H-ton Trio Enjoy Once in a Lifetime Art Experience
Farmingdale State College adjunct professor Philip Simone called Kasmira Mohanty with an offer the Huntington High School graphic arts teacher couldn’t refuse: A day with famed typographic designer Louise Fili.
“He informed us that Louise Fili would be having a gallery exhibition at Farmingdale and on November 21 she would be giving a lecture and personal critiquing student artwork,” Ms. Mohanty said. “Only three students from our school were allowed to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity.” The three Huntington teenagers selected to attend are all talented artists in their own right: Ekaterina Koulakova, Justin Meyer and Taylor Moreno.
The artwork the Huntington High School students brought with them to Farmingdale was a suggested project that asked the teenagers to design a book cover for a classic novel using only typography and minimal graphics. The typography could be generated any way the students chose.
After last Thursday’s lecture, the students were brought to the interesting exhibit and Ms. Fili went through the work the day’s participants brought with them, pointing out strengths and items that the students could work on improving.
“The three students that traveled to Farmingdale came back in today and shared their experience with the rest of the class and will now continue working on their projects with the rest of the class,” said Ms. Mohanty last Friday. The Huntington trio intends to e-mail their finished works to Ms. Fili for her opinion on the improvements they made based upon her suggestions.
“I have to admit it was an honor for me to get to meet Louise Fili after following her career for years, having her collaborative books with her husband on design scattered about my classroom and having been inspired by her work when working on my own design projects,” Ms. Mohanty said. “The kids were somewhat intimidated by her celebrity status, but during the lecture found her to be funny, helpful and personable. They expressed that even if her style was very different from their own that her talent and passion shined through each of the works she shared with the students.”
In an interesting twist, during the lecture, Ms. Mohanty sat next to Anthony Lupo, one of her former students who graduated with Huntington’s Class of 2011. “What are the chances of that happening?” Ms. Mohanty asked. “He is currently a design student at Farmingdale and expressed to me his opinion that the program is top-notch. He is very happy at the school. It was fun to see him!”
Ms. Mohanty is happy that Mr. Simone placed the call to her. He served as art and design director at People magazine for more than 15 years and has also worked as a design consultant for Heart Corp. and in advertising, promotion and packaging for clients that have included P.C. Richard, Ideal Toys, Pfizer, Kinney Parking and DC Comics, among others.
“This was an amazing opportunity,” Ms. Mohanty said.