Sparcinla is hiring: Digital/Mural Lab: Digital Artist in Los Angeles
Sparcinla, Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90079
Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) is a community-based non-profit arts organization founded in 1976 by muralist Judith F. Baca, filmmaker Donna Deitch and artist Christina Schlesinger. SPARC is dedicated to producing, presenting and preserving public artworks in Los Angeles neighborhoods. The organization is best known for its work in hundreds of Los Angeles neighborhoods at a grassroots level to produce the rich legacy of Los Angeles murals and the ethnic face of our city.
The Digital/Mural Lab Digital Artist provides hands-on support for art projects and public art commissions, located in a community setting at the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). The DM/L is a unique research and artistic production facility that combines state-of-the-art computer technology with the production of public artworks, curriculum and media. Created in 1996 by UCLA Professor Emeritus Judith F. Baca, the facility focuses its research and teaching on her process of community engagement through the arts developed over a 50-year career as a leader and innovator in the field. The DM/L provides the opportunity to work alongside SPARC artists in a community context toward the production of artworks rooted in social engagement.
We are seeking a Digital Artist, who has traditional/classical training in fine arts (drawing and painting), who is adept at Photoshop for digital composition, digital painting, systems administration, remote desktop IT work, and following the directions of an Artistic Director in the creation of public artworks. The Digital Artist should have strong Adobe Suite skills and be conversant in software related to image and video production including Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter, and drawing programs. They should also be able to work on critiques for on-screen painting and be conversant in software management and large scale printing. The Digital Artist will work under the artistic director in the creation of digital mural commissions. Digital artists must be available to work in-house in our digital/mural lab facility in compliance with health restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Time commitment is 5 days a week, and potentially some weekends for full-time employment.
The Digital/Mural Lab is equipped with outstanding tools and technology, collaborative spaces, a mural painting studio, and mural fabrication and prototyping equipment–we work in a creative, stimulating environment. The DM/L is an environment that is highly flexible and customizable for creative projects. Ultimately, the projects that are envisioned in the DM/L endeavor to contribute a body of public imagery that speaks of both beauty and social change in our public spaces.
Requirements
Project Support
- Able to comply with deadlines on all projects.
- Able to provide regular communication on progress of assigned work.
- Graphic work for Artistic Director (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Painter).
- Able to communicate the status of projects and anticipate potential issues.
- Advanced photo editing knowledge. Video editing a plus.
- Knowledge of latest technology and software; able to research new solutions and implement them to improve the digital/mural lab’s capabilities and digital painting environment.
- Research support on projects (subject matter related or materials and media for public art installations).
- Contributes to budget creation (project based or DML expendables such as ink, papers, supplies).
- Knowledge of large format inkjet printing.
- Instruction for students and lab staff for Adobe Creative Programs, office work and student correspondence.
- Maintain and enforce organization of lab and cleanliness of equipment and materials.
- Check in/out computer/video audio equipment.
- Bachelor’s Degree (B.A., B.F.A., B.S.) from an accredited university preferred.
- 2-3 years work experience a plus.
- Required skills: Photo editing.
- Traditional techniques learned in fine arts: illustration, drawing, painting.
- Previous work experience with a non-profit arts organization and/or communications role preferred.
- Very good illustration and storytelling skills with an eye for perspective, color, lighting, mood and composition.
- Good sense of form, shape, silhouette, scale and texture.
- Ability to drive a sketch to photorealistic illustration.
- Strong use of research and reference material in support of idea generation and problem solving.
- Experience with system administration and remote desktop IT work.
- Knowledge of photo editing and digital drawing tools (Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter).
- Very good communication skills and teamwork oriented attitude.
- Experience with large scale works or murals is a plus.