Summer 2011 Issue - The Art Institutes

SUMMER 2011

JAMIE MARKEL 

7TH QUARTER INTERIOR DESIGN (BS)

COOL 

BIANCA WILCOX 

4TH QUARTER PHOTOGRAPHY (BFA) 

I chose to shoot an abstract to represent a cool- 

toned photograph. I used a digital Sony Alpha 360 

and shot at a very slow shutter speed and high 

aperture. I manipulated my zoom during exposure 

to create the implied vortex. 

CHINA 

MORGAN ADDY 

3RD QUARTER PHOTOGRAPHY (BFA) 

I took this picture while on a trip to China. It 

was shot with a long exposure at night. I used a 

Nikon D200. 

ANTHONY STREED 

6TH QUARTER PHOTOGRAPHY (BFA)

A FINAL DINING TO KITCHEN 

ANNA MOLANDER 


CALLING 

A 

iGA is the national professional association for design. According to 

information provided on their website, AiGA’s mission is to advance 

design as a professional craft, a strategic tool, and a vital cultural force. 

“We’re committed to design—and to more than 22,000 members in 

66 chapters who create, inspire and appreciate good design. AiGA’s members are 

the lifeblood of the organization.” 

The Art Institutes International Minnesota’s (Ai Minnesota) AiGA student organization 

was formally known as AiGD, until the group’s recent official status was established 

with AiGA. The mission of Ai Minnesota’s AiGA student organization is 

to bring the professional and student design communities together and to provide 

networking opportunities for students within the extended community. 

When I first came to Ai Minnesota, I was fresh out of high school and had no idea 

what I was doing. I wasn’t really involved in high school, but I was determined 

not to slack in college. 

I decided to be involved and active in extra-curricular activities. I joined AiGD 

and a few other groups. I really had no idea what the AiGD was, let alone what 

AiGA was, I just did what people told me to do. 

Today, I am the president of the student group affiliated with AiGA. We have 

made great progress and plan on continuing it, but the most common questions I 

receive are, “What is it?” and “What am I suppose to do?” This is a problem. 

ALL 

MENTORS 

By Kelsey Voorhees 

10th Quarter Graphic Design (BS) 

AiGD is all about networking and building connections between the student 

design community and the professional design community. We provide opportunities 

for students by engaging them in different AiGA events, like lectures, design 

competitions, and networking social events, just to name a few. 

We also host different competitions at school, and have peer critiques as well. In 

general, we provide a co-curricular community for students to learn about design 

and prepare for their future career. 

To build enthusiasm and support education, we are starting up a mentor program, 

and we need involved students who have been here for at least 5 quarters. The 

goal is to help new students by going to events with them, by helping them with 

critiques, and by assisting with class assignments. 

Ideally, we want new students to participate in their community of learning, 

and we want them to experience value as a result. We also want to maintain the 

excitement of discovery that new students feel when they first begin, and which 

may fade as students near graduation. 

If you are interested in being a mentor, or would like to participate in any way, 

please contact the student chapter of AiGA through the office of Student Affairs, 

or look it up on the college’s website. Remember, there is no student community 

without the involvement of students.

SCARLET SUNSET 

KELSEY STEINMETZ 

11TH QUARTER GRAPHIC DESIGN (BS) 

After a recently completing a painting of a peacock, I 

decided to do another, similar painting. This time the 

subject of choice was a macaw. With the combination 

of the tropics, a parrot, and a sunset, I knew this 

painting would look amazing.

LINDSAY LEE 

JOSH SCHNEIDER 

8TH QUARTER MEDIA ARTS & ANIMATION (BS) 

The reference for this piece was a photograph of a model who 

owns a DeviantArt page. This was one of my first charcoal 

portraits. I rendered the image on newsprint using a variety of 

charcoal pencils ranging from 2H to 6B. 

MUSICTOWN 

BIANCA WILCOX 


This is from my photographic study of Lacrosse, Wisconsin. I used my preferred 

camera type: the large-format Toyo View camera. With this camera, I was able to 

distort the buildings enough to create a surrealist environment.

PANDA 

KYLE KOENEKAMP 

1ST QUARTER MEDIA ARTS & ANIMATION (BS)

Call for Entries 

2011 Student Poetry Contest 

The 2011 Student Poetry Contest is now accepting submissions through Friday, October 

21, 2011 at 5pm. Participants must follow contest rules and submission guidelines and 

contest rules to be eligible. 

Contest Rules 

• Only current students of The Art Institutes International Minnesota are eligible 

• Entries must follow submission guidelines 

• Entries must be previously unpublished, original works of poetry, as distinct from 

prose (essay, creative non-fiction, or fiction) 

• One poem will be chosen as the winner from all entries by a panel of instructors 

(Communications Instructor Sarah Orman, Communications Instructor Michael 

Courteau, and Graphic Design Instructor Douglas Westendorp) based on 

the quality and combination of any or all of the following aesthetic criteria: 

narrative, structure, music, and imagination 

• This is a “blind” contest, which means the judges will not know the names of the 

authors; they will base their decisions solely on the quality of the poems 

• The winning poem will be framed and displayed in the school library 

• The winning poem will be published, with author’s signed permission, in the 

student magazine C² (create·connect) 

• The winning poet will receive a $50* gift certificate to Target (*due to regulatory 

constraints this prize has recently been reduced) 

• Entrants will be notified of results via email by the end of fall quarter 2011 

Submission Guidelines 

• Entrants may submit no more than three poems 

• Individual poems must not exceed one page in length (12pt font, 

single spaced), text only, no images 

• Do not include name or other identifying information within the 

poem documents 

• Submissions must be sent as separate Word documents (.doc or 

.docx) attached to a single email addressed to ctitle@aii.edu (do 

not paste poems into the body of the email) 

• Entrants must include the phrase “2011 Student Poetry Contest 

Submission” in the subject line of the email 

• The body of the email must contain the following information: the 

titles of all submitted poems, student name (as it should appear 

in publication), student program of study, current address, and 

telephone number

ANTHONY STREED 


ANNAMO - PRELIMINARY SKETCH 

ANNA MOLANDER 

7TH QUARTER INTERIOR DESIGN (BS) 

ANNAMO 

ANNA MOLANDER 


DOUG BINISH 

7TH QUARTER WEB DESIGN & INTERACTIVE MEDIA (BS)

RUGS 

KATE ENGELMANN 


This image was taken over Summer break in 

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on the Big Island with a 

Canon AE-1 Program and Kodak Ektar 100 film.

Higher 

Learning 

Commission 

Initial Accreditation Update 

By Christopher Title 

Communication and Humanities Instructor 

T 

he Art Institutes International Minnesota (Ai Minnesota) has been 

nationally accredited by the American Council of Independent 

Colleges and Schools (ACICS) since it was founded in 1997. In 

fact, the College’s current national accreditation by ACICS was 

recently extended through 2015. So, why request regional, Initial Accreditation 

from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association 

of Colleges and Schools (HLC)? 

National accreditation agencies, like ACICS, typically accredit institutions 

that specialize in instruction and training for specific professions and careers. 

Many nationally accredited institutions are proprietary, independent, and 

privately supported. ACICS was a good “fit” with the original status of our 

school. Regional accreditation agencies, like HLC, have typically accredited 

institutions such as community colleges and state universities, as well as 

private liberal arts colleges. 

As Ai Minnesota has grown in student population, expanded the number of 

academic programs, and developed comprehensive General Education offerings, 

it has developed into the kind of organization that meets the criteria 

required for regional accreditation. As our institution continues to evolve 

and grow, HLC Initial Accreditation aligns more closely with our school’s 

mission. HLC Initial Accreditation is an important strategic goal for our 

institution, and our ongoing efforts demonstrate our College’s commitment to 

provide a high quality education to our students. 

In the process of seeking HLC accreditation, the following events have occurred: 

• Ai Minnesota’s Board of Trustees authorized submission of our Preliminary 

Information Form (PIF) to HLC in 2006 

• Upon HLC approval, the institution conducted a comprehensive twoyear, 

self-study inclusive of students, faculty, staff, and administrators

The Art Institutes International Minnesota is seeking comments from the public about the 

College in preparation for its evaluation for Initial Accreditation by a regional accrediting 

agency. The College will undergo a comprehensive visit November 7 - 9, 2011, by a team 

representing The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of 

Colleges and Schools. The Art Institutes International Minnesota is currently accredited by 

the Accreditation Council of Independent Colleges and Schools and is now pursuing 

accreditation by the Commission. 

The public is invited to submit comments regarding the college: 

Public Comment on The Art Institutes International Minnesota 

The Higher Learning Commission 

230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 

Chicago, IL 60604 

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution of its 

academic programs. Comments must be in writing and signed; comments will not be 

treated as confidential. 

All comments must be received by October 7, 2011. 

• In the fall of 2009, Ai Minnesota submitted its request for Initial Candidacy 

along with its self-study report titled, Enhancing Quality: A Passion for 

Excellence (available in the library) 

• In October of 2009, HLC conducted an evaluative site visit on our campus 

• In spring of 2010, HLC approved the status of Initial Candidacy for Ai 

Minnesota, enabling us to move forward toward Initial Accreditation 

• In summer of 2010, Ai Minnesota began the self study process anew, again 

including students, faculty, staff, and administrators 

Now, during the summer of 2011, Ai Minnesota is preparing to share its latest 

self-study titled Creating Tomorrow, along with its formal request for Initial 

Accreditation. The development of the self-study has allowed our College the 

opportunity to reflect on who we are and how we operate as a College. As a 

result of the reflective nature of the self-study process, Ai Minnesota has learned 

that it is committed to develop new ways of supporting students and engaging 

them in quality learning experiences. The recent campus-wide effort to review 

and revise our mission statement is a perfect example of improvement efforts 

growing out of the self-study process. 

As part of the self-study process, a “call for comment” is being issued by the 

school to the general public (see graphic). In the coming days, students, faculty, 

staff, and our industry partners will be increasingly involved in preparing the 

campus for a site visit by an HLC evaluative team scheduled for November 

7-11, 2011. There is no guarantee that Ai Minnesota will be granted Initial Accreditation 

by HLC, but one thing is certain, we will be ready to demonstrate 

our commitment to quality learning and effective teaching when the visiting 

team arrives.

SAXAPHONE 3D MODEL 

JOSEPH SIEMSEN 


Created with Autodesk Maya and Adobe Photoshop. 

ROCKABILLY 

ANNA FLEISSNER 


A commission piece I did for a friend. My interpretation of his 

original character.

AMELIA 

EVIE ROMBAL 


This is a 3D model of my character Amelia in her environment—her family’s barn. 

The Character Design was completed in Character & Object Design class and she 

and the barn were modeled, textured & lit in Autodesk Maya.

It’s All Relative 

Our Expanding Universe: Part 2 

by Jeff Burkett, Mathematics & Natural Sciences Instructor 

P 

erhaps the single most important consequence of the European 

Renaissance was that great thinkers like Copernicus, Galileo, 

and Newton shattered previous notions of a geocentric universe. 

Science, religion, and philosophy were thrown into upheaval by 

the new reality that Earth was not the central object of creation. This was a 

mere prelude, however, to the dawn of our understanding of the true vastness 

of the cosmos. 

As early as approximately 400BC, Democritus had proposed that stars were 

actually distant suns, and in 1600 Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake 

for suggesting this heretical idea. Nevertheless, Isaac Newton, and others, 

soon adopted the notion. Then, in 1838, Friedrich Bessel successfully 

measured the first interstellar distance using the technique of trigonometric 

parallax 1 . He calculated the star 61 Cygni to be about 10.4 light years 2 

distant, an error of only about nine percent from the modern accepted value 

of 11.4 light years. Other measurements soon followed, and it was quickly 

established that Alpha Centauri was our closest stellar neighbor, 4.2 light 

years away. That’s roughly 24,000,000,000,000 (24 trillion) miles! 

Such vast distances defy human comprehension and are best understood 

through analogy. If the Earth were represented by a standard-size marble, 

the moon would be the size of a BB placed 17 inches away; the sun would 

be represented by a sphere 5 feet in diameter, placed 180 yards (about 

two football fields) from our model Earth. On this same scale, Alpha 

Centauri would be about 27,000 miles distant, or slightly further than the 

1. For an explanation of this technique, take my physics class or 

stop by my office. 

2. Note that the modern unit of light years is used here for 

convenience. Accurate measurements of the speed of light 

would not be realized until the following century. 

circumference of the actual Earth 3 . As incomprehensible as these distances 

may have seemed to early scientists, the story became even stranger. 

In the 1920’s, Edwin Hubble proved that not only were the billions of visible 

stars in our night sky, all part of the same Milky Way galaxy, but also that the 

Milky Way itself was only one of billions of galaxies in the universe. More 

astoundingly, all of these galaxies seemed to be rushing out at incredible 

speed from a singular point in space: the universe itself was expanding! 

Later, in 1949, Fred Hoyle coined the term “Big Bang” to describe this 

phenomenon. The term stuck, and after nearly a century of observation, 

experiment, and accumulated evidence, the Big Bang theory 4 remains the 

most complete and comprehensive explanation of the early development of 

the known universe. 

3. This model is based on that of Dr. James Pierce, Professor of Astronomy at 

Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

4. It is worth noting that the Big Bang theory deals with the behavior of the 

universe after its moment of inception. It is not a ‘creation’ theory and does not 

attempt to explain the actual causation of the universe.

2011 

Blockhead Festival 

By Robb Main, 

11th Quarter Media Arts & Animation (BS) 

In its 6th year, the Blockhead Festival has “come of age,” according to 

Media Arts & Animation Instructor Steve Paul. 

It’s taken a while, but Blockhead has become one of the premiere 

student animation, live-action film, and visual effects festivals in the Midwest. 

Categories include: Animation, Modeling and Rendering, Visual Effects, 

Motion Graphics, and Short Film. There’s also an Alumni category. Taken 

together, this festival of student work is a visual extravaganza! 

Each category is open to all students, no matter their program of study. The 

festival is judged by prominent industry professionals. Though generally local, 

last year there were some national judges for the Short Film category. Winners 

receive cash prizes and a commemorative icon, but the real reward for participants 

is having their work showcased on the big screen in front of an enthusiastic 

audience. 

This is the first year that there has been a committee to organize and promote the 

event, as well as acquire judges. Media Arts & Animation Instructors Steve Paul, 

Shannon Gilley, and Lafe Smith; Visual Effects & Motion Graphics Instructors Mike 

Heagle and Kinsey Engelmann; Digital Film & Video Editing Instructor Ben Gottfried; 

and Academic Advisor Claire Hilgeman comprise the Blockhead Committee. 

Engelmann and Hilgeman have been the ‘PR dynamic duo,’ marketing the event 

with banner on the school’s website and posters in display cases around campus. 

Engelmann was the architect of the Blockhead Festival web page; 

www.blockheadfestival.com. Interested parties visiting the website will find submission 

guidelines, the Best of Blockhead reel, archives, and other highlights. 

This year’s Blockhead Festival will take place at 5:00pm on October 27 at 

Block E Theater in downtown Minneapolis. To stay on top of developments, 

follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Entries are now being accepted through 

Monday, October 10th, 2011 in room 316.

FOX: GREYSCALE 

KATIE OVERSON 


This was the first step in digitally painting the character. Doing 

a basic outline of the shapes and shading them according to the 

shapes help prepare to shade the final image. 

FOX: COLORED VERSION 

KATIE OVERSON 


Using the greyscale experience I just had, I first shaded the character. 

Color was added afterwards, blending a few different shades of the 

one color. The background gives the character a simple backdrop, so 

it’s not floating in space.

RED RIDING HOOD 

KELSEY STEINMETZ 

11TH QUARTER GRAPHIC DESIGN (BS) 

This was a project completed for my Advanced 

Illustration class. Our assignment was to illustrate our 

own version of, the classic fairytale, Little Red Riding 

Hood. Having an interest in Tim Burton’s work, and 

understanding his style, I knew I could make this 

project creepy and interesting. I am very happy with 

the results.

FROGGY 

THAWEESAK MINGKWAN 

4TH QUARTER MEDIA ARTS & ANIMATION (BS)

Senior Practicum Presents 

Silk Road Street Foods: 

A Charitable Adventure in 

Food Trucks 

By Mary Matthews, 

11th Quarter Culinary Management (BS) 

By Ally Wurts (8th Quarter Photography (BFA) 

In the spring of 2011, the Senior Practicum class in the Bachelor 

of Science Culinary Management degree program was asked to 

create a charitable event to highlight the catering, food service, and 

event planning skills students have learned here at The Art Institutes 

International Minnesota. The result is Silk Road Street Foods: A Food Truck 

Experience. 

Chef Instructor Pat Weber and students Emily Magnuson, Martha Mayhew, 

Geji McKinney Banks, and Mary Matthews put on an event to support the 

Minneapolis area Cooking Matters Organization. Cooking Matters is an 

organization that empowers families with skills, knowledge, and confidence to 

prepare healthy and affordable meals. The group accomplished this by going out 

into the community and teaching families, children and adults, how to cook. 

Silk Road Street Foods is a sampling of handheld street foods from across the 

Mediterranean and into Asia. The menu consisted of such items as Kefta, a 

lamb kebab; Samosas, an Indian pocket-pastry; Asian pot stickers; and ribs, to 

name a few. The menu also features Kulfi, an Indian pistachio ice cream. All the 

recipes were created and prepared by the class with the assistance of fantastic 

volunteers that helped with the preparation and execution of the event. 

The idea to use a food truck felt natural, as food truck service has recently 

blossomed in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The class wanted to be the first group 

to use one for such a unique and charitable event opportunity. The class was 

fortunate enough to have the Smack Shack, 1029 Bar’s food truck, donate the 

use of their vehicle for a day. 

Through careful and relentless planning, prepping, and marketing, the event 

was a great success. Over the course of nine weeks, the class created a 

concept, planned a menu, ran an e-marketing campaign, and executed a fullservice 

food truck experience. The Senior Practicum class provided a great 

opportunity for students to learn how to open a business to benefit charity, and 

the class ran with it full steam. The chance to be part of such a class honed the 

knowledge and skills students have learned while attending our college. 

The money raised for Cooking Matters will be used to help buy groceries and 

supplies for upcoming classes across the Twin Cities. The lessons about creating 

a small business will pay off for the student participants as they go forth into the 

culinary industry. 

For further information, or if you’d like to volunteer, search for Cooking Matters 

Minnesota online.

THE OBLIVIOUS LEADING THE BLIND 

KRYSTAL BARTLOWE 


STAFF 

Brad Stulc - Editor in Chief 

9th Quarter Interior Design (BS) 

Eric Winkelmann - Managing Editor/ Layout Assistant 


Ronald Farber - Business Manager 

10th Quarter Visual Effects & Motion Graphics (BS) 

Chelsea Hammerbeck - Layout Editor 


M.R. Mackey - Staff Photographer 

7th Quarter Photography (BFA) 

Robb Main - Contributor 

11th Quarter Media Arts & Animation (BS) 

ADVISORS 

Christopher Title - Content/Editorial Advisor 

Communication Arts Instuctor 

Jennifer Thompson - Business Advisor 

Advertising Instuctor 

Tim Armato - Design Advisor 

Graphic Design Instructor 

Deb Weiss - Editorial Advisor 


Jeremy Frandup - Editorial Advisior 


COLOPHON 

C² is printed using a four color process on 80 lb Discovery 

Dull (text) and 100 lb. Discovery Dull (cover). 

Header text is Seconda Demi, Seconda Demi Italic, 

Bebas, Moderna, Engebold, Chunk, CharralPro, and 

CharralPro-Bold. Body text is Optima. 

DISCLOSURE 

See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, 

fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary 

data, alumni success, and other important info. 

DISCLAIMER 

The information and opininions exspressed and/or any 

artwork displayed herein this publication represent the 

indidvuial opinions and ideas of individidual contributors and 

do not represent the opinions or ideas of The Art Institutes 

International Minnesota. 

THANK YOU 

C² would like to thank Express Press for the superior quality 

and service they provide in support of our publication. 

DEGREE PROGRAM KEY 

BS — Bachelor of Science 

BFA — Bachelor of Fine Arts 

COVER 

ENTROPY 

ZACHARY TRAPPEN 

10TH QUARTER VISUAL EFFECTS & MOTION GRAPHICS (BS)

Summer 2011 Issue - The Art Institutes

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