Category: News
Famous Drummer Speaks During Graduation
Nossi College of Art’s 2019 commencement speaker, Greg Upchurch, studied music at the University of Central Oklahoma before starting a storied career as a drummer. He famously worked with Chris Cornell in the late 90s for Chris’ solo album and tour and Upchurch was the drumming backbone for other rock bands including Eleven, Puddle of Mudd and 3 Doors Down. The bands Upchurch has played with have sold over 20 million albums! He is currently part of 3 Doors Down, a multi-platinum group. They are currently touring across North America. Not only does 3 Doors Down tour the nation; they also put on a show for their community through their nonprofit, The Better Life Foundation. Established in 2004, this organization has a mission to make a positive change in the lives of children and young adults. “Greg Upchurch’s life experiences reflect perseverance and persistence,” said Dr. Byron Edwards, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Nossi College of Art. “These are two attributes that always benefit the individual who exhibits them – especially an artist who can inspire our creative graduates with his experiences.” On Saturday, June 8, 2019, at Goodpasture Christian School in Madison, Nossi College of Art is graduating students in five degree programs including an Associate Degree in Commercial Photography and Bachelor Degrees in Digital Photography, Video & Film, Graphic Design Media and Commercial Illustration. In addition to the time dedicated to completing their degrees, Nossi College is proud of the number of honor students walking across the…
Mikal Barker Wins Illustration Scholarship Award
When Barbara Palacios and Lluvia Agustin contacted Nossi College of Art and encouraged students and alumni to submit ideas for her upcoming children’s book series, Nossi College had just one response, “Challenge Accepted!” Lluvia is the founder and owner of The Agustin Agency, a global literary agency connecting authors with audiences around the world. “I’m a firm believer in supporting young people with these types of programs,” said Lluvia Agustin. “When you win something, big or small it boosts your self-esteem.” Agustin, who spent twenty years in the publishing industry before launching her own agency, said she is passionate about helping young people advance in their field. “It’s a way of giving back,” she said. With a $1,000 scholarship award on the line, Nossi College hand-selected seven commercial illustrators based on their previous experiences and portfolio of work. Each illustrator focused on bringing Palacios’ dragonfly characters to life. From pencil sketches to digital concept to inked comps, these illustrators used videos to pitch their ideas and concepts to the Agustin Team in hopes of earning the top prize The quality of Barker’s work stood out to Palacios, who said she was drawn to Barker’s use of color and his portrayal of the characters. “When I saw Mikal Barker’s art, it brought tears to my eyes,” said Palacios. “I thought, ‘Yes, that’s it. They will fit my stories.’” In addition to the scholarship, Barker’s art will be included in Palacios’ book proposal, providing him a unique opportunity to have his work…
Nossi Students Take on Nashville Fashion Week
“Make sure you come dressed for success. A lot of people looked like a work of art.” – Angelynn Johnson, Nossi Fashion Collective Student Member A lucky group of Nossi students was able to attend Nashville’s prestigious Fashion Week Event! Nashville Fashion Week came to life in 2011, with the purpose of showcasing the city’s community spirit and booming demographic of talented creatives in the fashion world. Retailers, designers and creative professionals come together for a five-day unique festival highlighting mostly local but also regional and national fashion designers. In addition to educational workshops and runway shows, Nashville Fashion Week provides philanthropic support of our creative economy. Ticket proceeds go to the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, an annual award to help local creative talent advance in their careers. Nossi students were selected to attend Nashville Fashion Week because they are members and contributors to Nossi’s Fashion Collective, a student group fostering working relationships between the creative students at Nossi College and up-and-coming fashion brands and businesses. We collaborate on photo shoots, design consultation, invite guest speakers to campus and attend events around Nashville. Students said their overall favorite part of the event was seeing the different pieces of clothing and vibrant styles. When asked about the biggest takeaway from the event, Daniela Dominguez (photographer) says, “There is so much talent and creativity! It can be nerve-wracking to push the boundaries and seeing the work of these designers was inspiring to do…
Five ways to maximize your college experience
So you’ve arrived at college, now what? Don’t let your college years seem daunting. College should be something you look back on and smile about as you think about how you matured and grew into your true identity. As a senior, I look back on simple things I did to really make my experience fun and valuable because I got involved and met some amazing people. Check out my five pieces of advice for incoming college students: #1-Student Groups I joined a couple of student groups in my freshman year and it was very valuable. I met a bunch of people who I’m still friends with 4 years later. It’s so comforting to walk around campus and always see a familiar face! At Nossi, I get to connect with these student groups: NossiMICS – A Music and Entertainment Group Kappa Pi Eta Tau – International Honorary Art Society for Academic Student Leaders Colors Club – Nossi’s LGBT student group The Fashion Collective – Connects creative to Nashville growing fashion industry The Drawing Board – Group for sequential and animation artists #2- Networking Is this you when it’s time to talk to strangers 👇👇👇 Networking can appear awkward at first making it easy to avoid the situation altogether! Conversational skills are learned over time, so going to meet-ups and job fairs is a great place to start. GOAL: Meet one stranger and share a business card. This will be one of the most valuable skills to build upon because…
Fall Semester Starts Sept 9
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