Chad Bennett

I’m a guy who likes making stuff, mostly visual stuff. I make art, design interesting things, fiddle on the computer, and try to live the best life I can. I live in the country with my wonderful wife, two crazy kids, three kitties, a bunny, and a groundhog that lives under the shed. I enjoy eating tacos and ice-cream, but not at the same time.

I know this intro is supposed to be something deep and meaningful about how cool I am. In reality, I'm just a humble guy who likes to make things. I play with a lot of art tools and concepts and styles because it is fun to play and try things out. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to make new things. Some people like the stuff I make and sometimes give me awards and occasionally hire me to make things for them. I also get paid to teach others how to play and make things for themselves.

Teaching art and design has become my passion, I love helping students find their own artistic voices. I started teaching almost twenty years ago as a balance to my freelance career and found that I have a knack for sharing ideas and techniques in a relatable way. Students are fellow artist sharing ideas and discoveries together in a sense of playful fun and meaningful exploration. They learn the valuable design and professional skills needed to work as creative artists in industries ranging from graphic and web design to animation, game design, and fine arts. More importantly, students gain a confidence and foundation for developing their own creative identities.

I have both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy and completed all but a thesis for a Master of Arts degree in Art Education from at Western Michigan University. As a professional designer, I've worked as an architect, interior designer, illustrator, web designer, and graphic designer. As a visual design instructor, I've taught content in everything from art, design, architecture, graphic design, web design, animation, 3d modeling, and journalism. 

Visual Design Instructor