Casey Trautwein is a recent graduate of Monmouth University who proved that students can leverage a degree in the arts to make a positive impact in the world through personal activism. He graduated from the University with a B.A. in Art with a concentration in Photography. Trautwein was able to successfully transform his interests in documentary photography, video, travel, and issue-oriented environmentalism into a career in documentary work. To begin his professional career after college graduation, Trautwein planned to travel across the globe to Thailand where he would begin working for Conserve National Forests. In the role, he would be documenting the organization’s efforts to halt deforestation and protect wildlife in remote, northern regions of the country. Trautwein was excited to begin using his educational credentials into a career that fuses his love of art with his motivation to improve environmental conditions throughout the world.
While studying at Monmouth for her B.F.A. with a concentration in Graphic and Interactive Design, Brittany Bowling managed to snag a Disney Professional Internship with ABC Television in New York. “This internship fully convinced me that I wanted to pursue a career in entertainment,” recalled Bowling, who realized that she wanted to produce movie trailers.
A week after graduating, she packed up her car and traveled across the country to Los Angeles in order to follow her creative dreams in entertainment marketing. Bowling now works at Wild Card AV as a motion graphics coordinator. There, she has had the pleasure of contributing to movie trailers for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Alien: Covenant, and many more.
“It’s truly been a dream come true,” Bowling said of her experiences. “None of it would have been possible without my Monmouth experience. I owe it all to my amazing professors that pushed me every day to reach my full potential.”
Recently graduated with B.F.A. with a concentration in Graphic and Interactive Design, Amanda M. Ly was an enthusiastic contributor to the arts community throughout her time at Monmouth University. Her energetic and humorous personality was matched only by her design portfolio of colorful, insightful, and adoring creatures. During her last year, she worked with Marilyn Schlossbach, an entrepreneur in the area, to develop community-based outreach programs at Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park. Perhaps most impressive are the two children’s board books and plush characters that Ly created with her original Bungaloo Monsters© theme. These age-based books, intended to help children identify their emotions, are beautifully illustrated with her original illustrations. Upon graduating with a 3.78 GPA, Ly won the coveted “Outstanding B.F.A. in Graphic Design” award at her commencement ceremony. Upon graduation, Ly headed to a post-graduate internship at Alex Brands (the maker of Slinky®) located in Fairfield, NJ. There, she hopes to find out even more about applying her art background to the toy and game industry.
Melissa Thomas has been an invaluable resource and contributor to the new 3D Sculpture program at Monmouth University. As a lab tech, she balances seamlessly between the digital and handmade arenas. Already functioning at a professional level, Missy is one of a new breed of creative technologists—the kind who are able to operate 3D printers and any Adobe program while still making clay by hand. As with any creative technologist, she is constantly open to learning new methods and tools, and applying them in innovative ways. When something is not working properly, she researches the issue and often solves it on her own. In the classroom, Missy produces high-quality work and helps foster a collaborative and positive environment throughout the arts community at Monmouth. She has brought these qualities into her leadership role in the Monmouth Review Club, where she served as club president during the 2016-2017 academic year.
Monmouth University is proud to announce the opening of an art exhibit celebrating Dr. Vincent DiMattio’s career as a professor in the Art & Design department. The exhibit will be on display in all three of the University’s galleries from September 4th through December 7th. This year marks DiMattio’s 50th year as a faculty member and a renowned member of the Monmouth community. DiMattio received his Master’s in Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University and his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art. He joined Monmouth’s faculty in 1968, where he served as department chair and as gallery director for more than 20 years. He is credited with starting the gallery program at Monmouth University.
DiMattio has had his work shown internationally in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and in the United States. His work has also been show in the Newark and Trenton Museums. In 1999, selections from DiMattio’s 30-year retrospective exhibit at Monmouth University were used for his first retrospective in New York City at the Susan Berke Gallery.
In 2004, he co-authored the book, The Drawings and Watercolors of Lewis Mumford with his colleague Professor Kenneth Stunkel, published by the prestigious Edwin Melon Press. In 2005, he received a grant from the Liquitex Paint Company for the completion of over 60 “tube paintings,” which led to a major exhibition at Brookdale Community College. Besides being named distinguished professor in 2013, he was also honored to have an art scholarship established in his name and having the art gallery in Rechnitz Hall named in his honor.
DiMattio is excited to be displaying his artwork covering his vast, diverse career. He is looking forward to sharing with people his appreciation for Monmouth University as a “magical place to work with students and faculty.” When asked where he draws inspiration from when producing his work, DiMattio responded with saying he does not really look to any particular source, rather that he concerns himself with getting the work done and applying the skills that demonstrate his passion. He believes that “art can be found in people.” Citing the recent deaths of singer Aretha Franklin and Senator John McCain, DiMattio admires people who can move others to engage in art and reach greater heights.
The exhibition is on display through December 7th in the DiMattio Art Gallery in Rechnitz Hall, The Rotary Ice House Gallery and the Pollak Gallery. The exhibit is free and open to the public. There will be an opening reception on Friday, September 14th from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
