I studied law and psychology in college and my neighbor was a photographer who needed help. He was a couple of years older than me and he was driving a Jaguar sports car and was surrounded by beautiful women. One actually became a famous actress and I said to myself I could do this! 

 

So I called the head of the University of Miami design department and asked what was the best photo college in America. He said the School of Visual Arts in New York, so that’s where I ended up. SVA was unlike any school I ever attended. It was like being in Paris during the time of Picasso. The creativity was overflowing.

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My teachers taught me to look at something obvious and discard it then come up with a different perspective. We would be the next generation shaping the world of creativity. What a gift!

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I’ve worked for some of the largest companies and advertising agencies in the world and my work has been published in Communications Arts, Graphis, Print Magazine and Sign Cafe (one of Europe best design publications) I also represented the United States in Japan in Nikon World.

 

I have awards from the Art Director Club of New York (gold medals), National Addy’s and Andy Awards as well as 82 state Addys.

 

Life being circuitous I ending up lecturing at the University of Miami, Florida International University, Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Atlantic University, and Miami Ad School.

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Former beta-source tester for Adobe, my webinar interview was viewed by 70,000 Photoshop professionals.

 

The thing I’m most proud of is a Peace Rally visual that I created was presented to the Dalai Lama.

 

I look forward to applying that creativity on your next project.

 

Michael Fineman