March 31, 2007

 

Otis College of Art and Design

Interactive Product Design Department

9045 Lincoln Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90045

 

Steve McAdam:

 

Gustavo Rincon suggested that I contact you as a follow up to my Final Cut Video editing lecture last week for his class at Otis within your department. We discussed the students and department's interest in developing a curriculum inclusive of video editing and animation classes utilizing software such as Final Cut, After Effects, and Flash. I really enjoyed the energy of the students and believe that they desired and would benefit from the addition of such classes. I feel that I am particularly interested and suited to teach these topics and would like to make myself available to the department. I look forward to discussing this further with you. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience.

 

The following is some background on myself.

 

I am a contemporary artist who has taught both contemporary and foundational art practices over the years and maintain my own artistic practice as well as support the practices of others through community and curatorial projects. My work reflects upon my experience as an installation, video, and performance artist utilizing a variety of media.

 

I have five years of teaching experience at the college level at both university and community colleges. Currently, I teach part-time at USC in the Animation and Digital Arts division of the School of Cinema-Television (graduate level class to MFA students) and at two local community colleges, Pierce College (Art Department) and College of the Canyons (Graphics and Multimedia Department and Animation Department). I have given lectures and workshops at Otis, USC, Cal Arts, Emerson College, C-Level, and online for panel discussions.

 

As an artist my work takes the form of video, sculpture, installation, performance, and electronic art, as well as a variety of digital and traditional practices such as drawing, painting, photography, digital photography, and net-based art. My intention in the production of all things is to make work about people, relationships, and politics through media, regardless of "new" or old definitions. My work is included in such venues as Machine Gallery, the Rhizome art database; the Whitney ArtPort; Barnsdall Art Park, LA; Bodybuilder & Sportsman Gallery, Chicago; the Andrewshire Gallery, LA; White Box Gallery, LA; Centro Nacional de Artes (National Center for the Arts) San Salvador, El Salvador; and LA Freewaves.

 

I am also devoted to my work as a Gallery Director at Park Projects (http://www.myparkprojects.org), a gallery I co-founded in the summer of 2006 to support challenging contemporary art practices, such as performance and installation based work. We are currently, my partner and I, trying to go non-profit. The experience of creating a community for this kind of work is an invaluable experience that I wish to foster and share with my students.

 

Please see for samples of work:

Portfolio Site: http://www.runwhiletrue.com
Student Work: http://www.runwhiletrue.com/studentwork

(the CSSSA class I teach would be particularly suited for your students)

Gallery Site (Where I am a founder and co-Director): http://www.myparkprojects.org

 

My information:

Larissa Bank

4548 Eagle Rock Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90041

Email: larissabank@hotmail.com

(h) 323.255.4897

(c) 323.445-4015

 

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information.   

                                                                   

Sincerely,

 

                                                                                                        

Larissa Bank