Resume

TonyaMarie
Artistic Director of Gypsy Cat Studios
400 West Rich St, #119
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614)-937-8685 call or text, no voice mail.
GypsyCatStudios@sbcglobal.net
www.GypsyCatStudios.com

Summary: Innovative and excellence-driven Master of Fine Arts artist with over 13 years of experience in managing brands, contributing unique concepts and ideas for a diverse clientele base. Excellent sculpture, prop design, practical make-up effects, costume design, and teaching skill. Knowledgeable and experienced repair and refurbish work. Strong management and collaborative skills with students, vendors, clients, and fellow artists.

EDUCATION Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA

Master of Fine Arts, Mixed Media Sculpture
May 2013

Columbus College of Art & Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sculpture, Fashion, Costume Design, Creature Creation
Columbus, OH
May 2007

AWARDS, GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
2019   Jebby Awards – Central Ohio Theater Awards, Best in Technical Excellence – Giant Puppetry in Jack & Phil
2019   Greater Columbus Arts Council, Artist Grants
2018   Greater Columbus Arts Council, Artist Grants
2017    Urban Scrawl , Top 10 in show
2016    Urban Scrawl, Best of Show – Textile Relief Sculpture
2004   Fashion Group International, Lola Hasson Scholarship
2003    Columbus College of Art & Design Merit Scholar Recipient

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Artistic Director, Gypsy Cat Studios, Columbus, OH
2007 – Current

Commissioned a multitude of designs, costumes, sculptures, including but not limited to giant pieces, mascots, giant-size puppets, props, set pieces, overall specializing in giant sized art, fashion, floral design, merchandizing window displays, retail store space design, hand and airbrush painted signage, and photo-op displays.
Viewable portfolio available on my website listed at top.

Art Teacher, Columbus, OH
2009 – Current

Created flexible art curriculum for different experience levels and accessible for ages 8-18.
Students learned costume design, set design, prop creation, sewing, mural art, puppetry, theatrical makeup including airbrush technique and sculpting wearable art.

Fabrication Assistant and On-Set Tailor, Laura Hazlett Designs, San Francisco, CA
2011 – Current
Commissioned designs and fabricator, Travelling On-Set Tailor in Ms.Hazlett’s place on set at large events of acrobats and arial artists and Assassins Creed costumes at PAX gaming conventions. Airbrush and dye work on the Chicken of the Sea Mermaid gowns and various other projects and hourly skilled labor in Hazlett Studios.
Faculty Art Instructor, Village Academy, Powell, OH
2016 – 2019

Arts and theatrical instructor for Upper School leading classrooms of up to 20.
Taught and assisted in artistic development of Studio Arts, Concept development, Research, multiple skills.

Camp Instructor, Tomorrow Youth Rep, Alameda, CA
2010 – 2015

Educated and performed workshops for children’s theater around makeup, costume design, prop building, set design, and overall harnessing creativity and transforming ideas into executed artwork ending with the final performance show utilizing their work.

Head Designer, Costume Specialists (COSPEC), Columbus, OH
2004-2009

Led and taught team of designers in designing mascots, specifically prototype and fabrication of mascots for national brands. Collaborated with team to create duplicates of instructions and executed timely project management.
EXHIBITIONS
Group

2017    400 Rich Street Gallery, Columbus, OH
2012   Life Aquatic, East Bay Municipal Utility District Gallery, Oakland, CA
2011    Student Exhibition, Sutter Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2010    The Color Show, K-Gallery, Alameda, CA
2009    Frank Bette Center for the Arts, Alameda, CA
2007    Alpha Omega Gallery, Columbus, OH
2006    Selected Student Exhibition, Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH

Selected Solo

2013    The Cannery Gallery, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2007    Beaton Gallery, Columbus, OH

NOTABLE COMMISSIONS

Children’s Hospital’s Little Mermaid production, designed, fitted, collaborated with RuPaul’s Drag Race’s 2019 Miss Congeniality, Nina West/Andrew Levitt.
San Francisco Zoo, Eagle’s Nest, functional perch sculpture for eagle enclosure.
Cinncinnati Zoo Jungle Trails and Bird House Exhibit creator.
San Francisco Wax Museum, Wicked Witch of the West, wax figure and two illusion costumes for public appearances featured in advertising on Fisherman’s Wharf.
Columbus Arts coffee table picture book, three headdresses inspired by Columbus Zoo animals.
Loard’s Ice Cream mascot designed and graphic character created.
SLOOMB Children’s Clothing, hybrid mannequin designed as half fox, half child for their convention display.
Columbus, Ohio’s Ballet Met, designed 18’ X 36’ puppet of a genie.
The Nutcracker Ballet, Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill. 14 dancing mascot type rat heads for the ballet dancers, 10’ x 12’ Rolling Mother Ginger dress that also housed 6 children, 9’ tall wooden rolling moon with seat with accompanied cloud panels.
Columbus Ice Hockey Eagle mascot designed and created.
Arbor Hills Middle School Roadrunner mascot, designed and created.
Isaac Saleh, Melbourne, Australian College of Circus Arts musician, faux stump hand-balancing apparatus cover to engineer specs.
Designer, builder, makeup artist, costume designer, and actor for Terror Park and Scare-a-torium including their retail space and the Piedmont Pumpkin Patch and Haunt in Oakland, California between 2006-2018.
Various Haunted Attractions work since 2006.
Biannual refurbish, repaint, general upkeep Oakland A’s various game mascots starting in 2009.
Restoration work for Debbie’s Costume Shop from 2018 to present.
Bay Area Children’s Theater 2015 Costume and puppet designer.
Kids Take the Stage Resident Costume Designer, prop designer, set designer 2009-2012.
Columbus, Ohio Ballet Met costume design, head dresser, giant puppet designer, trick prop maker, refurbishment of current set pieces and costumes 2004-2009.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pete Vilmur, "Bringing a Favorite Movie Villain to Life, "Academy of Art Newspaper, September 2013, p 8.
Stephanie Hightower, “Alumni Re-Engaged,” Image Magazine, Winter 2009, p 30.

References provided on request

YOUR CART

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