Thursday, 26 April 2012

The California School of Professional Fabric Design

Since 1973, The California School of Professional Fabric Design has provided quality education for people interested in the textile industry. The school was founded by celebrated textile designer Zeida Rothman. And the primary agenda of the institution promotes real-world applications for artistic design.

It’s no big secret that a significant number of art majors have trouble finding jobs after graduation. And this is especially true when the economy is as tumultuous and unpredictable as it is today. However, there is no reason a person should abandon their dreams for the sake of financial security.

Because with the right education, and the right connections, designers can make money. And they can make that money doing what they’ve always loved to do.

A Proven Track Record

We do our best to make sure our graduates land the rewarding careers they want. And the employees of these new designers are giving them so much praise, they’re constantly coming back for more referrals:

     "When looking for fabric and surface designers we know the California School of Professional Fabric Design™ is an excellent source. We have hired quite a few graduates over the years and imagine we will hire more in the future.”
-Williams-Sonoma

     "Old Navy has hired California School of Professional Fabric Design™ graduates for freelance work. We value these designers greatly and have now hired them for full-time positions. These designers have been an asset to our textile design department."
            -Old Navy

     "When we visited your gallery, we were amazed at the quality of work your students achieve after just one course. What they can do after two years is even better. We have had great success using your graduates for Hallmark projects".
            -Hallmark

Why We Are So Successful

Our school can attribute most of its success to our educational approach. While we are primarily an arts institution, we recognize the times we live in require other types of knowledge. To stay profitable, designers in every field need to gain a keen understanding of the business world. And that’s why our school offers classes with education covering:

1.    Textile Marketing: The economy has gone global. And this has made competition tougher than ever before. Increased manufacturing overseas and the lower prices associated with imported textiles are fiscally alluring. To battle this competition, we educate our students about effective marketing strategies like Branding and presentation.

2.    Employment: An alarming number of today’s youth think that every open position is listed on Internet classifieds. Obviously, this is not the reality. A significant amount of job openings aren’t advertised at all. For this reason, we provide our students with a plethora of resources to aid in finding the positions they’re looking for.

3.    Business Skills: Some California School of ProfessionalFabric Design graduates go on to start their own business as freelancers. We train students on many of the skills needed to create an independent design studio for the global market.

Inspirational Environment

During the early twentieth century, a group of expatriate artists relocated to Paris, France. This group is now known as The Lost Generation, and it included visionaries like Picasso, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald. Although none of these men were textile designers, they were all artists. And like all artists, they found that certain settings are more conducive to artistic inspiration than others.

Acknowledging this fact, our school is located in the heart of the beautiful Bay Area of Berkeley, California. Our classrooms are equipped with sky lights. And discussions between students and instructors take place in a comfortable setting much like a living room.

We feel that this inviting environment fosters creative thinking. And maintaining this productive environment is critical for our student’s success.

Teaching Professional Fabric Design Strategies At The California School

The way that we approach education is perhaps one of the most unique aspects of our facility. In addition to founding the school, Zeida Rothman also developed its curriculum. Zeida is a firm believer that there is an artistic side to everyone. And her trademarked Optimum Design Approach has catapulted the careers of amateurs and experts alike. Despite its effectiveness, the Optimum Design Approach follows an admittedly simple process:

1.    Take The Time To Learn: There’s no reason to take a class if you aren’t retaining anything it teaches. Still, a large number of students need to take the time to fully comprehend their lessons. Our curriculum places more emphasis on comprehension than it does on speedy development.

2.    Learn Step By Step: Related to the first rule, learning step by step is really about comprehending what you are doing. Students need to know the reasons behind their actions. Studying a process step by step is the best way to go about doing this.

3.    Follow Your Instincts: At times, this last rule will contradict the first two. But contradictions are what artistry is all about. Once you know the rules, it’s time to start breaking them.

Success Stories

As was mentioned above, we don’t abandon our students right after graduation. Our graduates get hired by companies they’ve always dreamt of working for. Listed below are a few success stories:

     "The curriculum is focused and intensive. The job placement support is awesome. I have a great new career."
—Susan, Textile Designer for Women’s Apparel

     "It’s a beautiful, creative environment. Stimulating, not institutional. You go at your own pace. And you advance really quickly."
—Candace, Rug Designer

     "First of all, you learn real industry secrets. It’s incredibly results oriented. I never realized I had it in me."
— Lisa, Full-time Designer / Quilting Fabric Company

Interested?

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in Professional Fabric Design, consider the California School. Our environment and instructors make us the obvious choice for designers. The California School of ProfessionalFabric Design is well respected by major industry companies. So don’t let your dreams slip through your fingers. Enroll in TheCalifornia School of Professional Fabric Design and start your career today!