About
MY BACKGROUND
- Education: Graduate of the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts; Continued education at: Wesleyan University, Brooklyn Museum Art School, University of Connecticut, Horizons Computer Technology, New York School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute, the University of Minnesota, all in the field of art & design technology.
- Awards: Connecticut Art Directors Club; CASE (Council for Advancement & Support of Education), National Biophysical Society, and others.
- Organizations (past & present): Motion Pictures Screen Cartoonist Local 851, NABET, CT Art Directors Club, I-Park Artists' Residency Foundation.
- Scroll down for client list.
PHOTOS
Left: Here I am at the Women's March on Washington (D.C.) with my banner. Photo by: Nancy Pinney
Below, clockwise: Together with associates: Agnes Miyuki & Nancy Pinney on Black Island.
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
- Art direction and production of conceptual art & design since 1977
- See my samples of hand & computer generated illustrations, cartoons, logos, storyboards, layout design & personal artworks.
- Design & Photography for web, print, video, & more.
- Associates: professionals, Nancy Pinney and Agnes Miyuki (in photo). We partner on large projects and by expertise. More information available about them and other associates including a commitment to hiring vets.
We use Adobe Creative Suites
CLIENT EXPERIENCE & REFERENCES
- I-Park Artists’ Residency, East Haddam, CT
- Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
- NBC Network: Nightly News, Today Show, SNL, NYC
- The National Theatre of the Deaf, Chester, CT
- Nautical Quarterly Magazine, Essex, CT
- Peter Good Graphic Design, Chester, CT
- Bureau of Business Practices, Old Lyme, CT
- Sonalyst Studios, New London, CT
- Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT
- Atmosphere Lighting, Inc. Bethesda, MD
- Fashion illustration / for importers & magazines, NYC
- Media Ventures Motion Pictures., Minneapolis, MN
- Russell-Manning Productions, Minneapolis, MN
- House of Animations/ Vizmo Productions, MN
- TPT PBS, Twin Cities Public Television, St. Paul, MN
- Trinity College, Hartford, CT
- ........ and many more.
- REFERENCES: See Written referrals below this list
- Ralph Crispino: I-Park foundation Inc., Executive Director, rcrispino@gmail.com, 860-919-1433
- Joanne Paradis, I-Park foundation Inc., Director, joanne@i-park.org
- 860-306-0636.
- Laine Dyer, National Theatre of the Deaf, Director of Publicity, 860-874-2318.
- William Van Saun: Wesleyan University, (his Reference Letter is below.) It is with great loss and sadness, I must report of Bill's passing this Spring. I worked for Bill at Wesleyan University for over 25 years as freelancer 1st then I was Art Director when he retired. Bill was an amazingly kind and gentle human being with a fantastic sense of humor. He was a mentor and like a father to me.
- Personal References are also available, just ask.
PHOTO
Me, along with my husband, Jared Koslawy on vacation at Canyon DeChelly, Arizona, USA.
We Give Back to our local community & to the arts
St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, Veterans Associations,
I-Park Foundation (Artists' Residency), & those who ask.
References / Testimonials
I am the President of the I-Park Foundation, Inc., a 20-year-old international artists-in-residence program in East Haddam, Connecticut. Karen has been working with I-Park for several years now in various capacities: graphic design projects, events planning and creating garden and other site-specific sculptures.
She is highly creative, has a consistently positive attitude and also a great work ethic. We most value her active imagination and ability to work intuitively, oftentimes having to work with very limited resources. She’s always coming up with beautiful ideas – and, most importantly, she has the ability to transform these beautiful ideas into objects of wonder.
I recommend her highly for any position that requires creativity, dedication and a generous and positive attitude.
Feel free to contact me at 860-919-1433 if you have any questions.
Regards,
Ralph Crispino, Jr. President of the I-Park Foundation, Inc.
--------------
As a graphic designer and illustrator for the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) for over 10 years, Karen A. Kratzer consistently achieved the nearly impossible. Through her design and illustration, she was able to capture the kinetic nature of NTD and its unique theatrical medium--a blending of Sign and spoken language, performed by deaf and hearing actors--which enables audiences to hear and see every word.
Kratzer’s posters and other promotional and informational materials, all seemed to take on a motion of their own, which moved people to purchase tickets for NTD performances, during its' national and international tours.
Her stellar works attracted vital sponsorships, as well as audiences. Ronald McDonald House Charities donated a generous, year-long grant to NTD, in support of it's Little Theatre of the Deaf performances for young people. Based on submissions of Karen's works, NTD was awarded the competitive grant-- with one specification: the entire grant was to be used solely for the design of posters, post cards, and study guides, all created by the tremendously talented (and prolific!) Karen A. Kratzer.
I know Karen’s exceptional graphic design talent will attract people to your product, your service, your mission and your message. Yet it will be Karen's personal integrity, creativity, passion, compassion and her good humor, curiosity, intelligence--and her willingness to work as team with you-- that you will keep her name close to your heart. Now retired from my 20-year career as NTD's Director of Publicity, Karen Kratzer and her creative spirit are very close to my heart and I am so proud to call her my friend.
Laine Dyer, retired director of publicity at the National Theatre of the Deaf
Contact me at lainedyer@gmail.com
------------
Note about reference letter below: It is with great loss and sadness, I must report of William Van Saun's passing this Spring.
I am William Van Saun, retired Art Director for Communications at Wesleyan University and retired director of my design firm, Van Saun Associates Inc.
Karen Kratzer has worked for me as an independent contractor and freelance designer/ illustrator for over two decades before she became art director at Wesleyan upon my retirement. She is creative, dependable, imaginative, and a hard working self-starter. Karen is tech solid and works well with creative groups. A warm outgoing personality is a plus.
You may contact me at wvansaun@wesleyan.edu
Sincerely,
William Van Saun, retired art director at Wesleyan University
Note: Our dear friend Bill passed away recently. Correction to come. We worked together for over 25 years... it's difficult for me to just delete this. Please understand.
