Link FALL 2008
Founded in 1882, The Cleveland Institute of Art is an independent college of art and design committed to leadership and vision in all forms of visual arts education. For the past 126 years, the Institute has made enduring contributions to art and education and connects to the community through gallery exhibitions, talks and lectures, a continuing education program, Craft Council and The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque.
NEWS FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART
The Big Apple is home to the greatest concentration of CIA alumni outside of Northeast Ohio
A summer internship convinced Alex
A Love-Hate Relationship
Lombardo ’04 that New York City was
“Something about the struggle of living and
the place for him. So this T.I.M.E.-Digital
“There’s no better place in the world to
Arts major headed east the day he gradu-
be for art than New York,” said painter
ated from The Cleveland Institute of Art
Sarah Chuldenko ’99. “It’s got the con-
with nothing lined up but a place to
centration of artists in one place, the
sleep on his sister’s couch.
vibration of the city, the energy, and
A phone call from his former boss, Cleveland chef Michael Symon, helped
working here makes for better art.” Sarah Chuldenko ’99
Lombardo get his first job, in the on-site art department at Food Network.
something about the struggle of living and working here makes for better art.” The struggle of surviving in New York seems to keep many CIA graduates on
Two years later, he was hired as the
their toes. Even Lombardo, the New York
first multimedia producer at Rolling Stone
enthusiast, admits to having a “love-hate
magazine, where he spent the last two
relationship” with the city. “It’s hard
years filming and editing celebrity inter-
work staying afloat here; but you have to.
views for the magazine’s archives and
Everything’s more expensive here and
website, and creating various works of
you have to be motivated and your work
digital promotional art.
has to be current. You really have to go
DRAWN TO
“Anything’s possible here; that’s what
out and bust your chops,
attracted me to New York. And once you
which is what I like about
make your connections, you’re hooked for
New York,” he said.
life,” said Lombardo, whose connections include several Institute alumni.” There are so many people from CIA
Chuldenko, daughter of Illustration Professor John Chuldenko,
feels
that
here now; it’s a great support group. We
same pressure. “Being an
get together regularly and the networking
artist in New York requires
is pretty amazing.” Lombardo tapped into
a real commitment,” she
those networks this summer when he left
said. Chuldenko learned
Rolling Stone to launch his own video pro-
something about commit-
duction company.
ment to her art during her student days at
With countless museums, galleries,
CIA where her work was regularly cri-
design firms, production companies,
tiqued and she had to defend her paint-
media outlets, advertising agencies and
ings. “I had to speak articulately about my
potential freelance clients, New York City
work and that really helps me now during
has always been a magnet for art school
studio visits.”
ABOVE: ENJOYING THE MAY 12, 2008 CIA RECEPTION AT THE NEW MUSEUM IN NEW YORK’S BOWERY DISTRICT ARE (LEFT TO RIGHT) JANET BRUHN ’07,
graduates. In recent years, increasing num-
After many group exhibitions, she had
WESLEY FRIEDRICH ’07, JANELLE CHU,
bers of CIA alumni from all majors are
her first solo show this summer at FAKE
ANDREA HENRY ’07 AND EMILY BUTE ’07.
feeling the pull. In fact, Greater New York
ESTATE, a New York gallery. When she is
is home to the largest concentration of
not creating work for shows, she free-
CIA alumni outside of Northeast Ohio
lances, painting portraits of children and
and more than 100 of them attended a CIA
props for stylists to use in catalogs and
reception in May at the New Museum.
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