NEAL M. ROBINSON : PHOTOGRAPHY & ART INSTRUCTOR
614.551.6354
neal@neal-robinson.com
www.neal-robinson.com
PROFILE
8 years’ experience instructing 15+ different courses at the college level engaging creative, inventive, and inquisitive learners in preparing for visual arts careers.
Graduate of the Cranbrook Academy of Art-ranked in the top 5 in the country for its Master of Fine Arts programs by U.S. News and World Report and in the top 10 nationwide for its photography program by America’s Best Graduate Schools.
Studied under internationally acclaimed artists Liz Cohen and David Hilliard and selected to attend the Imagine Residency in Australia to focus on the production of art pieces.
Exhibited work at MOCA Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of New Art Detroit (MONA), and the West Michigan Center of Arts and Technology with 30,000+ visitors.
EDUCATION
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2009
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Photography
Honored as one of 10 nominated for the Daimler Financial Services Emerging Artist Award in addition to receiving Cranbrook Academy of Arts Directors Award.
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH : 2003
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art
Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center : 1997
Visual Arts Program
EXPERIENCE
Adjunct Instructor Faculty : Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA : 2015-present
Instructor : The Art Institute of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA : 2011-2016
Received raw evaluation scores in the “Excellent” range with comments including, “High energy and a real world knowledge of photography…loved his help and critiques…great overall experience….best teacher ever…his teaching skills are great!”
Entering fourth year of instruction, holding full autonomy for developing course structures, lessons, activities, and assignments within the construct of syllabi objectives. Engage diverse learners, modifying teaching style to students’ needs, and earning high praise for refreshing approach, high energy, content knowledge, and providing a positive experience.
* Work equally well with students at the infancy of their academic career and those in the most advanced courses, teaching an average of 5 courses each quarter to students pursuing 2- and 4-year degrees in graphic, web, advertising, and interior design.
* Instructed a multitude of courses-and oversaw photography internships-for students pursuing a design degree. Taught research and survey courses, lab-style classes, and courses for non-majors. Select courses taught:
Photographic Design: Primary design elements of visual communication as they apply to the photograph. Study of color theory, additive and subtractive color systems, color relationships, color physics, and the history of color in the photographic medium.
Digital Photographic Production / Image Manipulation: Electronic photo editing, digital image acquisition, manipulation-scanning, masking, layering, and retouching-and output.
Principles of Photography: Tools, materials, and techniques-cameras, lenses, exposure, resolution, storage, memory, printing, and presentation-fundamental to digital photography.
Digital Asset Management: Digital photography archiving review including cataloging, downloading, working with metadata, key wording, renaming, backing-up, rating, grouping, optimizing, maintaining, thinning, DNG archiving, and exporting files.
Studio: Photographing people in a studio setting, teaching lighting, lenses, styling, background preparation, camera operation, and commercial interpretation.
Digital Photographic Illustration I & II: Beginning and advanced research, conceptual development, and execution through the use of industry standard Raster Image software.
Digital Darkroom: Digital techniques that correspond to traditional darkroom processes.
Specialization Preparation: Specialization selection to begin preparation of body of work.
Special Topics in Photography: Contemporary issues and trends.
History and Survey of Photography
Digital Photography for Non-Majors
Art & Design Elective
Independent Study
Internship
RESIDENCIES & ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE INSTRUCTION
Glass Wheel Studio Residency – Norfolk, VA, United States : 2015
Imagine Residency – Art in Motion, Coomba, NSW, Australia : 2010
Selected and awarded a partial scholarship to attend the Art in Motion Imagine residency, spending one month in Australia photographing new landscapes and producing work included in a Topographic Time exhibition.
* Explored a spectacular new landscape in rural NSW Australia, working without distractions on creative projects that were inspiring and fulfilling.
Liz Cohen – Second Year of Graduate School Artist in Residence : 2009
Learned from the Head of the Photography Dept., internationally acclaimed performance artist, and award-winning automotive designer, with an MFA from the California College of the Arts and a BFA in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
David Hilliard – First Year of Graduate School Artist in Residence : 2008
Studied under this accomplished artist-graduate of Yale University’s MFA program-and learned from his talents which have been displayed internationally from MOCA and LACMA in Los Angeles to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
EXHIBITIONS
ACT ONE : Glass Wheel Studio : Norfolk, VA : 2016
This, But Not This : College of the Mainland Art Gallery : Texas City, TX : 2016
L@ugh: Instinctive Expressions of Amusement : Norfolk Arts Offsite Gallery : Norfolk, VA : 2016
Just Between Us : Glass Wheel Studio : Norfolk, VA : 2016
Spectrum Invitational Exhibition : D’Art Center : Norfolk, VA : 2016
Bound : Glass Wheel Studio : Norfolk, VA : 2016
@#%!*s and Giggles : analogue arts + trade : Norfolk, VA : 2015
It’s Fantastic! Kind of. : 1811 Hampton : Norfolk, VA : 2014
Fifteen Square Inches of Fame : MOCA Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art : 2012
Faculty / Staff Art Exhibition : The Gallery at The Art Institute of Virginia Beach : 2012
Photography Event : Premier Gallery of Ghent : Norfolk, VA : 2010
Art Prize : West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology : Grand Rapids, MI : 2010
Topographic Time : Imagine Art Residency : Coomba, NSW Australia : 2010
Fresh: 7th Annual Student Art Auction : Cranbrook Academy of Art : 2009
Loose Canon : Cranbrook Academy of Art Graduate Degree Exhibition : 2009
Jump a 1000 Bodies With a Steam Roller : Forum Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2009
Art Book Fair/Silverman Gallery, San Francisco : Philips de Pury, Manhattan : 2008
“Lady in Wight” : Pharmakon Library Folio One, by Christina McPhee : New York : 2008
Unshelved: An Altered Book Project : BB Arts Center, Birmingham MI : 2008
Side by Side : Museum of New Art Detroit (MONA), Pontiac, MI : 2008
Under New Management : Bolton Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2008
Sweetened and Condensed : Forum Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2008
Transmorphicationalshiftolution : Forum Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2007
HONORS & AWARDS
Imagine Residency – Art In Motion Coomba, NSW, Australia : 2010
Cranbrook Directors Award : 2009
Daimler Financial Services Emerging Artist Award : 2009
Anderson Ranch Arts Center Scholarship : 2008
GUEST CRITIC
Peter Beaugard Thesis Class : 2009
Reviewed 20+ assignments and provided thoughts, feedback, and direction.
GROUP CURATED SHOWS
Crane vs. Wolverine
University of Michigan Graduate Studios
Ann Arbor, MI : 2009
Post Cynicism : Forum Gallery
Bloomfield Hills, MI : 2008
VISITING ARTIST
Lawrence Technological University : 2009
Beginning Darkroom Black and White Class
Invited to speak to a photography class after their visit to Cranbrook. Discussed work process; viewed select pieces; and fielded art, program, and academic questions.
AFFILIATIONS
The Society for Photographic Education (SPE)
College Art Association (CAA)