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Ada Michele Gregory earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art from Virginia Wesleyan College. As an Art Education student, she studied under a number of highly respected local artists and professors including the well-known painters Barclay Sheaks and Ken Bowen, graphic artist Sharon Swift, master potter Phillip Guilfoyle, and art historian Dr. Joyce Howell.
In the summer of 2002, Ada was asked to work on a grant-awarded project to benefit art education with Professor Sharon Swift. Together they organized, wrote, evaluated, and created visual aids and several digital presentations relating to art elements and criticism. The presentations were to be used in conjunction with lessons and as a resource guide for beginning-level, college art students.
One of Ada's photographs was featured on the cover of Virginia Wesleyan College’s Spring 2002 Academic Catalog. Notably, she was presented with the Outstanding Creative Achievements in Art Award in December of 2002. This award was presented, not only for her talents in photography, but also as an accomplished artist in drawing, painting and printmaking.
Ada began experimenting with color and shape as a small child. Her interest in art, over the years, has become a passion. Her artistic skills were first “officially” recognized by her Elementary School Art teacher who enrolled her in an advanced art program at a school for the gifted and talented. As stated bythe artist herself, “Art isn’t something I want to do; it is something I have to do.”
In 1995, under her previous name Ada Michele Johnson, a life-size pastel self-portrait, showing her swinging from the moon in a leopard costume, was entered into the first Art Show at The Visual Arts Center in Old Town Portsmouth, VA. While no award was presented for this, it was largely featured and praised in the April 30, 1995 edition of the Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star Newspaper. The self-portrait was entitled “The Goddess Diana”.
Ada returned to college a few years later as an adult with the intention of becoming an art educator, but approaching graduation, a change of heart led her down a very different path: Commercial Photography.
For the last 5 years, she has worked as the studio artist and photographer’s assistant for a highly regarded commercial photographer. At the studio, her main responsibility quickly became the handling of all photographic post production work as well as composite designs. Her talent as a digital artist enhanced the final product, and Ada's part of the process, in its whole, was integral. The photographer and she held an extremely high standard of excellence in their finished product and customer relations. This is an ethic which Ada continues to strongly embrace in her own business.
While at the Commercial Photography studio, she worked collaboratively on award-winning publications and marketing projects for a major local health system encompassing several hospitals, emergency care facilities, family practices, wellness centers, and retirement homes. Her work, done for this client and others, have been featured on an array of marketing media ranging from brochures and newspaper ads to quarterly magazines and billboards.
Other client accounts included political figures and major institutions including historical museums, colleges, universities, banking systems and government agencies. A wide variety of wholesale and retail catalogue work, for both printed media and websites, have been included in the studio’s clientele.
In March of 2008, Ada Michele decided it was time to step out of the shadows and pursue her dream of making it on her own as an independent visual artist. With unwavering confidence and constant perseverance, a talent and intellect which I am proud to speak for, and the help and support of her family and friends, Creative Control Studio, LLC came to be.
~ Victoria Bonenfant
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