Gabriel Finkenstein
258 West Main Street
Plainville, CT 06062
Gabe@FinkensteinStudios.com

Work Experience

Elmwood Productions 2006 to Present
Art Director / Illustrator / Puppeteer
Puppeteering and acting in a variety of filmed works. Creating character designs  for several projects. Producing storyboards for filming. Heading the art direction  on multiple projects. Designing merchandise. Working with others at Elmwood  on character development and screenplays.  Enhancing puppet mechanics.

R & F Designs 2002 to Present
Illustrator / Carousel Restoration
Repairing, painting, carving, cleaning and ensuring authentic historical  representation for the horses and the rest of the ride. Performing general  maintenance on the ride.

Blick Art Materials 2004 to February 2010
Manager [Inventory]
2009 Placing in the top three in company’s nationwide t-shirt design  competition.
Creating art for store wide employee art show
Designing and co-painting Fall 2008 window painting
Designing cartoon characters for face painting demonstrations Teaching in store demonstrations on cartooning, sculpting jewlery from  polymer clay, making artist trading cards, collaging artist trading cards,  creating ornaments from miniature canvases

Gabrielle and the Extraordinary Man 2009
Illustrator
Hired to create character design, layout. storyboard and final art work for author’s self-published children’s book.

New Britain Museum of American Art 2008 and 2009
Fine Artist
Donated paintings that have sold through the museum’s art auctions.

Southington Apple Festival     2009
Fine Artist / Art Teacher
Painting a piece of art live that was auctioned off.
Teaching cartooning classes at a local store throughout the day.
Creating pieces that were on display for Harvest the Arts.

P.L.A.C.E. [Partnerships in Learning and Creative Exploration, Inc.]     2008
Art Teacher
Teaching a class on cartooning and illustration for children ages 11 and up.  Creating lesson plans for each class.
Donating a painting for P.L.A.C.E. auction wine tasting as an artist on display.

S.A.C.A. [Southington Arts and Crafts  Association]     2007
Art Teacher
Teaching a cartooning class.

Chesire Art League 2006
Art Teacher
Teaching a cartooning class.

Miscellaneous Art/Work for Hire

Logo design for Bright Water woodworking company
Logo design for Disaria (band)
Creating custom “battle armor” for C.R.O. (Creative Roleplaying Organization)
Sculpting original wedding topper
Creating toy and game prototypes for local inventor

Education

Paier College of Art, Inc Graduated 2006
Bachelors in Fine Arts, Majoring in Illustration