The Review

Issue date: 5/20/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Kristen Margiotta Kristen Margiotta started her career as an illustrator while at the university.

University seniors can be often found scrambling to find a job. But few can say three years later they have built a career that is on its path to fame and recognition.

This is the case for Kristen Margiotta, a university alumna of the visual communications program. Margiotta is currently an illustrator in Newark. She creates fantastical characters in her illustrations, some of them which she created while at the university.

Margiotta said her experience at the university allowed her to learn more about illustrating and inspired her to take her career to the next level.

"UD was awesome," Margiotta said. "I knew when I was applying to UD that I wanted to focus on illustration and the visual communications program. I worked with great instructors. My internship helped as well."

She said she interned with Deborah Walsh, an artist out of Philadelphia who taught her the business aspect of illustration.

Margiotta said that she has many inspirations for her work. One of those inspirations came from a university study abroad trip to London.

"London itself is inspiring. It's such a dark, gloomy place with lots of iron gates," she said. "We met with so many different designers and artists."

Margiotta said her other inspirations come from things around her.

"Most of it comes from me deciding I want to get back to some of the work that I enjoyed growing up," she said. "The Renaissance Masters was a big influence on me. Bach is another influence."

Lots of Margiotta's characters are cute, wide-eyed creatures filled with emotion and wonder. One of her favorite characters to use in her paintings is Cherry, a sweet young character whose eyes are bigger than her body.

"I created her when I was at UD," she said. "One of my illustrations is called 'Cherry's Closet', where Cherry goes into a closet, and it becomes a portal where she comes into contact with different characters. Most of my characters are exploring society; they are coming into contact with the unknown, exploring their fears as well."

Margiotta said she sees great things for her future and has many different goals for the road ahead.

"I want to illustrate a children's book," she said. "I would like to have a series of children's books based on Cherry. I am also working on an online store that is actually going be out this year. I am open to so many options, whatever people want to throw my way. We'll see what happens."

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