Faculty for Game Art Major

Matthew Dismuke

Biography

Dismuke works in the game industry and taught an Advanced Seminar class.

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Samara Fantie

Biography

Samara Fantie is a game developer and artist currently based in Vermont. Her robust background in the sciences includes an MA from American University in Mathematics and a BA with distinction from Amherst College in Psychology and Mathematics.

Leveraging a lifelong love of art, games, and interactive narratives, Samara has accumulated over a decade of experience helping people tell their stories. Her portfolio spans a wide array of projects including visual development, comics, 3D modeling, illustration, and many other flavors of game-related art and design. She has collaborated with a diverse range of clients including neuroscientists, indie developers, and Unity, showcasing her versatility and expertise in both technical and artistic domains. Her passion for the craft and innovative adaptability have enabled her to consistently deliver compelling creative solutions that resonate with audiences.

As co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of game studio Glossbird, Samara brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and creative vision to the gaming industry. Prior to teaching at Champlain College, she taught graduate-level courses at American University’s Game Lab for their Master of Arts in Game Design program.

Distinctions & Awards

• a16z TxO f’23 Accelerator Cohort
• PocketGamer- Most Innovative Mobile Game of the Year Finalist
• SmithMicro- The Avatar Challenge Design Contest

Publications & Abstracts

A Burlington Game Developer Hopes to Hit It Big With ‘Fitment’

Professional/ Scholastic Affiliations

Recommended Reading

Mrs. Davis

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Benjamin Jelter

Biography

Ben Jelter is an illustrator, game designer, and instructor. He has created a large number of independent comics and video games over his career. His last release was The Machine, published through Incube8 games. His next published game will be Unearthed, an expanded version of the game that won GBCompo21. It will be published through Limited Run Games.

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2005)
• Ikaruga (Arcade, 2001)
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS, 2013)

Favorite Quote

“If the professors of English will complain to me that the students who come to the universities, after all those years of study, still cannot spell “friend,” I say to them that something’s the matter with the way you spell friend.”

—Richard Feynman

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JoAnn Patel

Biography

JoAnn Patel has a MFA in Computer Arts from Florida Atlantic University and a BFA in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design. Her exploration with computers as a creative tool began with digital music creation and expanded to the visual arts. Her digital art career started with web design, then moved on to 3D art, compositing and game art.

JoAnn was 3D Art Director at D2 Creative/D2 Team-Sim where she worked on training simulations for Raytheon and the US Military as well as marketing videos for pharmaceutical clients and continuing medical education projects for doctors. While freelancing in New York City, she worked on projects for the History Channel, A&E, HBO, Discovery, MSNBC, BMW and Hasbro Toys.

JoAnn has taught at Pratt Institute, New York Institute of Technology, Florida Atlantic University, Digital Media Arts College, Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami International University of Art and Design Online. JoAnn’s animated short films “Reflections”, “Idea Hunting”, and “Casandra The Chameleon” have been shown at international film festivals and on the Tampa Educational Channel. “Casandra The Chameleon” won the grand prize at the Homestead Animated Film Festival in 2003.

JoAnn’s current creative focus is on hard surface modeling and texturing, procedural modeling, game environments and the use of game engines for filmmaking and visual effects.

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

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Kyle Patterson

Biography

Kyle graduated from Champlain College in 2016 with a degree in Game Production Management and has worked at various game and tech companies such as Zynga, Warner Bros Games, Disney Interactive, Jam City, and Snapchat. He is a part time adjunct professor at Champlain focused on supporting the Game Studio.

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Agile Game Development with Scrum by Clinton Keith
• Horus Rising -1 – The Horus Heresy by Dan Abnett
• Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry by Jason Schreier

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Andersen Pinckney

Biography

Andersen is a Game Design graduate from Champlain College’s class of 2020. He has worked as an aerospace software engineer for Saber Astronautics, a project manager for the DoD, and in production for Rockstar Games. He has been an adjunct professor for Champlain College since Fall 2021.

Favorite Quote

“Shake and bake, baby!”

–Ricky Bobby

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Joshua Stutts

Biography

Joshua Stutts graduated with his BFA from the Art Institute of Atlanta. After graduating he worked in Independent Game Dev Studios as a 3D Artist at various studios for 9 years. He received his MFA in Interactive Design and Game Development from SCAD with a focus on Photogrammetry. Joshua previously taught at the Art Institute of San Antonio for 6 years. Joshua also taught for 3 years and helped to develop the Game and Interactive Design program at Alfred College.

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Nathan Walpole

Biography

Nate Walpole is an accomplished animator and Animation Professor at Champlain College, known for his extensive work on the Halo franchise. With over two decades of experience in the industry, Nate has established himself as a leading expert in the field of game animation, earning a reputation for his technical skill, gameplay movement ideation, and narrative vision.

Nate began his career studying classical (hand drawn) and computer animation at Sheridan College in his homeland, Canada. Early in Nate’s career, he entered game animation at Bungie, the renowned developer behind the Halo franchise. During his time at Bungie, Nate played a pivotal role in bringing the game’s characters and worlds to life, working on key titles like “Halo 3” and “Halo 2”. His work was widely praised for its gameplay and narrative attributes and its ability to capture the spirit and essence of the Halo universe.

Nate’s work on the Halo franchise continued when he joined 343 Industries. He worked on “Halo 4” and an unannounced title, helping to create unforgettable moments and experiences for players around the world.

Nate’s contributions to the Halo franchise have been widely recognized and celebrated. His work on the Halo series earned his work display in the Smithsonian. He has also been featured in numerous interviews and articles about game animation, sharing his insights and expertise with others in the field.

In addition to his work in the gaming industry, Nate is also a respected Animation Professor at Champlain College, where he teaches courses in game animation and technical illustration. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with the next generation of animators “” committed to helping his students develop the skills they need to succeed in the industry.

Nate’s dedication to his craft is evident in everything he does, whether it’s creating breathtaking animations for the latest AAA game or inspiring and guiding his students at Champlain College. His talent and expertise have made him a highly sought-after animator and educator, and he continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in game animation.

When he’s not working, Nate enjoys spending time with his kids and playing competitive video games and sport (hockey, Muay Thai, wrestling). He is also an avid bladesmith. Nate is studious on staying up to date on the latest developments in game animation and technology and illustrates comic book content when not animating.

Overall, Nate Walpole is a highly accomplished and respected video game animator and Animation Professor, with a wealth of experience and expertise in the field. His contributions to the Halo franchise have helped to shape the series into the cultural phenomenon it is today, and his dedication to educating the next generation of animators ensures that his mark will last for years to come.

SELECTED GAMEOGRAPHY
Elder Scrolls Online
Halo 4
Halo ODST
Halo 3
Halo 2
Monsters Inc
WCW Backstage Assault

Favorite Quote

“Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can’t create it if you don’t have one.”

—Brad Bird

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Peter Wehr

Biography

Peter Wehr has been an Adjunct and Instructor at Champlain College since 2011 teaching Game History and Game Production. Working mostly with first and second-year students, Wehr works very closely with student game production teams teaching them to function effectively to implement their game concepts.

Wehr has worked in academia and the entertainment industry for over four decades specializing in project management and developing infrastructure for new technologies for museums, games, film, television, CR-ROM, DVD, kiosks, and the web. Wehr has been fortunate to work with a variety of industry leaders such as the Smithsonian, HBO, PBS, the Rolling Stones, Sony, CBS, Pepsi, and Dilbert. While working in NYC in the independent television and film postproduction industry, Wehr created a reputation for taking on untraditional and unusual media projects. As one coworker pointed out to him “Whenever you are in a launch meeting, I know it is going to be an interesting ride.”

In his spare time, Wehr plays and coaches soccer, hikes, kayaks, Nordic skis, and snowboards, dabbles with Arduino and Raspberry Pi, reads history, and listens to a wide variety of music.

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

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Stephanie Zuppo

Biography

Teppi Zuppo is a cartoonist and faculty member at Champlain College and The Center for Cartoon Studies. They primarily work in the field of graphic medicine and are the art and design director of The Department of Disabilities’ Inclusive Healthcare Partnership Project (IHPPVT.org.) They are the co-founder of The Ladybroad Ledger, VT’s first and only free femme comics newspaper and the co-director of The Non-Fiction Comics Festival. Their work has appeared in VPR, Seven Days, The Nib, and lots of independently published comics publications.

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