Illustration CCC

09/05/2026

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO: What a party!! A BIG welcome to all our our new students to the Illustration CCC family!! A BIG thank to ✏️Illustration Student Group and the faculty for making the party at Convocation a blast. Cheers to an amazing academic year!!

08/24/2026

REVIVAL DAY x NETFLIX!! Hi Team Illustration!! Illustration Faculty Tim Seeley and his show Revival are debuting on Netflix today. Let's support him and this amazing project by streaming it, sharing this announcement and congratulating him in person soon!!

08/14/2026

RIP FRED NELSON - FRIDAY 08/14:
Service information:
A visitation will be held on Friday, August 14, 2026 from 6 - 8 pm at St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish at 1809 Walters Ave in Northbrook, Illinois; please feel free to be casual and comfortable. A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 10 am, also at St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish Live Stream Link.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Fred Nelson’s memory to American Diabetes Association or Marwen, a charitable organization supporting children in the arts.

08/11/2026

ILLUSTRATION CCC x LA: Chris Arnold, Coordinator of Illustration, recently visited Columbia College Chicago’s Los Angeles campus at Sunset Gower Studios!!

During the visit, Arnold met with Director Kevin Cooper and toured Columbia’s brand new LA campus, along with the studios, stages, and backlots that make Sunset Gower Studios such an incredible environment for our students.

Posted here are a selection of photos from Sunset Gower Studios, Columbia’s new campus in Building 43, Food & Bounty (the restaurant on the lot), and some of the spaces where television and film productions come to life. The history of Sunset Gower Studios is incredible, and Arnold was blown away by how many of his favorite movies and television shows have been filmed there over the years. We even got to see the production of “Forever” wrapping its second season for Netflix while touring the stages!

More importantly, the visit opened up exciting conversations about what the Los Angeles campus and surrounding area can mean for Illustration students. Professor Arnold is excited to bring more information back to the Illustration Program in Chicago and continue exploring ways to deepen our connection with Los Angeles through SILA, collaborate across disciplines, and create new professional and educational opportunities for our students and alumni.

Exciting possibilities ahead for Illustration CCC x Los Angeles!!

08/11/2026

RIP FRED NELSON: (As shared by the College) It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of former Illustration Associate Professor Fred William Nelson, who passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026, following complications from a stroke. He was surrounded by his family at home in his final moments.

From an early age, Fred expressed a passion for drawing and became a self-taught professional artist, establishing himself as a highly successful freelance commercial illustrator. As a member of the generation of artists who helped define the contemporary illustration market, Fred brought decades of professional experience into the classroom and inspired students to approach their work with creativity, discipline, and a professional mindset.
Fred joined the Columbia College Chicago faculty, where he taught illustration, figure drawing, and computer design, earning the title of Associate Professor. His teaching style was uniquely his own—equal parts mentor, storyteller, and industry veteran, drawing upon a lifetime of experiences and hard-earned knowledge of the field. Students and colleagues remember him for his engaging classroom presence, entertaining stories, colorful sense of humor, and the wealth of real-world knowledge he generously shared. He challenged students to think professionally while encouraging them to develop their own artistic voices.

Fred left a lasting impression on generations of students, faculty, and friends. His influence on Columbia College Chicago's Illustration program and the countless artists he mentored will endure for years to come. Fred was truly one of a kind, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Fred is survived by his wife of 47 years, Teresa "Tracy" Nelson; his children Kitty Pesetsky (Joe), Erich Nelson, Kimberly Nelson (Kurt Matsen), Lauren Nelson (Charles Festa), Kelly Giarelli (Matthew), and Gunnar Nelson; his grandchildren Christian Pesetsky, Mia Pesetsky, Florentino Festa, and Sonora Festa; his great-grandchild Gabriel Anguiano; his sisters Suzanne Cronin (James) and Jane Elrod (Michael); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, former students, and colleagues.

A visitation will be held on Friday, August 14th, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish, at 1809 Walters Ave. in Northbrook, Illinois. A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, August 15th, 2026, at 10:00 am, also at St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish.

View Fred William Nelson's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

06/03/2026

$52,066.08: Just doing a little yard work in my favorite shirt (I love the weird looks I get in it). For those who don't know, that dollar amount is epic take in sales by Illustration's award-winning student group
Note: I promised them if they sold more than 50k I would make this shirt and host the ILLO Awards in it ✅

So proud of the work they do and can't wait to top this in 2027!!!

05/30/2026

RIP: RICHARD (RIC) LAURENT

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague, professor and friend, Richard “Ric” Laurent, who taught Illustration at Columbia since 2007.

His colleague, Ivan Brunetti, remembered Ric as a thoughtful, generous teacher and artist who encouraged students to engage with the world through their work. He emphasized strong drawing fundamentals while inspiring students to become reflective, curious, and socially aware individuals. Ric shared his extensive knowledge freely, constantly challenged himself as an artist, and led by example through his dedication to teaching and lifelong learning.

Colleagues Chris Arnold and Cheri Lee Charlton also reflected on Ric’s impact. Arnold described him as a kind, thoughtful professor who helped shape Columbia’s Illustration community and encouraged students to grow both as artists and as people. Charlton recalled his warmth, mentorship, friendship, and the creative energy and curiosity he brought to the program.

Ric was a valued colleague, educator, artist, and friend whose absence will be felt deeply.

There will be a celebration of Ric’s art and life on Monday, June 1, 2026:

Visitation: 9:00–11:00 AM
Service: 11:00 AM
The Oaks Funeral Home
1201 East Irving Park Road, Itasca, Illinois

Following the service, lunch will be served at:

Angelo’s
247 N. York Road, Elmhurst, Illinois

05/18/2026

Congratulations class of 2026! We are so proud of you!

05/16/2026

THE 2026 ILLO AWARDS: What an amazing night!! On behalf of the Full Time Faculty of the Illustration Program at Columbia College Chicago thank you and congratulations! Tonight we celebrated the 11th Annual ILLO Awards, recognizing the outstanding achievements of our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community partners.

We’re so proud to honor the creativity, dedication, and spirit that continues to make this program thrive. Cheers to all the winners, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out to support our incredible illustration community. Here’s to another year of imagination, inspiration, and artistic excellence!!

Pictured Faculty:
(Coordinator and Host)
(Co-Host)
(Award Presenter)
(Award Presenter)

A Special Thank You To...

colum

05/14/2026

Illustration alumni and faculty plan to join us at the ILLO Awards tomorrow, Friday May 15? Please join us for a pre-ILLOs mixer at Vitalogy located at 723 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605, just a short walk from Columbia College Chicago, where the ILLO Awards will be held. This event is for already graduated students and faculty only. Also, don’t forget to pre-register for entrance to the ILLOs through the Manifest link so you can attend the ILLO Awards afterward. Doors open at 6:30, awards begin at 7PM but you must pre-register.