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10 unusual facts about California Institute of the Arts


Asitha Ameresekere

Ameresekere received an MFA in Directing for Theatre, Video & Cinema at the California Institute of the Arts.

Chris Lemmon

Lemmon considered playing piano professionally after having graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, with degrees in classical piano and composition, and in theater.

Dirk Westphal

Since completing his MFA at California Institute of the Arts in 1989 he has been working in several different artistic processes, but with an emphasis in photography.

Don Levy

He then moved to Los Angeles to work at the California Institute of the Arts, where he taught and conducted research in film, video and multimedia until his death in 1987 by committing suicide.

Félix González-Torres

Subsequently he taught at New York University and briefly at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia.

Lusine

In 1998, he attended California Institute of the Arts to study 20th century electronic music and sound design for music and film.

Mia Slavenska

She opened a ballet studio in New York in 1960, then taught at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1969 to 1983 and concurrently at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) from 1970 to 1983.

Monte Hellman

He currently teaches in the Film Directing Program at the California Institute of the Arts.

Rajeev Taranath

He has also served as the head of the Indian music program at the World Music Department of the California Institute of the Arts from 1995 to 2005.

Tobe Sexton

Sexton was born in Fort Worth, Texas, he studied acting and directing for theatre as well as film at The California Institute of the Arts from which he earned a BFA.


Alice Tuan

Tuan has facilitated playwright workshops at all levels throughout the United States, including MFA candidates at both the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Austin, and the California Institute of the Arts.

Barry Schrader

He graduated with an MA degree in musicology and then went to the newly formed California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, where he received an MFA in composition in 1971.

Chris Langdon

While attending California Institute of the Arts from 1971-76 in the Film (BFA) and Art (MFA) schools, Chris was extremely prolific, in particular producing about forty 16mm and 35mm films, in addition to assisting artists Robert Nelson, John Baldessari, and Jack Goldstein in the production of some of their films.

Gene Bowen

Bowen was working with Harold Budd, James Tenney, Daniel Lentz, Wolfgang Stoerchle and John Baldessari while studying at California Institute of the Arts in the 70's, where he plays guitar, keyboards, synthesizers and sings.

K. P. H. Notoprojo

He moved to Valencia, California in 1971 and taught at the California Institute of the Arts until 1992, in addition to work at University of California, Berkeley, San Jose State University, and many other universities in the US and Canada.

Kelly Asbury

Asbury was born in Beaumont, Texas and attended Lamar University for two years before transferring to the renowned California Institute of the Arts in 1980, where he studied animation and film making.

Kerstin Jeppsson

Jeppsson received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Stockholm in 1977, and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia in 1979, where she studied with Mel Powell for composition and Daniel Schulman for conducting.

Laura Owens

In 1994 she attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, ME and she received her MFA from the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA.

Madeleine Begun Kane

Madeleine Begun Kane studied at the Eastman School of Music, the Aspen Music Festival, California Institute of the Arts, and St. John's University School of Law.

Miriam Schapiro

Subsequently, she was able to establish the Feminist Art Program at the California Institute of the Arts with Judy Chicago.

Nina Menkes

She has an MFA with high honors from the UCLA Film School and has taught film directing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Tel Aviv University's Department of Cinema, Israel, and California Institute of the Arts.

Paul Taub

He holds a B.A. from Rutgers University and an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts, and has studied with some of the world’s greatest flutists including Michel Debost, Samuel Baron, Marcel Moyse, and Robert Aitken.

Roger Bellon

His dance compositions include: Signé Modigliani for French Choreographer, Nadine Birtchansky, which had its World Premiere at the California Institute of the Arts, The Perfection of Anna (short film) and In Between (short film) for Choreographer Hilary Thomas and Director Elizabeth Gracen.

Sheila Levrant de Bretteville

In 1971, de Bretteville founded the first design program for women at the California Institute of the Arts, and two years later co-founded the Woman's Building, a public center in Los Angeles dedicated to women's education and culture.

Stephen J. Anderson

Anderson grew up in Plano, Texas, before attending the California Institute of the Arts, where he also served as a story instructor for five years.