Area(s) of Expertise
Illustration, Event Art Direction and Design, AnimationOverview
Jean-Christian Knaff lives and works in Toronto where he has founded with his wife Claude Miceli, their own company, Knaff and Miceli. He teaches illustration at the Ontario College of Art & Design, where he is Chair of First-Year, Design. Knaff's animation, The Wild, Wild Circus Company was nominated for the Nicktoons Animation Festival in the US and is currently aired on the YTV network in Canada. He won the UNICEF award at Annecy International Animation Film Festival and a gold medal at the New York International Animation Film Festival. He is currently working on his new book 'Adam Elephant'.
Education
BA, English Literature, Université Stendhal, Grenoble, France MA, English Linguistics, Université Stendhal, Grenoble, France
Professional Experience
JEAN-CHRISTIAN KNAFF
59 Columbine Ave. unit 1
Toronto, ON, M4L 1P6
Résumé
Education
BA ENGLISH LITERATURE UNIVERSITÉ STENDHAL GRENOBLE, FRANCE
MA TEACHING AND ENGLISH LINGUISTICS UNIVERSITÉ STENDHAL, FRANCE
Professional experience
1982
CREATION OF PLUM ART STUDIO, MONTREAL, CANADA
1982/1984
TEACHES ILLUSTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEBEC IN MONTREAL
1986/1989
TEACHES COMMUNICATION ART AT THE SCHOOL OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF KINGSTON, UK
1995/1999
TEACHES CONCEPT ILLUSTRATION AT ECOLE D’ARTS GRAPHIQUES, AXE SUD, MARSEILLE, FRANCE
2001/2003
TEACHES ADVANCED, DRAWING AND PAINTING/DRAWING ILLUSTRATION AT OCAD UNIVERSIY, TORONTO, CANADA AND FORMATION ILLUSTRATION AT SHERIDAN COLLEGE IN OAKVILLE, CANADA
2003/2004
TEACHES ILLUSTRATION (4TH YEAR) AT THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN, (OCAD UNIVERSITY) TORONTO CANADA
2004/2005
CHAIR, FIRST YEAR DESIGN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT OCADU
TEACHES 1ST YEAR AND 4TH YEAR ILLUSTRATION
2005/2006
CHAIR, FIRST YEAR DESIGN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT OCADU
TEACHES 1ST YEAR AND 4TH YEAR ILLUSTRATION
2006/2007
CHAIR, FIRST YEAR DESIGN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT OCADU
TEACHES 1ST YEAR ILLUSTRATION AND ILLUSTRATION THESIS (4th Year)
2007/2008
CHAIR, FIRST YEAR DESIGN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT OCADU
TEACHES 1ST YEAR ILLUSTRATION AND ILLUSTRATION THESIS (4th Year)
2008/2010
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ILLUSTRATION DEPARTMENT, OCADU
JUNE 2009
LECTURE AT SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART, SAVANNAH, GA, USA
2010/2011
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ILLUSTRATION DEPARTMENT, OCADU
COORDINATOR OF THE OCAD UNIVERSITY FLORENCE PROGRAM
2011/2012
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR. ON SABBATICAL LEAVE. DRIVING THROUGH EUROPE, TURKEY AND INDIA TO PRODUCE AN ARTIST BOOK AS WELL AS AN EXHIBITION
LECTURE AT MARMARA UNIVERSITY, ISTANBUL
Publications and Design work:
RITZENHOFF,GERMANY
ART PUZZLE FOR HEYE DESIGN, MUNICH, GERMANY
PHONE CARDS FOR FRANCE TELECOM
PHONE CARDS FOR DEUTSCH TELEKOM
RADIO TIMES, LONDON, UK
THE NEW SCIENTIST, LONDON, UK
PICADOR, LONDON, UK
GORDON GIN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN, LONDON, UK
PERNOD ADVERTISING ANIMATION, LONDON, UK
BBC 2 XMAS ANIMATION, LONDON, UK
PENGUIN, LONDON, UK,
THE SUNDAY TIMES, LONDON, UK
FABER AND FABER, LONDON, UK
THE FLAIR/CREATIVE MATCH, LONDON, UK
OBSERVER, LONDON, UK
ANNUAL REPORT FOR GTI, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
IBM CALENDAR HAMBURG, GERMANY
STERN MAGAZINE, HAMBURG, GERMANY
THE BOOK, PARIS, FRANCE
MARIE CLAIRE, PARIS, FRANCE
L’EVENEMENT DU JEUDI, PARIS, FRANCE
VSD, PARIS, FRANCE,
LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR, PARIS, FRANCE
CHATELAINE, MONTREAL, CANADA
VIA RAIL, MONTREAL, CANADA
THE TIMES, HONG KONG
IMAGE FOR THE SWATCH GALLERY, ZURICH
POSTER FOR MACINTOSH GERMANY
DIE ZEIT, HAMBURG
PLAYBOY GERMANY
CAMPUS LIFE MAGAZINE USA
GQ MAGAZINE, NEW YORK, USA
KNOPF, NEW YORK, USA
PENTHOUSE, USA
THE QUALITY REVIEW, MILWAUKEE, USA
EUROPEAN ILLUSTRATION
AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION
CREATIVE QUATERLY, NEW YORK
3X3 MAGAZINE, NEW YORK
Exhibitions:
1978
GALERIE LA LUCARNE, ST. SAUVEUR, QUEBEC
1979
GALERIE DU FLEUVE, QUEBEC
1982
D&AD AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION, NEW YORK
1983
WILLIAMS FINE ARTS, LONDON
1984
ART DIRECTORS’ CLUB, GOLD MEDAL, TORONTO
1988
THE AOI GALLERY, LONDON
1989
CENTRE CULTUREL JACQUES PREVERT, CHERBOURG, FRANCE
1990
CREATIVE REVIEW AWARDS 1ST PRIZE, LONDON
1990
HAMILTON GALLERY, LONDON
1990
VAN GOGH ITINARY EXHIBITION, AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
1991
KUNST FUR KOMMERZ, HUBAUER GALLERY, HAMBURG, GERMANY
1992
GALERIE LES QUATRE MAINS, MANOSQUE, FRANCE
1993
SWATCH GALLERY, ZURICH, GERMANY
1994
EXHIBITION FOR RWANDA, BEAUMONT DE PERTUIS, FRANCE
1994
LES XVIIèmes RENCONTRES DE CHATEAU-ARNOUX, FRANCE
1995
GALERIE CUPILLARD, GRENOBLE, FRANCE
1995
GALERIE CUPILLARD, St TROPEZ, FRANCE
1995
GALERIE DES TANNERIES, NERAC, FRANCE
1995
LES XVIIIèmes RENCONTRES DE CHATEAU-ARNOUX, FRANCE
1995
GALERIE LE CARGO, MARSEILLE, FRANCE
2002
JOHN STEINBERG AND ASSOCIATES, TORONTO
2003
GALERIE LE VIEUX MOULIN, L’ISLE SUR LA SORGUE, FRANCE
2004
GALERIE MIRABEAU, AIX EN PROVENCE, FRANCE
2005
BLUNDSTONE/SKETCH COMPETITION STEAMWHISTLE GALLERY, TORONTO
2006
BLUNDSTONE/SKETCH COMPETITION STEAMWHISTLE GALLERY, TORONTO
2007
BLUNDSTONE/SKETCH COMPETITION STEAMWHISTLE GALLERY, TORONTO
2008
BLUNDSTONE/SKETCH COMPETITION STEAMWHISTLE GALLERY, TORONTO
2009
CURATOR AND DESIGNER (WITH HIS PARTNER CLAUDE MICELI) OF NUIT BLANCHE, TORONTO
Recent works
2009
HUGO LEGO a Children’s Book published by Bouton d’Or Acadie publishers, Moncton, NB Canada
2010
ADAM ELEFANTa Children’s Book published by Bouton d’Or Acadie publishers Moncton, NB Canada
2011
THE 7 KINGS a Children’ Book, in collaboration wit his partner, Claude Miceli unpublished
RUGS DESIGNS manufactured in India
LA SPECOLA,a series of illustrations and prints after La Specola Museum in Florence, Italy
2011/2012
FROM TORONTO TO MUMBAI a series of photographs in situ
SCRIPTfor SIHANAKA, a feature film in collaboration with his partner Claude Miceli
Awards
1988
Mother Goose finalist for the book MANHATTAN, London, UK
1990
Finalist for Best British Animation (BBCII), Bristol, UK
1997
UNICEF prize, Annecy International Animation Film Festival
(MANHATTAN)
1998
Gold Award at New York International Animation Film Festival
(MANHATTAN)
2005
Nominee for Nicktoon Animation Festival (THE WILD, WILD CIRCUS
COMPANY)
2009
Creative Quaterly Merit award New York
2009
3x3 Magazine Silver award New York
2009
American Illustration selected New York
2010
Images, The AOI, London
2011
Image published in ‘Illustrati’, Italy
Selected Exhibitions
2002: John Steinberg and Associates, Toronto 1995: Galerie Le Cargo, Marseilles, France 1995: Les XVIII?mes Rencontres de Chateau-Arnoux, France 1995: Galerie des Tanneries, N?rac, France 1995: Galerie Cupillard, Grenoble, France 1994: Les XVIII?mes Rencontres de Chateau-Arnoux, France 1994: Exhibition for Ruanda, Beaumont, France 1993: Swatch Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland 1992: Galerie les 4 Mains, Manosque, France
Awards \ Grants
2009: Merit award: Creative Quarterly NY
2009: Silver award Creative Quarterly NY
2009: 3x3 magazine Merit. NY
2009: American Illustration NY
1998: Gold Medal at the New York International Animation Festival 1997: UNICEF Prize, Annecy International Animation Festival 1994: Grand Prize, 18th Art Show, Chateau Arnoux, France 1993: Image selected by Swatch, Zurich 1990: Finalist for "Best British Animation" (BBC2 Animation for Xmas), Bristol, UK 1989: Creative Review Award for best use of humour 1988: Mother Goose Award for the book Manhattan 1984: Gold Medal, Art Directors' Club, Toronto
Commissions
Swatch, Zurich, Switzerland
Selected Publications
Glass design for Ritzenhoff, Germany Art puzzle for Heye Design, Munich Phone cards for France Telecom and Deutsch Telekom Annual report for GTI, Rotterdam Children books for Faber and Faber, London, Knopf, New York and Middelhauve Verlag, Munich Image for Swatch, Zurich Campaign for Gordon Gin, London Design and illustration for the European calendar of IBM Germany Regular collaboration with Die Zeit, Germany
Professional Affiliations / Boards / Juries
Curator for Nuit Blanche, OCAD 2009