Abby VanStraten's Resume (Last updated April 9th 2008)

Once a week I work with two seperate (am and pm) classes of four year olds. I create a special project that corresponds with the classes theme of the week. We work with the Paine Art Museum, in Oshkosh, which is a great opportunity. We are able to work their horticulturist and art curator. This provides a way of teaching young children to connect to art history through making their own masterpieces.

As a specialty day care center, we provide all kinds of arts related classes. I was the art teacher and dance and drama instructor. As the art teacher, I took kids ages 2 through 11 and taught them the basic aspects of art. A main part of the job was creating my own curriculum for my classes. Every week, I got to plan a creative art project that expanded their art skills and showed them a new way to create.

As the graphic design intern, I cleaned up logos for businesses using the CorelDRAW design program. I was also able to create my own logos for the company catalog and website. As the intern, it was also my responsibility to mat company projects for presentations, and do odd jobs around the office such as cutting, emailing, and running errands. I also worked with the photography department in helping set up product photo shoots and was also featured in some of their promotional videos.

As the sales associate, I was in charge of running the cash register, customer service, folding clothes, and adding onto sales. I also closed down registers after a night shift which included counting money, balancing accounts, and finishing financial paperwork.

Every box office associate worked alone. I was in charge of the entire box office when I worked. I sold tickets, worked customer service, made phone and internet sales, and worked with seating software. I also was responsible for all the incoming money to the box office which delt with counting, financial paperwork, and running errands to the bank.

I was student help during the summers of 2003 and 2004. In 2003, I was on the electrical crew which cleaned the mill, changed lightbulbs, and drove lifts. In 2004, I was on the painting crew which made the inside and out of the building look as pretty as a paper mill could be.

I worked as a sales associate at Hallmark half of my Sophmore year in high school, and all of my Junior and Senior year in high school. I then worked on all of my holiday breaks while in college. So, my weeks per year and hours per week really vary. I was in charge of sales, customer service, cleaning, display work, ordering merchandise, stocking merchandise, opening and closing the shop, and all financial paperwork and closing duties.

I have been proficiently taught in painting and drawing. In drawing, I have worked with: graphite, charcoal, oil pastel, chalk pastel, sauce crayons, and colored pencil. In painting, I have worked with: watercolor, oil, and acrylic. I have experience in both grid drawing and free hand, but mainly work free hand. I have studied color and composition in art history and through that knowledge I have been able to work it into my own pieces. I have also studied in photography. I am proficient in both digital and manual cameras, as well as the process of developing film and photos. Working with Arts for Kids, I have had the opportunity on learning how to teach one on one as well as teaching a group.

I also started out as a graphic design major and took classes that deal with design fundamentals and Adobe program basics. Programs I have experience with includes: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and CorelDraw.

Co-Chair for Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group
Publicity, President of Students for Sustainable Food
Food Committee
Campus Sustainability Team

For three and a half years during college, I have shown and participated in Oshkosh's Gallery Walk. The first Saturday of every month, I would gather together all of my most recent works and show them at a downtown store front for the public to see. I have experience in pricing, selling, and showing because of this community event.

I also donated a black and white oil pastel drawing to the ARC foundation which benefits people with developmental and related disabilities. It raised $246 for the cause.

2008 Senior Honor Art Show
-Model 1 for Sculpture 1
-Male Study Sleeping for Painting 3 (received 2-D Priebe Gallery Award)

Li Hu, painting and drawing professor
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 54901

Barbara Rosenthal, figure drawing professor
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 54901

Ross McDowell, entreprenuer
Run Away Shoes
tel: 920-203-2904
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Friend and buisness owner who hosted my artwork during Oshkosh's Gallery Walk.

Beth Carmenidis, Arts for Kids Owner/Director
Arts for Kids Day Care
tel: 920-303-9498
Oshkosh, WI 54901