Art Alumni Stories

MSU Denver Department of Art alumna Rebecca Totman has over 10 years of experience in the television and animation industries. As an associate producer of animation for the long-running series “The Simpsons,” she manages over 180 artists and production personnel, as well as the complex 2D animation pipeline, to deliver 22 episodes per season. In addition to her work on “The Simpsons,” Rebeca has also produced and curated six collaborative art shows with her group, Love/Hate Los Angeles.

Listen to the Bird Talk podcast featuring Rebecca Totman:
In this episode Rebecca & host Jamie squawk about the Simpsons, Burning Man, creating joy through art, and being a resourceful Roadrunner. Rebecca speaks fondly of her experiences at MSU Denver, making special mention of both the CVA and the Art Department. Her insights and reflections capture the essence of her journey and the influential role that MSU Denver played in it.

MSU Denver Alumni Bird Talk is an MSU Denver Podcast about alumni careers and lives.

Rory Overdorff first developed an interest in design during high school. “I had an amazing photography teacher in high school who I really admired and his philosophy for creativity not having boundaries,” Rory said. Since graduating, Rory has started working for Sphero, designing packaging for new products, including the company’s Sphero BB-8 App-Enabled Droid. From his time as a student to his time as a professional now, Rory cites an ongoing appreciation for the freedom he finds in design work. “I owe a lot to the teachers I had in the program,” Rory said. “Peter Bergman sticks out to me because he always reminded us there is no right and wrong direction when given a project. I think it was that sense of freedom that a lot of professions don’t get that really made me appreciate the program. Design means so many things to so many people and I love thinking about having total control in my path as I grow as a designer.”

Molly Bounds, a BFA in Art graduate, chose to concentrate on Printmaking for the freedom it provided. “Printmaking has a way of encompassing any medium you want so it felt the least confining as a major,” she said. “It felt limitless and without too many boundaries, which was the perfect thing for me. But the tight-knit print community is what ultimately drew me in.” She encourages art students to really support each other and care about each other as individuals rather than just networking. “You should not have to bend your beliefs or break your convictions to do what you love to do,” she said. Molly recently had a show entitled Critical Focus: Molly Bounds at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. “Showing at the MCA was an amazing opportunity, especially coming mostly from a world of DIY artist-run spaces,” Molly said. “Getting to show your work on a larger platform whether within an institution or on a giant wall is a position that is all at once liberating and vulnerable.”

Madeliene Kattman, currently a student in the Master of Arts program in the History of Art Department at the University of Toronto – first became interested in art history as an art student who discovered a passion for reading and writing about other artists’ works. She began studying Art History at MSU Denver and graduated from the program in 2015. “The academic program itself was challenging, but it really helped me to know what I wanted my research to be,” Madeliene said. With the help of faculty members, she narrowed her research focus to contemporary art, performance art, and its architecture. In addition to her time in the classroom, she worked at the Center for Visual Art for two years. For prospective art history students, Madeliene encourages engagement with the art community. “I think it’s important for art historians to be flexible, take criticism, enjoy reading, and be invested in their art community,” she said. “The best way to develop your research and to understand its implications is to talk to artists, curators, and other historians about their methods and what issues surround art and its histories.”

After briefly attempting coursework in an unrelated field, Ángel López realized art is what made him happiest and began to explore design at MSU Denver. His senior experience course helped him focused on his core values and how those pillars related to his identity as a designer. Of those values, he said, “I use them as a driving force to combat social and cultural oppression,” he said. “I also use the pillars to celebrate the rich culture that I come from.” After graduating from the Communication Design program in 2016, Ángel was looking for a graduate program that allowed experimentation and innovation. He found that in the MFA in Transdisciplinary Design at Parsons School of Design. “The program spoke about sustainability, social change, interdisciplinary collaboration, and actually working on contemporary issues,” he said. He encourages students with similar passions to make time to give themselves creative assignments outside of school and work. “There are so many moments of inspiration for an artist,” he said. “You may find inspiration in film, commercials, someone knitting, graffiti, food, music, from wherever. Challenge yourself to create from what inspires you.”

Alumni Becky D’Arcey earned a bachelor’s degree in Art History, Theory and Criticism. While she pursues a graduate degree, D’Arcey writes about art.

This fall, she also worked as a gallery host at the Denver Art Museum’s exhibit, “Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature.” Read Becky’s primer of Must-see Monet, from the largest exhibition of the french impressionist’s work in more than 20 years, as published in MSU Denver’s RED.

Congratulations to Michael Matsushita (BFA Communication Design, Spring 2020) for gaining acceptance into Logo Lounge Book 12.

Over 40,000 logos were submitted globally with 3,000 gaining acceptance. Logo Lounge is one of the most prestigious identity design competitions in the industry and Logo Lounge Book 12 being the largest design volume yet to date.

Gabriel Hutchings is an active artist in the Denver community and was recently selected as the 2023 Curator of the Octopus Initiative at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver. The Octopus Initiative Program offers residents of the Denver metropolitan area an opportunity to borrow amazing artworks from local artists for a period of 10 months. Each year, curators are invited to select the local artists whose work will be made available for lending. Hutching’s theme for his selections was “The Soil of Identity”.

Read about Hutchings and the Octopus Initiative and find out more about how this alumnus is using his education at MSU Denver to connect communities with contemporary art!

2024 Feature in Communication Arts: Interactive Annual & “2023 Award of Excellence”

Huge congratulations to Phoebe Nguyen (Communication Design Graduate, 2023) for being featured in Communication Arts: Interactive Annual— the premier Communication Design publication— for her outstanding work on Feelz, a mobile application serving as a digital journal and tool for emotional regulation. Feelz was Phoebe’s first foray into creating a mobile app and ignited a passion for UX/UI design. Feelz has the unique ability to detect emotional patterns, helping to support mental health journeys, fostering strong relationships, and identifying both passive and active suicidal ideation. This innovative UX/UI product was developed in CDES 4252: Mobile Prototyping under the guidance of Professor Shawn Meek.

View Feelz

Phoebe previously received a “2023 Award of Excellence” from Communication Arts.

Her work from an assignment in the course CDES 430E Motion Design, taught by Professor Kelly Monico, was also featured on their website. The submission was a project titled “Designed to Thrive,” where students learn to use the software Procreate by creating a conceptually compelling, well-designed game. Way to go, Phoebe!

View Designed to Thrive

2025 Design and Build Fellowship at MOA

In 2025, Museum of Outdoor Arts (MOA) welcomes MSU Denver Art Alumna Erica Rawson back for an expanded Fellowship role within their Design and Build Program. Erica held the post in 2023 and is once again mentoring and leading the Design and Build Summer Interns on their collaborative projects in 2025 with the help of MOA resource artist and MSU Denver Art 3D Studio Manager Walter Ware. In her expanded fellowship, Erica will take on a larger role in the planning of the program and projects. In addition, MOA has commissioned Erica to create a temporary installation/sculpture to be installed at Marjorie Park this spring/summer.

Read more about Rawson and the MOA Fellowship.