Seeking studio manager

Kyle McDonald
3 min readNov 26, 2018

Update: I have found a studio manager, but I will leave this post up in the hope it will help others ask for the help they need.

Hi! I’m an artist based in Los Angeles working with code, and I’m looking to hire a part-time studio manager.

My work takes a variety of forms including interactive installations, sneaky interventions, playful websites, workshops, and toolkits for other artists working with code. I love exploring the possibilities of new technologies, understanding how they affect society, and building alternative futures with friends. I like making people laugh, sparking curiosity, creating confusion, and crafting spaces with magical vibes.

Some of my work is huge and immersive, like “Social Soul”, where visitors enter a mirror room with 50 monitors covered in their social media.

Social Soul by Lauren McCarthy and Kyle McDonald

Some of my work creates a fleeting connection between people, like “Sharing Faces”, a co-located installation which matches the expression of visitors from one place to those from another.

“Sharing Faces” by Kyle McDonald

Sometimes my work is more of a study in craft and aesthetics; like “Light Leaks”, where we use algorithms designed for 3d scanning to projection map millions of reflections from dozens of mirror balls.

“Light Leaks” by Kyle McDonald and Jonas Jongejan

I also do technical and creative consulting for companies, building an AI-powered synthesizer or organizing bird sounds to demonstrate the possibilities of machine learning.

In the last few years I’ve been getting really deep into machine learning, and I want to start a new series of projects based on this research . But my workflow right now has a lot of logistical overhead that can keep me from focusing on the work itself. I want to team up with someone who is interested in the kind of work I make, but better at logistics than me, to start building out this new direction while sustaining my current practice.

The studio manager will be involved in coordination and administration of this work, and more.

Main tasks

  • Scheduling. You will coordinate with me to make short-term and long-term plans for new work, organizing development schedules. You will help me estimate how much time I have free to make sure I am not under or overbooked.
  • Finance. You will assist in preparing budgets, researching expenses, and creating spreadsheets.
  • Production. You will be responsible for organizing project documentation, website updates, and coordinating shipping and pickup of artworks and materials.
  • Email. You will serve as point of contact for project email, including coordination of exhibits and travel, and communicating with event organizers.
  • Short term, we will work together to prepare proposals for new work. Longer term, you will help me find venues and organizations interested in sponsoring my work.

Requirements

  • Based in the United States. Being based in or around Los Angeles is a plus.
  • Able to work roughly 10 hours per week, either in my studio in Mid Wilshire, remotely, or some combination.
  • Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere or After Effects) and 3d modeling (SketchUp is fine) for working on project documentation or proposals.
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills. Thinking one step ahead, but not afraid to ask questions.
  • Some knowledge of art and/or technology. Bonus if you have worked in a similar position as a producer, curator, or some other organizational role.

Compensation and Timeline

Compensation based on experience. The base compensation is $1200/month for 10 hours/week of work, and I would like to hire someone who can start at the beginning of 2019.

To apply

Please send resume or CV and portfolio link (if applicable) to [email address redacted] and I will reply to schedule a chat. I may not be able to reply to all inquiries.

I am committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. People from groups underrepresented in the arts or tech fields are especially encouraged to apply.

🙏🙏🙏

Some of this call was borrowed from Lauren McCarthy, who borrowed from Taeyoon Choi, who had help from Tatyana Mustakos. Thank you!

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