Miki Straus

Teaches at Evanston Art Center

Miki's work explores the ways game design can ask audiences to form closer relationships with stories by allowing them to take active part in the narrative through play. She focuses on recreating a sense of childlike wonder in adult audiences with surprising mediums and immersive, playful storytelling.

Education:
Maryland Institute College of Art – B.F.A.

Media:
Illustration, game design, animation, set fabrication

Areas of focus:
Mixed media, character animation, narrative game design

Exhibition highlights:

• MAGFest Indie Arcade, MAGfest Indie Videogame Showcase, National Harbor, MD – 2019
• MICA Artwalk, Brown Center, Baltimore, MD – 2018

Other interests and inspirations:
Cartoons, theater set design, good novels, overgrown gardens, haunted buildings, playing bass

Miki’s teaching style:
Each week she introduces a new use for a medium to encourage students to experiment and learn on their own what kind of art they personally enjoy creating. She intends to give her students not only the technical tools, but the curiosity and excitement, to continue their art outside of the classroom.

Miki loves EAC because . . .
By teaching there she is giving right back to the community that helped her grow as an artist herself. She took classes at the EAC in high school, so it's meaningful to her to help continue an environment of growth and creativity.