Sorry for the short notice, but guess what? Reps from the Liz Claiborne Co. will visit the Portfolio Center on Monday, December 4th at 3pm to talk about their 2007 summer internship program in New York. All are welcome, but only juniors and seniors (those who will graduate in May of 2007 or after) are eligible to apply for the internship. Internships are offered in both fashion design and merchandising.
Students interested in the internship opportunity can sign up for a portfolio review / internship interview. Interviews will take place following the presentation. There is a limited number of interview spots, so only eligible (see above) candidates can sign up. Preference will be given to students who are recommended by faculty. If you do not get an interview spot, you will still be able to apply for the internship. Be sure and attend the 3pm presentation to learn how.
To sign up for an interview spot, please call 312.344.7280. Best and good luck to all.
Understanding one's portfolio as an "outfit" isn't that much of a metaphorical stretch. Just as you wouldn't show up for a job interview or first date in sweatpants and a terrycloth hoodie, you wouldn't show off your fashion portfolio as a grab bag of materials in a manilla folder. Right?
How then can one appropriately "dress up" a fashion portfolio? How is a designers book the same as a managers? How are they different? What are people in the industry expecting to see? What are the portfolio faux pas you should avoid when putting together your body of work? These are the questions you have; these are the questions we hope to answer on Tuesday, November 28th at 6pm.
Helping us will be award winning designer Allie Adams from Doris Ruth (her company), Chicago Gen Art(ist) Kelly O'Brien and Laura Stuefen, a Senior Buyer with Macy's (as if you needed a link to know who they are).
Kelly, Laura and Allie will answer questions, talk about what they think makes a portfolio successful (both for a designer and a fashion or event manager) and then break into small groups to look over student's samples and brainstorm ways students can build and effective and relevant presentation of themselves.
This event is for all students interested in fashion design, marketing or management. Alumni are welcome as well. Space is limited, so arrive early (say 5:30) to ensure you get a good seat. Questions? 312.344.7280.
We're not sure our fine art students know Show Off is for them to, but it is. True, their are no "jobs" as fine artists, but that doesn't exempt them from the need to prepare and present their body of work when the opportunity calls. Should you take photos of your pieces and show them digitally? On a website? as slides? How many pieces would I show? How do I organize the presentation? Is sequence important? ...and other such questions. The bad news is, I don't know the answer. The good news is, I found someone who does.
Thomas Masters was recommended to us by frequent Show Off guest and contributor Susan Aurinko from Flatfile Galleries. Thomas is chief gallerist and owner of the Thomas Masters Gallery which focuses on artists working across several media. He'll be here on December 1st to look over our artists' body of work and advise them on strategies of presentation.
If you've participated in a Show Off before call 312.344.7280 to sign up. If not, visit the registration page - register - and then call to sign up.
Chris was originally lined up to be one of our guests at Reel Exchange, but business being business, he couldn't make it and Chris' business is the business of film. Specifically Chris, as a partner in the House of Representatives, reps some of the bigger commercial production companies on the planet (He also once negotiationed a huge payday for Woody Allen. Just thought we'd mention).
So how does this relate to you? Well, are you a filmmaker? Do you have commercial aspirations (commercials, music videos, industrials, etc.)? If you said "yes" and then "yes" again, you'll have the chance to collect Chris' advice on your work, your reel and your roadmap to actually getting paid to direct or to shoot.
If you've participated in a Show Off before call 312.344.7280 to sign up. If not, visit the registration page - register - and then call to sign up. Spots are going quickly. Oh, he'll be here on November 30th. FYI.
On the heels of Fact or Fiction: Strategies for getting published we're inspired to go out and find some resources for Columbia's writing community to make that long, hard journey a little shorter, a litter easier.
For beginners we found a helpful site put together by the University of Chicago listing all sorts of resources for fiction writers, poets, nonfiction writers, etc.. Take a peek....and hey, if you missed the event, we'll have a mp3 up soon with some of the highlights and key points. Stay tuned.
I came across this short article online yesterday that not only suggests that writers should blog, but that a successful blog can become a part of your writing portfolio. According to this author, amongst the "Top Ten Reasons Why Writers Should Blog," any writer that is able to create and maintain a successful blog, receive regular responses, and thus build a well-known web presence is not only going to get regular practice writing, but also demonstrates creative marketable skills, which are all qualities any potential client or publisher would be interested in.
While I have in fact seen blogs within writer's portfolios, this particular article probably raises more questions than it addresses. Are we talking creative writers? Journalists? Public relations and/or marketing writers? How would various industry professionals perceive writers from their fields adding a blog to their web portfolio?
Great question to ask the pros . . . look for an event this coming spring to address just that issue!
Like a tree is to falling in the woods and making a sound, such is your writing to being published. You know what I mean. In an effort to make the mysterious world of publishing less of a mystery the Portfolio Center and the Fiction Writing Department are joining forces to bring you Fact or Fiction: Strategies for Getting Published on Wednesday, November 15 at 4PM.
Our guests will be Jan Parr, a twice published author and special publications editor with Chicago Magazine, Marina Lewis, Associate Editor with fiction journal Other Voices and Joanna MacKenzie a literary agent with Chicago's own Browne & Miller.
We want you to make a sound and be heard.
Not one, not two...but three Show Off visits for photographers are on tap for the week of November 13th. Sign up for one or all. First come, first serve.
On November 14th at 10am photographer, and frequent Show Off guest Tom Lindfors, will visit to meet photo students and advise them on their portfolio. Tom is an accomplished photographer whose body of work includes architectual, location and portraiture for a variety of publications and commercial applications. (He's also one of the most helpful Show Off guests, as described by past students.)
November 15th at 10:30am artist rep Jodie Zeitler '93 (a photo alum) will be here to review photography and illustration portfolios for those with commercial aspirations. Jodie's clients include Jeff Sciortino, Mark Laita and Casey Lukatz among others. Jodie will speak to the development of a body work designed to attract representation.
November 16th at 2:30am art buyer Sari Rowe from mega-agency Draft FCB will visit to review photography portfolios from the perspective of an agency buyer. Draft FCB is one of the world's largest creative agencies and Sari, and her team, review hundreds (maybe thousands) of photographers books each year. This is a rare chance to hear the feedback of a buyer as opposed to sending your work to one unsolicited.
If you've participated in a Show Off before call 312.344.7280 to sign up. If not, visit the registration page - register - and then call.
Copywriters and Art Directors alike can show their books to Allison Sagehorn, a recruiter with prominent Chicago sourcing (ie finding creative talent for the Midwest's bigger, better ad agencies) outfit Manuela Guidi. Allison recruits for many of Chicago's agencies and give you a good idea of not just "what works" but "what works where." She'll visit the Portfolio Center on Wednesday, November 10th at 1pm.
If you've yet to participate in Show Off, call 312.344.7280 to sign up - and - if you haven't already, register to receive updates whenever we book other people in your field.
Grip is a design firm pure and simple. Identity, posters, websites, mailers. Big clients. Famous ones. Small ones. In classic design studio fashion, Grip Principals Kelly Kaminski and Kevin McConkey have fashioned a small creative team into one of the most attention worthy firms in Chicago.
Kelly and Kevin will visit the Portfolio Center on Friday, November 10th to meet advanced juniors, seniors and spring '06 grads to play show and tell with their portfolios and portfolios-in-progress. If you're a spring '06 grad, this will likely be your last chance to get some feedback via Show Off. If you're a senior, this is the last design firm of the fall (probably), so take advantage and gear up for the spring '07 season which will see a plethora of new design guests in for portfolio reviews.
If you want to sign up to meet Grip call 312.344.7280...and, if you haven't already, register to get updates whenever we book guests in your field.
Show Off rolls on with an "emergency" session this Friday, Nov. 3rd with Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Director Matt Kutton. So why the "emergency" label? 'Cause we got word on short notice that Saatchi may well be in need of some Jr Art talent and we want Columbia people to get first dibs.
Thus, if you have some Art Direction chops, as evidenced in your portfolio, bring it and yourself to the Portfolio Center on Friday to meet Matt - but - you must have an appointment and be an '06 grad or scheduled to graduate this December.
If you answered "yes" to the above call 312.344.7280 to sign up and register with our office if you haven't already.
Go get. The Portfolio Center
