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Resume
Renée Claire Tafoya
email: renee@tafoya.ws
Education
Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design and Illustration, 1984.
San Jose State University, San Jose California 95192
Master of Science in Instructional Technology, 2006.
University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071
Work experience
1999 to present
Northwest College – Powell Wyoming 82435
Assistant Professor of Art and Graphic Design. I have designed and developed curriculum, course materials, learning goals, and syllabi for the following courses: Graphic Design I and 2, Interpretive Graphics, Computer Illustration 1 and 2, Graphic Design History, 2-Dimensional Design, Web Design, Typography, Art Portfolio, and Magazine Production & Management. I advise 30 students, participate in Division and Department planning, and serve as the Art Department Coordinator for the Division Chair. Committee service includes the Academic Computing Committee and Student Publications Committee.
1987 to present
Tafoya Design – Cody Wyoming 82414
Freelance graphic design. Design and produce publications, exhibits, websites, and advertising for clients including: Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce, Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, Brooks/Cole Publishing, The Foundation of MSU-Billings, EagleMount Billings, Red Lodge Mountain Ski Area, Park County Travel Council, Northwest College, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Services include graphic design, illustration, copy-writing, and production management. Portfolio samples can be viewed at my studio website: www.tafoya.ws and in the gallery of this website.
1995-2000
Buffalo Bill Historical Center – Cody Wyoming 82414
Publications Director. Coordinated all aspects of graphics and publications at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center including: planning, production, and marketing of institutional publications, public relations materials, exhibition graphics, and website. Controlled design consistency and quality. Prepared cost and sales projections, established budgets and schedules, edited copy, arranged permissions, LC, ISBN and copyright. Managed a printing budget of $200,000 and over 250 individual print projects per year. I was on the team that planned, designed, & developed the Historical Center’s first website.
1990
Apple Computer Inc. – Cupertino California 95014
Consulting Art Director in Instructional Products Division. Designed and supervised the production of user manuals and product packaging. Worked closely with writers, illustrators, photographers and production artists to develop schedules, design proposals, comps, dummies, and electronic camera-ready files.
1987-1990
University of California Extension – Santa Cruz California
Instructor. Developed and taught the following courses: Graphic Production Foundation, Production Techniques, Introduction to Graphics on the Macintosh, Beginning PageMaker, Beginning Adobe Illustrator, Layout and Typography on the Macintosh.
1987
Monterey Life Magazine – Monterey California
Art Director. Responsible for design and production management of monthly full-color magazine. Worked closely with editor and sales director. Designed layouts, planned page sequence and ad placement, commissioned art and photography. Managed staff of two production artists. Coordinated services of type house, color separations, prepress, and printing.
1986-1987
Taste Magazine – Santa Cruz California
Art Director. Responsible for publication design, art direction and production management of biweekly regional magazine. Worked closely with publisher and editor to develop concepts for features and covers, designed layouts, commissioned and directed art and photography. Managed staff of three production artists. Coordinated services of type house, color separations, and printing.
1984-1986
Santa Cruz Express – Santa Cruz California
Editorial Art Director. Responsible for design and production management of weekly newspaper. Responsible for hiring, training, scheduling, and supervision of six production artists and typesetters.
1980-1984
Graphics Services, San Jose State University - San Jose California
Graphic Artist. Designed and produced brochures, posters, forms and booklets
1976-1979
Smith Advertising Agency - Capitola California
Graphic Artist. Designed and produced brochures and ads.
Public Presentations:
Presenter. “Improve the Graphic Design of Your Online Presentations” for an online conference entitled Successful Online Presentations, Learning Resources Network (LERN) www.lern.org, February 2005 and 2006.
Guest lecturer. “Careers in Graphics.” Presented to students at Cody High School, Cody Wyoming, February 2004.
Guest lecturer. “Typography and Layout.” Presented to members of the Wyoming High School Yearbook Staff Association, in Casper Wyoming, September 2003.
Guest lecturer. “Introduction to Computer Graphics.” Provided to members of the Northern Montana High School Consortium, in Great Falls Montana, March 2002.
Publications:
books
Advisor, “Visualize This,” an annual arts publication produced by graphics students at Northwest College, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005.
Contributing author, “Hard Ground: An Anthology of Wyoming Writers”. Published by Pronghorn Press, 2003
Project coordinator, “John James Audubon in the West: the Last Expedition,” by Sarah E. Boehme. Harry N. Abrams in association with the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 2000.
Project coordinator, “Unbroken Spirit: The Wild Horse In The American Landscape,” edited by Francis B. Clymer and Charles R. Preston. Buffalo Bill Historical Center, 1999.
Managing editor, “The Guns of Remington: Historic Firearms Spanning Two Centuries” by Howard Madius. Biplane Productions and Buffalo Bill Historical Center,1997.
digital media
Developer / designer & editor, “Unbroken Spirit: The Wild Horse In The American Landscape,” a multi-media cd-rom that combines research, essays, and images developed for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center exhibition of the same name. 1999.
Designer, first website for Buffalo Bill Historical Center and museum store. 1977
Designed & maintain website for the Visual Arts Department at Northwest College.
Designed & maintain website for Wyoming Nature Tours. www.wyomingnaturetours.com
Designed & maintain website for Tafoya Design. www.tafoya.ws
Developed website for Dr. Qui Sun, University of Wyoming. Measuring Intelligence.
Developed and teach an online course for Northwest College: Issues in Web Design.
museum exhibits
Graphic design, “Where The Buffalo Roam“ exhibit produced by the BBHC and YNP and installed at Canyon Visitors Center, Yellowstone National Park. 1997-2003
Designed / researched / wrote, “Coal: the History of Coal Mining in Carbon County,” permanent exhibit installed at the Peaks to Plains Museum in Red Lodge Montana. 1998.
Graphic design / illustration, “Canyon to Cody” temporary exhibit at the McCracken Research Library, Buffalo Bill Historical Center. 1997
Designed / researched / wrote, “The Finn Kitchen: Finnish Immigrants in Red Lodge,” permanent exhibit installed at the Peaks to Plains Museum in Red Lodge Montana. 1995.
Designed / researched / wrote, “Dug With Shovels, Built With Sweat: the Beartooth Highway,” permanent exhibit installed at the Peaks to Plains Museum in Red Lodge Montana. 1990.
wayside / trailside interpretive panels
Custer National Forest, Beartooth Nature Center, and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
1999-2004. Under a unique cooperative partnership that I developed with local non-profit organizations, Northwest College graphic design students have researched, written and designed over 28 individual interpretive panels for historical sites, geological features, and native animal habitats in Wyoming and Montana. I teach interpretive principles of writing, editing, and designing a multi-level message to inform the reader of an interpretive panel. We address accessibility issues, literacy and reading-levels, location, size of type, color combinations etc in an attempt to provide an educational experience to people from many backgrounds and abilities.
Heart Mountain Relocation Center, 2005. I was commissioned to design nine interpretive panels for this former Japanese Internment Camp in northern Wyoming.
Colter’s Hell Trail, 2005. I was commissioned to design eight interpretive panels for a walking path in an historic patch of prarie, near Cody Wyoming.
Special Accomplishments:
I was a full-time visiting instructor in the Visual Arts Department at Northwest College for three years, beginning in the Fall of 1999. Under my leadership, the quality of the Graphic Design program and the resulting recruitment and retention of students improved to the point that the College administration recognized the need for an additional a tenure-track graphic design faculty position in the Visual Arts Department. I applied for the position and it was offered to me in the Spring of 2002. Soon after accepting this position, I proposed merging the Graphic Design program in the Visual & Performing Arts Division with the Graphic Arts technical program in the Communications Division to create a stronger, cross-divisional Graphics Program. I re-wrote the course and catalog descriptions, reduced the degree options from seven to four degrees, and developed a set of common core courses. I presented and defended the proposal to NWC Curriculum Committee. The proposal was accepted in December 2003. The other art and graphics instructors are enthusiastic about the change and we believe the program is stronger because of it.
Technology Skills:
I teach and use several graphics software programs and I am expert in the following: Adobe Illustrator v.10 & CS2, Adobe Photoshop v.7 & CS2, Adobe InDesign v.2 & CS2, Adobe GoLive v.6 & CS2, Adobe Acrobat v.5 (including Distiller), Adobe ImageReady, QuarkXPress v.6, PageMaker v.7, Microsoft Office, Word Perfect, and WebCT. I am experienced in both FTP and WebDAV file transfer software. I share responsibility with two other faculty members for upgrading/maintaining the Northwest College Macintosh Computer Labs (31 iMac G5 computers with zip drives, scanners, inkjet and laser printers, servers, and local network, and digital projectors for presentations).
I have used and feel competent, but not expert in the following: Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, Director, Power Point, Adobe LiveMotion.
Community Service:
Board member, Park County Arts Council
Elected to Red Lodge City Council for two terms 1994-1997.
Board member, Beartooth Front Community Forum, Red Lodge Montana.
Representative to the Carbon County Montana Historic Preservation Commission.
Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale committee member, Cody Wyoming.
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