Andrew Soper

Initially began the role to help a family member through cancer treatment; has since expanded to helping my parents deal with dementia and aging. Significant time spent cleaning, decluttering, repairing, and general management of neglected property.

Elected as a Director on the Board of Directors at Brookwood Forrest condominium. Role involves meeting monthly to discuss and vote on the building’s budget, repairs, improvements, and other issues. I have also taken on a limited handyman role doing minor repairs and improvements around the building as needed.

Worked as a project designer under several project managers on a dozen different hospitality projects. Responsibilities included assisting with preliminary project research. Developed mockups in Photoshop and presentations in Powerpoint. Corresponded with vendors and product representatives regarding product specifications, pricing, availability, lead times, and customization. Wrote specifications for a variety of finishes, treatments, casegoods, and softgoods in Spexx. Handled approvals for a variety of finishes and goods on current projects by checking against existing control samples or assembling prototypes for evaluation. When necessary searched for and found FF&E alternatives in in-house materials library or via the web. Drafted floor plans and casegoods for presentations, project books, and construction. Corrected red lines in drafting utilizing AutoCAD Architecture. Assembled physical and digital project books - swatching finishes, final corrections on specifications and construction documents, and organizing and sleeving document sets. Prepared finished document sets for shipment.

Part time position. Primary responsibilities include maintaining yard, house, and building systems. Designed and led build out of second floor remodel. Hired contractors for electrical and plumbing work, and procured appropriate building permits for the remodel. Personally handled framing, drywall, tiling and install of fixtures. Rented house to students for 4 years.

I taught ARST 1080 - Three Dimensional Design. 3D design is one of the
Studio Foundations courses required for incoming undergraduates at the Lamar Dodd School of Art.

The course is a project based introduction to spatial composition focusing on design elements such as texture, line, plane, space, form, and volume. Each project focuses on specific design elements, materials, and the learning of new skills. For example a line based project might require brazing metal wire.

For each project I prepare an assignment sheet detailing the project's objectives, required materials, appropriate vocabulary, and any helpful references. I give an in depth PowerPoint presentation comprised of artists' work that relates to each project. Typically there is "demo" for each project that involves the demonstration of shop equipment and assembly & construction techniques. A volume project might require wood to be incorporated in some manner, so I would give a demo focusing on woodworking techniques.

Designed and built out multi-studio artist live/work space in converted post-industrial property. Provided a safe and private work space solution for Artists, Designers, Musicians and IT Professionals. Also provided event space and access to printmaking equipment.

Worked primarily in assembly and production department. This included:

- Mat Cutting. Hand cut mats and utilized Wizard pneumatic mat cuter. Exclusively used archival rag mats - mostly 8ply. Specialized in museum style, custom fabric (via laminating), and oversized matting. Example of oversized matting - I've cut a 40" x 64" window in a 48" x 72" archival rag mat by hand. You only get one shot at that.

- Attachment. I am fully versed in contemporary archival attachment and fitting methods. Custom rice paper hinging, custom made archival corners & shelves, properly attaching canvases, sewing, and discrete pinning for fine fabric works. I have handled and attached rare and expensive work of fine art - original photos, original prints (woodcuts, silkscreens, lithographs), paintings, reliefs and fabrics/clothing - for private collectors, galleries and museums. Every framed piece was assemble using archival methods, archival materials, and sealed by encapsulation (when glassed).

- Hand cutting glass and mirrors - utilizing japanese style glass cutter. We did NOT use a wall cutter for this - hand cutting is far more exact.

- Mirror Antiquing. I am well versed in the processes for chemically antiquing high quality mirrors. I dare you to find someone else with this in their skill set.

- Prep and finish. I acquired some basic wood preparation and finishing skills while on the job.

- Inventory and placing orders.
Keeping time of jobs to aid in pricing.
Coordinating extensively with other departments to keep work on schedule.

- Fitting and assembly. Artwork that came in was primarily reproductions, posters, family memorabilia, nick-nacks, and some fabric including needle point. Matting, floating, and all varieties of shadowboxes.

- Chopping and Joining. All types of moulding from all major manufacturers. Mainly used a pneumatic joiner; experienced in precise handbuilding as well. Chopper was a manual foot-pedal guillotine style.

- Mat cutting. All automated utilizing an older model Wizard.

- Canvas Stretching. Digital Arts also printed Giclees - on paper and canvas. While working there I stretched well over 1000 custom printed canvases.

- Photo Trimming. Many of the works printed were done on large (60" wide) sheets of paper. I've trimmed more photos than I want to think about.

- Sales and Design. Worked directly with customers to design custom framed pieces.

Interned with a graphic design firm. Learned Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Primarily worked on
photograph retouching, graphic layouts, vector drawings, and menial tasks around the office. Gained a better understanding of the nature of graphic design and brand identity. Unpaid.