CV | portfolio

Curriculum Vitae

Experience

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville, FL • August 2007-Present

Assistant, Associate, now Full Professor of Animation teaching Animation, SFX and general digital art classes. In 2015-2016, I served as Acting Division Chair of Visual Arts managing BFA and BA programs in the Visual Arts.

Udemy

Online • 2017-Present

Author providing custom video content in the areas of modeling, texturing

character creation and rigging.

Pluralsight/Digital Tutors

Online • April 2015 - 2017

Author providing custom video content in the areas of character creation

and rigging.

The New Hampshire Institute of Art

Manchester, NH • August 2006-August 2007

Digital Fine Arts Faculty teaching Drawing and Digital Illustration classes.

Savannah College of Art and Design

Atlanta, GA • Spring 2006

Adjunct Professor teaching graduate and undergraduate and Character Design and Animation courses.

Atlanta College of Art

Atlanta, GA • 1997-2006

Associate Professor and Co-head of Electronic Art-Computers developing curriculum and teaching 3d Computer Animation and general digital art classes.

School of Visual Arts/Savannah

Savannah, GA • 1993-1997

Instructor and department chair teaching drawing, digital design and computer art.

Self-Employed Fine Artist

Savannah, GA • 1992-1993

Operated painting studio at City Market in Savannah.

Winter Park High School

Winter Park, FL • 1988-1992

Art Teacher teaching Sculpture, Ceramics, Drawing and Photography.

Publications

Corrective Deformations in Maya 2018

Rigging a Low Poly Character in Maya 2018

Model a Low Polygon Character in Autodesk Maya 2018

Building Walk Cycles in Maya 2017

Introduction to Rigging in Maya 2017

Character Concept and Sculpting Techniques in 3D Coat

Character Head Modeling in Maya: A Different Approach

Planning and Executing a Complete Animation in Maya

Animate and Rig a Bouncing Ball in Maya

Creating an African Tribal Mask for 3D Printing in Maya and Mudbox

Building a Toy Plane for 3D Printing in Maya and Mudbox

Digital Drawing and Painting in Illustrator and Photoshop

Accelerating the Face Rigging Process in Maya

Accelerating the Character Rigging Process in Maya

Accelerating the Character Creation Pipeline in Maya

Mastering Maya 8.5

John Kundert-Gibbs, Eric Kunzendorf, Dariush Derakshani and Mick Larkins

Mastering Maya 7

John Kundert-Gibbs, Eric Kunzendorf and Dariush Derakshani

Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 12. I also designed and illustrated the cover.

Maya 5 Savvy

Maya Secrets of the Pros First Edition

Chapter 1: Accelerating the Pre-Production Process

I wrote and contributed all the graphics and screenshots for the first chapter
of this book.

Fundamental Photoshop 4th Edition

Computer Artist Magazine

October/November 1995 • The work Aperture appeared in the Gallery section.

Popular Photography

January 1995 • 1994 Great Picture Contest- 2nd Place Computer-Enhanced Photo Category for Cathedral.

Savannah News Press

September 8, 1994 • An interview/review concerning “Gyre.’

Exhibitions

2024 Columbus International Film and Animation Festival

eternityintheirhearts April 2024, Columbus, OH

2023 GenCon Film Festival

eternityintheirhearts August 2023, Indianapolis, IN

2022 Vancouver Arthouse Film Festival

eternityintheirhearts October 2023, online, semi-finalist

2020 ASIFA IAD International Animation Day

datastreamimagination October 2020, online - Honorable Mention

2020 ASIFA-SOUTH Animation Festival and Conference

datastreamimagination June 2020, Atlanta, GA (online) - Finalist

2019 Breckenridge Film Festival

datastreamimagination September 2019, Breckenridge, CO

2019 Florida Animation Festival

datastreamimagination June 2019, Tallahassee, FL -Honorable Mention-Experimental/Independent Animator category

Nelson Mullins Gallery

Exhibit A Nelson Mullins Law Firm Aug 2018, Jacksonville, FL

Confluence: JU Faculty Show

May-August 2016, Cathedral Arts Project, Jacksonville, FL

2013 Blue Plum Animation Festival

Lathe of God June 2013, Johnson City, TN

2013 Citrus Cel Animation Festival

Lathe of God April 2013, Jacksonville, FL

Hamlet-Theater Department Production

Father’s Ghost Animation April 2011, Jacksonville, FL

2010 Citrus Cel Animation Festival

Courage April 2010, Jacksonville, FL

2009 Southeastern Digital Arts Festival (SEDAF)

Courage March 2009, Clemson, SC

College of Fine Arts Collaborative Project

Courage February 13th-14th 2009, Swisher Theater, Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University Biannual Faculty Show

September, 2008 Philips Fine Art Building, Jacksonville, FL

5th Annual Minumental Show

January, 2007 French Building–Manchester, New Hampshire

NHIA Faculty Show

September 2006-October 2006 Amherst Street Gallery–Manchester, New Hampshire

Computer Animation Journeys–DVD

Mime In A Box. DVD released by Ventura Distribution UPC: 634991168625 Cat No.: 16862-7

2004 SouthEastern Digital Arts Festival (SEDAF) First Place

The Secret Life of Netsuke April 2004 Huntsville, AL

Eyedrops Episode 12-TechTV

Mime In A Box. • Broadcast September 19-22, 2000

SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival

Mime In A Box. July 2000 Morial Convention Center–New Orleans, LA

Suntrust Faculty Show

Spring 2000 Suntrust Gallery–Atlanta, GA

ACA Faculty Show

September 1999–October 1999 Atlanta College of Art Gallery–Atlanta, GA

SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival

Final Project Assignment August 1999 Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles CA

ACA Faculty Show

September 1998–October 1998 Atlanta College of Art Gallery–Atlanta, GA

ACA Faculty Show

September 1997–October 1997 Atlanta College of Art Gallery–Atlanta, GA

SVA Faculty Show

December 1995–February 1996 Savannah International Airport–Savannah, GA

Faculty Show

September 1995 School of Visual Arts/Savannah - Savannah, GA

A Show of Paintings and Computer Art

August 1994 Davidson County Museum of Art - Lexington, North Carolina

"Gyre"

September 1994 • The Gallery at City Market–Savannah, Georgia

"New Dimensions"–A Group Show of City Market Artists

July 1994 The Gallery at City Market Savannah, GA

6th Annual National Computer Art Exhibition

Eastern Washington State University-Spokane, WA

Winter Show

Winter 1993 Gallery Alexov-Savannah, GA

City Market Studio Gallery

October 1992-November 1992 City Market Art Center-Savannah, Georgia

1992 Savannah Art Association Fall Juried Exhibition

Savannah, GA-Award of Distinction

1992 OCAEA Juried Art Exhibition

Educational Leadership Center-Orlando, FL

Group Exhibition of New Painters

November 1991-January 1992 Albertson-Peterson Gallery-Winter Park, FL

1991 OCAEA Juried Art Exhibition

Educational Leadership Center-Orlando, FL

1990 OCAEA Juried Art Exhibition

Olympia Place-Orlando, FL

1989 Orange County Art Educator’s Association (OCAEA) Juried Art Exhibition

Phillips House-Orlando, FL

Master’s Thesis Show

August 1988 Fine Arts Gallery–University of Georgia

1987 Linden House Juried Exhibition

April 1987 Athens, GA

Lectures, Grants and Juries

Animation Panel Moderator-2023 GenCon Film Festival

August 2023, moderated panel for animators whose work was shown in the Festival

Florida EPIC Grant-Enhancing 3D Printing Technologies in Media Arts and Engineering Curricula

May 2023, received $24,000 grant for purchasing 3D Printing Equipment.

Juror - 2020 Florida Animation Festival

Jacksonville University Faculty Symposium-Visual Arts Applications for 3D Printing Technologies

April 2016, Davis College of Business, Jacksonville, Florida

Grant: Refreshing our Computer Animation Curriculum Through 3D Printing

EPIC funding • Jacksonville University, received $7,500 for two printers. See details on my Research blog here

Jacksonville University Faculty Symposium-The Making of Lathe of God

April 2013, Davis College of Business, Jacksonville, Florida

Grant: Mudboxing the Resources: Enhancing Learning in the Digital Age

Faculty Research Grant 2013, Jacksonville University, received $1,000.00 for purchase of cameras for enhancing our 3D Animation curriculum

Media Arts Panel Member

Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. September 1st, 2010

Jacksonville University Faculty Symposium-Investigating the Qualitative and Quantitative Effects of Displacement Painting on Jacksonville University Animation Students Animation Production Pipeline

March 2010, Davis College of Business, Jacksonville, Florida

Grant: Investigating the Qualitative and Quantitative Effects of Displacement Painting on Jacksonville University Animation Students’ Model

Production Pipeline

Faculty Research Grant 2009, Jacksonville University, received $2,000.00 for purchase of copies of Autodesk Mudbox for use in our model production pipeline

Visual Arts Faculty Symposium-“Exploring the Animation Production Pipeline”

September 2008, Fine Arts Hall, Jacksonville, Florida

Digital Game XPO, June 24th, 2006, Raleigh, North Carolina

Demonstration of low-to-high polygonal modeling technique from Mastering Maya 7

Alias 3December, December 3rd, 2004-Fathom Studios, Atlanta, Georgia

Presented Facial Blend Shape Modeling technique using Maya Unlimited

Juror: 2003 Southeastern Digital Arts Festival

Education

Columbia University

New York, NY August 1981-May 1985 Earned B. A. in Art History

University of Georgia

Athens, GA September 1985-August 1988 Earned M.F.A. in Art with a concentration in Drawing & Painting

References

References available on request. Contact me here or at ekunzen(at)ju.edu