duCret Launches New Photography Group

duCret Instructor Susan Meyer is a seasoned working professional photographer with over 30 years experience, including 10 years as a Photoshop retoucher. She has opened a duCret meetup group called 'The Art of Photography and Photoshop'   and would like to share her years of experience and knowledge of photography with visual image lovers and photographers of the local area. The meetup group is open to all levels, but is geared especially for those who are just starting out or are at the intermediate stage and seek more in-depth instruction. In a series of several continuous workshops, individuals can begin to get a feel for a career or hobby in photography and test the waters before taking a lengthier and more in-depth course in photography. Those inspired at these mini workshops can then take full photography and photoshop courses offered at duCret.

More advanced photographers will have the opportunity to do advanced shoots and projects with this group involving live models. The group meets at The duCret School of Art in Plainfield, NJ where Susan has taught for over 16 years. 'We are very fortunate to have this wonderful facility to hold our Meetup events', states Susan. It affords the Meetup Group the luxury to have at its disposal a well equipped photography studio and prop room, as well as a state of the art Mac computer lab for our photoshop events. We are always looking for Models and Hair and Makeup artists who are looking to build their portfolios and are willing to pose or provide hair and makeup services on the models for digital images from our membership. This is a very active meetup group with something going on almost every week. The group took hold immediately once launched to the internet several months ago, as there is little or no instruction of this type available in central NJ. Students can learn all aspects of photography including portrait, landscape, shooting stills for the commercial field, action and figure and event photography.

They learn all aspects of their camera, including studio lighting and lighting in more challenging environments such as events or sporting activities. Serious students are invited on occasion to intern on real jobs. All one has to do is RSVP to any workshop that's listed online. Though the summer season is lighter, there are many repeating workshops for those with tough schedules, thus enabling individuals to learn at their own pace. For those serious about a career in photography, duCret School of Art is currently accepting registration for Fall 2012 Semester, whereas there are several photography and photoshop classes available.

Emerging duCret Artists 2012

Eighteen student artists who have completed their 3 Year Accredited Art Career Program at duCret School of Art graduated on Thursday, May 17, 2012. The ceremony featured a speech by  Valedictorian, Hanna Bramowicz, a song performed by Faculty Member Peter Ambush, who sang ‘The Impossible Dream’ and a commencement address by duCret Alumni and Artist, Vincent Natale. This year’s graduates in Fine Art are: Hanna Alexandra Bramowicz of Carteret, NJ, Rae Cauley of Westfield, NJ, Lauren Darabant of Manville, NJ, Brandon D. Drake of Plainfield, NJ, Kristina Marie Walker of Woodbridge, NJ, Dwayne R. Watson of Englewood, NJ. Graduates in Graphic Design are: Charles R.M. English of Elizabeth, NJ, Christopher Peel of S. Plainfield, NJ, Christopher Anthony Petronzio of Avenel, NJ, Robert William Schimmel of Rahway, NJ, Laura Smith of Bergenfield, NJ. Graduates in Illustration are: Samantha Abate of Mountainside, NJ, Symone Cherry Banks of Highland Park, NJ, Steven Marc Decter of Springfield, NJ, Tomas Felipe Hurtado of Clark, NJ, Liam Kaiser-Sheridan of Scotch Plains, NJ, Gilberto Saucedo of Elizabeth, NJ and Roberto F. Vidal of Linden, NJ.

Vincent Natale, commencement speaker, is a 1985 duCret School of Art graduate and an Artist-Illustrator. He additionally attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His works range from magazine editorials to book covers to fine art and spans the genres of romance, horror, Fantasy/science fiction, portraiture, and military subjects. Vince has also created numerous illustrations for advertising clients in fashion and pharmaceuticals. He has received numerous awards for both his commercial and fine art work, and has been represented in several annual exhibitions of the Society of Illustrators in New York and Los Angeles. Vince's works also appears regularly in the Spectrum annual book of The Best in Fantastic Art. As well as having produced work for private commissions, his personal/gallery work has found homes in many private collections. Vince is also an instructor at the Woodstock School of Art.
 

Peter Ambush, a published illustrator of children's books and who sang the graduation theme song with the voice of an angel, received his BA in Graphic Design and Illustration from the Maryland institute of Art. He also studied with Peter Caras for three years at duCret, and was the NJ Star Ledger cover artists for the Scanner TV Guide, where he created over 400 cover illustrations. Widely acclaimed for his work in airbrush, Peter is a member of the Wired Gallery in Bethlehem, PA and a member of the Pocono & Lehigh Valley Arts Center. For more information on duCret's 3 Year Art Career Program visit www.ducret.edu or call 908-757-7171 between 9am - 4pm on Monday - Friday for a school tour and career consultation.

duCret Students Featured at Spring Art Show

Each year in Spring, the duCret student body present their artwork to the public, enabling families and local residents a close-up view of their year-long duCret creative activities. As a result, the students have an opportunity to market their original wares and the public gets the chance to tour the school grounds and meet the artists. Additionally, each year the Swain Galleries located on Watchung Ave in Plainfield, NJ, will feature the show's winning artwork for a month's debut in the summer. This enables first, second and third year students to learn how to present their materials and their vision to the public and to gain live art gallery experience. This year the Opening Reception at Swain's is on July 14th from 5pm - 7pm and the artwork will be on display until August 24th. Ranging from mixed media, ceramics, digital, oil, acrylic, pastel and water color paintings to airbrush, jewelry and photography - the artwork is a vast array of mediums, making for an ecclectic and visually stimulating exhibit.

This year's show winners are: 1st Place; Tomas Hurtado, Bahiyyah Sing, Steven Decter, Rae Cauley, Laura Smith, Dwayne Watson, Brandon Drake, Jane Rocca Hecht, Celina Berry, Justin Ruzol, and Asia Jackson. 2nd Place: Ellery Jane Ring, Elizabeth Perez Diner, Megan Cocho, Rae Cauley, Dwayne Watson, Lauren Darabant, Samantha Ortiz, Liam Kaiser-Sheridan, and Ernst Labady. 3rd Place: Regina Bunger, Robert Schimmel, Alex Sisko, Laura Smith, Brandon D. Drake, Elizabeth Jones, Roberto Vidal, Liam Kaiser-Sheridan, and Steven Decter. Honorable Mention: Rae Cauley, Samantha Abbate, Laura Smith, Kristina Walker, Gilberto Saucedo, and Roberto Vidal.

Additionally, specialty awards were given to the following students:The Furman J. Fink Award; Brandon Drake. The Walter Swain Award; Tomas Hurtado. The Alfred Schultz Award; Zoltan Sisko. The Ann & Dudley duCret Award; Brandon Drake. The Alumni Award; Rae Cauley. Vincent diDomenico Award; Megan Schembre. The Peace and Social Justice Award; Kevin Meneses. The Edward Pardee Memorial Award; 1st - Bahiyyah Sing, 2nd - Celina Berry and 3rd - Zoltan Cisko. Art lovers and families are invited to the 2012 Swain Art Gallery Opening Reception on July 14, 5pm - 7pm. Swain's is located at 703 Watchung Ave, Plainfield NJ. For more information call 756-1707 or visit www.ducret.edu.