Jun 2020
I've sat in on many of his classes watching his students. Dawood's passion for art making makes it simple for people to learn the techniques very quickly and progress in their own art making. His teaching style is strengths-based so it's always encouraging - it's really one encouragement after another. I encourage you to get the program so that you can learn how to draw.
Maria Cristini Executive Senior leadership Coach _____________________________________________
Maria Cristini
Dawood Marion is an inspiring art instructor. Centered in the philosophy that EVERYONE is an artist, Dawood is effective in developing artistic-skills at various levels--from beginner to advanced--and with varied class sizes, student ages, and settings. Dawood's instructional techniques are very interactive and engaging. While Dawood reaches groups of children extremely well, by matching their energy levels and adapting lessons to meet their needs, he is also effective with adults in helping them to develop additional skills to deepen their investment in their art pieces. I would highly recommend Dawood as an art instructor and/or coach for any artist at any stage of their journey. 
Aila MalikFounder + Principal at Venture Leadership Consulting ____________________________________________ October 2015
Dawood
Thank you for an experience in the learning and enjoyment of the art of drawing in your Toolbox workshop. The Toolbox workshop gave me confidence to draw without second guessing my strokes and lines.
Your love of teaching made the class so enjoyable, and to top that off I learned so many techniques to help me draw with confidence.
Thank you again
Shirley Ting
_____________________________________________
June 14, 2013
Mr. D
We appreciate you and all you've taught Na'eem. He has grown artistically since being in your class. When we learned that you were going to teach at OSA, we googled your work. My mom, Na'eem and I were blown away. Your drawings capture the essence of people in a way I haven't seen. Na'eem has the same gift so I am truly thankful that you have been his teacher. I hope there is a way you can teach with Na'eem again. Na'eema Townes
_____________________________________________
January 24, 2013
To whom it may concern:I am writing this letter to recommend Mr. Dawood Marion as an arts instructor. I first met Mr. Marion while he was working for Friends of Sharon Art Studio as a drawing instructor. He has been an instructor at the Studio since 2008, and during that time, he has taught adult and youth drawing and painting classes including a class entitled, “Drawing Tool Box.”
Comments from students follow:He is also passionate about his work as an instructor and artist. He brings the highest level of artistic standard to the classroom, and seeks to introduce students to a wide breadth and depth of techniques and tools. Most importantly, he is a skillful artist himself, inspired and inspiring and this affection for art making is translated to his teaching. Based on largely favorable class evaluations, students found Mr. Marion to be an effective and informative instructor. Comments by students follow:He knows his stuff and is effective in his demonstration of techniques.He genuinely cares for his students and despite his mastery of drawing, he still his able to pass along his knowledge and instill self-confidence in his students. I would not know how to improve it (his class).Engaging teacher.Was very open with his techniques and tips.I’m totally confident that Mr. Sekhem could prove to be a valuable asset to any arts teaching program. Please feel free to contact me if you need additional information.
Kind Regards,Lisa Sullivan Executive Director
_____________________________________________
August 2012
Drawings of Random People vol. 1 by Dawood Marion is one of those art books you can just sit and look through with pure delight for hours and hours of inspiration and enjoyment. It is packed full of wonderful drawings of the people Dawood encounters in public places and these drawings seem to come alive off the page with every visible line, squiggle and smudge. This is an 8x10" high quality book with 80 full-page drawings...every single one of them in Dawood's signature contemporary style. You won't be disappointed if you purchase this book!
Lisa Graham Artist
_____________________________________________
August 8, 2012
I am writing this recommendation for Dawood Marion, an exceptional art teacher who really teaches self expression through art. Mr. Marion brings out the style and expression of the individual student and gives them confidence and permission to expand on their style and express themselves. For the past three years he has been teaching my 97 year old mother drawing and painting. This is not her first art class, but it has been her most enjoyable and most prolific. In each class she is focused and learns something new. She chooses her subjects and Dawood guides her through the actual expression. She then feels confident enough to draw or paint more between classes. Mr. Marion instills that confidence and know-how.
Joyce Hook
_____________________________________________
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
I have known Mr. Dawood Marion for some thirteen years or so, now. He has always been an extraordinarily good artist. Here recently, I have had the profound pleasure of observing his growth in a variety of aspects. I have also had the pleasure of working with him on personal projects. His sense of work ethic is as beyond phenomenal as it is contagious. Working with Dawood has had a positive effect on me in many ways.
First of all, Dawood is one of the most dedicated people I have ever known. He evokes inspiration from an abstract point of view, only to resurface the information with a connectedness which speaks volumes. One is able to truly notice that art is a significant part of his life. He is quite the professional, and his work expresses as much, if not more.
Another thing I have found unique about Dawood involves his artistic perception. While doing work with him on personal projects, I found many of his ideas and suggestions creatively invaluable. The work he presented for the cover of my poetry book gave the project a new life, and I am forever grateful. I continue to have a sincere respect for his judgment and his art. My respect is further extended to him a person, because he is consistent with his work throughout the community and as an exceptional art instructor.
Sincerely,
Vonice Berry
Author/Poet
_____________________________________________
August 6, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ms. Joan Tarika Lewis. I am a contract specialist instructor within the Oakland Unified School District. I teach both visual and performing arts. This is a letter of recommendation for Mr. Dawood Marion whom I have had the pleasure of working with for the past five years. We worked at Explorer Middle School and East Oakland School of the Arts.
Mr. Dawood Marion is an accomplished professional visual artist and excellent instructor. He has a thorough knowledge of basic to advance illustration technique, including portrait, contour, perspective, animation and figure drawing. He also works in 3D projects and scale modeling. Mr. Marion is also an accomplished photographer and film maker. Classroom management and discipline is one of Mr. Marion’s specialties. Mr. Marion motivates students to focus their attention on project at hand and getting full class time instruction. Mr. Marion’s curriculum design inspired students to customize their own business products and market their art to their communities. Students produced figurative drawings, clay models, self portraits and a very impressive 4’ X 4’ Aztec Temple.Mr. Marion worked upon curriculum development with a group of visual artist for HueXArts and East Oakland School of the Arts where we participated on the same team. He contributed his expertise and proficiency with photo editing, animation software.Mr. Marion is an instructor you want on your team. He will commit to excellence, discipline, presentation, expertise and play an important role in modern art education.
Sincerely
Joan Tarika
_____________________________________________
August 5, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
I had the privilege of taking the Reportage Drawing: Drawing in the Park class at Sharon Art Studio with Dawood Marion last summer. Even though I came to the class already with a background in drawing, I definitely learned a lot of new tricks and techniques! Dawood emphasized having confidence in each line and shape you draw. He loved teaching his two favorite methods: contour and blind contour. I especially remember on the first class, he advised against using what some of my previous drawing teachers have called "chicken scratch", drawing the same line over and over to try to get it right. He said, "You wouldn't write your signature over and over, now would you? You write it once and you're done with it!" That statement made a big impact on my drawing style. I started to sketch my own hands using the contour method, something that Dawood recommended we do every day; and this led into more frequent sketching and on-the-spot (Reportage) pictures. I think it is safe to say that I got a more practiced and experienced hand after taking his class. What made it all the more fun, enjoyable and rewarding was Dawood's great personality: he is so enthusiastic and encouraging to everyone, and you can talk candidly to him about art or your own life. I would recommend anyone young or old, new to drawing or an experienced professional, to come and take his class soon!
Sincerely,
Talia Frank
College Student
_____________________________________________
March 19, 2012
To Whom It May Concern
I am writing with an enthusiastic recommedation of Dawood Marion as an art instructor for people of all ages. Over the last four years Dawood has offered a variety of art classes at the Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate Park. He is on of our most popular teachers and his reviews are almost universally positive. We have been fortunate to have Dawood bring a style of teaching and a type of course content that adds breadth to our core drawing courses. He is a valued member of our staff at the date of this writing.
Dawood's Reportage Drawing workshops are some of the most consistently popular and sought after courses in our studio. This series of workshops includes Reportage Drawing, Drawing in the Park, Building Confidence, and Drawing People. Dawood has many dedicated returning students, but also continues to attract new students every session. These classes focus on helping people to loosen up, lose their inhibition, and draw what they see in a quick and free style. While Dawood has done a variety of courses here, this concept of letting go of inhibition is at the center of his teaching philosophy and practice, and student after student has attested to his skill at helping them do just that.
Additional popular and successful courses that Dawood has taught here include Clothed Figure Drawing, Drawing Toolbox, and a drawing class for teens. Dawood is so well-liked by our students and staff that recently when our core Life Drawing instructor stepped down from her position teaching night Life Drawing class (which has been running for decades), we asked Dawood to step in to take her place.
In addition to his wonderful artistic talent and his skill as a teacher, Dawood is a very friendly guy, is easy to talk to, and is receptive to feedback whenever there is something about his classes or other actions that needs to be corrected. Multiple times when there have been issues with particular students or classes, Dawood has gone our of his way to solve the problems and make sure that both students and our organization are happy and feel well-treated.
Sincerely,
Ben Shockey
Executive Director
_____________________________________________
September 14, 2011
I’ve been taking drawing classes on and off for the past 10 years, and by far the most inspirational and exceptional teacher I have studied with is Dawood Marion. I felt stuck and insecure and even a bit tired of my work and the process. That all changed dramatically once I took my first class with Dawood. He helped me relax and enjoy the simple act of seeing and recording what I saw. He got me to lose the crutch and shackle of a pencil for the liberation of a simple Ballpoint Pen. And he made me more comfortable and confident to draw in public, to trust what I saw, and to trust that I could draw. His own work, which is so beautiful and real, served as a beacon of what I could only hope to become. I’ve taken about a dozen of his classes, and my work has improved 1000%. Not only that, but I’ve fallen in love with drawing in way that makes my heart very happy. It’s rare to meet a teacher that is at once professional and warm and inspirational and motivational and technically sound. Dawood is that man. Any school or company of any kind would be a better place with Dawood on staff. I can’t recommend him any higher.
Best,
Paula ManginOwner/Partner Boyce::Mangin________________________________
August 23, 2011
I recently took a drawing tool box class from Dawood at the Sharon Art Studio located in San Francisco ’s Golden Gate Park . There were several aspects in Dawood’s approach to teaching the class that stood out and had a serious impact on me and how I viewed art and drawing. The first and most important had to be about not judging our own work and how we should accept our mistakes as part of the learning process. This is probably the hardest hurdle to get over. The other key element to the class that had an impact on me was how we truly got a view into the drawing toolbox. We tried several different techniques and learned how to work with a wide variety of tools. It must be very difficult to find another class that touches on such a wide breadth of experience in a manner that’s helpful. Finally, I felt that Dawood’s balanced approach of demonstrations, drawing assignments, class interaction, and discussion created a better atmosphere for learning. I am registered for at least one more class with him and anticipate that I’ll be taking more.
Scott MorrisseyIndustrial Light & Magic
Project Manager – Global Pipeline San Francisco , CA
________________________________
Sep 13, 2011
I consider myself very lucky to have found Dawood Marion as a Drawing Instructor.
A beginner when I met him, he took me a long way, with a wonderful creative approach, tons of positive energy, patience and skills! I have practiced Clothed figure and Reportage drawing with him and every lesson has made a true difference in my skill level, to my own surprise.Also, each class is a highly enjoyable overall creative process, where we got to learn many different ways and mediums to create interesting drawings.Dawood is also a prolific artist. As a student, I love to be exposed to the contemporary art scene through engaging with him.
Finally, he is funny, passionate and supportive.
I studied with a few instructors before meeting Dawood, but he is the first one who truly took my drawing to the next level. I highly recommend this wonderful experience with such a talented Instructor!
CHLOE LA BARE
Advanced Licensed Massage Therapist
www.chloelabare.com
________________________________
March 25, 2011
To Whom It May Concern
This is my 5th year at EOSA and for the first time, I see evidence that this is a school of arts. The evidence of student's art at EOSA this year is beautiful and overwhelming. It's truly amazing to see their imagination and talent reflected in the masks, drawings and sculptures that they have created. But all that talent and skill can only be extracted by dedicated nurture and rigorous instruction that you and Ms.
Lewis provide. I know that in the beginning your task at EOSA was a little challenging, but you both persisted and persevered in your unrelenting task to bring out their artistic talent in each and everyone of your students. I'm sure that everyone who sees this amazing transformation shares my opinion.
Thank you for all you love and dedication to our students.
Hilda L. Ortiz
Office Manager
________________________________
January 10, 2010
I have been lucky to participate in 4 drawing workshops with Dawood Marion at the Sharon Art Studio in the past 2 years. They were about building confidence in drawing and drawing people. When I met with Dawood the first time, he came at the live model session I was participating in one evening. The rest of us were quietly seating on their chairs or in front of their easel, but Dawood put his stuff on the floor right between me and the model, and started to draw/paint with impressive talent and an amazing energy that became rapidly contagious. Shortly after, I registered for his workshops and they turned out to be exactly what I was looking for: long day sessions of hard working, concentrating, learning, and being inspired by an amazingly enthusiastic and talented instructor. I liked particularly that Dawood share his sketchbooks with us, giving us an opportunity to see art in progress and “de-dramatize” the creative process, rendering it concrete and possible. He also carried a huge suitcase full of books and encouraged us to read books, and get “filled with nice things” to then find/mature our own style. He clearly encouraged me/us to go out of our comfort zone when drawing, and it helped me a great deal in my creative process, where I felt kind of stuck. I was so impressed I took my 11-year old daughter for a workshop with him and she liked it as much as I did. I think Dawood is an extremely inspiring instructor, and on top of it a very fun and nice person (who knows how to draw with his feet and make the demonstration on site?!). So it is my great pleasure to highly recommend him as an instructor, for all ages and all levels.
Dorothee Chabas
________________________________
August 31, 2010
To whom this may concern:
This is a letter of reference on behalf of Dawood Marion. Mr. Marion worked with Science for Youth (SCI-FY) this summer as an instructor in which he provided daily lessons for middle school students between the 6th and 8th grade. He taught a class in the Computer Science Building at UC Berkeley that focused on concept art, storyboarding and kitbashing (conceptual model making). Mr. Marion was able to inspire students to understand the connection between the visual arts, digital arts and technology. The students produced projects and artifacts, and they also further developed their communication and teamwork skills.
Mr. Marion displayed commitment and a regard for the well-being of the students. He was flexible and able to interact on a professional level with parents, staff and other members of the SCI-FY community. I believe Dawood Marion has a lot to offer students in terms of his experience, ability to connect with students and his creativity in the way he facilitates learning experiences for students.
Regards,
Dr. Chris Harrison
SCI-FY Program Coordinator ________________________________
August 22, 2010
“Dawood taught concept development to middle school students during a two- week computing outreach summer institute called BFOIT. He had them come up with a story for a short animation, make storyboards, and do kitbashing, where they take unused household items and glue them together to make a set, spaceship, robot, etc. He did such an outstanding job with our students, I immediately asked him to be a guest speaker in my Advanced Digital Animation class at UC Berkeley!”
Dan Garcia
Lecturer SOE (tenured) at UC Berkeley
]________________________________
June 17, 2010
"The expertise in Dawood's portfolio of artwork stood out uniquely among hundreds of applications - to storyboard the short film for animation "Hcrenall". His execution of the storyboards for the film was not only extraordinarily imaginative, his approach to conceptualizing this very challenging piece of animation was original; yet, his drawings were unfailingly 'to the point'.
He pleasantly presented the storyboards on time and within the budget. Working with him, scriptwriter -to - artist, was a very gratifying, painless experience. Dawood's artwork technically enhanced the storytelling at a glance. He is a
master craftsman."
Penelope Hart
________________________________
May 6, 2010
To whom it may concern:
Dawood Marion has taught my son, Gull Schneider, drawing techniques for the last five months.
My son, Gull, has great talent in drawing and painting, but lacks knowledge of the techniques. He also suffers from learning disabilities. In the encounters between Dawood and my son, Dawood has shown a tremendous amount of patience and given much positive reinforcement that has helped Gull develop both his artistic skills and his confidence in those skills. Though Gull is still developing his skills, Dawood's tutelage has helped him show great improvement.
Blessings,
Meir Schneider PhD, LMT
School for Self Healing
2218 48th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94116
www.self-healing.org
________________________________________
May 2009
To Whom it May Concern,
For over a year, Dawood Marion has been offering drawing and mixed‐media classes and workshops at the Sharon Art Studio to great success and anticipation. As a large community art center, it is important to us that our teachers both inspire and are accessible to a broad audience of art students. He has shown his teaching versatility by having catered to both youth and adults, in long‐term class format as well as one‐day workshops.
Dawood’s artwork is extremely accomplished, yet approachable. His energy in class is contagious. We require that all students of contractual instructors fill out class evaluations end of session, and Dawood’s have held constant praise for his ability and teaching style. It is partially due to this affirmative response that we keep inviting Dawood back to continue his teaching at the Sharon Art Studio. His adult Reportage Drawing workshop has been particularly successful for us, and it quickly meets its maximum enrollment. I look forward to holding more of Dawood’s workshops and classes at the Sharon Art Studio in the future, and feel confident his student following will only increase. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Lani Rovzar
Executive Director Sharon Art Studio
________________________________
August 1, 2008
"Dawood is an incredibly talented Illustrator and artist. We worked together on a number of projects related to consumer electronics product design and new client proposals. His work on the product and packaging concept illustrations were incredible and really captured the essence of the product and the intended marketing direction. I recommend Dawood without reservation and encourage any business client or agency to consider his work on your most important and high profile projects. You will be amazed by the strength of his creative input, ideas and results."
Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative
Robert Cullinan
Magnadyne Automotive Electronics
________________________________
April 21, 2008
Dawood was hired for a four-month contract Artist position in January, 2008. During that time, he worked with both an internal and external team of artists for a Sherlock Holmes-based video game that we were developing. Dawood was asked to create and modify a variety of art assets for the game. During Dawood’s time here at Legacy, I was consistently impressed with his artistic skills, creativity and work ethic. Many of the art assets that Dawood modified and touched up were photo-realistic 3D renderings. Files had a very specific naming convention that had to be adhered to, and Dawood was able to follow the guidelines well. Dawood also beautifully illustrated many “flashback” scenes for each of the 16 cases in the game. Dawood was very proficient at incorporating feedback into his work in a timely manner.
As is often the case in the video games business, extra time is required from the development team during "crunch" mode. Dawood diligently put in extra time as necessary to help meet our deadlines. He worked well with all the other team members, and I find him very personable.
To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Dawood Marion. If I can be of any further assistance, or provide you with any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely, 
Craig Brannon, Ph.D.
Director of Development Legacy Interactive
________________________________
May 5, 2008
Production Artist Legacy Interactive "Dawood is a very talented 2D artist. He works quickly and produces high quality graphics. He is very dedicated to his art and I believe he will continue to reach higher levels through his hard work."
Lindsay Mathers
Production Artist Legacy Interactive
_______________________________
June 26, 2008
Freelance Conceptual Illustrator Parero Design Group "Dawood is always a pleasure to work with. His illustrative ability, both traditional and digital, is excellent. While working on behalf of Parero Design Group, Dawood has been able to capture the conceptual vision of the projects he has worked on with minimal supervision. His timliness, attention to detail and the unique touches he offers in each illustration, make him a valuable asset to any agency's team." 
Dominic Parero
CEO Parero Design Group
_______________________________
July 3, 2008
“Hired Dawood for conceptual drawings. He's a true artist -- talented, creative, and resourceful. Looking forward to an opportunity to work with him again.
Nathalene Parero
Co - Founder Parero Design Group
(hired more than once)
_______________________________
Before Christmas I took a couple of drawing classes with Dawood Marion at the Sharon Art Studio in San Francisco’s Golden Gate park. If you ever have the chance of taking one of his classes you should – he is a very energetic teacher. His instructions are geared towards drawing in public without worrying too much about the outcome. Your scenery might change constantly but what the hell – just have a good time putting your point of view on paper! People walk and don’t pose, buses start moving while you draw a street view out of their windows and all of that without advance notice. Despite or probably because of that the drawings that emerge often have a very fresh and lively feel!
OliverVisual Artist/Urban Sketcher
________________________________January 9, 2008
“I’d like to recommend Dawood Marion with my highest regard. He has shown his advanced skills and enthusiasm in the my Gnomon Production Design Class. His work has become personal and he has a fantastic work ethic. As a teacher, you hope for students with excitement and curiosity... and Dawood had all of that and a lot more. I felt because of his unique background and his intelligence that he could become a major contributor to the entertainment industry. Throughout out this past year, Dawood has consistently surprised me with the concept art he has been coming up with. His artistic growth has been staggering. I'm sure any studio would benefit from having Dawood on there team. I picture Dawood heading his own studio some day... with his unique stamp on every frame of film that is produced. I think he has great potential to do anything he chooses.”
John Mahoney
Production Design
Professor at Cal Arts /Lucas Films/ Gnomon School of Visual Effects
_________________________________
July 24, 2008
To whom it may concern:
My name is Crescent McGlone and I am the Creative Performing Arts Advocate at Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS). I hire artists to work in our in-school arts program called ENRICHMENT. I hired Dawood to teach art and he was a dynamic teacher! His work ethics are outstanding. I could always count on him to be on time and ready to teach before the students actually came into the classroom. He works very well with students, listening to them, talking with them, inspiring them and guiding them through learning from his love of artistic skills and expression. I plan to re-hire him as often as possible.
Thank you,
Crescent McGlone
Culture and Language Academy of Success
www.cultureandlanguage.org
Aila Malik
October 2015
Dawood
Thank you for an experience in the learning and enjoyment of the art of drawing in your Toolbox workshop. The Toolbox workshop gave me confidence to draw without second guessing my strokes and lines.
Your love of teaching made the class so enjoyable, and to top that off I learned so many techniques to help me draw with confidence.
Thank you again
_____________________________________________
June 14, 2013
Mr. D
We appreciate you and all you've taught Na'eem. He has grown artistically since being in your class. When we learned that you were going to teach at OSA, we googled your work. My mom, Na'eem and I were blown away. Your drawings capture the essence of people in a way I haven't seen. Na'eem has the same gift so I am truly thankful that you have been his teacher. I hope there is a way you can teach with Na'eem again.
Na'eema Townes
_____________________________________________
January 24, 2013
To whom it may concern:I am writing this letter to recommend Mr. Dawood Marion as an arts instructor. I first met Mr. Marion while he was working for Friends of Sharon Art Studio as a drawing instructor. He has been an instructor at the Studio since 2008, and during that time, he has taught adult and youth drawing and painting classes including a class entitled, “Drawing Tool Box.”
Comments from students follow:He is also passionate about his work as an instructor and artist. He brings the highest level of artistic standard to the classroom, and seeks to introduce students to a wide breadth and depth of techniques and tools. Most importantly, he is a skillful artist himself, inspired and inspiring and this affection for art making is translated to his teaching. Based on largely favorable class evaluations, students found Mr. Marion to be an effective and informative instructor. Comments by students follow:He knows his stuff and is effective in his demonstration of techniques.He genuinely cares for his students and despite his mastery of drawing, he still his able to pass along his knowledge and instill self-confidence in his students. I would not know how to improve it (his class).Engaging teacher.Was very open with his techniques and tips.I’m totally confident that Mr. Sekhem could prove to be a valuable asset to any arts teaching program. Please feel free to contact me if you need additional information.
Kind Regards,
Lisa Sullivan
Executive Director
_____________________________________________
August 2012
Drawings of Random People vol. 1 by Dawood Marion is one of those art books you can just sit and look through with pure delight for hours and hours of inspiration and enjoyment. It is packed full of wonderful drawings of the people Dawood encounters in public places and these drawings seem to come alive off the page with every visible line, squiggle and smudge. This is an 8x10" high quality book with 80 full-page drawings...every single one of them in Dawood's signature contemporary style. You won't be disappointed if you purchase this book!
Lisa Graham
Artist
_____________________________________________
August 8, 2012
I am writing this recommendation for Dawood Marion, an exceptional art teacher who really teaches self expression through art. Mr. Marion brings out the style and expression of the individual student and gives them confidence and permission to expand on their style and express themselves. For the past three years he has been teaching my 97 year old mother drawing and painting. This is not her first art class, but it has been her most enjoyable and most prolific. In each class she is focused and learns something new. She chooses her subjects and Dawood guides her through the actual expression. She then feels confident enough to draw or paint more between classes. Mr. Marion instills that confidence and know-how.
_____________________________________________
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
I have known Mr. Dawood Marion for some thirteen years or so, now. He has always been an extraordinarily good artist. Here recently, I have had the profound pleasure of observing his growth in a variety of aspects. I have also had the pleasure of working with him on personal projects. His sense of work ethic is as beyond phenomenal as it is contagious. Working with Dawood has had a positive effect on me in many ways.
First of all, Dawood is one of the most dedicated people I have ever known. He evokes inspiration from an abstract point of view, only to resurface the information with a connectedness which speaks volumes. One is able to truly notice that art is a significant part of his life. He is quite the professional, and his work expresses as much, if not more.
Another thing I have found unique about Dawood involves his artistic perception. While doing work with him on personal projects, I found many of his ideas and suggestions creatively invaluable. The work he presented for the cover of my poetry book gave the project a new life, and I am forever grateful. I continue to have a sincere respect for his judgment and his art. My respect is further extended to him a person, because he is consistent with his work throughout the community and as an exceptional art instructor.
Sincerely,
Vonice Berry
Author/Poet
_____________________________________________
August 6, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ms. Joan Tarika Lewis. I am a contract specialist instructor within the Oakland Unified School District. I teach both visual and performing arts. This is a letter of recommendation for Mr. Dawood Marion whom I have had the pleasure of working with for the past five years. We worked at Explorer Middle School and East Oakland School of the Arts.
Mr. Dawood Marion is an accomplished professional visual artist and excellent instructor. He has a thorough knowledge of basic to advance illustration technique, including portrait, contour, perspective, animation and figure drawing. He also works in 3D projects and scale modeling. Mr. Marion is also an accomplished photographer and film maker. Classroom management and discipline is one of Mr. Marion’s specialties. Mr. Marion motivates students to focus their attention on project at hand and getting full class time instruction. Mr. Marion’s curriculum design inspired students to customize their own business products and market their art to their communities. Students produced figurative drawings, clay models, self portraits and a very impressive 4’ X 4’ Aztec Temple.Mr. Marion worked upon curriculum development with a group of visual artist for HueXArts and East Oakland School of the Arts where we participated on the same team. He contributed his expertise and proficiency with photo editing, animation software.Mr. Marion is an instructor you want on your team. He will commit to excellence, discipline, presentation, expertise and play an important role in modern art education.
Sincerely
Joan Tarika
_____________________________________________
August 5, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
I had the privilege of taking the Reportage Drawing: Drawing in the Park class at Sharon Art Studio with Dawood Marion last summer. Even though I came to the class already with a background in drawing, I definitely learned a lot of new tricks and techniques! Dawood emphasized having confidence in each line and shape you draw. He loved teaching his two favorite methods: contour and blind contour. I especially remember on the first class, he advised against using what some of my previous drawing teachers have called "chicken scratch", drawing the same line over and over to try to get it right. He said, "You wouldn't write your signature over and over, now would you? You write it once and you're done with it!" That statement made a big impact on my drawing style. I started to sketch my own hands using the contour method, something that Dawood recommended we do every day; and this led into more frequent sketching and on-the-spot (Reportage) pictures. I think it is safe to say that I got a more practiced and experienced hand after taking his class. What made it all the more fun, enjoyable and rewarding was Dawood's great personality: he is so enthusiastic and encouraging to everyone, and you can talk candidly to him about art or your own life. I would recommend anyone young or old, new to drawing or an experienced professional, to come and take his class soon!
Sincerely,
Talia Frank
College Student
_____________________________________________
March 19, 2012
To Whom It May Concern
I am writing with an enthusiastic recommedation of Dawood Marion as an art instructor for people of all ages. Over the last four years Dawood has offered a variety of art classes at the Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate Park. He is on of our most popular teachers and his reviews are almost universally positive. We have been fortunate to have Dawood bring a style of teaching and a type of course content that adds breadth to our core drawing courses. He is a valued member of our staff at the date of this writing.
Dawood's Reportage Drawing workshops are some of the most consistently popular and sought after courses in our studio. This series of workshops includes Reportage Drawing, Drawing in the Park, Building Confidence, and Drawing People. Dawood has many dedicated returning students, but also continues to attract new students every session. These classes focus on helping people to loosen up, lose their inhibition, and draw what they see in a quick and free style. While Dawood has done a variety of courses here, this concept of letting go of inhibition is at the center of his teaching philosophy and practice, and student after student has attested to his skill at helping them do just that.
Additional popular and successful courses that Dawood has taught here include Clothed Figure Drawing, Drawing Toolbox, and a drawing class for teens. Dawood is so well-liked by our students and staff that recently when our core Life Drawing instructor stepped down from her position teaching night Life Drawing class (which has been running for decades), we asked Dawood to step in to take her place.
In addition to his wonderful artistic talent and his skill as a teacher, Dawood is a very friendly guy, is easy to talk to, and is receptive to feedback whenever there is something about his classes or other actions that needs to be corrected. Multiple times when there have been issues with particular students or classes, Dawood has gone our of his way to solve the problems and make sure that both students and our organization are happy and feel well-treated.
Sincerely,
Ben Shockey
Executive Director
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September 14, 2011
I’ve been taking drawing classes on and off for the past 10 years, and by far the most inspirational and exceptional teacher I have studied with is Dawood Marion. I felt stuck and insecure and even a bit tired of my work and the process. That all changed dramatically once I took my first class with Dawood. He helped me relax and enjoy the simple act of seeing and recording what I saw. He got me to lose the crutch and shackle of a pencil for the liberation of a simple Ballpoint Pen. And he made me more comfortable and confident to draw in public, to trust what I saw, and to trust that I could draw. His own work, which is so beautiful and real, served as a beacon of what I could only hope to become. I’ve taken about a dozen of his classes, and my work has improved 1000%. Not only that, but I’ve fallen in love with drawing in way that makes my heart very happy. It’s rare to meet a teacher that is at once professional and warm and inspirational and motivational and technically sound. Dawood is that man. Any school or company of any kind would be a better place with Dawood on staff. I can’t recommend him any higher.
Best,
Paula Mangin
Owner/Partner Boyce::Mangin
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August 23, 2011
I recently took a drawing tool box class from Dawood at the Sharon Art Studio located in San Francisco ’s Golden Gate Park . There were several aspects in Dawood’s approach to teaching the class that stood out and had a serious impact on me and how I viewed art and drawing. The first and most important had to be about not judging our own work and how we should accept our mistakes as part of the learning process. This is probably the hardest hurdle to get over. The other key element to the class that had an impact on me was how we truly got a view into the drawing toolbox. We tried several different techniques and learned how to work with a wide variety of tools. It must be very difficult to find another class that touches on such a wide breadth of experience in a manner that’s helpful. Finally, I felt that Dawood’s balanced approach of demonstrations, drawing assignments, class interaction, and discussion created a better atmosphere for learning. I am registered for at least one more class with him and anticipate that I’ll be taking more.
Scott Morrissey
Industrial Light & Magic
Project Manager – Global Pipeline San Francisco , CA
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Project Manager – Global Pipeline San Francisco , CA
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Sep 13, 2011
I consider myself very lucky to have found Dawood Marion as a Drawing Instructor.
A beginner when I met him, he took me a long way, with a wonderful creative approach, tons of positive energy, patience and skills! I have practiced Clothed figure and Reportage drawing with him and every lesson has made a true difference in my skill level, to my own surprise.Also, each class is a highly enjoyable overall creative process, where we got to learn many different ways and mediums to create interesting drawings.Dawood is also a prolific artist. As a student, I love to be exposed to the contemporary art scene through engaging with him.
Finally, he is funny, passionate and supportive.
I studied with a few instructors before meeting Dawood, but he is the first one who truly took my drawing to the next level. I highly recommend this wonderful experience with such a talented Instructor!
CHLOE LA BARE
Advanced Licensed Massage Therapist
www.chloelabare.com
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Advanced Licensed Massage Therapist
www.chloelabare.com
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March 25, 2011
To Whom It May Concern
This is my 5th year at EOSA and for the first time, I see evidence that this is a school of arts. The evidence of student's art at EOSA this year is beautiful and overwhelming. It's truly amazing to see their imagination and talent reflected in the masks, drawings and sculptures that they have created. But all that talent and skill can only be extracted by dedicated nurture and rigorous instruction that you and Ms.
Lewis provide. I know that in the beginning your task at EOSA was a little challenging, but you both persisted and persevered in your unrelenting task to bring out their artistic talent in each and everyone of your students. I'm sure that everyone who sees this amazing transformation shares my opinion.
Thank you for all you love and dedication to our students.
Hilda L. Ortiz
Office Manager
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January 10, 2010
I have been lucky to participate in 4 drawing workshops with Dawood Marion at the Sharon Art Studio in the past 2 years. They were about building confidence in drawing and drawing people. When I met with Dawood the first time, he came at the live model session I was participating in one evening. The rest of us were quietly seating on their chairs or in front of their easel, but Dawood put his stuff on the floor right between me and the model, and started to draw/paint with impressive talent and an amazing energy that became rapidly contagious. Shortly after, I registered for his workshops and they turned out to be exactly what I was looking for: long day sessions of hard working, concentrating, learning, and being inspired by an amazingly enthusiastic and talented instructor. I liked particularly that Dawood share his sketchbooks with us, giving us an opportunity to see art in progress and “de-dramatize” the creative process, rendering it concrete and possible. He also carried a huge suitcase full of books and encouraged us to read books, and get “filled with nice things” to then find/mature our own style. He clearly encouraged me/us to go out of our comfort zone when drawing, and it helped me a great deal in my creative process, where I felt kind of stuck. I was so impressed I took my 11-year old daughter for a workshop with him and she liked it as much as I did. I think Dawood is an extremely inspiring instructor, and on top of it a very fun and nice person (who knows how to draw with his feet and make the demonstration on site?!). So it is my great pleasure to highly recommend him as an instructor, for all ages and all levels.
Dorothee Chabas
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August 31, 2010
To whom this may concern:
This is a letter of reference on behalf of Dawood Marion. Mr. Marion worked with Science for Youth (SCI-FY) this summer as an instructor in which he provided daily lessons for middle school students between the 6th and 8th grade. He taught a class in the Computer Science Building at UC Berkeley that focused on concept art, storyboarding and kitbashing (conceptual model making). Mr. Marion was able to inspire students to understand the connection between the visual arts, digital arts and technology. The students produced projects and artifacts, and they also further developed their communication and teamwork skills.
Mr. Marion displayed commitment and a regard for the well-being of the students. He was flexible and able to interact on a professional level with parents, staff and other members of the SCI-FY community. I believe Dawood Marion has a lot to offer students in terms of his experience, ability to connect with students and his creativity in the way he facilitates learning experiences for students.
Regards,
Dr. Chris Harrison
SCI-FY Program Coordinator
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August 22, 2010
“Dawood taught concept development to middle school students during a two- week computing outreach summer institute called BFOIT. He had them come up with a story for a short animation, make storyboards, and do kitbashing, where they take unused household items and glue them together to make a set, spaceship, robot, etc. He did such an outstanding job with our students, I immediately asked him to be a guest speaker in my Advanced Digital Animation class at UC Berkeley!”
Dan Garcia
Lecturer SOE (tenured) at UC Berkeley
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June 17, 2010
"The expertise in Dawood's portfolio of artwork stood out uniquely among hundreds of applications - to storyboard the short film for animation "Hcrenall". His execution of the storyboards for the film was not only extraordinarily imaginative, his approach to conceptualizing this very challenging piece of animation was original; yet, his drawings were unfailingly 'to the point'.
He pleasantly presented the storyboards on time and within the budget. Working with him, scriptwriter -to - artist, was a very gratifying, painless experience. Dawood's artwork technically enhanced the storytelling at a glance. He is a
master craftsman."
Penelope Hart
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May 6, 2010
To whom it may concern:
Dawood Marion has taught my son, Gull Schneider, drawing techniques for the last five months.
My son, Gull, has great talent in drawing and painting, but lacks knowledge of the techniques. He also suffers from learning disabilities. In the encounters between Dawood and my son, Dawood has shown a tremendous amount of patience and given much positive reinforcement that has helped Gull develop both his artistic skills and his confidence in those skills. Though Gull is still developing his skills, Dawood's tutelage has helped him show great improvement.
Blessings,
School for Self Healing
2218 48th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94116
www.self-healing.org
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May 2009
To Whom it May Concern,
For over a year, Dawood Marion has been offering drawing and mixed‐media classes and workshops at the Sharon Art Studio to great success and anticipation. As a large community art center, it is important to us that our teachers both inspire and are accessible to a broad audience of art students. He has shown his teaching versatility by having catered to both youth and adults, in long‐term class format as well as one‐day workshops.
Dawood’s artwork is extremely accomplished, yet approachable. His energy in class is contagious. We require that all students of contractual instructors fill out class evaluations end of session, and Dawood’s have held constant praise for his ability and teaching style. It is partially due to this affirmative response that we keep inviting Dawood back to continue his teaching at the Sharon Art Studio. His adult Reportage Drawing workshop has been particularly successful for us, and it quickly meets its maximum enrollment. I look forward to holding more of Dawood’s workshops and classes at the Sharon Art Studio in the future, and feel confident his student following will only increase. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Executive Director Sharon Art Studio
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August 1, 2008
"Dawood is an incredibly talented Illustrator and artist. We worked together on a number of projects related to consumer electronics product design and new client proposals. His work on the product and packaging concept illustrations were incredible and really captured the essence of the product and the intended marketing direction. I recommend Dawood without reservation and encourage any business client or agency to consider his work on your most important and high profile projects. You will be amazed by the strength of his creative input, ideas and results."
Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative
Robert Cullinan
Magnadyne Automotive Electronics
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Magnadyne Automotive Electronics
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April 21, 2008
Dawood was hired for a four-month contract Artist position in January, 2008. During that time, he worked with both an internal and external team of artists for a Sherlock Holmes-based video game that we were developing. Dawood was asked to create and modify a variety of art assets for the game. During Dawood’s time here at Legacy, I was consistently impressed with his artistic skills, creativity and work ethic. Many of the art assets that Dawood modified and touched up were photo-realistic 3D renderings. Files had a very specific naming convention that had to be adhered to, and Dawood was able to follow the guidelines well. Dawood also beautifully illustrated many “flashback” scenes for each of the 16 cases in the game. Dawood was very proficient at incorporating feedback into his work in a timely manner.
As is often the case in the video games business, extra time is required from the development team during "crunch" mode. Dawood diligently put in extra time as necessary to help meet our deadlines. He worked well with all the other team members, and I find him very personable.
To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Dawood Marion. If I can be of any further assistance, or provide you with any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Director of Development Legacy Interactive
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May 5, 2008
Production Artist Legacy Interactive "Dawood is a very talented 2D artist. He works quickly and produces high quality graphics. He is very dedicated to his art and I believe he will continue to reach higher levels through his hard work."
Lindsay Mathers
Production Artist Legacy Interactive
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June 26, 2008
Freelance Conceptual Illustrator Parero Design Group "Dawood is always a pleasure to work with. His illustrative ability, both traditional and digital, is excellent. While working on behalf of Parero Design Group, Dawood has been able to capture the conceptual vision of the projects he has worked on with minimal supervision. His timliness, attention to detail and the unique touches he offers in each illustration, make him a valuable asset to any agency's team."
CEO Parero Design Group
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July 3, 2008
“Hired Dawood for conceptual drawings. He's a true artist -- talented, creative, and resourceful. Looking forward to an opportunity to work with him again.
Nathalene Parero
Co - Founder Parero Design Group
(hired more than once)
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Before Christmas I took a couple of drawing classes with Dawood Marion at the Sharon Art Studio in San Francisco’s Golden Gate park. If you ever have the chance of taking one of his classes you should – he is a very energetic teacher. His instructions are geared towards drawing in public without worrying too much about the outcome. Your scenery might change constantly but what the hell – just have a good time putting your point of view on paper! People walk and don’t pose, buses start moving while you draw a street view out of their windows and all of that without advance notice. Despite or probably because of that the drawings that emerge often have a very fresh and lively feel!
Oliver
Visual Artist/Urban Sketcher
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January 9, 2008
“I’d like to recommend Dawood Marion with my highest regard. He has shown his advanced skills and enthusiasm in the my Gnomon Production Design Class. His work has become personal and he has a fantastic work ethic. As a teacher, you hope for students with excitement and curiosity... and Dawood had all of that and a lot more. I felt because of his unique background and his intelligence that he could become a major contributor to the entertainment industry. Throughout out this past year, Dawood has consistently surprised me with the concept art he has been coming up with. His artistic growth has been staggering. I'm sure any studio would benefit from having Dawood on there team. I picture Dawood heading his own studio some day... with his unique stamp on every frame of film that is produced. I think he has great potential to do anything he chooses.”
John Mahoney
Production Design
Professor at Cal Arts /Lucas Films/ Gnomon School of Visual Effects
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July 24, 2008
To whom it may concern:
My name is Crescent McGlone and I am the Creative Performing Arts Advocate at Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS). I hire artists to work in our in-school arts program called ENRICHMENT. I hired Dawood to teach art and he was a dynamic teacher! His work ethics are outstanding. I could always count on him to be on time and ready to teach before the students actually came into the classroom. He works very well with students, listening to them, talking with them, inspiring them and guiding them through learning from his love of artistic skills and expression. I plan to re-hire him as often as possible.
Thank you,
Crescent McGlone
Culture and Language Academy of Success
www.cultureandlanguage.org
