Jesse Turnbull ’04 attended MICA and graduated from the Illustration Department in 2004. He has worked in Philadelphia as a freelance illustrator and as a designer at the University of Pennsylvania. His illustration work is typically sculptural and has recently turned toward stop motion animation to bring his artwork to life.
We recently asked Jesse to describe his experiences as a faculty member in MICA's Illustration Department.
You've experienced MICA as a student and as a teacher. With those two experiences in mind, how would you describe it here?
“MICA has been a home to me since being an undergraduate many years ago. This home provided me with a lot of new family, many of which are still members of the MICA community. Each year that family grows as I get to work with new students.”
“I feel supported by the other teachers in my department as well as the other members of the MICA community. It feels like a safe and familiar place, and each day when I walk into the building to go to class I know it’s going to be a fresh experience.”
What do you love about teaching illustration?
“I love teaching in the Illustration Department because each class is unique. Even if I give students the same assignment as I did last year, I get new ideas, solutions, and points of view. I love passing on my experiences and I find it really rewarding when I see a student’s growth during a semester, or during their four years at MICA.”
READ Jesse's full faculty bio.