Orchid Sylvester

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Experience

Glassblowing Apprentice

GlassRoots (September 2024 - ) | Newark, NJ

  • Instruction in proper gathering, marvering, benchwork, and blocking etiquette
  • Develop practical comprehension of free-blowing molten glass methods
  • Explore decorative techniques relating to color, texture, and form
  • Provide fellow apprentices in cohort with real-time assistance of hot-shop projects
  • Refinement of medium with sanding, polishing, and kiln annealing

Digital Fabrication Technician

AACE Lab at The Cooper Union (September 2021 - May 2024) | New York, NY

  • Assist over 800 staff and students in safe operation of 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines
  • Instruct patrons with projects translatable to vector-based or 3D workflows in Rhino 3D, Fusion 360, Adobe Illustrator, and Blender
  • Maintain of shop equipment and operation through compliance with safety protocol and routine diagnostics.
  • Track stock of replenishable material, equipment usage, and traffic of lab facilities and amenities

Residence Hall Assistant

Residence Life at The Cooper Union (June 2021 - May 2022, June 2023 - May 2024) | New York, NY

  • Facilitate inclusive environment for transitioning students entering the Cooper Union community
  • Foster independent living through programming and supportive care
  • Manage clerical tasks for Student Affairs programming relating to student affiliation and recreation

Designer

IDS at The Cooper Union (June - December 2022) | New York, NY

  • Visual Identity and Web Designer for 2022 lecture series.
  • Curate site navigation, typography, color theme, and responsive layout for desktop and mobile use
  • Frequently updated and maintained website inline with branding and user experience needs

Art Specialist

Youth on the Move (July - August 2022) | New York, NY

  • Teaching Harlem youth ages 5 - 12 years art in drawing media and techniques
  • Scheduling activities, workshops, trips, and assisting program director with community outreach
  • Actively being alert of surroundings to ensure safety onsite, in addition to travel before, during, and after off-site trips

Photographer

Creative Art Works (November 2021) | New York, NY

  • Document instances of active urban design through architecture, public infrastructure, and gestures of reclaiming outside places as third spaces.
  • Partnered with The Center for Active Design and The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Junior Screen Printer

Newark Print Shop (March - June 2017) | Newark, NJ

  • Mixing accurate ink colors for CMYK separation and Pantone spot colors.
  • Emphasis on print production in screen printing processes inclusive of digital workflows in Adobe Creative Suite
  • Studio organization of stock materials, safe handling of chemistry, and upkeep of equipment
  • Assisting and shadowing resident printmakers from Express Newark and instructors from The Department of Arts, Culture and Media at Rutgers University - Newark

Education

BFA in Fine Arts; Minor in Literature and Philosophy

The Cooper Union (2020 - 2024) | New York, NY

  • Concentration in Design, Film/Video, and New Media
  • Relevant Coursework: Teaching as Social Practice, Industrial Design, Animation Workshop, Publication Design
  • 3.7 GPA; Distinctions include Service to the School of Art Award and Rhoda Lubalin Fellowship Recepient

Volunteering

Flameworking Jewelry Maker

GlassRoots (October 2024 - ) | Newark, NJ

  • Making one-of-a-kind beads, charms, and accessories for children at Wynona's House Child Advocacy Center
  • Collaboration with NJIT Honors College Community Service

Visual Arts Mentor

NAACP Newark Act-SO (2021, 2023) | Newark, NJ

  • Coach participants from the Newark Act-SO Branch in Visual Arts categories (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Filmmaking) during January to July competition season
  • Guiding critiques and practical feedback based on Elements and Principles of Art and Design, emphasizing individual strengths and supporting areas of improvement
  • Provide advice on conceptual enrichment for students in presentation, public speaking, and content analysis relevant to student's art practice, social, and historical movements

Software

  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, inDesign, Acrobat)
  • Illustration (Clip Studio Paint, Procreate)
  • 3D Design (Rhino 3D, NetFabb)
  • 3D Graphics (Blender, ZBrush)
  • SLA + FDM 3D Printing (Preform, Bambu Studio, Cura)
  • Video Editing + Animation (Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Reaper, Dragonframe, TVPaint)
  • Prototyping (Figma, Dreamweaver)
  • Office (Microsoft 365, Google Suite)

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