Faculty Bios

Craig Nelson

Co-Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Painting

For over 42 years, Craig has been depicting figures, landscapes, CA coastal paintings and various environments in rich, vibrant oils. He has painted countless movie posters, many book covers, and album covers. Some of his most prestigious works have been his Broadway production posters for Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers and Proposals, both originals are in the private collection of Neil Simon. During his illustrious career, Craig has won over 200 awards of excellence in various shows, five gold metals, four silver metals, and in 1996, a painting of his was chosen for the Communication Arts Annual cover.

Carolyn Meyer

Associate Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Painting

Carolyn Meyer is also a full time faculty member teaching Landscape painting and Abstract painting classes. Her career began as an art director for an advertising agency in San Francisco. She was one of the founding principles of Paris Printing, a large size printing Company in Northern California. She received both her BFA and MFA from Academy of Art University. Her work as a professional artist is a cross between realism and abstraction. You may see her work at ArtHaus, William Lester Gallery and Hang Gallery in San Francisco as well as several others around the U.S.

Carrie Ann Plank

Associate Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Printmaking

Carrie Ann Plank is a professional artist and educator. She is the Associate Director of Fine Arts for Printmaking MFA & BFA Program at the Academy of Art University. She has taught at the Academy in the graduate and undergraduate departments since 2002. Previously she has been a Professor of Fine Arts at the Pennsylvania State University, Xavier University, and the University of New Orleans. Carrie Ann received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from East Carolina University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the Pennsylvania State University. Carrie Ann is active in the local arts community as a participant, juror, and volunteer, and is a board member of the California Society of Printmakers.

Carrie Ann exhibits locally, nationally, and internationally. She is included in private and public collections including the Fine Art Archives of the Library of Congress. Currently her work may be seen at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA and at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. Recent noteworthy shows include the National Museum of Fine Art in Taipei, Taiwan, Los Gatos Museum of Art, Los Gatos, CA, and a residency at Monte Azul, Costa Rica.

Annamarie Nelson

Online Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Painting and Printmaking

Annamarie Nelson, also known as Anna, started teaching Still Life painting in 1992 for the summer Art Experience program at the Academy of Art University and has been a member of the faculty ever since. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Italian Language and Literature, worked for the Italian Department at UCLA as well as various travel agencies acting as tour guide for students studying in Florence, Italy. She attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California as an illustration major and after 6 terms began accepting freelance work and commission paintings.

Anna received the Patrick Nagel award for best unpublished painting at the Illustration West Show, Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles. Anna has participated in local shows and auctions and continues to exhibit at Garden Gallery in Half Moon Bay, Ca as well as special event shows. In collaboration with the Academy of Art, Anna was commissioned to paint two murals on "ING" benches that were auctioned off to benefit art in education. Anna continues to contribute work to the annual Academy of Art Faculty/Alumni auction to help raise scholarship money benefiting Academy students. She also acts as the Fine Art Coordinator for Online Education.

Beverly Lazor

Co-Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Painting

Beverly Lazor graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Ca. She has been working as a freelance illustrator/product designer for the past 27 years. She designs characters for the entertainment industry, illustrates children's books, toys and puzzles. She also designs products, jewelry and plush. Some of her clients have been; MCA, Disney, Amblin Entertainment, Scholastic Publishing, Gymboree, Applause, Dakin and The Bradford Exchange. She currently has illustrations on display at the J. Paul Getty Museums in Malibu and Santa Monica, Ca. Lately she has been focusing more on her fine art and plein air painting, which she exhibits in shows and galleries.

Charlene Modena

Director
Graduate School of Fine Art – Sculpture

Charlene received her M.A. in Sculpture from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in Metal Arts and an MFA in Sculpture from Academy of Art University. She also studied with the S.F. Art Institute, Penland School in North Carolina and Haystack School in Maine, and conducted additional research in England, Mexico, Italy and Hawaii. She has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions throughout the world, including the American Institute of Architects, the University of Guanajuato (Mexico), the Butler Museum, Elements Gallery, the Anna Gardner Gallery and the Biennale Internationale-Limoges in France. Her work is included in the collections of the Xerox Corporation, the American Crafts Museum, Anne Rockefeller-Roberts and Donald Trump.

She is also listed in The World's Who's Who of Women and was a Marin Arts Council Grant prize winner. She has been published in Design Magazine, American Crafts, Metalsmith Journal, Ornament, Visual Dialogue and Coevolution Quarterly. Charlene continues to lecture and give workshops in countries throughout the world, while maintaining membership and affiliation with numerous professional organizations.

Charlene teaches Metal Arts/Jewelry and Papermaking/Mixed Media in the Sculpture Department at the Academy of Art University. When not teaching, Charlene works on her large mixed-media sculptures and one of a kind jewelry pieces in her studio at Muir Beach, California, a small Northern California coastal community where she also resides.