“ Design is design is design.”
Annette Ribeiro
“ Annette advocated for me in every part of my life. She is the queen. ”
~ Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Alum
Annette’s love for design and design thinking began at an early age. A Bay Area native, Annette became fascinated with sewing, weaving, leather craft and needle work in 4H Club. After high school she attended the Norra Latins Gymnasium in Stockholm, Sweden where she studied costuming and design with her art history teacher and textile arts with her Swedish Mother Gethy. She continued her studies at UC Berkeley, earning an undergraduate degree in Architecture and Design, then pursued her passion by working for Julie Weston as her first production manager at the much-loved SF fashion label Weston Wear.
Annette began volunteering at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in 2007, connecting her passions for designing and working with students. She created concert wear for all of the students in the Vocal Department: ordering outfits and purchasing fabrics, then measuring, altering and adding fun finishing touches.
By 2012, Annette was an Artist in Residence, charged with developing the costume team as part of the Technical Theatre Department. Annette’s students created hundreds of original pieces for Musical Theatre and Theatre productions, the Annual Fashion Shows, and for an incalculable number of performances for all of the arts departments at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. Memorable productions include: The Producers, 42nd Street, Spam-a-Lot, The Music Man, Pink Floyd The Wall, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Young Frankenstein (award winning!), Legally Blonde, The Addams Family, Sweeney Todd, The Madwoman of Chaillot, Euridice, Tartuffe and A Chorus Line.
Annette’s inspiration: “The beauty was starting with a blank slate – first developing concepts, sketching, measuring, sewing, painting and bedazzling. Students worked as a team, to develop a budget, get creative, reusing and recycling materials. Not only did my students develop their own skill set but they were providing a service for others. While designing and fabricating costumes for other students to wear on stage, at professional level quality, they became the facilitator enhancing others’ creativity.”
“I Love Teaching & Love My Kids”
Of her time at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, she is most proud of helping students find their path. 90% of the students she taught continued on to some sort of design in university and in the top of their class! The other 10% went into high STEAM fields that require high level design thinking — putting “design methodology” into practice.
Annette is currently part of the team at the Gregangelo Museum. She is still mentoring students in costuming and design, but now making some time for self creativity. She is involved in production, designing mosaics, experimenting with stained glass, working with copper and helping other artists.
“ Ms. Annette Ribeiro has been inspirational and has instilled a hard work ethic in my child, who looks forward to their art block everyday. My child learned to work hard as creative member of the theater tech family, knowing first hand that the whole team must work together closely and depend on one another to make a show seamless. Ms. Ribiero is very respected by her students and the work they produce for every show that requires costumes is breathtaking. Amazing to see how these art and design skills are put to use for meaningful purpose while opening the doors for a viable career choices. “
~ Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Parent