Resume of Awesomeness!

1234 Las Vegas, NM 00000

email@gmail.com

123-456-7890

VERONICA BLACK

Education
New Mexico Highlands University, Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Media Arts 

with a B. F. A. in Digital Filmmaking and Minor in Art Studio, May 2011.

Gateway Christian High School, Diploma, May 2001.

Professional Experiences
Video, Audio and Media Technician, training and educational outreach program for NM schools, colleges and nonprofits focusing on “"Growing through Conflict”" a media series for "Audio Revolution!" broadcasts, public screenings, on-line distribution and targeted listening circles. AmeriCorps and Youth Media Projects, Santa Fe, NM. January 2012-Present.

Videographer and Media Technician, filming, editing and installing video and still image slide shows on digital monitors. SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM. May 2011-August 2011.

External Affairs Assistant, organizing and formating press images, cataloging press images and press clips, and assisting in public events. AmeriCorps and SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM. May 2011-August 2011.

Audiovisual Technician, managed AV equipment, projectors, and provided presenters with technical support during 3 day conference, also provided video/still documentation of events.

New Mexico Association of Museums Conference, Las Vegas, NM. November 2010.

e-Publisher, co-designed and creator of digital publishings for students’ animations. New Mexico Highlands University, Media Arts Department, Las Vegas, NM. June 2010-September 2010.

Videographer, produced, storyboard and edited a virtual tour for the museums website. Marion Koshland Science Museum, Washington D.C. November 2009-January 2010.

Videographer, filmed, photographed and interviewed three local artists for web-based videos. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and Museum of New Mexico Foundation, Santa Fe, NM. July 2009- August 2009.

Videographer, filmed, edited and photographed a video for the Van of Enchantment website. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, Santa Fe, NM. June 2009-August 2009.

Teachers Assistant, lead critiques, demonstrated, and graded students projects for the class Color Theory. New Mexico Highlands University, Media Arts Department, Las Vegas, NM. January 2009-May 2009.

Work Study, secretary assistant. New Mexico Highlands University, Media Arts Department, Las Vegas, NM. November 2008-Spring 2010.

Design Editor, layout designer for the second volume of the Picayune Literature Review. New Mexico Highlands University, Humanities - English Department, Las Vegas, NM. April 2009 - May 2009.

Videographer, participated in a internet based documentary for SITE Santa Fe’s Seventh International Biennial. Video was installed in SITE gallery during the Biennial.

SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM. January 2008-June 2008.

Scholarships

Seabury Fellowship in Cultural Technology awarded to outstanding students, Fall 2010. 

Dale Basler Scholarship awarded to active members of the Media Arts Club, Fall 2007 & Spring 2008.

Recognitions

Museums of the Web Conference, presented during Tech Showcase “Koshland Virtual Tour,” 

Denver, CO, April 2010. 

Dean’s List, New Mexico Highlands University, Fall 2006-May 2011.

Exhibitions

“Call Me,” Mixed Media, Las Vegas 175th Anniversary Celebration Art Show, September 24- October 1, 2010. 

“Daedalus & Icarus,” Stop Motion Animation, Santa Fe 3 Minute Film Festival, Santa Fe, NM, May 2010.

“Conservation: The Delicate Art Behind the Scene,” Time-lapse Video, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM, July 30-September 10, 2010.

“Conservation: The Delicate Art Behind the Scene,” Time-lapse Video, Mesa Public Library, Las Alamos, NM, October 2009.

“NM Creates,” Artist web-based interviews, Museum of New Mexico Foundation home page, Santa Fe, NM.

“Van of Enchantment,” Promotional video, Department of Cultural Affairs, Santa Fe, NM.

“Fashioning New Mexico,” Time-lapse Video, New Mexico History Museum, Santa Fe, NM, May 2009-April 2010.

“Almas de la Plaza,” Researched, Directed, Installed, Las Vegas, NM, December 2008-Febuary 2009.

“Lucky 7,” Six Artist Videos, SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM, June 2008-January 2009.

Publications

“Communities of Discourse: A Guide to Acandamic Writing,” Diagram, NMHU, Funtanled Press, 2008. “Beads in a Row,” Photograph, Picayune Literature Review 2009.

“Green Fish,” Acrylic Paint, Picayune Literature Review 2008. 

“The BadLands SD,” Photograph, Sendero Literary Magazine 2007.

“The County Spider,” Photograph, Sendero Literary Magazine 2007. 

“The Misadventures of the Writing Center” with Ben Villarreal, Comic, Sendero Literary Magazine 2007.

Organizations

Media Arts Club, Vice President, Fall 2009-Spring 2011 

Media Arts Club, President, Fall 2007-Spring 2009 

American Sign Language, Treasurer, Fall 2007-Spring 2008

Skills

Adobe Suite CS4: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamwaver, After Effects, Flash 

Final Cut Pro 7, Soundtrack Pro 3 

Coral Painter 11 

HTLM5, CSS, Mobile Technology

References

Mr. Andrew Wollner, Assistant Professor of Media Arts/Graphic Design. 

apwollner@nmhu.edu 

505-454-3187

Dr. Helen Blythe, Assistant Professor, Director of Graduate Studies in English. 

helenblythe@nmhu.edu 

505-454-3329


_______________________________________


This is not my original design or format but you get the idea.
Enjoy!

Statement of Interest a la Grad Schools

1-8-2012

Veronica Black

Statement of Interest

The summer of 2010 I visited my grandmother in Houston, Texas. Toward the end of that two week trip I had an opportunity to to rush over and visit the Museum of Fine Art Houston. I have always enjoyed exploring new museums or revisiting old ones whenever I travel. For me this new museum was filled with exhibits from 5th century burial masks to American contemporary art. With such artists as my hero Willem Van Aelst, his epic still lifes, and introducing me to contemporary artists like Jasper John, I roamed each wing of the museum and began to realize I was studying not just art work but the museum itself--how the exhibits where laid out, the flow of visitors, the design and color for each gallery--until I came across the Art of Asia exhibit. Weaving through the pillars that Hindu gods stood on, I wondered what their stories were when I came across a monitor. The touch screen, with built in Adobe Flash, was a simple interactive explaining the stories behind each of the Hindu gods. The interactive was bright, easy to navigate, and entertaining. It was perfect for all ages except that the touch screen was installed on the wall in a far off corner four feet from the floor--to high and out of the way for the younger museum visitors that this interactive was clearly designed for. That was the moment I realized I wanted to go to graduate school, so I can advance my education to be able to work in a cultural institution creating and installing technology that would help enrich the visitors experience. "I could design and install this interactive much better" was my mantra for the rest of my museum visit .  

When that summer ended I started my last year as a undergraduate at New Mexico Highlands University’s (NMHU) Media Arts Program, I have experienced an education both in and outside the classroom. My BFA in digital filmmaking, and my studio arts minor, have given me the foundation for creating professional and creative art. I have built upon my educational foundation with professional internships with SITE Santa Fe—a contemporary art space—the Department of Cultural Affairs of New Mexico, and the Marion Koshland Science Museums, Washington, DC, producing pieces ranging from oral history documentaries, to e-publishing children’s books, and virtual tours for the web.

In my five years at NMHU I have worked with local museums on such projects like SITE Santa Fe’s seventh biennial exhibit, “Lucky #7”—one of my first videography projects—made me part of a documentary film team comprised of students from three universities around Santa Fe. The biennial was curated by Lance Fung and focused on collaboration. Together we created a web based-only archive of the eighteen international and local artist works. Capturing the beginning process, the construction of the art, and the final installation of work in the contemporary art space through my camera lens was a wonderful way to experience how exhibitions are created. 

In 2008, I had the opportunity to be a part of the Program for Interactive Culture Technology (PICT). Within the program I worked with the New Mexico History Museum to create a short video as well as interactive pieces for the “Fashioning New Mexico” exhibit. I took ownership of shooting and editing a video that documented the process the textile conservator took to prepare the clothing for the exhibition. This video has also been displayed at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM, and the Mesa Public Library in Las Alamos, NM. I saw this project through to the end, developing the style of the video, the photography, and music of the piece. I finished with installing the sound system and monitor in the exhibition space.

This past summer I entered the professional field immediately after graduation through the alliance of AmeriCorps, the Center for Cultural Technology (CCT), the Media Arts Program at NMHU, and the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. Through AmeriCorps I started work for SITE Santa Fe as their summer External Affairs assistant. Through out the summer I worked on organizing and formating press images, cataloging press images and press clips, and assisting in documenting public events, getting a taste for the logistics side of museum life.

When I started researching MFA programs that had a museum connection, one of the first schools I came across was Parsons. The variety of fields in the Design and Technology program was an immediate draw. I knew I wanted to end up working for museums but how to go about it was still unclear. Having worked on many different kind of projects outside school, I feel I have much to offer in whichever path I take. I have a passion for filmmaking but skills in designing logos and layout, creating and building websites, and most recently working on mobile applications.  The design and technology program will offer me an opportunity to develop all my skills, without having to narrow down to just a few. And in the end I will be a much better employee at no matter what museum I end up.

All of my experiences have centered around museums in a positive way. I have seen how my work has helped to tell others' stories, captured a moment that was almost forgotten, or given someone an idea of what awaits them before they visit the museum. These experiences and the pleasure that come from them have secured the path I hope to tread. 

______________________________________________________

This letter was for Parsons college in New York, NY.

Enjoy!

"JOB" Almighty!

Every since May 2011 came and went I've been thinking of "what comes next."

Job? Grad school?? Kid??? Another puppy???? Marshmallows?????

After graduating from NMHU Media Arts with my very sexy BFA I enrolled into the AmeriCorps program through the Media Arts intern partnership. I interviewed with the Georgia O'keefe Museum, the Santa Fe Children's Museum and SITE Santa Fe. Landing a nice spot as the Summer intern at SITE Santa Fe in the External Affairs department. I went into that internship with the hope that it'll end up more permeant. Sadly life did not shape the way I'd hope, but it turned out I needed a break.

The break was nice and much needed. I didn't stop searching for that "next thing" though. In fact, I applied for a lot of things since that Summer Internship ended.

And here's the list so far;

Employment:

www.sfreporter.com 

I applied to the Santa Fe Reporter for a intro level Graphic Designer. The job posting just asked that you send in an email with your resume and url, if you have one. I never heard back. It was kind of a long shot but I aimed high.

www.riogallinasschool.org

The position at the Rio Gallinas was for a part time art teacher. I sent an equiring email followed by my resume. I never heard back after that and they hired Nellie Price. Which I was happy for her. So it worked out.

www.luna.edu

Luna was looking for someone to teacher a intro to flash class. I turned this down because I choice to be a part of the Youth Media Projects.

www.santafeopera.org

This 3 part application form, cover letter/email, plus resume, and references was for a intro level social/mobile/web designer for the Santa Fe Opera. An all day applications process that lead to nothing. I figured it just didn't have enough mobile/web under my belt yet, and I mean yet.

Graduate School:

So to prep for grad school application I studied and took the GREs. Not that any of my school require it but for a few schools you get put on the top stack or you can be eligible for academic grants. Since I may never be able to pay off my school loans in this life time, every little bit helps. 

www.newschool.edu

Parsons application process was probably the easiest. It was all online! Super easy! Yet, they wanted to see a lot projects and asked a lot of questions on their application. So that took some time.

www.scad.edu 

If I get into SCAD my life will be perfect! The application process is not very hard. The portfolio is the most important, followed by your statement and the letters of recommendations. I have my figures cross.

www.washington.edu 

The University of WA was by far the most stressful application ever. They wanted everything, resume, statement letter, rec letters, portfolio, everything all mailed together. But you also had to apply online and submit online transcripts for all the schools you every attended. Which I had no way for doing that for the schools I transfered from. In the end this school was the hardest but by doing all of it I was able to use almost everything for the next school.

www.vcu.edu

For VCU the application is all online but they are very picky about what you show in your portfolio. For example, if you are applying for the MFA in Film & Photo

Portfolio Requirement: Submit 20 still images; or a minimum of three recent films or videos for which the applicant has had primary responsibility in production; or a combination of still images and short video clips, not to exceed 20. Image/Video Format: DIGITAL FILES (Online or Mail CD/DVD): Image: Jpeg format only (Quality 12), maximum dimensions of 1280 x 1024 pixels at 72 dpi; file size no larger than 2.0 MB per image. Video: All videos must be formatted in MPEG4 using the H.264 codec at 640×480 pixels with MP3 audio or 48k AIF. Limit the size of your video to 100 MB. Video files should be no longer than three minutes in length. 

You must upload your work to their website and it's very nitpicking. Plus it does take a while to upload your work. So I recommend you give your self a few days before the due date to do it. I had to resize almost all my videos so that they where small enough to upload to their format.

I'm sure I'll be applying to many more jobs maybe even grad schools.

Enjoy!

The Things I'm "About" to Accomplish

Despite my mother, grandmothers and great grandmother, I will never be a stay-at-home wife/mother, it's just not going to happen. I remember my mother trying to teach me how to sow and cross stitch and it came out looking like this:

Re-actant-ment of said cross stitch

My mother bought me dolls and my grandmother got each one of the grand daughters on christmas a new porcelain doll. I throw dolls off the top bunk bed, not the porcelains but the others. Just to see if they bounce.

My dolls never ended up this bad but dang it I didn't try

I was outside more then any of my five brothers. Once I had to start wearing a bra, which I put up a fight until the very last, I thought it was stupid to take it off at night, mostly because it was a pain to even get it on.

This isn't me but this would have been me

I never walk around a puddle. I go through it! my poor husband tries to direct me around a puddle but I still manage to go through it. It's to much fun to miss out of it.

I had boys calling at my door when I was 6 years old because I was the only girl in the neighborhood who wasn't afraid to get dirty. I remembered my mother opening our front door to find 3 little boys asking if I can come out to play. My mom who's very lady like told the boys that "I was to young to be asked out by boys yet." It was pretty funny!

In short, I'm not a girly girl nor a tom boy, I'm just an adventures person with no designs on being a stay at home and do nothing kind of person. There's nothing wrong with being a mother and wife who does stay at home. It's just not my idea, I much rather be at work and busy out side of the home. I guess I'm just not a being at home kind of person really...

This little intro was to help you understand this next part. Since I've been old enough I've worked. I always had choirs, even on the weekend (Lame Dad.) When I was 11 I started house/animal sitting for neighbors. And then when I turned 13 I started babysitting, and I still do. I was the best babysitter and the most requested one in town. I made a killing. Once we moved to South Dakota I found a job at a Nursing Home, then after working there for awhile I started work at a bakery and ref'ing soccer. Right before my 21st birthday I moved out of my parents home and from that time until I moved to New Mexico in 2006. I worked 2 jobs, babysit or went to school. At one time I worked 72 hours a week for 2 weeks and somewhere between 38-40 hours ever week. Once I landed in New Mexico I became a full time student and worked 20+ hours a week. I did that for 5 years. For the full list, Rewriting New New Chapter.

Now that I'm on a break for the unseeable future I need goals - plans - units of time - things to do. Otherwise I don't think I can guaranty yours - my husband's - my puppy's safety. So with my husband's support I've come up with a sort of list. And as I go about accomplishing this "list" I'll mark it off by posting them.

Unit 1) Clean the Apartment: Since we never really unpacked after we moved into our new apartment and the family-in-laws are coming for Thanksgiving.

Unit 2) Craft-y Things: I'm not really that crafty but I love making clothes from old clothes, like Tshirts.

www.generation-t.com

I also want to try my hand at crochet.

I haven't crochet since I was 17 and then it ended looking like a knot

Needle work.

Mine's going to be awesome

Unit 3) Memphis's Place: So our puppy Memphis has been hanging out in a crete when we go some where or we're asleep. Yet we have this little cubby where he could stay and have more room. The only reason he doesn't live there now is because there's so much junk pilled up in there. So my mission is throw away or find a place for all that junk so Memphis can have his own little place.

Unit 4) Paint + Draw = Do Art: I love painting and over the summer I was so inspired by all the creative art I saw that I'm dying to do art. I want to paint, I want to draw, and if I have time I want to display my art in a gallery. I've been asking around to see if there's a gallery where I can do that. I might have found a place but we'll see.

Apples!

Unit 5) Canada: Montreal Canada in fact. My husband has his 10 Year High School thing coming up in October and he really wants to go. We even got passport so that we can, but we have been having car issues so that's slowed us down in the buying of the tickets to get us there. I'm holding out, it's a pay week and hopefully the tickets will be at a good price and then we're off. I've never been out of the country. I really want to go.

This is my very first passport but not my last

Unit 6) Grad Schools: I really want to go to grad school and get an MFA. I'm just not sure where and in what for sure that is. So my job is to figure that out, find a place and take the GRE, which means I'll be studying for them. On the bright side of having to study my husband will be taking them and studying for them with me. He's applying to PHd programs too.

Unit 7) Run: Before I moved to New Mexico I worked out every day and once I moved here I ran every other day and worked out on the opposite days. I even run a 1/2 marathon, but now I'm lucky if I can get a yoga class or walk the puppy in. So I'm going to start running and working out again. In fact, I'm going to start training for a 1/2 marathon or better yet a full marathon. I think I can do it. I want to do it. I just need to find a marathon somewhere near. But what's going to be really challenge is running a full 26. something miles because to run the whole of the city of Las Vegas, NM is 5.5 miles. (Of course that doesn't include the the part of town going out of town toward Wal-Mart.) I will have to run around Las Vegas like 5 time. That's going to be fun.

I have an iPhone so I can cover most of these gadgets 

I have a lot planned but I also have until I find a job or we move in August 2012. I'll keep you posted on how this list turns out.

Enjoy!

Rewriting the New New Chapter

The last five years in review... the recap.
( I feel like a recap is in order for what I'm about to write about in my next few blogs. So bear with me. )


Semesters:
Fall '06} Ben and I moved to Las Vegas, NM and started classes at New Mexico Highlands University. I took my very first Media Arts class. Ref soccer and worked for a grant to study how public school PE programs where doing. Christmas in Tennessee. New Years in San Antonio.


Spring '07} Planned our wedding and enjoyed the an enormous about of stress but A'd all my classes except Psych 101. Lame! I got a C. Ref soccer. Trained and ran my first 1/2 marathon.


Summer '07} Got Married! Went to Disney World! Came back and started working for the Boys & Girls Club in Santa Fe, NM. And took my first English Comp class.


Fall '07} I enter the exciting field of Videography with my first ever documentary, "A Trip to India." This film lands me a my first of many Summer Internship. Ref soccer. I was in a play as Rambo. Plus drove all night to my cousin's wedding in Houston, TX. Christmas in Tennessee again but this time as husband and wife.


Spring '08} Started working on SITE Santa Fe 7th Biennial, "Lucky Number Seven." Did outstanding in my Color Theory class. Ref soccer


Summer '08} Spent a month and half in Santa Fe, NM working on Lucky Number 7 day and night. Started my job at Traveler's Cafe as a barista. And took an online literature class.


Fall '08} Enrolled in two major classes, Advance Design Practice (almost won a trip to Boston but found out I lost after staying up for 24 hours to print. Not fun.) and Design Projects for the Community (Almas da le Plaza. Nuff said). TA'd Color Theory. Went to the NMAM conference for the first time. Started couching a youth soccer team with my husband. First Christmas alone, just Ben and I.


Spring '09} PICT! And a another play. Couched soccer.


Summer '09} Went to Disney World again! Two Summer Internships.


Fall '09} Started my minor in fine arts and took ADP 2. This time I won the trip to DC. Couched soccer. Visit my family in South Dakota for Christmas.


Spring '10} Took my final core classes and Character/Stop-motion Animation. Entered my teams stop-motion film into the 3 Minute Film Festival. It was among 40 of like 300 films chosen to be screen at the festival. Daedalus & Icarus. Couched soccer.


Summer '10} Moved into our new apartment. Ben's little brother came and stayed with us. Took two summer classes, one in green screen effects and another/internship where I helped create digital eBooks. Spent two weeks in August helping my great grandmother in Houston, TX recover from a broken hip, stroke/heart attack. Brother's wedding in South Dakota.


Fall '10} Got a puppy! Took my first web class and screen writing. Applied and was awarded the Seabury Scholarship. I worked on padding my grad school applications by working on a project in type movement. At the time the Media Arts dept. didn't offer any classes in kinetic typography. It was band new'ish and had to teach myself, more or less. Couched soccer. Got called up to do jury duty. Drove to Mississippi for Christmas.


Spring '11} Final semester at NMHU starts. 10 snow days, 3 days with out water because of frozen pipes.  Still doing jury duty. Took Distributed Network Production. Learned to build apps etc... Social Tracking, and might have found a new calling. Was asked to carry the flag into the grad ceremony for the arts and sciences. My parents surprised me by showing up for my graduation. I am the first person in my family to have a college degree. 


Also, my husband and I found out we were going to have a baby but then we lost it. It's been rough.


Summer '11} After the semester was over I flow with some classmates from DNP class to LA to take part in LAYAR Days. It was a lecture/workshop on AR. I signed up with AmeriCorp, and interviewed and started a job/internship with SITE Santa Fe. I worked at SITE since I got back from LA (end of May) to September. 


Fall '11} I'm doing nothing right now. I need a break. I am still working at the Traveler's Cafe and doing some freelance web work, cleaning the apartment and painting. Trying to get creative again before I head off to grad school.

Chop'd It All Off

Yesterday was a Hair-Cutting-Day for the Black/Villarreal Family. Both Ben and I got our hair cut. Ben his normal and I tried out something different. After two years or so of trimming my own hair, I got it chopped off by someone who know how to cut hair.

Above is the story line of how that happened.

Enjoy!

Google's Got It's SITE On Art

After a wicked weekend of 4th of July awesomeness coming back to work is nice. This week at SITE we've got the Art Fair, Intro to the Art Auction and for me more editing. What a week!

For class though we are asked to chat about this groovy thing Google is doing for Art.


What is the ‘Art Project’?


A unique collaboration with some of the world’s most acclaimed art museums to enable people to discover and view more than a thousand artworks online in extraordinary detail.

This is a way to get High Def art out into the world. To folks who may never get the opportunity to travel to the art location and see it for them self. The images and the environment takes you to the museum. The navigation is a little odd and probably could use a little work on the smooth transition down the halls and to next piece of art. But all in all a good idea for a museum experience.


Google Art Project!

I feel it doesn't take away viewing the art in real life. Seeing a Van Gogh in person is amazing and Google Arts is more like a preview.

Who has access? 
Google Explorers. If you can "google" you can be a part of this project.


Who controls the art we see online?
As I move through the museum it seems like the Google people are the ones have the most control, but    

How can I get my museum added to the project?
Please check back here for more news soon on new museums being added to the projects.

It seems like there could be more applications for this kind of project. We will just have to "check back soon" to see if the google gods will allow it to happen.

Enjoy!