Susan Bonner

Experience

• 

  University of Cincinnati

  Sept 1996 - Aug 1998

  Arts in Education Researcher Association for the Advancement of Arts in Education

  Researched Artworks in its pilot year. Worked with teachers and key stakeholders from 3 states - Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to find ways to implement the Arts into the core curriculum. Because of our research which proved that students using multiple intelligences (Gardner), Artworks was funded to continue to work with young people - helping them get job training through the arts.

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  Kendall College of Art and Design

  Aug 1999 - Aug 2023

  • Chair, Digital Art and Design Program https://sites.google.com/view/dadhub• Vice Chair, Ferris State University Academic Leadership Council• Chair, KCAD SPARC Strategic Planning and Collaborating• Curriculum Committee, KCAD• Instructional Design, Curriculum Development, and Training faculty at KCAD and FSU• Coordinator of Visual Development courses, hiring and scheduling adjuncts, and developing curriculum• Teaching Courses includes Digital Imaging, Concept and Production Art, Digital Character Drawing, 2D Character Design, 2D Character Animation, Professional Studio, Thesis• Design Software includes Photoshop, Animate, After Effects, Illustrator• Online Coordinator for the Digital Art and Design program, helping facilitate Pulse learning with Dual Enrollment courses, training faculty in best practices to meet course outcomes• LMS includes Canvas, Blackboard, and Google Sites Show less

  • Chair, Associate Professor

    Aug 1998 - Aug 2023

  • Gallery Director

    Aug 1999 - Aug 2001
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  Calvin University

  Aug 2001 - Aug 2003

  Permanent Collection Curator, Director of Art Gallery

  Collaborated with donors, faculty, and administration to curate and place artwork for Permanent Collection in the Devos Communication Center and the Prince Conference Center that met the educational standards of the programs. Designed Exhibitions for the College Gallery. Community outreach through Public Events and Art Lectures. Taught Foundations and Painting in the Fine Arts Department.

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  Visualpump.com

  Jan 2004 - Aug 2010

  Owner

  An online Contemporary Art Gallery with Custom Art Fittings.

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  Visual Pump

  Jan 2006 - now

  Character Design for Games, Animation, Motion Graphics, Illustration for Education, Retail, and Books. Illustration work for the children's market projects includes character design for Baby Leapfrog. I am currently creating an interactive animation to teach coping skills to kids called Wheels World. Character Design for Mobile Games including First and Goal for Underbite Games. Partnered with Bill Fischer in the operation of an internet art gallery. Specializing in large format, contemporary Giclee’ prints, Visualpump sold works to collectors and interior designers from Los Angeles to New York City. Currently, Visualpump creates illustrations and animation for a variety of clients in Grand Rapids.

  • Director

    Jan 2004 - now

  • Partner

    Jan 2006 - Jan 2008
• 

  Blue Lobster Media

  Jun 2012 - Aug 2012

  Freelance Animator

  Lost Boy Home - A documentary about a Sudanese Lost Boy and his journey back home after years of separation from his family. Visualpump created animations telling the history. Susan Bonner worked on Visual Development, Animation, Directed Storyboards, Project Management. Visualpump created 16 animations in 4 weeks in collaboration with Bill Fischer and Brad Yarhouse. This film was awarded Official Palm Beach Int'l Film Festival 2013, Best Shorts Awards Winner, Official Selection Africa World Documentary Film Festival 2013. Narration by Sam Waterston, Directed and Produced by Mark Barger Elliott, Executive Produced by Liesel Litzenburger Meijer. Show less

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  TjohnE Productions

  Jun 2012 - Aug 2012

  Freelance Animator

  • Created 16 Animations in 4 weeks for a Nationally Distributed Game Show. • Worked with Developer to create animations that cross out the wrong answers in the game show.• This game show goes to Middle Schools, High Schools, and Universities to bring awareness to substance abuse and healthy choices.• Art Direction for my team at Visualpump • Project Management

• 

  The EPIC Project

  Jan 2015 - Nov 2021

  Director and Executive Producer

  The EPIC Project is a wide range of professionals, schools, companies, and organizations that produces free, innovative media that helps teachers create engaging classrooms and community advocates move populations beyond reaction, to action. It produces and distributes free (EPIC) digital media that can compete with popular culture while providing legitimate curriculum that aids teachers in creating engaging classrooms. We explore educational media concepts that reference new technologies as well as those on the immediate horizon. [epicsite.org ] Show less

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  Amway

  Jun 2016 - Sept 2016

  Motion Graphic Artist

  Freelance Business to Business Motion Graphics Art and Animation in Collaboration with Digital Concierge.

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  L.E.A.D. + I. S.E.E. U.

  Jan 2020 - Sept 2021

  Collaborator and Design Citizen

  Leadarts.org Explores how can we change the roles of artists and designers from producers to leaders? … By reimagining our role in society, updating curriculums, redefining cultural responsibilities, and positioning design as the start of everything. And, by exploiting the socio-emotional science that can drive art to move people, society, and culture beyond reaction to action. [ leadarts.org ]

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  The Road Crew

  Aug 2021 - now

  Founder and CEO

  The Road Crew Learning Tool Animated Series: Children's behavioral issues create an obstacle to learning. Educators will use The Road Crew tool to teach young learners how to self-regulate behavior through a memorable interactive experience with relatable characters. PreK - 2nd graders will learn to communicate their emotions with words instead of expressing them with their bodies in an unhealthy way. A Universal Design for Learning approach will ensure students with a wide range of sensory and cognitive abilities will be able to engage. Show less

• 

  Michigan State University

  Aug 2023 - now

  Associate Professor

  Princeton Review has ranked our undergraduate Games and Interactive Media program (gamedev.msu.edu) the #1 public university program for game design in three of the last five years. Our flagship Game Development Minor program pulls top-quality students from our major, Computer Science, and Studio Art together into a two-year, cohort-based program that gives them both theory and practical experience and culminates in a semester-long project developed under the mentorship of professional game studios. Games for Entertainment and Learning (GEL) Lab, is an award-winning studio within our department that develops grant-funded games. Our students are employed at game studios around the world. Show less