KENNESAW, Ga. | May 28, 2025

Penrod's Artistic Path from Kennesaw State University to Emmy-Nominated Projects

Rian Penrod, an alumnus of Kennesaw State University’s School of Art and Design (SOAAD), has achieved significant success in Atlanta’s vibrant creative scene. Now working for Marvel Studios, Penrod has transformed his talents into a thriving career, exemplifying the creative spirit that SOAAD instills in its students. 

While studying as an undergraduate at KSU, Penrod’s artistry was full of potential, waiting for the creative spark to ignite his journey.

“I knew I wanted to pursue an artistic career, but I wasn’t sure where exactly,” Penrod said. “While deciding on a field, I focused on fundamental classes.” Through these classes, he discovered environmental art, a field that perfectly combined his interests in film, painting, and comics. He credits professors Sandee Bradford and Joseph Remillard for guiding him toward this discovery. He elaborates, “Remillard fostered my love for backgrounds and attention to detail.

Sandee helped prepare me for the animation field and showed me how many job titles there were within animation alone.” Now, as a KSU alumnus, Penrod has established a career in environmental art. After graduating from KSU, Penrod began his career as a background artist at Bento Box Entertainment in Atlanta, working on projects for Netflix and Apple TV+. In 2021, he joined Marvel Animation, where he continues to work today. “The team is incredible, and it's super inspiring to see their work every day,” Penrod said about his experience at Marvel.

As an artist for one of the world’s leading storytelling organizations, Penrod has contributed to numerous distinguished projects at Marvel Studios. His background painting in "X-Men ‘97," particularly the episode "Remember It," was nominated for an Emmy in 2024 for Best Animated Program of the Year—one of only three Emmy nominations Marvel received that year.

Penrod has also worked on background art for shows such as "Wolf Boy and the Everything Factory," "Hoops," "Paradise PD," "Central Park," and the "Utopia" episode titled "Respect Your Purpose."

Penrod’s talents and dedication have propelled him from his beginnings at KSU to a prominent position in the entertainment industry, where he continues to hone his skills. He is excited for audiences to see what he and his team at Marvel Studios are currently working on. For aspiring artists, Penrod advises, “Be open to trying a lot of things until you find something that works for you. Focus on really learning the fundamentals because no matter what industry you end up in, they will be useful.”

--Brooke Marier & Abram Miller