UA Little Rock Welcomes Michele Noiset as New Illustration Professor
Michele Noiset has been making her mark as an experienced commercial illustrator and professor, and she has now joined the UA Little Rock School of Art and Design as an assistant professor of illustration.
Having started in the fall 2023 semester, Noiset said she enjoys teaching a wide range of students. Her classes include Intro to Illustration, Concept Art, 2D Design, and Sequential Media.
“Previously, I’ve only ever taught illustration students, and now I am able to work with freshmen and students in all different disciplines,” she said. “I enjoy teaching students of all levels. I’m interested in collaborating with other faculty to combine classes and interests.”
A native of Connecticut, Noiset received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Design/Illustration from the University of Massachusetts. She studied with Jean-François Allaux, renowned New York Times illustrator, to develop conceptual imagery representative of universal dystopian themes depicted in classic novels.
“I knew when I was very young that I wanted to draw for books and magazines, but I didn’t know the word illustration,” Noiset said. “When I saw that major at the Rhode Island School of Design, that was it for me.”
Prior to joining UA Little Rock, Noiset worked as a lecturer of illustration at the University of Massachusetts as well as an associate professor and head of the Illustration/Comics department at Memphis College of Art, serving three years as chair of the Department of Design.
“Not only is Michele an experienced educator and gifted artist, but she has years of commercial experience that she can share with our students,” said Joli Livaudais, interim associate director of the School of Art and Design. “They are so excited to have her as a mentor, and we are delighted to have her as a colleague.”
Noiset’s commercial illustration work through Michele Noiset Illustration spans more than four decades. Her long client list includes companies like McDonald’s, Children’s Miracle Network, Staples, and the Philadelphia Zoo and media publications like Boston Globe, BusinessWeek, European Travel & Life, New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, and Travel + Leisure. She is currently developing several children’s stories that she plans to submit to publishers.
