Workshops at Gemini 2009

About Roger Barcilon, Founder Gemini School of Visual Arts:

Roger trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelona (Spain) where he graduated with Honors. After graduation, he lived for many years in Italy, Norway and England and traveled extensively all over Europe. He spent the early part of his professional life working for major advertising agencies as an in-house illustrator and later freelancing to serve both large publishers and international advertising agencies in the main European capitals. As an illustrator, he was instrumental to the success of many advertising campaigns for clients including Nestlé, Pirelli, Gillette, L’Oréal de Paris, British Petroleum, Alpha Romeo, Sabena Airlines and Omega. His publishing clients included major European magazines as well as book trade publishers such as Mondadori, Rizzoli, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Harlequin, Penguin and Editions Gallimard.

 Simultaneously, Roger continued to pursue his passion for fine art. He exhibited extensively in Italy, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom where his paintings won several prestigious awards. In 1970, his work was included in the Italian Encyclopaedia of Art “Il Commanducci”. To this day, Roger is considered a renowned European artist with paintings hanging in private collections throughout Europe and the Americas.

 In 1977, Roger and his family relocated to England with a thriving illustration business. During this period, Roger noticed that young artists, although graduates of university fine art programs, did not fully grasp the foundation skills and techniques required of world class illustrators. And so, in 1984, Roger opened the Gemini School of Illustration. His philosophy from that first day has been one of “giving back”. Giving back to his students the knowledge he painfully acquired over years of commercial work. Helping them to understand the profession and giving them both the technical and creative skills to succeed. And, while Roger perfected his teaching techniques, he continued illustrating for advertising and publishing clients throughout Europe. The philosophy of the “working professional” tutor was born from that experience and remains at Gemini School today. With Roger’s teaching methods, over 85% of the Gemini School of Illustration graduates found work as artists in their chosen field.  

 In 1999 Roger travelled to the US to join an in-house art studio for an international videogame software publisher based in Austin, Texas. As one of the few artists with classic training, Roger became a mentor and teacher to his teammates. While working with these young professionals, Roger realized that, just as in Europe, graduates of US based universities were not properly trained for the rigors of a career in commercial art. The plan for a US based school was born.

 As the new Gemini School in Cedar Park, Texas was under construction, Roger and a partner formed a commercial illustration studio to serve clients in the videogame, entertainment and advertising industries. With the combination of Roger’s classic skills and the latest computer graphics tools, Big Sesh Studios became a “go to” firm for videogame clients including Vivendi-Universal, Microsoft, Acclaim Entertainment and Activision.  Major advertising agencies soon followed and work from the team at Big Sesh could be found on videogame packaging, magazine covers and even on the Jumbo-tron in New York City’s Times Square.  In 2007, the Big Sesh Studios partners returned to their individual ventures, and Roger focused solely on the growth and development of Gemini School. In addition to his work with the school, Roger has been recognized by the prestigious journal “Painter” with an Award of Excellence for his Digital Painting work.

 Today, under Roger’s leadership, the Gemini School of Visual Arts & Communication is remodeling art education for students seeking careers as professional artists. In addition to his vision of growth for the school, Roger continues to paint, exhibit and will soon be announcing a new studio venture.

About Gemini School:
For over 20 years, Gemini School has prepared students for successful careers as commercial artists in advertising agencies, videogame development studios, publishing houses, film/special effects studios, corporations and as fine artists around the world.

Our curriculum is based on the essential skills of drawing and painting--and designed for the student who is focused, creative and passionate about their career. Once essential skills are mastered, students move into our intense, industry-driven digital media program. In classes taught by professional, working artists, students explore “real world” solutions to creative problems while mastering the latest software and techniques in digital painting, concept art, photography, modeling and more.

Gemini students work hard-and the results speak for themselves in our student gallery. Classes are held Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Each day starts with sketching exercises and continues with students working on their assigned projects at their own easel. Our small class size ensures that students receive the one-to-one attention necessary to achieve their goals.

As students enter their final year at Gemini, we guide them through our Career Services program. From special industry-only networking events to portfolio preparation, internship opportunities and job search strategies, students are counseled every step of the way as they transition into the workforce.

We encourage you to explore our website and see the results of our program in the student and faculty galleries. But, there is no better way to experience the energy and excitement of Gemini School than to visit our campus located in Cedar Park, Texas (just outside of Austin). We hope to see you here soon!

About Cedar Park and Austin, Texas:
Gemini School is conveniently located in CEDAR PARK, TEXAS,   one of the fastest growing cities in the nation with a growing population around 42,400, according to the United States Bureau of the Census. From a population of 5,161 in 1990, Cedar Park has exploded on the popularity scale, developing into an urban center of over 40,000 residents in a little more than 20 years.

Located just 17 miles from downtown Austin, TX, Cedar Park’s popularity as a place to live and work comes as no surprise to the citizens who helped the town grow. The reasons abound: Central Texas boasts a cosmopolitan atmosphere without the big-city hassle, reasonable cost of living, gorgeous scenery and friendly people. And Austin, known as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, gets high marks for its lifestyle and the opportunities to pursue challenging career opportunities. No wonder it’s been cited as the Number One destination both for relocating families and relocating singles. It’s also a mecca for creative, talented people pursuing challenging careers in videogames, film, music, advertising and digital media.

A short drive from San Antonio (approximately 1.5 hours), Houston (3 hours) or Dallas (4 hours) the Austin area is served by Austin Bergstrom International Airport. A wide variety of hotel accommodations, restaurants and activities are available both in Cedar Park and Austin. Workshop attendees will be sent travel/hotel information at a later date.