FMU Visual Arts Alumni "Working In The Business"

Tim Busscher (FMU 2008)

Currently: Graphic Communications Media Specialist for the Florence County Museum

Previously: M&M Blueprint, Florence SC.

Lisa Chalian-Rock (FMU 2002)

Currently:
Director of Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association

Director of Planning and Economic Development for City of Darlington, South Carolina

Previously:
Editor, The News and Press, Darlington, SC.

Editor, The Messenger, Hartsville, SC.

Visuals Editor / Graphic Artist, Morning News, Florence, SC. Lisa designed feature pages and created infographics, maps, charts and illustrations for the newsroom.

Lead Designer, Carolina Publishing Quarterly Newsletter.

Lisa continues to paint and maintains a Web Gallery of her work at www.lisarock.com.

2005 S.C. Press Association First Prize Winner Daily, Page Design.

2005 S.C. Press Association Second Prize Winner Daily, Page Design.
2005 S.C. Press Association Second Prize Winner Open Division, News Graphics.

2004 S.C. Press Association First Prize Winner Daily, Lifestyle/Living Page Design.
2004 S.C. Press Association Third Prize Winner Daily, General News Graphic.
2003 S.C. Press Association First Prize Winner Daily, General News Graphic.
2002 S.C. Press Association Second Prize Winner Daily, General News Graphic.

Ryan Crabtree (FMU 2004)

Concentration:
Ryan's degree was in Visual Arts with a specialization in Ceramics.

Advance Training:
He interned for six months at One Eared Cow Glass in Columbia, South Carolina.

Currently:
Ryan is now employed as a full-time artist, working with the most famous blown glass artisans in the state.

Colleen Appleton Critcher (FMU 2002)

Graduate School:

Currently:

MFA, Painting, Savannah College of Art and Design

Painter, Florence, SC
Instructor, Francis Marion University

While at Francis Marion, Colleen received the John W. Baker Fine Arts Scholarship and the Peggy Love McLaughlin Art Award. She graduated summa cum laude in 2002.

Colleen actively exhibits her work throughout South Carolina. Her paintings have become part of private collections nationally and internationally. In 2008 Colleen was invited back to Francis Marion to exhibit her recent works in the Hyman Fine Arts Center Gallery.

In 2012 Colleen completed her MFA and returned to Francis Marion University to teach in the visual arts program. She maintains a website of her work at www.colleencritcher.com.

Gnome as Animal Thief, 2012
Acrylic and Oil on Canvas, 72"x48"

Matthew Donaldson (FMU 2007)

	Graduate School:	MFA, Graphic Design, University of Memphis
	Currently:	Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and director of The Studio, a student-run, faculty-led design firm, at University of South Carolina Upstate. Freelance designer and interactive designer researching content management systems and responsive design and development.
	Previously:	Assistant Professor of Art, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, Pennsylvania Freelance Graphic Design for Print and Web.
		"I have studied everything from branding to print to web, and I consider myself to be versatile in that I am capable of playing the roles of both designer and developer. It is my goal in life to continue to learn and grow as a designer, while also serving as an educator to others." Matthew's design website is at http://www.matthew-donaldson.com/.

Hayley Douglas (FMU 2011)

Graduate School:	MFA, Ceramics, University of South Carolina	Hayley Douglas is primarily a ceramic artist, but she also experiments in other mediums. As of May 2013, she received her Master's Degree in Ceramics at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. She completed her Bachelors of Arts degree in 2009 at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC. She is now teaching ceramics and Graphic Design full time at North Greenville University. "I recently transitioned from sculptural ceramics to functional. I create my work to be held, experienced, and appreciated as a practical object. Shifting from sculptural to functional has been quite the change, and I have been searching for ways to connect the two bodies of work together. "I am continually trying to answer questions that arise within my work through the experimentation of form, texture, and surface design. I approach my functional pieces with combinations involving a variety of my design techniques. I create work that showcases little details. Cool blues and greens, sandy browns, and pressed textures dominate my work. I experiment with the duality and cooperation between two glazes. "Common themes in my ceramics are the ocean and outer space, as I often connect the two. Both are vast expanses that contain a lot of beautiful things, as well as much that is unknown. That beauty is what I seek to capture in my functional work; pieces that are either used or are at least present in day to day life, serving as a little reminder of that which inspires me. I will continue to push my functional work in these directions, primarily utilizing the surface of my pieces."
Teaching:	On faculty teaching ceramics and graphic design at North Greenville University Previously taught ceramics at Anderson University
Website:	www.hayleyjeanette.com

Michael Edge (FMU 1999)

Character Model by Mike Edge	Graduate School:	MFA, Illustration, Savannah College of Art & Design
	Currently:	Freelance Illustrator/graphic designer Instructor at The Art Institute of Charleston Songwriter, producer Website
	Previously:	Adjunct Professor of Art, Broward Community College, Pembroke, Florida

Crystal Edwards (FMU 2006)

Director of Business Development, Armstrong Wealth Management Group

Principal, Crystal Edwards | Graphic Design & Photography

Graduate School, completing her MBA in Business Administration at Francis Marion University.

"It's so important to establish relationships with your professors and utilize their advice when building a portfolio and getting your name out there. In the long run, a degree will be more valuable than you realize."

FMU's student newspaper, The Patriot, ran a feature story on Crystal dealing with the importance of networking in starting her own business.

Leah Gibbons (FMU 2001)
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Art 2000-2001

Hometown: Florence, South Carolina

Resides in: Lincolnton, North Carolina

Current job: I handle all the graphic design for Showstopper American Dance Championships, which is a national dance competition that hosts over 100,000 dancers each year. I create everything from commercial ads and program books to video design and large tractor-trailer graphics. I am also the company photographer, which is great because I am able to see an idea all the way from concept through set-up and shooting to finalizing the finished product.

Biggest career accomplishment: I think that the most exciting thing for me was the first time I was able to see my work in a national publication. We advertise in several large magazines, and my photos have been used many times for articles and other things. It's great to be working on that scale with such a large audience.

Has worked with: Many current stars have tested their wings on the Showstopper stage. If you look on our website, in the "Where Are They Now" section, you'll be able to see some of them. We also work regularly with many rising stars and experienced professional performers who teach conventions for us or judge at the competitions.

Favorite thing about FMU: The challenging problem-solving projects at school definitely helped prepare me for what I'm faced with in my job. I love the fact that I can be creative in my career and am so grateful for the encouragement and inspiration I got at FMU.

-- from Spring 2003 Francis Marion View

Amy Green (FMU 1997)
Dr. John W. Baker Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Junior in Art 1995-1996va
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Art 1996-1997

	Currently:
	Previously:	Creative Director, Chiat/Day Advertising Agency, New York City, New York

Carolyn S. Jebaily (FMU 1993)
	Currently:	Studio Artist and Teacher of Sculpture and Ceramics Grass Roots Activist for responsible economic development
	Recently:	One-person Show, Kalmia Arts Artist Showcase, Hartsville SC One-person Show, Francis Marion University, Florence, SC "Women's Work" Show, Cheraw, Marion, Florence and Hartsville, SC

Lea Pressley Lewis (FMU 2005)
	Currently:	Gallery Manager at The Art Mecca of Charleston. Located at 427 King Street in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, The Art Mecca represents over forty established and emerging artists. Lea continues to be an active artist in her own right, and her passion is still painting.
	Recently:	Following graduation from FMU, Lea moved to Charleston and worked in interior design. She then embraced the opportunity to work for jewelry designer Felice Killian. Not only did Lea design and make jewelry, she learned how to operate a business in Charleston's Upper King Street design district. Lea managed the store, designed the website, photographed the works, designed the store catalog, created ads for publications, etc.

Stephen Motte (FMU 2001)

Currently:

Curator and Interpreter of Collections, Florence County Museum

Stephen Motte gives State Museum vounteers a tour.

Jaime Owens (FMU 1997)

	Currently:	Photo Editor, Skateboarder Magazine, Los Angeles, California

Russell Petty (FMU 1995)

	Currently:	Muralist, R. Petty Custom Murals.
		Since 1999, Russ has been painting educational murals in schools as well as decorative murals for homes, nurseries, restaraunts and other businesses. He also works in auto restoration. He is on the South Carolina Arts Commission's Roster of Approved Artists to serve in arts educations programs in South Carolina.

Mural at Chester Park Elementary School

Jaron Sanders (FMU 2007)

	Currently:	Full time Graphic Designer with Lockertags of Florence, SC.

Shelton Krouse Sherrill (FMU 2008)

	Graduate School:	Attending Atlanta College of Art pursuing a Masters in Arts Administration
	Currently:	Amnesty Art of Atlanta, GA.
		AmnestyArtFoundation.org

©Amnesty Art

Children's Art Supply Drive

Ashley Seegars-Stone (FMU 2006)

	Currently:	Full time Copy Editor/Page Designer with Morning News of Florence, SC.

Jim Stephens (FMU 2004)

	Currently:	Designer for the Florence County Museum
	Recently:	Graphic Designer with Campus Outreach Raleigh in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Patricia Tallon-Blanchard (FMC 1980)

	Currently:	Office of Cultural Enrichment, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee Freelance Fine Artist and Consultant, Nashville, Tennessee Visual Arts Alliance of Nashville (VAAN) Statement, sample art and recent exhibitions listed on MNAC Artist Registry
	Previously:	Assistant to Director, The Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, California CAFAM Staff Liaison to the Contemporary Craft Council, Los Angeles, CA. Founder, Still Life With Women studio, Nashville, Tennessee

Melody Thomas (FMU 2010)

	Currently:	Full Time Graphic Designer, News and Press of Darlington, S.C.

Tiffany Thomas (FMU 2012)

	Currently:	Owner, Tthomasarts - Handmade Ceramics, Art & Jewelry By Tiffany Thomas
	Recently:	Best in Show, Amateur Division, 2013 - The State Fair, Columbia, S.C.

Tiffany Thomas is a native of Florence, South Carolina. She was raised on a farm and experienced the ups and downs of living a farm life. She incorporates her childhood into her paintings by using bright colors, which are associated with playfulness and collage paintings with reclaimed wood that her family discarded from old houses, buildings and dumpsters. Her clay of choice is translucent porcelain, fired with colorful stains and glazes. Her ceramic work focuses on an array of designs; from cups and mugs to light fixtures and table pieces. All of her pieces are hand carved.

Tiffany has exhibited in numerous shows such as the South Carolina Arts Commission Gala, The North Carolina Museum of Art Art of the Auction, Spartanburg Juried Competition, The Heritage Festival and The Pee Dee Regional art Competition.

She's active in the Florence community. In 2013, she was asked to judge the children's division of Art Fields. She also sells her ceramics at festivals, Art fairs and local boutiques.

She has been featured in She Magazine (p.50).

Tiffany graduated from Francis Marion University in 2012 with a degree in Visual Arts with concentrations in ceramics and painting.

Tiffany in She Magazine (p.50)

Allen Vassalotti (FMU 2007)

	Currently:	Full time Graphic Designer for Minuteman Press of Myrtle Beach, SC.

Cynthia Warden (FMC 1980)

	Graduate School:	MFA, East Texas State University
	Currently:	Director of Residence Life, Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, Georgia

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