California College of the Arts
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- My Illustration department is one of the best in the nation. Not to brag, but it's pretty great.
- I have professors who worked at DreamWorks, The Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. Being an awesome student may offer you a connection…or three.
- I have a big focus on "green architecture" and sustainability. My students even "recycled" an old greyhound building and turned it into part of our San Francisco campus.
- Challenging ideas and fostering creativity. It's your creative vision, it's your voice, and I want to make sure that the world hears what you have to say.
- Awesome guest speakers. I have connections with video game companies, film directors, authors, illustrators, animators, and designers. You name it, I've got it.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- A sketchpad. Every class requires one, and everyone has one. It's also a great way to meet people.
- Coffee. It's not just about staying up late to work; coffee is part of student culture over here. I don't pray to the java deities or anything…I just like slightly more than a normal amount.
- A season pass to the Legion of Honor and the De Young Museum, two of the hippest-named museums in town. Their exhibits are pretty cool, too.
- Passion. Art without passion comes out pretty uninspired. This isn't something you can feign interest through (like pre-med).
- The ability to speak up during critiques. There's nothing more painful than a quiet critique. Twenty pairs of eyes staring silently at your work may sound nice but trust me, you'll be sweating bullets.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- While there's some boring art school on every corner of San Francisco like a Starbucks chain, I'm the only one in Oakland.
- I'm the only art school in the Bay Area that focuses on crafting majors as well, like glass-blowing and jewelry-making.
- I've been recognized by PayScale as the highest-earning Art and Design College in the United States. Art may be about passion, but making money helps you buy food. You have to be alive to be passionate.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
I'm probably hanging with my closest friends at their place. Parties happen, but more often than not, they'll be small and intimate…with plenty of drinking. Okay, maybe some artist stereotypes are true.
Students like to coordinate movie nights, and sometimes dress to match the theme. Don't be surprised if you step into a room full of wizards watching Harry Potter. Sometimes, I even get pre-screenings of movies played in my theatre room at school. There's popcorn, too. It's the real deal.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Cafes are hot places to hang out, and everyone is willing to battle over which is the best. The Bittersweet Café in Oakland is pretty special, though. You'll never have a better hot chocolate.
- The Parkside Bar. This is my affectionate little dive where students and teachers alike go to get cheap beer and really rockin' tater tots.
Quirks:
- Our mascot has no set design. Yep, it's that mythical. Every year I hold a contest for students to redesign it, and I've had some very interesting contestants.
- You wear a beret when you graduate. You came here to be an artist? Well, you're leaving here an "artiste."
- Our Webster Hall dorm was created by Julia Morgan, the same architect who created the Hearst Castle.
- There's no meal plan. My campuses are in two of the greatest cities in the Bay to eat in. There are at least ten restaurants or cafes across the street of any given building.
Famous Alumni:
- Mike Mignola. You know, the guy who made Hellboy?
- Jason Deamor, Pixar Art director.
- Tomie dePaola. Trust me, you've seen his work.
- Salvador Torres
- Nathan Oliviera