Anthony Castronovo CV

M.F.A. 2006 Art and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
                              (Lift: Public Art and the Activation of Space)

B.F.A.    2003 Sculpture, The University of Florida (Summa cum Laude), Gainesville, FL

A.A.    2000 Visual Arts, Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, FL

Professional Experience

Shams Generation Solar Educational Initiative, Doha, Qatar:
This unique educational initiative by Qatar Solar Technologies combines art with solar power to engage students ranging from the primary level through university. My role has been to develop curriculum for all levels and to instruct teachers and students during the annual workshops with special emphasis on the advanced level and interactive art. As of 2017, over 10,000 students have participated in Shams Generation.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Sculpture, SAAH, University of Iowa, Iowa City:
Spring 2014 Sculpture: Graduate Sculpture Workshop
Spring 2014 Sculpture: Elements of Sculpture
Spring 2014 3D Design/Engineering: Art & Engineering

Fall 2013 Sculpture: Introduction to Robotic Art
Fall 2013 Sculpture: Elements of Sculpture
Fall 2013 3D Design/Engineering: Art & Engineering

Spring 2013 Sculpture: Introduction to Robotic Art
Spring 2013 Sculpture: Graduate Sculpture Workshop
Spring 2013 3D Design/Engineering: Art & Engineering
Spring 2013 Sculpture: Casting Hot Metal

Fall 2012 Sculpture: Art as Inquiry Interdisciplinary Studio
Fall 2012 Sculpture: Introduction to Robotic Art
Fall 2012 3D Design/Engineering: Art & Engineering

Spring 2012 3D Design: Advanced Robotics
Spring 2012 3D Design: Motion
Spring 2012 3D Design/Engineering: Art & Engineering

Fall 2011 Sculpture: Undergraduate Sculpture II
Fall 2011 Sculpture: Graduate Sculpture Workshop
Fall 2011 3D Design: Introduction to Robotics

Great Lakes Bay Regional Solar Educational Initiative
This project was part of the collaborative ECOARTLAB, which is an educational, community based art project. I developed workshops and instructed public school teachers ranging from K-12. The workshops included an overview of the field of community based art as well as environmental concerns related to waste and the importance of re-use and recycling. The workshops also covered basic electrical concepts related to solar power and taught the teachers how to build simple solar powered light and motion based artworks using the solar art kit that I developed. The teachers then completed the project with over 800 students.

Administrator, Art in State Buildings, SAAH, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
I managed the process for public art selection at the University of Florida and coordinated between the project managers, architects, user groups, and the community to select the best art for all parties. In addition, I directed the maintenance of over 150 public works in the collection, which often involved custom repair and conservation by myself and with other contractors.

Adjunct Assistant Professor (Sculpture Area Coordinator), Santa Fe College, Department of Art, Gainesville, FL:
Spring 2011 Sculpture I
Spring 2011 Sculpture II
Spring 2011 3D Design
Spring 2011 Ceramics: Handbuilding

Fall 2010 Art Fundamentals (3 sections)
Fall 2010 Sculpture I

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sculpture, SAAH, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
Spring 2010 Sculpture: Performance and Installation
Spring 2010 Sculpture: Art and Ecology
Fall 2009 Sculpture: Materials and Methods
Fall 2009 Sculpture: Advanced

Visiting Artist, SAAH, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL:
Spring 2009 Sculpture: Advanced
Spring 2009 Sculpture: Performance and Installation
Fall 2008 Sculpture: Materials and Methods
Fall 2008 Sculpture: Machine Sculpture/New Media

Gallery Assistant, Canzani Gallery, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, OH:
I worked closely with the director, Jim Voorhies, on installation and removal of exhibitions. Several of the exhibitions involved on-site construction of large-scale installations and I was the project coordinator and head builder for these constructions. In addition, I was responsible for digital photographic documentation of the exhibitions for archive and publicity purposes.

Graduate Teaching Assistant, The Ohio State University, Department of Art, Columbus, OH:
Winter 2006 (instructor of record) New Media Robotics
Spring 2006 (instructor of record) New Media Robotics
Winter 2005 New Media Robotics
Winter 2005 Art Department Woodshop Supervisor
Spring 2005 New Media Robotics
Spring 2005 Art Department Woodshop Supervisor
Autumn 2005 (instructor of record) Digital Imaging
Autumn 2004 (instructor of record) Digital Imaging

Assistant Artist for Kidspace, Artist Residency Program, Gainesville, FL:
I was an assistant to artist Kelly Cobb, who created an art play-station for kids where geometric forms were laid out in simple paper and children were able to create hats and costumes.

Installation Assistant, Distillation of a Home, Gainesville, FL:
Distillation of a Home was a cooperative project for art in public places based around the de-construction of a historic home in Gainesville, FL.

Installation Assistant to Celeste Roberge, The Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Tampa, FL:
Sitting Room was an outdoor installation of a dry-stacked stone sculpture composed of four pieces of antique, Victorian furniture embedded in two tons of Tennesee sandstone.

Studio Assistant, Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, FL:
As an assistant here I maintained the ceramics studio and equipment, installed and repaired kilns, and mixed glazes. In addition I assisted students in construction methods of hand-built ceramic sculptures and supervised the ceramics studio during open studio hours.

Awards and Honors

2017 Solar Art Festival Qatar, Project Commission Grant
Qatar Solar Technologies & Qatar Museums, Solar Shimmer, Doha, Qatar

2017 International Kinetic Art Exhibition and Symposium, Project Commission Grant
City of Boynton Beach Art in Public Spaces, Moonflower, Boynton Beach, FL

2014 Ingenuity Festival Project Commission Grant
Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, the Kinetic Bonfire, Cleveland, OH

2013 Fall In...Art & Sol
Awarded commission for installation of solar flowers, Midland, MI

2013 Iowa River Landing Sculpture Park
Awarded commission for After Trillium, Coralville, Iowa

2013 University of Iowa Innovations in Teaching with Technology Award
Co-PI on $40,000 grant to develop e-book lab manual for Environmental Sciences Lab,
Iowa City, Iowa -http://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/100850

2012 Ingenuity Festival Project Commission Grant
Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, Hybrid Collaboration, Cleveland, OH

2011 Official Judge
Santa Fe College Digital Media Student Art Show, Gainesville, FL

2009 Official Judge
The 28th Annual Downtown Festival and Art Show, Gainesville, FL

2004-2006 Full Tuition Waiver and Graduate Assistanceship
The Ohio State University, College of Graduate Studies, Columbus, OH

2003 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture
The International Sculpture Center, Hamilton, NJ

2003 The Witters Design Competition
A student design competition for a Rails-to -Trails pedestrian bridge, Gainesville, FL

2002 Honorable mention
The Kinetic Art Organization’s International Competition, Online

2001-2003 Dean’s List
University of Florida, The School of Art and Art History

1997-1998 Top Ten Percent Scholarship
SantaFe Community College, Gainesville, FL

1997-1998 Florida Academic Scholarship
SantaFe Community College, Gainesville, FL

Residencies, Workshops, and Lectures

2017 Solar Art Festival Qatar, Forum
This was a public forum where I talked about my work as an artist and highlighted other amazing contemporary projects related to solar art. Doha, Qatar.

2017 International Kinetic Art Exhibition and Symposium
This was a public talk where I highlighted seven amazing contemporary projects related to kinetic art. Boynton Beach, FL, US.

2013 Great Lakes Bay Regional Solar Educational Initiative
This workshop was the first event for the collaborative ECOARTLAB, which is an educational, community based art project. Seventeen teachers from central Michigan took part in this three day workshop to learn about solar art projects which they will also complete with their students later in the year.

2013 MiTech+ STEM Summit
As part of the STEM Summit, I was a speaker in a breakout session titled "Confluence of STEM and STEAM- Fall In...Art and Sol". The session covered various aspects of the Fall In...Art and Sol festival and especially focused on its unique contributions to STEM education in public schools.

2013 Cleveland Mini Maker Faire, Solar Flower Workshop
These public workshops were geared towards younger children, ages 8-12, and introduced them to the idea of solar art, recycling, and community-based practice while also providing technical experience as each child learned how to solder and assembled their own solar flower kit.

2013 Iowa Renewable Energy Association, Solar Flower Workshop
This public workshop was for all ages and introduced the idea of solar art, recycling, and community-based practice while also providing technical experience through learning to solder and assemble the solar flower kit.

2012 University of Iowa, Graduate Seminar in Biomedical Engineering
a public talk about artists whose work is between art and engineering in contemporary art;

2012 University of Iowa, Water Sustainability Seminar, College of Engineering
a public talk about my work and other artists who make art about water quality and environmental concerns;

2012 University of Iowa, Syzergy Series of public talks on art a public talk about my work as an artist;

2011 Visiting Artist, Dept. of Art and Art History, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa:
10/8-9: Public talk about my work as an artist and my experience as a Public Art Administrator. The talk was followed by a workshop and studio visits with students from the Interdisicplinary Graduate Seminar: Art and its Publics.

2011 Florida Association of Public Art Professionals Annual Conference
three-day conference focused on administration of public art projects

2009 NCECA artist grant
As part of the NCECA grant awarded to ceramic artist TJ Erdahl, I hosted this weeklong workshop and designed custom electronics for an interactive, audio based installation. Gainesville, FL.

2009 IDEO: The Classroom of the 21st Century
Creativity workshop sponsored by The University of Florida, College of Fine Arts, Gainesville, FL

2007 The Professional Artist
A professional practices workshop sponsored by The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

2006 The Living Culture Initiative
Collaborative workshop with Ann Hamilton and Michael Mercil, Columbus, OH.

2003 Sculptural Knitting
Workshop with Katherine Coby at Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC.

2003 Maritime Arts and Inspiration Center
Two weeks of intensive wood carving instruction by traditional Bahamian carver Henry Wallace. Andros Island, Bahamas.

Exhibition Record

Solar Art Festival
Solar Shimmer was a collaborative project between Anthony Castronovo and Eleonora Nicoletti and was essentially a solar powered screen composed of 850 repurposed CDs and 215 solar lanterns. The pattern for this project was inspired by Bedouin textiles and the solar lanterns were completed by local school children who participated in workshops presented by the artists. Doha, Qatar.

Solar Labyrinth
The Solar Labyrinth was commissioned by Dr. Allan Berger of Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails Veterinary Hospital in Iowa City, IA, US. This 1400W standalone photovoltaic system illuminates a series of 14 plasma-cut aluminum panels which depict various domestic animals enveloped in a regular sine wave pattern.

International Kinetic Art Exhibition and Symposium
Moonflower is a solar powered robotic flower that opens and closes throughout the day and performs a unique choreography of motion and light when the moon is full. Moonflower was on display through September 2017 in Boynton Beach, FL, US.

Rose Colored Lenses
A branching, tree-like sculpture in raw, rusty steel and kilnformed red glass, on display outdoors in downtown Gainesville, FL, US.

Ingenuity Festival
The Kinetic Bonfire was commissioned for this community festival of art and technology. Cleveland, OH.

Fall In... Art & Sol
A solar art festival produced by the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance in eastern Michigan.
I was one of ten international artists invited to exhibit. I also collaborated with two other artists to produce a series of workshops for public school teachers. Through these workshops we taught the teachers how to use simple solar technologies which they then taught to over 1000 public school students. The students’ works were displayed in a public parade at night, with various floats and light sculptures that used solar power.

Iowa River Landing Sculpture Park
After Trillium is a solar powered robotic flower commissioned by the city of Coralville, Iowa.

The University of Iowa Art Faculty Biennial Exhibition
Hybrid Collaboration was shown at the Figge Musuem of Art, Davenport, Iowa.

Inosculation
an invitational exhibition of faculty and students from Ohio State University. Urban Arts Space, Columbus, OH.

Ingenuity Festival
Hybrid Collaboration was commissioned for this community festival that highlights connections between artand technology. Cleveland, OH.

Eco Health Festival
a community festival featuring the Superfund Art Project, Gainesville, FL.

Small Favors VII
an invitational exhibition of small works by various international artists. The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA.

Region4: Transformation Through Imagination
An invitational exhibition of work made in response to the Koppers Superfund Site in Gainesville, FL. The Thomas Center Galleries, Gainesville, FL. May 2012.
Orange County Public Library, Orlando, FL July 2012
Fort Lauderdale Public Library, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Aug 2012
Jackson County Public Library, Marianna, FL Oct 2012
The Tallahassee Museum of Art, Tallahassee, FL Oct 2012
Alachua County Public Library, Gainesville, FL Dec 2012
Seminole County Public Library, Casselberry, FL Jan 2013

6 Pick 6
A regional invitational exhibition of artists working in Gainesville, Florida. The Thomas Center Galleries.

Santa Fe College Faculty Exhibition
Santa Fe College, Gainesville, FL.

Heliotropis
A privately commissioned outdoor sculpture that is solar-powered, kinetic, and responsive to environmental changes such as light, temperature, and seismic activity. The sculpture is permanently installed in Rumson, NJ.

The University of Florida Faculty Exhibition
The Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville, FL

Mindsight
This exhibition of tactile art was curated by Bonnie Bernau at the Harn Museum of Art, and was a public event for sight impaired people as well as the general public. Viewers were guided through the exhibit, blindfolded if necessary, and allowed to explore the work through the sense of touch with their hands. Gainesville, FL

Florida’s First Coast Arts Festival
An outdoor sculpture exhibition, produced by the University of Florida, juried by Amy Vigilante of the University Galleries at UF, and curated by Anthony Castronovo at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, FL

Tectonics Considered
A curated exhibition of works by artists who use fibers dynamically to create sculptures, George's Meet and Produce, Gainesville, FL

Make Art Accessible
A public talk about free internet technologies, curated showing of videos made on cell phones, Franklin's VDC Copy Center, Columbus, OH

Revision
A privately commisioned outdoor sculpture, permanently installed in Rumson, NJ.

Riverwatch Gallery Member’s Exhibition
Riverwatch Gallery, Columbus, OH

Lift(solo exhibition)
M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, The Ohio State University Columbus, OH

Of the Horizon(two-person exhibition)
Hopkins Gallery, Columbus, OH

Coincidental Seriousness (do something)
Curator: Crispin Webb, Columbus, OH

Echo Chimeric: Art and Technology Winter Exhibition
Silver Image Gallery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Nano Moose: Art and Technology Winter Exhibition
Silver Image Gallery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Graduate Student Group Exhibition
Hopkins Gallery, Columbus, OH

Photonic Bliss: Art and Technology Autumn Exhibition
Silver Image Gallery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Visual Art Revolution
Gallery 24, Marion, OH

The San Diego Art Department
Members Exhibition, San Diego, CA

Forms of Contemplation(two-person exhibition)
The Brass Belle, Gainesville, FL

Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture
The International Sculpture Center, Hamilton, NJ

Gainesville Art Cooperative’s Members Exhibition
Reitz Union Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Oxidation
Focus Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Study Abroad(group exhibition)
Focus Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Unraveling Structures(two-person exhibition)
608 East Main Street, Gainesville, FL

Site, Cite, Sight
Reitz Union Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Presorted First Class: Student Juried Art Show
University Gallery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Cross the Line
The Art Store, Gainesville, FL

International Kinetic Art Competition
The Kinetic Art Organization, World Wide Web, Jurors: Bernward Frank, Ralf Gschwend,
Rein Triefeldt

Ever Since Darwin
Focus Gallery, University of FL, Gainesville, FL

Technical Skills

Sculptural Methods • Eighteen years of experience as a sculptor working in many mediums including mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, carved wood, hot glass, cast plaster, plaster/armature structures, fiberglass, cast resins, ceramics, bamboo and other natural fibers. I am an experienced welder and intimately understand various processes such as MIG, TIG, oxy/acetylene, arc welding, plasma cutting, and brazing. I have worked in foundry casting using lost wax/ceramic slurry, and sand casting. I am experienced in parts machining including basic metal and composite lathing and 3D digital design with output to rapid prototype. Furthermore, I am an experienced mold-maker and utilize plaster, alginate, and silicone rubber type molds for casting plasters, wax, and various synthetic resins.

Computer Programs •I have been working with Adobe Creative Suite(Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, After Effects, Premiere) for more than fifteen years and have taught courses using the Adobe platform. In my own practice I use three-dimensional digital rendering programs like Autodesk Maya for visualization and project proposals. Additionally, I have over fifteen years of experience using Final Cut Pro, iMovie, iWeb, iDVD, Powerpoint, Word, Excel, and I am very experienced at setup and maintenance of Macintosh Computers.

Multimedia Authoring • Fifteen years of experience editing digital images including color correction, layering, composition, and optimization for print and web output. I am experienced in digital printing including large format, and alternative print media such as canvas, Tyvek, and Duratrans. For the past fifteen years I have designed and maintained a personal website as well as other commercial sites and various sites for friends. In addition, I have assisted in creating new coursework like “the Art of Podcasting”, which utilizes the web, blogs, and other free web-based technologies to create art.

Interactive/New Media • Broad knowledge of electronics and mechanics relative to interactive and kinetic art. I have taught courses using microcontrollers and various sensors such as photo, sonic, infrared, piezo-electric. These technologies allow for the full control of motion, light, and sound, and provide limitless opportunities for viewer interaction with artwork. In addition to the hardware, I teach programming and de-bugging of these systems. My coursework in this area is based on the Arduino platform.

Digital Fabrication • I am proficient in the use of vaious CNC equipment including laser cutters, plasma cutters, 3D printers, and 3D scanners.

Kinetic/Mechanical • I have over twenty-five years of experience working with electrical motors, servos, stepper motors, gear systems, pulleys, levers, and pull-string mechanics. Additionally, I am very familiar with various mechanical joints and linkages including sealed bearings, simple bushings with specific consideration for material choices based on work environment and stress.

Carpentry •Over twenty-five years of various carpentry experience, mostly in residential construction and finish woodworking. I have an intimate knowledge of all the various tools of the workshop including table saw, router, drill press, band saw, panel saw, wood lathe, miter saw, angle grinder, wood chisels, pneumatic tools, sand blaster. I have a broad knowledge of various methods of wood joinery including lamination, mortise and tenon, dovetail, box joints, dado, and biscuit joining.

Press and Publications

Beckman, Frank, 760 WJR, Live Radio interview, Coverage of Fall In...Art and Sol, 10/04/2013

Bieber, Rod, Delta College Public Radio, Live Radio interview, Coverage of Fall In...Art and Sol, 9/27/2013

Heinze, Kirk, Greening of the Great Lakes, 760 WJR Radio Interview, 9/26/2013 (aired 10/12/2013)

Burke, Johnny, Cumulous Radio 96 WHNN, Live Radio interview, Coverage of Fall In...Art and Sol, 2/04/2013

Paul W. Smith, The Paul W. Smith Show on 760 WJR, Live Radio interview, Coverage of Fall In...Art and Sol, 9/26/2013

Burnett, Karla, “Using Art as a Vehicle for Transformation and Awareness: Region 4: Transformation through Imagination ”, Thesis, University of Florida, December 22, 2011.

Castronovo, Anthony, “Lift: Public Art and the Activation of Space”, M.F.A. Thesis, The Ohio State University, June 8, 2006.

Hillman, Tabitha, "Art Takes Flight", The Lantern Arts, Columbus, OH, May 25, 2006.

Smith, Sara, "Getting High on Campus", The Other Paper, Columbus, OH, May 25-31, 2006, 7.