Mina Zarfsaz

Fine Artist & Designer

New York, NY, USA

Work Experience

The Robert Busch School Of Design, Kean University

Adjunct Professor

September 2014 - Present Union, New Jersey, United States

MZ

Creative Director and Founder

A self-initiated studio dedicated to foster creative exploration
November 2010 - Present New York, New York, United States

Freelance

Independent Designer and Art Director

Working with a range of clients and studios from tech start-ups to luxury brands
December 2008 - Present United States

AIGA

Mentor

Serving as a mentor to a high school student in collaboration with New York Department of Education
September 2012 - Present New York, New York, United States

Craft

Production Associate

June 2013 - April 2014 New York, New York, United States

Levine Design Group

Design Manager

June 2013 - December 2013 New York, New York, United States

Saranac Review

Layout Designer

Layout designer of issue 9
June 2013 - September 2013 New York, United States

Leeser Architecture

Visual Communication Intern

June 2013 - July 2013 Brooklyn, New York, United States

Pratt Institute

Graduate Assistant

Maintaining facilities, Lab monitoring and assisting students
September 2012 - January 2013 New York, New York, United States

Saranac Review

Graphic Designer . Layout Designer

September 2011 - June 2012 New York, United States

Plattsburgh State Art Museum

Graphic Designer

Developed and prepared promotional materials, exhibition catalogs and brand strategy
September 2011 - May 2012 New York, United States

SUNY Plattsburgh

Teaching Assistant

Publication Design (405) and Typography II (305), Printing Supervisor, Hardware Assistant, Assisted students with the use of applications and design issues
February 2012 - May 2012 United States

Central Booking Magazine

Layout Designer

October 2011 - November 2011 New York, New York, United States

SGS Germany GmbH

Global Marketing Assistant

Assistant to the Global Marketing Director: Designed marketing materials in collaboration with the design agency, prepared weekly/monthly marketing reports and global marketing surveys and research, conducted SEO in collaboration with the IT/CMS/WCM teams in Manila/Philippines, etc.
March 2009 - March 2010 Hamburg, Germany

Education

Montclair State University

MFA

Montclair, New Jersey, United States

Pratt Institute

MFA

Communication Design
2012 - New York, United States

State University Of New York (SUNY)

BFA

Art Studio - Graphic Design
2010 - 2012 New York, United States

Alzahra University

BA

Business Administration
2005 - 2009 Tehran, Iran

ACECR . Tehran University

Certificate

Interior Design
2006 - 2010 Iran

Languages

English (Fluent),
Persian (Native),
German (Conversational),
Turkish (Conversational),
Azerbaijani (Conversational),
French (Beginner),
Arabic (Beginner),

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

2015
Kasser Theatre, SWIM: Performance in collaboration with Robert Whitman, Montclair, NJ
Finely Gallery, MSU, Montclair, NJ
2014
Finely Gallery, MSU, Montclair, NJ
Paul Robeson Galleries, Rutgers University, From There to Here, Newark, NJ
2013
Broadway Gallery, Global Projects Exhibition, New York, NY
Times Square Museum, Not For Sale Exhibition, New York, NY
2012
Pratt Institute, MFA Survey Exhibition, New York, NY
New York State Museum, Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition, Albany, NY
Plattsbugh State Art Museum, Senior BFA Exhibition, Plattsburgh, NY
Myers Gallery, PAVA, Clothline II Exhibition, Plattsburgh, NY
Pouring Light Studios and Gallery, Migrating Passerines II Exhibition, Malone, NY
2011
Myers Gallery, PAVA, Clothline I Exhibition, Plattsburgh, NY
Plattsburgh State Art Museum, Motion Juried Exhibition, Plattsburgh, NY
Pouring Light Studios and Gallery, Migrating Passerines I Exhibition, Malone, NY
Myers Gallery, Studio 2011 Exhibition, Plattsburgh, NY

AWARDS AND HONORS

2014-2015
Teaching Assistantship, Montclair State University
2013
Honorary Partner in Education, NYC Department of Education
Hiii Photography International Competition finalist
Persobook 3rd annual Iranian contemporary art competition finalist
2012
Merit scholarship recipient, Pratt Institute
Featured work on online curational galleries: Typography Served, Pratt Portfolio Gallery, AIGA member Gallery
Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Award nominee, State University of New York
Best of SUNY Student Artists finalist, New York State Museum
Member, Phi Kappa Phi
2011
Motion Exhibition award winner, Plattsburgh State Art Museum
Nina Winkel Scholarship in Visual Arts, State University of New York
Certificate of outstanding merit recipient, 31st Annual College Photography Contest, Photographer's Forum Magazine
2010
Merit scholarship recipient, State University of New York

LECTURES

2014
Artist Talk, Paul Robeson Galleries, Rutgers University
Annual Thinking Creatively Conference, Workshop presenter, Kean University
2013
Visual Culture: Western and Non-Western, Guest lecturer, Kean University
2012
Survey Presentation, Pratt Institute
Thesis Presentation and Artist Lecture, BFA Exhibition, SUNY Plattsburgh
The Evolution of Type in Western and Non-Western Culture: a Communicative Agent of Metaphoric Shifts in Contemporary Arts, SUNY Plattsburgh

BIBLIOGRAPHY & PRESS

2015
My Graphic DNA: Portfolio Design & Self-Promotion, Sandu Publishing, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
Art in Book 2, Sendpoints Publishing
2014
From There to Here, Exhibition Catalog, Paul Robeson Galleries, Rutgers University
2013
Narcissaminophen: Asia Awards 2013 Competition nominee, Designboom magazine
Global Projects: artists at home and abroad: Introducing the artists, NY Arts Magazine
2012
The Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition, NYS Museum Press Release
2011
Lucid II: Cover art; Journey & Riot: published pieces, ZPlatt Literary Journal
Neda: Finalist of "Best of College Photography 2011", Photographer's Forum magazine
Lucid II: Cover art for “Migrating Passerines Exhibition”, Malone Telegram newspaper

EXPERTISE

Critical Thinking, Concept Development, Creative Direction, Strategic Management, Marketing, SEO and SEM,
Visual Communication, Transformation Design, Typography, Layout & Editorial Design, Brand Identity Development,
Web Design, Interactive Media, User Interface, Package Design, Prototyping, Photography, Digital Imaging,
Public Art, Installation, Interior Space, Sculpting.