Sydnee Gonzalez, Author at BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications

BYU Alumnus Breathes New Life into Ancient Art Form

Sydnee Gonzalez — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 20:16:51 +0000

About a decade ago, the ancient form of Japanese woodblock printing was considered by some to be a dying art form — then BYU alumnus Jed Henry came along and shook things up. Henry took a genre of Japanese woodblock printing known as ukiyo-e — which translates into English as “pictures of the floating world” — and gave it new life by using it to represent his other love: video games. Although Japanese woodblock printing may seem niche, Henry says it is gaining traction. “It’s a growing scene largely because of our efforts to draw attention to this craft, to this medium, through pop culture connections,” he said. Henry’s latest accomplishment is an exhibit in the Harold B. Library Auditorium titled “New Kids on the Block,” which he says is a punny nod to the process of block printing as well as a comment on how he and his business partner, Dave Bull, have “stormed onto the Japanese tradition print making scene.” The exhibit will be up until May 24, 2019. The idea to hold an exhibit at BYU was facilitated by Japanese professor Jack Stoneman, who, according to Henry, thought an exhibit would be a great way to promote Japanese culture on campus. “I’m very grateful for all the hard work and planning that went into making the exhibit look good. I think it was a success,” said Henry. For Henry, the exhibit also represented the first time all of his work has been displayed together. Usually his prints are stored in stacks or in folders in his office and other places. “To have them all up in one place for viewing is a little overwhelming,” said Henry, “I’ve been doing this for seven years now and it’s amazing how much a catalog of pieces can build up over that much time of dedicated, focused work.” The theme of the exhibit is inspired by Henry’s general approach to his work. “I didn’t do any work to match the theme of the exhibit, but rather the exhibit was created to reflect the focus of my work — breathing new life into a traditional medium by combining it with more relevant pop culture references that speak to modern people,” said Henry. As people look through his work, Henry says the experience is like “a guessing game.” “With the pop culture references we use, I think people have a lot of fun trying to recognize this or that video game or this or that movie when it’s veiled in a new light with this traditional Japanese art style,” said Henry. Henry also hopes that individuals who view the exhibit will be inspired to learn more about traditional Japanese printmaking and perhaps even experiment with it on their own. Through his and his business partner’s efforts, many people have been introduced to the art form. Henry says he works with individuals from all over the world, including Brazil, Mexico and the U.K. His work has also paved the way for more diversity in the industry. “A lot of our partners, employees and contractors are women who — as it is with most things in Japanese traditional culture — were traditionally excluded from participation,” said Henry. “They are very talented craftspeople who otherwise might not have been able to have work in the male-dominated arena of Japanese printmaking.” Henry and his partner have created hundreds of jobs in the craft, something Henry says is funny since they’re “an American guy and a Canadian guy.” But Henry’s widespread success may never have happened were it not for his outlook on art. “I always approach my work as a balance between what I want to express as an artist and also what I think customers will want,” said Henry. “Be yourself as an artist and express your true feelings about things through your art — don’t be a hack, don’t be fake, don’t just chase the dollar — but also be your most marketable self.” Approaching art in this manner has allowed Henry to work on art every day and also have a stable economic situation. However, Henry warns that the life of an artist, while enjoyable, is not an easy path. “You have to work harder than most people in life,” said Henry. “The 40-hour work week with three weeks of paid vacation and benefits may not be the life that you get to live, but you can be very successful in the arts if you are willing to approach your work from a 50-50 balance between artistic integrity or emotional expression balanced with creating products that people want to buy, collect or display in their homes.” Henry says this attitude was something he picked up during his time as an undergraduate in BYU’s animation program. He said his animation professors, Kelly Loosli and Brent Adams, didn’t shy away from being realistic with him about what it would take to make it as an artist. “Kelly and Brent really galvanized my work ethic, which has continued to this day,” said Henry. “I work crazy hours and I get up really early in the morning so I can get some work done before my kids get up. I try to have a work-life balance, but I sacrifice sleep and maybe some hobbies. I sacrifice those hours to work on this more because I know what it takes to make a living in the arts.” To learn more about Henry and his work, visit his exhibit or watch his documentary “Art of the Game: Ukiyo-e Heroes.”

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Design Student Wins Top Spot at National Competition

Sydnee Gonzalez — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:42:36 +0000

Ainsley Rose Romero, a senior at Brigham Young University graduating in graphic design, beat out students and young professional graphic designers from around the country to win Command X, the graphic design equivalent of Chopped, American Idol or The Great British Baking Show. CommandX is sponsored by AIGA, the largest professional association for design in the United States, and was held at its annual design conference in Pasadena, CA, earlier this month. Finish reading the story at BYU News.

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PR Graduate Spencer Norawong Discusses How Students Can Overcome Rejection

Sydnee Gonzalez — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 18:12:43 +0000

Norawong will speak at the School of Communications Convocation at 9 a.m. on April 26 The first time Spencer Norawong applied for the public relations major, he didn’t get in. He started looking at other career paths like marketing or elementary education. But, at the end of the day, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was on the wrong path. “I definitely went back to my roots and thought about it for a long time and prayed,” said Norawong. Norawong’s decision-making process was influenced by his grandfather, who fled communist rule in Laos and became a refugee in the United States. “My grandpa Soukphaly is a man of resilience. He has been through so many trials and challenges in his life. He’s a fighter,” said Norawong. “He honestly taught me the importance of making decisions based on how you feel and making sure that what you feel is true within your gut.” The realization that PR was the right decision for him came in one of those gut feelings, said Norawong, something he’s glad he listened to, despite his initial rejection. One of Norawong’s biggest challenges has been learning how to deal with rejection, but it’s also a process that he’s learned a lot from. “Instead of being a product of a situation, be a product of triumph and struggle,” said Norawong. During his time in the PR major, Norawong has proved he’s more than the initial rejection he faced. He has worked as an account executive in Y Digital, something he says is one of his proudest accomplishments along with being asked to speak at graduation. “I didn’t realize I was noticed by that many people or that they would feel comfortable with me representing the School of Communications,” said Norawong. During his time at BYU, Norawong has worked on multiple projects for the Y Digital Agency. One of his favorites was a campaign for Wimbledon, where he and other students had to create content for an Australian audience. “We’re at the Brimhall building from like 12 in the afternoon till about 3 in the morning,” said Norawong. “It was cool to see all these people engage with our posts and our comments.” Working with peers on projects both in and out of class have had the most impact on Norawong. “My best learning moments were when I was with talented people in groups, where we had guidance from our professors, but they weren’t necessarily willing to solve every single thing,” said Norawong. “That’s what really helped me to learn how to succeed in public relations.” During his time in the program, Norawong came to better understand his love for PR. When he first got into the program, he thought he liked PR because he liked people. Later on, however, he realized it was a lot more than that. “I like the strategy behind everything and how PR emphasizes using all these different things to create a data-driven solution to a tough problem,” said Norawong. He wishes that people knew PR isn’t just about crisis management. “We’re not the cleaner-uppers; we’re the preventers in the corporate world,” said Norawong. As graduation approaches, Norawong is excited to dive into the professional world, something he feels the PR program has thoroughly prepared him for. “By the end, the PR program definitely equips you with the tools you need in your toolbelt to succeed in a career,” said Norawong. He is moving to San Francisco after graduation to work for Methods+Mastery, a digital marketing agency that is housed under FleishmanHillard. He hopes his time working in an agency will be a springboard for his dream job: a chief marketing officer (CMO). Q&A with Spencer Norawong, BA ‘19 Communications | Communications: Public Relations What did you want to be when you were a kid? “I wanted to be a whale doctor. I don’t know why, I think I went to SeaWorld and I was obsessed with the trainers, but I was like ‘I can’t ride the whale because that’s scary,’ so I wanted to be a whale doctor. I’m glad I didn’t choose that path.” What is your fav snack? “Takis. I’m obsessed with Takis; I owe my whole college career to them.” Where are you from? “Puyallup, Washington near Seattle.” What are your hobbies? “If I had money, I would go to Disney every day. I enjoy spending time with friends. I’m also obsessed with Marie Kondo, it’s like fancy spring cleaning. You throw out things that don’t make you feel joy. I really enjoy that stuff, so hit me up if you ever need someone to organize your stuff.”

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Illustration Major Melissa Kamba Shares Artistic Journey

Sydnee Gonzalez — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 17:40:42 +0000

Kamba will speak at the Department of Art and Department of Design Convocation at 12 p.m. on April 26 Growing up, Melissa Kamba was always creating things, from tree forts and cardboard-box creations to paintings and drawings. From a young age she knew she wanted to be an artist. “I grew up and I didn’t even think about it,” said Kamba. “Art is what I do all the time.” Despite a lifetime of creating art, Kamba never had any formal training. She came to BYU, applied for the illustration BFA program and received notification that she wasn’t accepted into the program. For the first time in her life, Kamba questioned if art was the right path. “I had to figure out if this is what I really wanted to do when I didn’t get in,” said Kamba. “It made me work that much harder.” Since being accepted into the program, she’s felt nothing but support from her faculty and peers. “The BFA studio is a community,” said Kamba. “All of your friends work in there and they give you critiques and help you with your work. It’s kind of like a little home.” She also says she’s grown as an artist due to the encouragement of her professors. “They really push to make sure you have everything you need to progress,” said Kamba. “We have a small number of teachers, so they’re always working with you and they’re concerned for you.” She also credits her success to her mom, who never discouraged her from pursuing art. Kamba said her mom bought her every type of art supply imaginable when she was a child. “A lot of parents say ‘why are you going to be an artist? They don’t make anything.’ I’m glad my mom supported what I wanted to do,” said Kamba. Despite the support from her parents, professors and peers, Kamba has still had one major struggle during her time in the program: overcoming the feeling of not being good enough. “It’s hard at first, figuring out you are good enough, and it’s this constant battle because you’re always competing with everyone who is really good,” said Kamba. She said winning that battle has required a lot of self love and trying to create positive thought patterns. After graduation, Kamba will intern with Susan Lyon and Scott Burdick. “I think they’ll help me get on the right path and be a better artist,” said Kamba. Kamba hasn’t put her future career dreams into a box; instead, she’s keeping things open. Her career goals include designing book covers, traveling and painting, illustrating children’s books and creating murals. Q&A with Melissa Kamba, BFA ‘19 Design | Illustration | Portfolio What is your favorite snack in between classes? “Black licorice and mangos.” Where do you spend most of your time on campus? “In the arts studio. They give you a space when you get into the program and that’s where you can put all your supplies. And there’s a fridge, so it’s pretty homey in there.” What are your hobbies? “I play the piano.” Where are you from? “Alberta, Canada.”

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Graphic Design Student Sienna Forsyth Shares How Taking Risks Allows Art to Thrive

Sydnee Gonzalez — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 16:48:50 +0000

Forsyth will speak at the Department of Art and Department of Design Convocation at 12 p.m. on April 26 When Sienna Forsyth applied to the graphic design BFA program, she doubted her ability to get in. She remembers feeling incredibly nervous, even though she knew that she had given her all to the application. “I remember looking around and thinking, ‘oh my goodness, my peers have the most amazing portfolios, there’s no way I’m ever going to get in,’” said Forsyth. After she was accepted into the program, she had a paradigm shift. “I remember from that moment, I thought ‘okay, I’m good enough to be here,’” said Forsyth. However, Forsyth’s journey through the program wasn’t smooth after her acceptance. One of the biggest challenges she had to overcome as a student was getting over her fear of making mistakes. “My first year in the BFA was really rough for me. I felt like none of the work I did was really working, and I wasn’t quite getting it. I was really hard on myself for that,” said Forsyth. “If I had just lightened up a little bit, I would have been less afraid to make mistakes and more willing to explore and try new things — and I might have been a lot more successful.” Forsyth also had to learn how to be a mom during her senior year. Although balancing motherhood and schoolwork was difficult, Forsyth said she was able to pull it off with the support of her professors and peers. “With the BFA program, it’s not just getting into a program, it’s getting into a family, a group of people that you can rely on and trust in and lean on for inspiration and motivation,” said Forsyth. She also credits her professors with most of the opportunities she has had as a student. “I’ve gotten to have an intimate mentorship with multiple graphic design teachers and, through that, I’ve been able to make connections, network and get internships,” said Forsyth. She added that her professors are “the ones that make it all worth it for us. They work really hard. I think there are more opportunities every year because the teachers are just trying to make the program better and better.” Forsyth said one of her favorite opportunities was getting to work on a pro bono project for a pig farm in Madagascar that was founded by BYU alumni. Along with other students, Forsyth took on the challenge of creating a brand that would appeal to both the people of Madagascar and the Americans who invested in the farm. “We had to learn how to brand a company that would interest people in Madagascar, so we used lots of bright colors and things that are maybe not normal here,” said Forsyth. “We also had to make a brand that was interesting to Western culture. It was a fun challenge.” Looking back on her time at BYU, Forsyth says she would encourage other students to realize it’s okay not to know everything. “I wish I had known that before because [the major] can be sort of intimidating,” said Forsyth. “You might think ‘should I even try it?’ And I’m glad I did because I’ve learned since then.” In the future, Forsyth hopes to land a job at an art museum. “I would really love to do the designs for a museum — some of their branding and focusing on the gift shop and promotional materials for gallery shows.” In the meantime, Forsyth is moving to San Francisco with her husband and son after graduation. She plans on taking time off work for the summer to focus on her son and making art. Q&A with Sienna Forsyth, BFA ‘19 Design | Graphic Design | Portfolio Where are you from? “New Hope, Pennsylvania.” What did you want to be when you were a kid? “I never knew; I was never one of those kids. I think for a long time I wanted to be a teacher, but I was an extremely indecisive child.” What are your hobbies? “I really love traveling with my husband. I also like photography.” What is your favorite snack in between classes? “I normally bring a protein shake and an apple or a clementine.” What is your biggest inspiration? “My mom because she is the person who is not afraid to be herself and own her own space. She’s very funky and out there. She doesn’t bat an eye at anyone who would think her style isn’t fun or cool. She just knows how to rock it, and she’s my ultimate example of how to be unique and be yourself.” Where do you spend most of your time on campus? “The Harris Fine Arts Center, a hundred percent. I don’t even have classes in other buildings anymore. I haven’t set foot in other buildings for a long time.”

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Kevin John Discusses Finding Truth in April Faith + Works Lecture

Sydnee Gonzalez — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 16:12:37 +0000

In April’s Faith + Works lecture, School of Communications professor Kevin John discussed how people can overcome the notion that there is an inherent gap between religion and science and instead use both to discover truth. In his signature quirky fashion, John started out the lecture by showing a clip from “Nacho Libre.” “You only believe in science, that’s probably why we will never win,” said actor Jack Black in the clip. John then used the clip to point out that the hostility that so many people see between religion and science. “There is no room for moderation,” said John. “There’s extreme this side and extreme that side and they call it a conversation. But it’s not a conversation; it’s a shouting match.” At that point, John switched gears. He said at first he had been planning on discussing science versus religion and the friction between them, but he didn’t feel like any argument pitting the two against each other is ever really conducive to any growth. “The perception is that there’s a deep division, but there’s a lot of room for unity and there’s a lot of room for conversation,” said John. “Truth is truth, whether it’s labeled science or religion.” John went on to say that the only conflict is in the interpretation of fact and that there are different kinds of truth: Truth with capital “T” and truth with lowercase “t.” According to John, capital “T” truths are universal and unchanging, such as gospel principles. In contrast, lowercase “t” truths are contextual, provisional and perspective based, such as individual case studies. “Conflict occurs here because we’re comparing little bits of contextualized truth, hoping to hit at some of the larger principles that can give us a hint at the capital ‘T’ truths,” said John. This process of getting closer and closer to capital “T” truth is the practice that many people learned in grade school: the scientific method. John pointed out, however, that his process has its flaws. “There’s so much in science that we can’t measure,” said John. “[Scientists] don’t get to the nuts and bolts.” He continued by saying that we shouldn’t get so caught up in the scientific-method way of proving things that we let intellectual pride lead us to believe that we know everything because we’ve “proved” it. “Science is the best that we can do with what our eyes can see,” said John, adding that that doesn’t mean that we should ignore other ways of finding truth. “The Lord encourages us to use our brains and to use our faith,” said John. “We should use both — we need both.” “With the knowledge of the gospel, we realize that there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye,” said John. “Our vision — our perspective — is flawed because it is terrestrial.” John described finding out his father had cancer as a time when he had to learn not to rely on his secular knowledge. “My mind was a storm. At that moment I had two narratives that were fighting for space in my heart and my mind: my dad is going to live, or my dad is going to die,” said John. After doing all the research he could about his dad’s terminal cancer diagnosis, he said he was left with no hope. “For that time, the Lord was my teacher, and he taught me, ‘guess what, these are opposites to you, but they are not to me. Your dad will die, but he will certainly live, and he will live because of me,’” said John. “Sometimes we encounter things that shake our faith, or sometimes we encounter things where we don’t see a solution because it seems impossible to us,” continued John. “At that point, it becomes essential for us to turn to the Lord.” At the end of the day, there is capital “T” truth that people can count on said John. “Knowledge is great, knowledge is fantastic, but knowledge will not save us; faith will save us,” said John.

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BYU Communications Grad Students Take Home Second Place at Case Study Competition

Sydnee Gonzalez — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 01:16:28 +0000

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BYU Communications Professor to Present Research on Millennials and Media at International Conference

Sydnee Gonzalez — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 00:38:55 +0000

School of Communications professor Miles Romney was invited to present at the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) 2019 Conference in Las Vegas on April 6-9. Romney’s presentation will be based on his new book chapter titled “Tune it or Stream it? Can Millennials and the Internet save ESPN?” Read more on the School of Communications website.

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BYU Department of Design Partners with Black Student Union to Bring Renowned Artist to Campus

Sydnee Gonzalez — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 00:23:36 +0000

R. Gregory Christie, an award-winning illustrator, gave students a glimpse into his career R. Gregory Christie recently shared the secret to his success — which includes over 60 children’s books and honors like the Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King honor and a NAACP Image Award — with BYU students. Christie’s visit to students was made possible by a partnership between the Department of Design and the Black Student Union (BSU). Design professor David Habben said the collaboration has been a positive experience and that the two groups already have plans for further collaboration. “It was a fantastic experience for all involved and I can’t speak highly enough about the efforts that the BSU does to provide a place for inclusion and expression for BYU’s black student body,” said Habben. “These students bring a wonderful combination of academic excellence and unique perspectives to our university and community.” This feeling was echoed by the students who attended Christie’s lecture. “What I’m most interested in is building a career in illustration, so it’s really cool to see people’s life experiences and learn a little about their style,” said Robert Bogh, a pre-BFA major. “You just get to be a part of the conversation that is art.” Taran Trinnaman, an English major and member of BSU, also added that Christie’s lecture and the other events the artist hosted on campus. “It was really cool to see how just a few beginning jobs, random coincidences and a good portfolio led to a connection and that just spawned more and more opportunities and just all these works of art,” said Trinnaman. “It was really inspirational to see that.” Despite all of his accomplishments, Christie stressed to students that his journey to success hasn’t been easy. A big part of Christie’s career has been luck; he’s done the right things at the right time in the right place. One of Christie’s biggest projects was doing the animation for “Garrett’s Gift,” a short film that was narrated by Queen Latifah. “The first time I met [Queen Latifah], she didn’t know me and I didn’t know her. I walked up to her and showed her my work and she said ‘I’m trying to get a drink on’ and I felt so bad,” said Christie, adding that the bravery he had to approach her is what landed him a job later down the road. “Go show your art,” Christie told students. “It’s worse in your head than in the reality of life.” Christie added that in order to be successful, artists need to have at least two of the following: discipline, talent and luck. However, Christie also added that he’s hopeful for up-and-coming artists, who he says have more advantages than any other generation before them. “There’s never been a time in the world where you have a megaphone to the world,” said Christie of the power social media and the internet can give young artists. “In these times, you don’t have to go with the system. In a way I feel that this is your world now.” Christie ended by emphasizing the importance of criticism. “I welcome it; It means I’m actually doing something that’s pushing the envelope,” said Christie. “Not everyone is going to like you.” He added, “People do not like change . . . Artists either kind of fall in line with what’s already out there, or they do something that’s so strange that the next generation gets it,” said Christie. “And you just have to do art because you love it.”

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2019 Convocation for the College of Fine Arts and Communications

Sydnee Gonzalez — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 17:14:29 +0000

BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC) will hold the 2019 Convocation ceremonies on Friday, April 26 in the de Jong Concert Hall of the Harris Fine Arts Center (HFAC). Ceremonies will include student speakers, musical numbers and the presentation of master’s and baccalaureate diplomas to graduates. The ceremonies will be livestreamed on the CFAC website. University Commencement will take place on Thursday, April 25 at 10 a.m. in the Marriott Center. More information on commencement can be found here. The School of Communications Convocation will take place at 9 a.m. Speakers will include public relations student Spencer Norawong and news media student Camille Baker. There will also be a performance by School of Music student Christian Hales. The Department of Art and Department of Design Convocation will take place at 12 p.m. Speakers will include studio art students Chole Welch and Annelise Duque, graphic design student Sienna Forsyth and illustration student Melissa Kamba. There will also be a performance by School of Music student CJ Madsen. The Department of Dance, the School of Music and Department of Theatre and Media Arts Convocation will take place at 3 p.m. TMA student Channing Weir will speak. There will also be a performance by School of Music students Catherine Boyack and Morgan Hastings. Tickets are limited to four per graduate for general admission and will be available for in-person pick up at the Harris Fine Arts Center (HFAC) Ticket Office on the following dates: School of Communications | March 18-19 Department of Art/Department of Design | March 20-21 Department of Dance/School of Music/Department of Theatre and Media Arts (including MDT) | March 25-26 Late requests (any students that did not claim tickets on the previous dates) March 27-28 Students who are not on campus on their respective pickup date must contact their school or department to arrange pickup. After students have claimed their tickets, any additional tickets will be distributed at the HFAC Ticket Office on a first-come, first-served basis. This second round of ticket distribution will also be limited to a maximum of four additional tickets per student. For additional questions regarding convocation tickets, please contact cfacconvocation@byu.edu or read through the CFAC Convocation FAQs.

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