. I soon found myself developing
but that interest wasn’t stoked until I was enrolled in
an interest in learning more about graphic design and
Norman Schwab’s Printmaking class. After that, I started
made the decision to attend LACC in 2015.
to take more interest in Fine Arts and Communication Arts, but didn’t create anything related to Graphic
I was in good company and there were many students
Design until I was taking Jason Ellenburg’s Graphic
like me--already in the work force, trying to further their
Design I class, where I learned the basics”
skill sets or start a new career. We were eager to learn and the instructors did not disappoint.”
“Taking Graphic Design classes definitely helped prepare me for my transfer to Otis, and I’m actually
“Attending LACC was one of the best decisions of my
ahead of some of the other Junior level design students
adult life. The graphic design program gave me the hard
when it comes to Typography and my knowledge of the
and soft skills needed to reach this point and helped me
functionality of some of the design programs.”
lay the foundation for my now-thriving career--all for a price tag of less than $1,000.”
OUR TEACHERS Our teachers bring years of professional experience to the class room. They have exhibited their work in museums and galleries in the United States and International. Our teachers also have years of experience mentoring, guiding and fostering growth amongst their students. Their patience and willingness to help makes the LACC VAMA Department a great place to start or to continue your artistic training.
OUR SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS “On behalf of the nine college presidents and LACCD’s Board of Trustees, I want to reaffirm LACCD’s commitment as a place where all students can enroll and achieve their educational goals, regardless of their immigration status. Our undocumented students are integral and valued members of our LACCD family. These are extraordinarily talented students who have sacrificed to better themselves, their families and their communities, and our country.” - A Message From LACCD Chancellor Dr. Francisco C. Rodriguez
NEW CLASSES! SPRING CLASSES START ON FEBRUARY 5, 2018 ENROLL NOW AT www.lacitycollege.edu
PHOTO/CINEMA 501
ART 648 DIGITAL IMAGING -
MEDIA AESTHETICS
ANIMATED DIGITAL GRAPHICS
Do your films have thrilling scripts but boring visuals?
Learn motion graphics for animation using digital
Do your photographs have good technique, but
imaging and animation software, with an emphasis
a poor sense of aesthetics? Learn how to make
on programs such as Photoshop and After Effects.
your films and photographs visually stunning by
Learn various animation techniques: Create your own
incorporating basic concepts of two-dimensional
projects and output them to video.
design including perspective, spatial organization of lines and planes, tonality and color relationships as they apply to the digital image. Learn to add style to
Art 648, Digtial Imaging , Section 26528/26529, Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:15 – 5:25 PM
your content. This course is IGETC, is fully transferable and it has no prerequisites. Taught by Professor Daniel Marlos.
ARTIST LECTURE SERIES
Cinema Students: Cinema 501, Media Aesthetics, section 15612, Monday 12:45 – 4:55 PM Art/Photo Sudents: Photo 501, Media Aesthetics, section 27497, Monday 12:45 – 4:55 PM
OUR MISSION The LACC Visual and Media Arts Department provides learners with courses that develop
Marnie Weber
visual knowledge, theory, creativity and self-
Marnie Weber is known for producing wild multimedia
expression; technical, perceptual, and conceptual
works that often dwell on the ghostly and the
skills necessary for future artistic growth; and
monstrous. The artist’s practice, which encompasses
skills for entry into 4-year colleges or workforce
painting, collage, photography, video, sculpture, and
careers in studio art, architecture, graphic design,
performance art, often centers around a mythical cast
photography, journalism and related fields in
of human, animal, and hybrid characters, who live in
business and entertainment.
a world that exists somewhere between fantasy and reality.
CONTACT US Alexandra Wiesenfeld Department Chair CHEM 119C (323) 953-4000 ext. 2515 wiesena@lacitycollege.edu @lacc.vama
Daniel Marlos Department Vice Chair CHEM 022 (323) 953-4000 ext. 2835 marlosdj@lacitycollege.edu /laccvisualmediaarts
/lacc.vama
February 13, 2018 From 6pm - 7:30pm Chem 3, Chemistry Building www.lacitycollege.edu