Four outstanding graduates of The Art Institute of Colorado were recognized as new Hall of Fame members at a ceremony and celebration on Saturday, September 10, 2005. The group represents decades of the school's program history, along with a variety of industry expertise and acclaim. The inductees are: fine artist Lamar Briggs, of Palm Beach, Florida; and executive chef Ian Kleinman; studio owner and artist Kit Hevron Mahoney; and exhibit design director Rod Pacheco, all of Denver. Briggs was in Paris, France when the ceremony was held, but sent a statement expressing his appreciation for the honor and the education he received at The Art Institute.
Briggs, a featured guest artist profiled in numerous books and magazines, graduated from the Advertising Design program in 1959. His work is part of the international American Consulate program, and seen in more than 120 collections across the country, including the Denver Art Museum. He has been listed in "Who's Who in American Art" since 1962, and participated in invitational shows and one-man exhibitions for decades. Involved in charitable works for arts organizations nationwide, he works with the Aspen Music Festival, medical center fundraising efforts and a number of Alzheimer's associations. He has also donated work to educational institutions and charities that address AIDS and drug abuse. Briggs is known for his signature abstract paintings inspired by nature and music.
Mahoney, a partner of Brushstrokes Studio-Gallery in Washington Park, graduated from the Advertising Design program in 1978. She has worked as a graphic designer, a graphic design instructor at The Art Institute and first ventured into the greeting card industry as a partner/designer of numerous lines of greeting cards. For the last 20 years, she has emerged as a successful fine artist featured in a variety of fine art publications and part of prestigious invitational shows. Mahoney has exhibited in galleries nationwide and is a consistent award recipient, named "Artist to Watch/Best of the West" by Southwest Art magazine. She also takes time to support fundraising efforts for PBS, donating paintings to silent auctions.
Pacheco, design director at PG Exhibits of Denver, graduated from the Industrial Design program in 1994. He began his career at Proctor Productions as architectural design director, working on conceptualization, layout and engineering of exhibits, and corporate and retail environments. Currently, he oversees all aspects of design and client relations, including Gates Rubber, Qwest, McData, Space Imaging, Western Union and Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Pacheco's work has been showcased in Advertising and Marketing Review, as well as Exhibitor magazine, and has received consistent industry recognition since 1997. He is a member of the Industrial Design Professional Advisory Committee at The Art Institute and volunteers for the Inner City Health Center's annual bike rodeo, repairing donated bikes to go to deserving children.
A 1997 Culinary Arts graduate, Ian Kleinman is executive chef at Emogene Patisserie et Café in Cherry Creek. He developed an interest in cooking at a young age in conjunction with his family's restaurant, the Golden Pan, in Breckenridge. As a teenager, he worked the line and moved through the kitchens of local venues such as the Augusta at the Westin Hotel and the Rattlesnake Grill. After he graduated from The Art Institute, Kleinman worked at Rialto Café before moving on to a chef position at Hilltop Café, then went on to make a name for himself at Indigo restaurant in Cherry Creek. Kleinman has been a participant in the respected James Beard Foundation in New York, the youngest chef in Colorado to cook there three times. He was named runner-up for Colorado's ACF Chef of the Year in 2004, and volunteers his time for school events and with SOS Operation Frontline.
For information on 2006 Hall of Fame nominations and voting, please contact Lisa Perry at toll free: 800.275.2480 or local: 303.824.4701 or lperry@aii.edu.