One big creative community

Come to The Art Institute of Colorado, and you'll join a vast network of creative professionals that spans the U.S. and beyond. Read on to get the details.

First Name
Detailed info about programs and degrees is yours for the asking!
	WHY WE NEED THIS To contact you with the information you are requesting. Rest assured we don’t share your personal info with any outside groups.
Last Name
	WHY WE NEED THIS To contact you with the information you are requesting. Rest assured we don’t share your personal info with any outside groups.
Email
	WHY WE NEED THIS We need your email address to contact you with the information you are requesting. We won’t spam you or give it to any outside groups.
When did you/will you graduate high school?
	WHY WE NEED THIS To confirm your eligibility to attend The Art Institutes.

*Required Fields

*What's the best location for you?

select

*What program at that location are you into? If you aren’t sure yet, no worries. Just select "undecided."

select

*Are you a U.S. citizen?

YesNo

*Phone

ex. 5551234567

Add a phone

*Country of Mailing Address

*Address

Address 2

*City

* State/Province

*Zip/Postal Code

* How did you hear about us?

Any comments you would like to share?

Hall of Fame 2004

Three outstanding graduates of The Art Institute of Colorado who exemplify success, character and philanthropic effort were inducted into The Art Institute of Colorado Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 28. The ceremony was part of Grape Escape, the school's annual alumni food-and-wine event, silent auction and scholarship fundraiser. Those selected are: Jess DuBois (Illustration 1957), well-known painter and sculptor from Denver; James Selak (Advertising Design 1967), owner of Zebra Design in Rochester, New York; and renowned Denver fine artist, Michelle Torrez (Visual Communications 1986).

James was called out of town for a family emergency, and was unable to attend the ceremony. However, he later expressed his gratitude for the award, appreciation to the school, and acknowledged the support of his wife Denise and his daughter Tina, also graduate of The Art Institute.

Jess DuBois
Part of the school's very first graduating class in 1957, DuBois traveled the country to study with acclaimed artists such as Ray Vanilla, David Lafel and Daniel Greene. He went on to showcase his Cherokee and African-American ancestry in portrait works, running successful DuBois Gallery in Estes Park until forced to close after the town's devastating 1982 flood. He moved back to his native Five Points neighborhood in Denver, where he cultivated the art of glass-blowing and sculpture work. He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1988 Denver Black Arts Festival, lauded for his "ability to project the soul of his subjects onto canvas." Local transportation agency RTD commissioned DuBois to cast a bronze statue dedicated in 1998, located at the 30th & Downing light rail station in Denver. In January, 2004, he was one of only three honored at the Denver Mayor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts. He teaches children's art in a number of local settings, continues to take art classes himself, and says his goal in life is "to get better and better."

James L. Selak
In the first 18 years of his advertising career, Selak gained valuable experience nationally and internationally working in key marketing design positions at companies such as Xerox Corporation in New York, California design firm Saul Bass & Associates, and the National Football League (NFL) Creative Services division. He also spent time as an instructor at The Art Institute of Colorado, guiding students on to their own creative careers. For the past 17 years, he has managed his own design firm, partnering with Fortune 500 companies such as Xerox, Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, Bok Industries, Kinko's and Unisys. Selak's work has been consistently recognized for outstanding merit at regional, national and international levels, with more than 30 awards for graphic design and art direction to his credit. He has also been published in numerous industry reference guides, and is relocating his design firm to Denver, Colorado.

Michelle Torrez
After graduation, Torrez moved to Dallas where she worked as art director at an advertising agency, and her sculptural jewelry was exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art Gallery. Returning to Colorado, she continued her advertising career until 1994 when she formed a company called Studio M, creating murals in private residences and business throughout the state. She has since established herself as renowned in fine art, and her work has been featured in numerous publications that include Southwest Art, Colorado Expressions and Frontier Magazine. In 2003, Torrez was selected by the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria to participate in the "Art in Embassies" program, and her paintings are displayed at the U.S. Embassy there. She was selected as one of only 12 artists featured in the 2004 "Art in Embassies" calendar, and was invited to the White House for a ceremony hosted by Laura Bush and the Department of State. She has exhibited in the Invitational Coors Western Art Exhibit, as well as the Colorado Governor's Invitational Art Show.

You can learn more about candidate criteria and the nomination process in the links at the top of the page. Look for details regarding nomination and selection of next year's inductees into The Art Institute of Colorado's Hall of Fame beginning in May, 2005. For more information, contact Alumni Coordinator Lisa Perry at: lperry@aii.edu.

2003 inductees were:
Ed Flick (Industrial Design 1994), Head of Design, Nautilus Health & Fitness Group, Louisville, CO
Scott Jordan (Interior Design 1985), Owner, Jordan Design Studio, Ltd., Denver, CO
Goose Sorensen (Culinary Arts 1996), Owner/Executive Chef, Solera restaurant, Denver, CO
Peter Steinhauer (Photography 1993), Owner, Steinhauer Photography, Washington, D.C.

About Us Admissions Financial Aid Career Services Academics Student Life Alumni Network News & Events