Illustration Instructor Part-Time or Remote

 

Instructor Part-Time or Remote

Sheffield Abella
7654 Golden Lantern Ct.
Las Vegas, NV 89139-5331
sheff@sheff.com (mailto:sheff@sheff.com)
www.sheff.com
702.604.8800

November 8, 2025

Hiring Committee
Department of Fine Arts, Art Program
College of Southern Nevada
3200 E Cheyenne Ave
North Las Vegas, NV 89030

Dear Hiring Committee,

I am excited to apply for the Art Instructor position in the Department of Fine Arts, Art Program at the College of Southern Nevada, as advertised on HigherEdJobs.com.

With over two decades of teaching experience in fine arts and visual communication at institutions including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and The Art Institute of Las Vegas, I am passionate about fostering creativity and critical thinking in diverse learning environments. My background in illustration, drawing, and design, combined with a commitment to accessible education, makes me eager to bring engaging, Drawing and Painting courses to both prison sites and CSN campuses.

In my current role as Visiting Assistant Professor at UNLV’s College of Fine Arts, I teach Illustration, Digital Illustration, and Individual Studies to undergraduate students, adapting curricula to meet varied skill levels and cultural perspectives. Previously, as a Full-Time Instructor at The Art Institute of Las Vegas (2004–2010 and 2019–2020), I led courses in Life Drawing, Advanced Life Drawing, Observational Drawing, Color Theory, and Painting, emphasizing hands-on techniques that build confidence and technical proficiency. These experiences have honed my ability to create inclusive classrooms where students—from beginners to advanced practitioners—explore art’s transformative power, much like the rehabilitative potential of arts education in correctional settings. I am interested in the opportunity to teach at High Desert State Prison, Southern Desert Correctional Center, Jean Conservation Camp, Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center, and Casa Grande Transitional Housing, as I believe art can serve as a vital tool for personal growth and reflection in such unique contexts. While I have not yet taught in the prison system, my work with adult learners in online and hybrid formats at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh (2016–2019) has prepared me to navigate structured, high-stakes environments with empathy and flexibility.

Beyond the classroom, I am committed to the professional development and administrative aspects of the role. I actively participate in departmental meetings, curriculum planning, and faculty trainings.
My professional practice as Owner and Illustrator at Pixel Colada LLC since 1996—serving clients like Caesars Palace, UFC, and McGraw-Hill—keeps my teaching grounded in real-world applications, ensuring students see the relevance of art in design, branding, and storytelling. Additionally, my public commissions, such as the 2020 digital mural Golden Knights Math for Joseph M. Neal STEAM Academy, demonstrate my ability to collaborate on community-focused projects that align with CSN’s mission of inclusive education. I am enthusiastic about the possibility of contributing to CSN’s innovative program by delivering dynamic, student-centered instruction across flexible schedules, including evenings and weekends. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my expertise in visual arts pedagogy can support your department’s goals. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Sheffield Abella

What follows below is a mix of images from my freelance assignments and the classes that I have taught as well as examples from my past students.

Click on the “+” to expand each section.

My primary philosophical goal behind teaching is to motivate students to discover their own unique visual voices, and to support them in amplifying who they already are as visual artists. Beyond teaching fundamental principles and techniques of visual development, I want to assist students to solve technical and conceptual problems in elegant and efficient ways. Facilitating my students’ development of confidence in their work is a priority for me. Honing their ability to negotiate the standard professional aspects of their careers, from properly valuing their worth and their time to recognizing when they need to navigate sensitive subjects, as they service their clients and art directors is vital.

I look forward to working with students from diverse backgrounds. I am familiar with providing a dynamic academic environment, celebrating the uniqueness of  students, faculty and staff, all while pushing forward the core values of open-mindedness, equity and inclusion while maintaining the highest level of respect for one another. I will do my best to ensure that all my students, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, or race, thrive in my classroom.   

Examples of my illustration work.

Below are Design Examples, logos, packaging, and branding.

I am able to draw and paint, both from life and from the imagination while lecturing.

YouTube Demonstrations

For the complete list of demo videos, click here.

Student work from AILV, AI Pittsburgh, and UNLV.

Sheffield Abella

7654 Golden Lantern Ct. • Las Vegas, NV 89139-5331
sheff@sheff.com • www.sheff.com • 702.604.8800

Education

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Animation, Visual Development Emphasis                 2009 – 2013
Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Visual Communication, Illustration Emphasis          1991 – 1994
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Cal Grant Scholarship

Academic Appointments

Visiting Assistant Professor                                                                                        2024 – Present
College of Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

  • Illustration
  • Digital Illustration
  • Individual Studies

Adjunct Professor                                                                                                       2023
College of Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

  • Digital Illustration
  • Drawing II

Full-Time Instructor                                                                                                  2019 – 2020
The Art Institute of Las Vegas

  • Life Drawing
  • Advanced Life Drawing
  • Character Design / Character Ideation
  • Color Theory
  • Illustration / Advanced Illustration

Full-Time Instructor                                                                                                  2016–2019
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh (Online Division)

  • Life Drawing
  • Character Design
  • Advanced Illustration for Production

Adjunct Professor                                                                                                       2014 – 2015
College of Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

  • Digital Rendering
  • Ideation & Process
  • Graphic Design II

Full-Time Instructor / Senior Faculty
The Art Institute of Las Vegas
2004–2010

  • Life Drawing
  • Advanced Life Drawing
  • Observational Drawing
  • Digital Painting
  • Digital Imaging / Advanced Digital Imaging
  • Web Scripting
  • Drawing & Perspective
  • Digital/Web Portfolio

Professional Experience

Owner / Illustrator / Designer                                                                              1996 – Present
Pixel Colada LLC, Las Vegas, NV
Illustration, Design, Identity/Branding, Web Design, Consulting

Selected Clients: Air Force Reserve, AT&T, Bally’s, Bill Maher, Caesars Palace, Circus Circus, Excalibur, Gillette, Konami Gaming, McGraw-Hill, Nokia, Toyota, UFC, The Venetian, Wells Fargo, Westwood Studios

Illustrator / Designer / Social Media                                                                          2014 – 2017
Kizzang LLC, Las Vegas, NV

  • Designed graphics, UI assets, and digital illustrations for Facebook slot-machine platform
  • Created daily social media assets and print promotions, including Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
  • Produced event collateral for SI launch (New York) and apparel for sponsored athlete Keith Thurman

Art Director / Lead Visual Development                                                                   1998 – 1999
helloNetwork.com, Inc., Las Vegas, NV

  • Led redesign of corporate websites with JAVA-enabled video streaming
  • Designed logos, branding, print collateral, trade-show booths

Designer / Illustration Consultant                                                                             1995 – 1996
Adrienne Weiss Corp., Chicago, IL

  • Developed identity systems for Bank One Stadium, Country Star Restaurants, Warner Bros. Stores, and MCI/Washington Bullets Stadium

Production Artist
Cloud 9 Interactive, Santa Monica, CA                                                                       1995

  • Created final art for How to Draw the Marvel Way CD-ROM and Wanna-Be a Dino Finder interactive title

Production Artist                                                                                                       1993 – 1995
Synapse Technologies (Robert Abel, CEO), Los Angeles, CA

  • Produced digital assets for Wells Fargo Interactive TV prototype
  • Contributed to Al Gore’s Information Superhighway Conference video wall (UCLA)

Photographer                                                                                                              1992
Interactive Support Group (Philips CD-i), Chatsworth, CA

  • Photographed interstitials and menu screens for Video Speedway CD-i game

 

Selected Exhibitions

Erl                                                                                                                               2025
Oil portrait (15 × 30 in.)
25th Annual Celebrating Life!, Charleston Heights Arts Center, Las Vegas, NV
(Juror: Professor Robin Stark)

Geoffrey Holder                                                                                                          2014
Watercolor portrait — 3rd Place
Nevada Watercolor Society Fall Show, Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, NV
(Judge: Carl Purcell)

Public Commissions

Golden Knights Math                                                                                                2020
Digital mural (127 × 115 in.)
Joseph M. Neal STEAM Academy, Las Vegas, NV
(Commissioned by Michelle Fiore, Mayor Pro Tem)

Bibliography (Published Artwork)

Strate, Lance. Thunder at Darwin Station. Probe 1 Ltd., 2015.
(Cover art by Sheffield Abella)

Maher, Bill. When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden. New Millennium Press, 2002.
(Contributing artist: Sheffield Abella)

Lakin, Pat.  Harry Belafonte. Leveled books. McGraw-Hill School Division, 1999.
(Illustrated by Sheffield Abella)

Publications as Author

Abella, Sheffield. Liz Crimson. Pixel Colada LLC, 2013

References

Academic & Professional References available upon request.

Air Force Reserve

AT&T

Ballys

Bill Maher

Caesars Palace

Circus Circus

Excalibur

Gillette

Hello Network

Konami Gaming

McGraw Hill

Michele Fiore Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem

Nokia

Phillips

Pontiac

Saturn

Toyota

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Venetian

Wells Fargo

Westwood Studios

Sheffield Abella

702.604.8800 Mobile
sheffield.abella@unlv.edu
sheff@sheff.com